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Android's Nearby Share can now alert you when someone wants to share - even if you've turned it off
Nearby Share is getting a new feature that can alert you whenever someone is ready to share something with you, even if it's turned off.
It's been a long time coming for Google to come up with an alternative to Apple's AirDrop for Android devices, but finally, last year, they did it: Google launched Nearby Share. It's a feature that's present on both Android smartphones and Chrome OS computers and allows data to be transferred via Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, WebRTC, and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi---it decides whatever is the best method of transfer on the fly. It allows for quickly exchanging and sending images, videos, text, contacts, directions, YouTube videos, and other data, from one phone directly to the other without much hassle involved. Nearby Share now has the ability to alert you when someone wants to share something with you if you've turned it off.
Google tests showing pending app installs on the Android home screen
Google is testing a new feature that will show apps currently downloading/pending from the Play Store on your home screen.
There's a lot to see about Android 12. We've already gone over most of the key details of Google's new operating system in several posts, and we now have a hands-on as well for anyone interested in looking at the first beta of Android 12 just a little bit closer. While Android 12 itself has been in the works for months and we already had the chance to play around with some developer previews, this beta resembles the finished product a little bit more closely, and we're really liking what we see so far. Several improvements and changes to the way some Google products work were also showcased, but Google might be testing a few new tweaks as well. One of them is that pending app installs now show up on your home screen.
App hibernation added to Android 12 as a way to free up space from unused apps
Have a lot of apps hanging around you don't actually use? Android 12 is adding an app hibernation feature to keep them from wasting space.
Google's I/O 2021 main keynote wrapped up yesterday, and we got to know several exciting news about Android and the Android ecosystem itself. We had our first glance at Android 12 and its all-new Material You design language, which is one of the biggest UI revamps to come to Android in several years. The main philosophy behind Google's new UI guidelines is customizability and making your phone really your own—which, in a way, also encompasses the philosophy behind Android. But Android 12 is not just a pretty face. Several features, both user-visible and under the hood, are coming to the platform starting with Android 12. And one of them is app hibernation.
The biggest Wear OS update in years has arrived: Here's what it looks like
Google unveiled a completely revamped version of Wear OS today at Google I/O 2021. Check out our coverage to see what's new!
Earlier today, the Google I/O 2021 developer conference kicked off, and there was a lot of major news announced. From several new features and improvements to many services in the Google ecosystem to news that'll make developers' lives easier, Google I/O 2021 has been one of the biggest tech events in years. Of course, the biggest announcement at the event was the official unveiling of Android 12 for smartphones. But not every Android announcement was centered around phones. Google is finally giving more attention to Android for smartwatches and the Wear OS ecosystem once again, starting with a new version that's one of the biggest updates to Wear OS since it was first introduced.
Google is working with Shopify to make online shopping less fragmented
Google has announced a partnership with Shopify to allow 1.7 million Shopify merchants to sell merchandise with Google more easily.
Online shopping can be an inconsistent experience depending on which retailer you use. And Shopify is one of the few companies looking to tackle this: they provide eCommerce software and back-end technology for up-and-coming shops and retailers who want to sell stuff over the Internet. And they've been very successful at that: over 1.4 million merchants use Shopify to reach their customers and sell their products safely and easily. Google also has a partnership with Shopify that allows merchants to sell their merchandise over their shopping network. Now, that partnership is going one step further.
Fast Pair will soon let you quickly pair your phone to your car or Wear OS watch
Fast Pair, Google's technology for quickly pairing Bluetooth devices to Android phones, will soon be used with cars and Wear OS watches.
Fast Pair has been a boon for Android users around the world. First introduced with the original Pixel Buds back in 2017, they have made their way to a lot of wireless earbuds and headphones from companies from the likes of OnePlus, Realme, Microsoft, and more, and it does what the name says it does: it's a feature from Google that allows Android devices to quickly connect to nearby Bluetooth devices when they come in contact for the first time, without needing to go to the Bluetooth section in Settings and manually scan it and pair.
Google Photos is getting new features to relive (or forget) your past
Google Photos is adding new features to keep tabs on your memories, such as cinematic moments, deleting memories, and more.
Google Photos is an excellent service for keeping an eye on your photos, both if they're new pictures or memories from several years ago. And while Google Photos already employs some AI trickery to sort your photos with things like face recognition, most of your old pictures are still all over the place. Google says that, of the roughly 4 trillion pictures that are stored in Google Photos, most of them are never viewed. Today, Google wants to give you more flexibility and control over your memories in order to allow you to relive them more easily---and also giving you some control over what exactly you want to relive as well.
Google Photos is getting a safe folder to hide your private pictures
Google Photos is adding a safe folder for hiding sensitive photos and videos from your camera roll. Read on to know more!
Google Photos, as a service, is a pretty useful tool, allowing you to keep a tab on all of your device's photos and videos from one place, edit them right from the app, sort them using Google's state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, and much more. And while the app's free capabilities will soon be limited, it remains one of the best apps for managing your pictures available on Android: it comes pre-installed on most phones, and it backs up your precious pictures and memories to the cloud. But there might be some other pictures that you don't want showing up with the rest of your pictures. That's where Google Photos' new "Locked Folder" feature comes in.
LeEco smartphones could be making a comeback this year
LeEco, a Chinese former smartphone maker and tech company, is teasing a comeback to the Android ecosystem. Read on to know more!
LeEco smartphones disappeared from the market as suddenly as they first appeared. They first enjoyed press attention in early 2016 when Qualcomm announced at CES 2016 that the company, then going by the name of LeTV, would have the honor of being the first OEM to launch a phone powered by the then-just-released Snapdragon 820 SoC, the (unreleased) LeTV Le Max Pro. They were mostly known as a smartphone maker in the global tech space, but they also developed several other tech-related, and even non-tech, ventures through their almost 10 years of story. At one point, LeEco was involved in TVs, electric cars, bikes, and even wineries and real estate.
One of the best free file managers for Android turns 10 years old
One of the best and most beloved free file managers for Android, MiXplorer, is turning 10 years old today. Read on to know more!
One of the best things about Android is that there's an app for pretty much anything you want to do on your phone. And in our forums, there's a thriving enthusiast scene where people actively find ways to get the most out of their smartphones, no matter how old, new, low-end, or high-end it is. Throughout Android's history, modding has changed a lot in some regards and mostly hasn't in others. One of the few apps that have managed to stay relevant despite years of changes in Android is MiXplorer, one of the best free file managers available for Android devices, and it's turning 10 years old today.
Windows 10 leak hints at design changes borrowed from Microsoft's cancelled Windows 10X
According to a new leak, UI changes inspired on Microsoft's cancelled Windows 10X might be coming to Windows 10 by the end of the year.
In case you missed the news, Windows 10X was canceled. Windows 10X was supposed to be a new "light" operating system from Microsoft, which, instead of being based on their existing Windows 10 code, was built from the ground up. It was initially meant for dual-screen devices (which weren't a thing then and aren't really a thing now), but then this restriction was lifted and it was pitched more as a competitor to light operating systems like Chrome OS for affordable computers. It also came with some notably different design choices to regular Windows 10. While the Windows 10X train might never leave the station, users who were fans of these UI changes might be glad to know some of them might make their way to Windows 10.
The Roku Streambar and the Roku Ultra 2020 are on sale: get up to 30% off!
Are you on the fence about getting a new streaming device? Check out these deals on the Roku Ultra 2020 and the Roku Streambar now!
If you're in the market for a streaming device to hook up to your TV or your living room, Roku is usually a pretty solid choice. They have several devices comprising different price points as well as different sets of features, with all of them being excellent choices if you want to watch movies and videos on your favorite streaming service. Roku has been in the news recently due to conflicts with Google over services like YouTube TV, but their devices remain one of the most widely used options for streaming devices in the United States, and they're excellent choices. If you want to get into the Roku ecosystem, now's the time. Two of the most popular choices for Roku devices are on sale for $30 off.
Apple is working on a new pair of wireless earbuds called Beats Studio Buds
Apple is working on a new pair of true wireless earbuds under their Beats brand, and they might be called the Beats Studio Buds.
Apple's go-to wireless earbuds are part of the AirPods lineup, which is comprised of the regular AirPods and the AirPods Pro. AirPods, however, are not Apple's only audio venture. They also own the Beats brand, first founded by Dr. Dre, and have released many products under the brand since their 2014 acquisition. They often feature similar hardware to AirPods, including Apple's W1 and H1 chipsets, and work pretty well on iOS devices as a result. New Beats true wireless earbuds, seemingly called Beats Studio Buds, are coming soon if images found in the tvOS 14.6 and iOS 14.6 betas are anything to go by.
Android 12's new privacy controls could include a Privacy Dashboard
Google is apparently planning to add a new "Privacy dashboard" feature to Android 12 at Google I/O 2021, according to a new report.
Privacy has increasingly been one of Google's biggest focuses over the past few years. Over 2.5 billion devices are running Android around the world, and such a big install base means there's a lot of unwanted interest from threat actors. That's why each new version of Android adds features to ensure your sensitive information is available only to you. Android 12, the latest version of Android set to be unveiled tomorrow at Google I/O 2021, will reportedly introduce new privacy features including more easily accessible privacy controls.
Gboard's latest test syncs the theme with your wallpaper on Android 12
Gboard is adding a new feature to sync your wallpaper's color palette with your keyboard's theme and color scheme. Read on to know more!
Google has been on a roll revamping their keyboard experience as of lately. Recently, the company took the bold step of launching Gboard on their Wear OS ecosystem, which brought features such as speech recognition, swipe to write, and much, much more to devices we can fit in our wrist instead of just our smartphones. This resulted in a great improvement in the overall typing experience in our smartwatches. While Google keeps bringing new features into the mobile version of Gboard as well, it's been a while since one of them was UI-related, right? Well, we're getting some improvements there.
Amazon launches another free video streaming service called MiniTV
Amazon has launched MiniTV, a free, ad-supported video streaming service with content geared towards the Indian audience.
Worldwide, Amazon has bet big on its Prime Video streaming service despite competition getting tighter because of the launch of new video streaming services such as Disney+. As we stand right now, though, Amazon still holds a significant amount of users and bets big on exclusive content as well. An Amazon Prime membership gives you access to Amazon Prime Video, while a standalone subscription is also available and costs a little bit less. But not everyone can afford to pay a subscription. In the United States, there's IMDb TV, an ad-supported streaming service for watching movies and series. Now, Amazon is launching yet another one, specifically for India, called MiniTV.
ASUS rolls out its first post-launch update to the ZenFone 8 series
The ZenFone 8 and ZenFone 8 Flip are getting an OTA update adding extra functionality, fixing bugs and stability issues, and much more.
ASUS has now released the ZenFone 8 series. Users that are looking into proper follow-ups to the ZenFone 6 and ZenFone 7 might find themselves at home with the ZenFone 8 Flip as it retains the same backflip camera mechanism that flips the back camera over to the front instead of having a front camera. But the real star of the show was the regular ZenFone 8. It features a more conventional form factor with a punch-hole front camera and a standard rear camera setup, but it's a tiny phone---and it doesn't compromise on most other aspects. Now, the device, as well as the Flip model, are now getting their first OTA update.
Microsoft Edge is getting a built-in screenshot tool on Android
Microsoft Edge is adding a built-in screenshotting tool for the Android version of the browser. Read on to know more!
It's been a big while since Google added a built-in screenshot editor to Android with Markup. While other Android OEMs have had screenshot editors for several years, stock Android barely allowed you to take a screenshot and that's pretty much it. An actual screenshot editor came to Android with Android Pie. Since then, a tool like this also made its way to Google Photos, and even Google Chrome entered the action by adding a built-in screenshotting, editing, and sharing tool. This is, of course, a feature that was added to standard Chromium, meaning that other Chromium-based browsers can get it as well. Now, Microsoft Edge is getting a built-in screenshot tool as well.
Samsung's Galaxy F52 looks to be an even cheaper 5G phone than the Galaxy A52
The Samsung Galaxy F52 is coming soon, and it's set to be an even cheaper 5G budget smartphone than the Galaxy A52. Check it out!
Samsung has been one of the leading companies when it comes to bringing 5G to the masses by not only shipping their flagships with 5G support, but also their mid-range smartphones and now their budget ones as well, with Samsung's cheapest one to date being the Galaxy A32 5G. There's also a new budget device expected to come with 5G support, and live images of the device have already surfaced on the Internet. We're talking about the Galaxy F52 5G, belonging to Samsung's F series of smartphones.
Samsung may launch a new Galaxy S21 model and two foldables in August
Samsung is reportedly set to launch a new model of the Galaxy S21, as well as two new foldable smartphones, as soon as August.
In case you missed this, Samsung is doing new product launches very soon. A handful of new flagship models from Samsung, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3, have all been protagonists in recent leaks and rumors, and users are expecting these 3 phones to launch shortly. How soon, you might ask? Well, we might be seeing them launch earlier than usual, maybe as soon as August.