About Ryne Hager
Ryne was ostensibly a senior editor at Android Police, working at the site from 2017-2022. But really, he is just some verbose dude who digs on tech, loves Android, and hates anticompetitive practices. His only regret is that he didn't buy a Nokia N9 in 2012.
Latest Articles
Google Pixels may not have Android 12 yet, but they just got their October update
And no functional patch notes for the second month in a row
Today isn't Android 12 day, sadly, but Google did just push out its anticipated October updates for the Pixel series, including the new Pixel 5a. Unfortunately for us, it looks like Google has decided to drop the functional patch notes again this month, so we can't tell you what changed or if any specific bugs have been fixed with this release. The OTA should be rolling out soon, promising the latest security patches for the Pixel 3 series, Pixel 3a series, Pixel 4 series, Pixel 4a series, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5a.
Android 12 is 'live' today, but not in the way you're hoping for
Released to AOSP, but no OTA yet
Today Android 12 has been pushed to AOSP — presumably, hitting the "stable" milestone that means it's basically ready to go. However, there is one major catch: Google isn't releasing the update for us just yet. Though it's available to developers looking to tinker with it, you can't actually download it on your Pixel. Google says that will happen "in the next few weeks." However, that's also a trade-off, as smartphones from other companies may be getting it sooner than you expect.
YouTube gives you one less reason to ever stop watching with mobile-to-desktop sync
Continue on your computer where you paused on your phone
YouTube for desktop has been spotted with a new "continue watching" feature that should make it easier to pick up where you stopped watching a video on another platform, like your phone or TV. It isn't live for everyone just yet, and YouTube doesn't currently list it among its ongoing experiments, but it's been spotted in the process of rolling out.
Google kills its plans for Pay-integrated bank accounts before they even launch
Google Pay won't be getting those Plex accounts after all
Google's plans last year to build a branded banking service may never actually pan out. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google's giving up on "Plex," its multiple-bank approach for integrating financial services more directly inside the redesigned Google Pay. The company was working with several partner banks to offer accounts certain standardized feature sets and deep integration into services like Pay, paired with other customer-centric features like no overdraft or monthly fees. However, no actual release date was ever set for Plex, and the project has reportedly been abandoned.
USB Type-C cables will soon have easily spotted power rating logos
Thanks to the USB-IF, buying the right cable for a specific situation should get easier
You might have an easier time shopping for USB Type-C cables for high-power devices soon. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has just announced a new power-rating logo that you might someday see winking at you from a future USB cable, explaining that those bundled wires are rated for either 60W or 240W of power.
Google recently announced four new cameras for its Nest lineup, but only two of them were actually available at the time of the announcement: The Nest Cam (battery) and the new Nest Doorbell (battery). The anticipated Nest Cam (wired) may have just reared its head, though. A recent version of the Google Home app is displaying the product name during the camera setup process, and might indicate a launch is imminent.
How to try out Google's new Android TV remote on your phone
It's better than the old app, but is it better than a real remote?
Google just released a new software remote for Android TV and Google TV devices. That's a fancy way of saying that you have a new way to use your phone to control your smart TV's Android-powered guts. Of course, Google's had a dedicated app with that functionality for a while, but it wasn't great. In fact, Google recently de-listed and ended support the old app. So, what's this new method like? In short: Pretty good for most people.
Google confirms it's ending support for the old Android TV remote app as it disappears from the Play Store
Though it's less "goodbye" than "good riddance" given the new remote
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Google has dropped visibility for the "old" Android TV remote app from the Play Store, following the rollout of the new Google TV app-based solution, which landed last week. For many, the Android TV Remote Control app listing no longer appears on either the Play Store's desktop site or when navigating to the listing via an external link in the Play Store app on mobile. With Google recently rolling out a method that replaces the old app, we have to assume the removal was intentional, and Google confirms to us that it's ending support for the older app.
Smartmi Air Purifier P1 review: A smart way to solve those seasonal sniffles
It filters air, integrates with the Assistant, and doesn't look as ugly as most air purifiers
Over the last year, air purifiers have changed from a luxury product for folks with allergies to a mainstream necessity. Many of us picked up HEPA filtration systems in the hopes it might make a dent in our at-home safety during the pandemic. Whether you're still in that mood or not, Xiaomi's Smartmi Air Purifier P1 is a surprisingly decent buy, with an attractive design, cheaper-than-average filters, and the sort of voice assistant integrations you expect in 2021. However, those integrations are a little limited, and the $180 price is on the steep side.
Crack a smile, because Android's new face gesture accessibility controls are official
Camera Switches and Project Activate bring face-based gestures for communication and phone control
Accessibility is a subject that will affect us all eventually — some of us sooner than others. It's honestly pretty hard to make the topic attractive or marketable compared to Android's bigger, flashier features, But when you're limited from doing something in the "normal" way, accessibility matters a whole lot, and it's also a point of frustration when the very promise of technology is its flexibility and extensibility. To help with that, Google's adding two new features that help those with motor impairments use Android.
Google brings us up to speed with what's new-new (and kinda-new) for Android
The teased Android TV remote, some Gboard improvements, and a few Pixel-exclusive features are coming to your phone
Today, Google has announced the rollout of a whole pile of "new" features for Android and Android Auto — 16 changes, by Google's count. Of course, this is Google, so "new" in many of these cases means they've been spotted in testing for months, and you may have been using many of them already. The tweaks cover a wide range, including accessibility improvements and Android Auto (which we'll cover separately to help streamline things just a little bit), but highlights include a new remote control for Android TV built right into your phone, an Assistant reminders hub, several time-saving Gboard improvements, and the trickle-down of a few Pixel-exclusive features.
Surface Duo 2 steps up with true flagship specs, pre-orders open now starting at $1,500
You'll have to wait till October 21st to get it, though
Microsoft has just revealed its new Surface Duo 2. Unlike last year's phone, this new model includes flagship-level specs, like a Snapdragon 888, 5G connectivity, and a triple-camera setup. Pre-orders are open now, with availability set for October 21st. Prices start at an eye-watering $1,500.
Heads up: Slack is repeatedly signing people out of the mobile app
Probably not an excuse to slack off at work, though
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It's just about the end of the workday for some of us, but if you're having trouble with staying signed in on your company's Slack workspace from a phone, you aren't alone. In fact, some of us here at Android Police are running into the same issue. Thankfully, Slack is aware of the issue and currently investigating the cause. (You still probably have to finish your work today, though.)
Drool over these hi-res ad shots of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
One of them might look a little familiar
David Urbanke, The photographer behind Google's current ad campaign for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, just published eight high-res photos of the two devices in several fun colors to his portfolio, as well as higher resolution shots of the ads that are currently on billboards in places like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Google's Pixel 6 might play interpreter on your next vacation
Old and new features spotted together under a new Live Translation name
One of the rumored features the upcoming Pixel 6 and 6 Pro would have was improved translation performance. At the time, we didn't actually know it would be a heavily marketed feature; The Verge was merely shown a demo that showed a French to English translation via Live Captions. But according to the folks at XDA Developers, there's more to it than that, and we can anticipate a new branded Live Translate feature to debut with the phone, building on the existing translation systems and features in the Google Translate app, Lens, and Assistant, but with deeper integrations.
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A pile of new Google devices just hit the FCC, and based on the details included, it looks like they are probably versions of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. All are "phones" according to the FCC, and some models have mmWave 5G paired with Wi-Fi 6E support, while other models make do with sub-6 GHz 5G and 6E.
BenQ's new portable projectors have Android TV and 2.1 channel audio built right in
Technically, Android TV is via a dongle that fits inside them
BenQ has just revealed two new portable projectors with built-in 2.1 channel audio and Android TV — and we mean Android TV, not Google TV. The way that last bit works is kind of curious. But before we push our full reviews, let's dive into some of the details for both of these new battery-powered models.
Google should be worried about Epic's injunction against Apple
If the App Store is forced to allow non-Apple payment options, Google might need to reassess its own rules that kick in soon
The Apple vs. Epic drama probably isn't over yet, but the courts have come to one conclusion. While it's far from the victory Epic may have hoped for, the court has issued an injunction against Apple that should at least allow developers to point customers to non-Apple payment options. It's a small bit of good news for iOS developers, but it leaves us in Android land wondering: How might this affect Google's Play Store billing enforcement changes, which are set to kick in at the end of this very month?
Vivo's new X70 Pro+ packs a big camera, fast wireless charging, and an IP rating
It'll run Funtouch 12, which is based on Android 11, confusingly
Vivo has just announced its new X70 series, composed of the eponymous X70, X70 Pro, and X70 Pro+. Like the X60, the new lineup uses the new Vivo Zeiss Joint Imaging System and related branding. Specs between models vary, with the Pro+ picking up a Snapdragon 888+ and the X70 and X70 Pro using the Dimensity 1200. The new phones will be available "gradually" in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the UAE.
Here's what Android 12's new Private Compute Core is actually going to do
Google's opening up features that live under the rebranded name for public review, with more planned for later
Yesterday, when Android 12 Beta 5 rolled out, we spotted an apparent rebranding for Google's old Device Personalization Services, picking up the new Private Compute Core name. The stuff actually in that section of Settings remained the same, though, and Google told us the name would be a thing back when it announced Beta 2. Now the company is sharing more about its plans and what, precisely, a "Private Compute Core" means.