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"Snapchat announced that it had raised $13.5 million in funding over the weekend and now the chat app, famed for its self-destructing messages, has brought video to Android version through a limited private beta.\r\n\r\nAs TechCrunch reports, the link to the beta download expires at 2:00 AM PT, in keeping with Snapchat's own self-combusting style. So Android-totting Snapchatters should head over there ASAP if they want to add video to the range of\u00A0messages that they can send to friends via the service.\r\n\r\nSnapchat video is much the same as images, and the clips -- which can be up to 10-seconds in length -- can be configured to disappear from view from between 1-10 seconds after being watched.\u00A0The initially (limited) video launch for Android comes two months after the feature was added to the iOS app.\r\n\r\nThe chat service initially courted controversy off the back of claims that it was being used by teens and other young adults to send inappropriate messages --known as 'sexting' -- thanks to the limited time that messages appear to recipients. However, regardless of the apparent minority of users that may have done that, the service has grown into a mainstream app in North America. Proof of that came when Facebook introduced 'Poke', its own take (/ripoff) of Snapchat.\r\n\r\nIrrespective of the Facebook app -- which rose to the top of the app store\u00A0and sunk back down after Christmas\u00A0-- Snapchat continues on. Its\u00A0new funding is said to\u00A0value it at $60-70 million and the service is reportedly now seeing 60 million photos shared by its users each day.\r\n\r\nSnapchat has also been busy beefing up its staff. TechCrunch reports it recently doubled its roster to 10 and moved into new office space.\r\n\r\n\u27A4\u00A0Snapchat for Android (beta with video)\r\n\r\n\u27A4 Snapchat:\u00A0Google Play | App Store\r\n\r\nHeadline image via Zallio / Flickr"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/02/12/snapchat-for-android-gets-video-with-limited-beta-update/>