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Google Keyboard updated with Material themes and Lollipop’s Messenger app now available from the Play Store

It’s Wednesday and Google is hard at work rolling out updates for its suite of Android apps. Today, the company released a refreshed version of its homegrown keyboard, which ships loaded with a pair of light and dar Material Design themes. These cosmetic additions aren’t available by default, so you’ll have to go into settings and select which theme you’d like to use.

In addition to an updated input method, Google has brought its new Messenger app to the Play Store for devices running Android 4.1 or higher. Not a replacement for Mountain View’s Hangouts software, this new app ships baked into Android 5.0 Lollipop and invites users to a simplified SMS and MMS setup. If your device meets Google’s prerequisites and you’re in search of a barebones texting app, Messenger is now a viable option.

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