Pixel's Now Playing feature that identifies songs playing around you for at-a-glance reference is about to get even better. This handy tool which first appeared on the Pixel 2 and 2 XL back in 2017 acts like a built-in Shazam, automatically displaying the song title on your lock screen and in your … [Read more...] about Pixel’s Now Playing feature looks set to get a default playback option
New & Upcoming Features
The December Pixel Drop is here with a host up updates
Google's December Pixel Feature Drop is upon us, and it's brimming with enhancements designed to make your Pixel experience even more intelligent and intuitive. This update goes beyond simple tweaks, offering substantial upgrades to Gemini AI, camera capabilities, and security measures. Let's break … [Read more...] about The December Pixel Drop is here with a host up updates
If you like YouTube TV’s “Enjoy the Zen,” I have good news for you
YouTube TV has taken its "Enjoy the zen" ad breaks to a whole new level with the launch of a dedicated channel just for their soothing, enjoyable content. That's right: those tranquil nature scenes and adorable animal clips are now available 24/7 for your viewing pleasure - no waiting for a dead ad … [Read more...] about If you like YouTube TV’s “Enjoy the Zen,” I have good news for you
Gemini extensions for your Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp are now arriving
The past couple weeks have seen quite a bit of movement in the Gemini space, and today is no different. To keep up with the theme of new functionality arriving every few days for the Gemini app on Android, Google is now rolling out extension for your Messages, Phone, and even WhatsApp, allowing … [Read more...] about Gemini extensions for your Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp are now arriving
Pixel phones can now tell you how hot they are running
If you've owned a Pixel 6 or newer, you know the feeling you get when your phone starts to overheat. In one way or another, you've perhaps pushed the device a bit too hard, maybe gaming or shooting a long 4K video, and the back of your phone starts to feel like a hot plate. But how hot is actually … [Read more...] about Pixel phones can now tell you how hot they are running
Gemini is getting a Spotify extension for playback and search
Google is continuing to reveal and release Gemini Extensions for users looking to leverage the LLM on their phones to actually get things done outside of simply chatting with an AI bot with endless, factual (most times) knowledge. While the roll-out of these new extensions has been a bit slower than … [Read more...] about Gemini is getting a Spotify extension for playback and search
Wear OS 5.1 with Android 15 is arriving with new features in a developer preview
Google has quietly dropped a new Wear OS update right on the heels of the Wear OS 5 arriving for older Pixel Watches. This time, it's Wear OS 5.1 in a developer preview, and it's bringing some interesting goodies to the table. First off, the big news is that Wear OS 5.1 is based on Android 15 … [Read more...] about Wear OS 5.1 with Android 15 is arriving with new features in a developer preview
Pixel ‘At a Glance’ widget may be getting a sports enhancement
If you are a sports fan, we have some good news for you! It looks like Google is getting ready to bring live sports scores right to your Pixel's At a Glance widget. 9to5 Google dove deep into the latest Android System Intelligence APK (the same one that teased the enhanced 'Now Playing' features) … [Read more...] about Pixel ‘At a Glance’ widget may be getting a sports enhancement
Google Calendar on Android gets full-blown Google Tasks integration
Google Calendar on Android is about to get a whole lot more powerful with a new, full-featured Google Tasks integration. Up until now, Google Calendar on your Android phone has been pretty basic when it comes to Tasks. You could create and view tasks with due dates, but that was about it. That's all … [Read more...] about Google Calendar on Android gets full-blown Google Tasks integration
Google is “enhancing” Now Playing on Pixel phones for an improved experience
Since it's introduction years ago, the Now Playing feature on Pixel phones has always been a crowd favorite. Every time it magically identifies songs playing around me, I'm still a bit blown away by how well it can identify tunes in so many environments. Though it's not been upgraded in a while, … [Read more...] about Google is “enhancing” Now Playing on Pixel phones for an improved experience
The latest Chromecast with Google TV update is arriving
For those of you who are sticking with the Chromecast with Google TV instead of upgrading to the new Google TV Streamer, a new update is being pushed out for your device. The latest update - STTL.240812.006.N1 - is a bit lighter than last month's hefty download, clocking in at just 59.48MB: down … [Read more...] about The latest Chromecast with Google TV update is arriving
Chromebooks running Android could finally make our phone-as-desktop dreams a reality
With the rumor of Chromebooks possibly making the move to Android (versus ChromeOS as it is now), I have to admit that my emotions have been all over the place. I'm excited about a more-unified OS from Google, terrified that they'll fail to stick the landing, and hopeful that if they can actually … [Read more...] about Chromebooks running Android could finally make our phone-as-desktop dreams a reality
