latest
Notifications feeling sluggish? This popular Android game may be to blame
Who needs reliable notifications on their phones?
Last week Niantic announced the global rollout for Pikmin Bloom, a new augmented reality game that functions much like a souped-up step counter complemented by Nintendo's adorable Pikmin graphics. Well, it would appear things aren't so rosy a week from launch now that many users are experiencing delayed notifications. A bug report that called out this issue was initially filed around Bloom's launch. Thankfully this bug report is finally gaining some traction now that many more reports are spreading across the web complaining about similar notification problems. Niantic support has at least confirmed it is looking into the bug, though there's still no confirmation whether or not this is a problem for everyone who has the game installed or simply a select few.
No, your Google Maps voice navigation isn't haunted
Users are hearing an unexpected voice, but a fix is on the way
Turn-by-turn navigation is great — especially when you're headed somewhere new. It's all too easy to miss your exit while jamming out on a road trip, but with a quick prompt from Google's voice directions, you'll know precisely when to merge into that right lane. The last thing anyone needs while driving is the surprise of an unexpected voice echoing out of their car's speakers, but that's just what's happening with a bug in Maps.
Read update
Most of us probably replaced our old and clunky bedside clocks with smartphones ages ago. With a built-in alarm and an always-active battery backup, it's usually a reliable way to get up in the morning. However, throughout this week, Google's Clock app hasn't been activating alarms properly for some users, causing massive headaches for anyone afflicted. Thankfully, a fix has arrived.
Android 12 Beta 5 fixes the annoying square search bar
Back to rounded edges with the new universal search, which is also now live
Among the more vexing changes in the Android 12 Betas to date has been the apparent bug that caused the search bar/widget built into the Pixel Launcher to lose its curves, not just appearing as a hard-edged square but with an off-center Google logo, to boot. As far as pedantically tiny frustrations go, it was maddening. Android 12 Beta 5 thankfully fixes that problem, and it looks like it won't be an issue when it hits stable.
Google squashes Android Auto location bug so you can search for services near you again
It no longer thinks you're always at home
One of the little Google features we probably all take for granted is being able to easily find services near to us via Maps, Assistant, Search, etc. Unfortunately, some Android Auto users have been encountering a bug that meant searching for anything "near me" or "nearby" would return results close to the users' homes, rather than their current location. Thankfully, Google says it's rolled out a fix.
Google's latest Chromebook update is safe to install again, leaving the Chromebook Pixel stranded
Chromebook Pixel users need to disable a flag to install Linux from now on
The Google search bar is being a square in Android 12 Beta 3
A little bug in the app drawer breaks the rounded aesthetics
Android 12 Beta 3 is the last beta before the new OS reaches platform stability, but that doesn't mean that there aren't still bugs that need to be ironed out. Among them is one that's rather fun. No matter which icon shape you choose for your launcher, the search bar in the app drawer is always square with a rather misaligned Google icon.
The Google TV recommendations bug has been squashed so we can all sleep easy now
It was fixed in record time, too
Read update
Great excitement accompanied the launch of Chromecast with Google TV, much of it around the new interface and what looked to be a much more robust recommendations system. The watchlist syncs with your Google account and, in theory, the For you screen should show you closely-matched content based on your search history, likes, and past viewing. There's even a screen where you can train it to know your taste better, but it's completely borked right now.
Google backtracks on Android 12's new ripple effect after users confuse it for a bug
It's intended behavior, but not everyone is happy about it
Wide-ranging visual changes are arriving with Android 12, all part of Google's brand-new Material You design system. Reactions to this have, on the whole, been pretty positive, but there are some aspects of it that aren't quite so popular. Animations are getting a lot of attention, since they've remained unchanged for so long, and the new ripple effect, in particular, isn't going down so well.
Your Chromebook has a bug that can reveal your location, here's how to fix it
A temporary solution until Google squashes it altogether
Chrome OS is a relatively secure OS, which is one major reason why more businesses are opting for laptops running it. However, a new bug has been spotted that could reveal location history to anyone who has physical access to your Chromebook.
Google can't seem to fix (or doesn't care about) broken app update notifications
The Play Store toggle doesn't seem to work at all on Pixel phones
When Google removed the ability for the Play Store to notify users of app updates, people were understandably miffed. This even led to a third-party solution being developed, before Google eventually saw sense and brought it back as an optional setting (albeit off by default). This functionality appears to be broken now on various Android phones.
SwiftKey fixes Pixel 4’s swipe to erase issue on stable, too (APK Download)
The gesture has been broken for over a year
Read update
Despite its long-standing acclaim as the keyboard app to beat on Android, SwiftKey hasn’t played nice with Google’s own Pixel 4 and 4 XL since back when they launched in 2019. The handy swipe-to-delete gesture has been broken on the two phones for over a year, and it's only now that the app is gearing up to patch it. If the latest update to SwiftKey beta is any indication, a proper fix for the issue is just around the corner.
Read update
When you run as many services with as many features as Google, bugs tend to pop up from time to time. The latest major bug concerns Google Search's custom date ranges, which are causing tabs to freeze when used. Google is working on fixing this and has presented a workaround for the time being.
Chromecast with Google TV has an annoying Bluetooth audio issue, but there's a simple fix
Get rid of stuttering performance while using YouTube or YouTube Music
The Chromecast with Google TV is a brilliant product, as noted in Ryan's review, but it's not without its flaws. Since getting one a week ago, I've found Google's new Android TV skin to be a delight, so much so that my far more powerful Nvidia Shield has been relegated to the bench. The experience isn't perfect, however, and I've had to close misbehaving apps on several occasions. The most notable issue I've faced relates to Bluetooth audio, but thankfully there's an easy fix.
Read update
- We're able to confirm on one of our Pixel 5s that the January 2021 patch does indeed fix the loud system sounds issue, as they're controlled by the slider once again.
Pixel phones offer the best of Google — bugs and all. The flagship Pixel 5 is packed with a lot of good stuff, but it also occasionally seems to include a more frustrating feature: a bug that makes all system sounds play at maximum volume no matter how soft you try to set them.
Incorrect OnePlus 8/8 Pro beta update wipes some phones by accident, but there’s a workaround
If you haven’t lost your data already, that is
Not too long ago, OnePlus released the third Open Beta for the 8 and 8 Pro, bringing various bug fixes for the Ambient Display and Zen Mode and making Canvas compatible with the new always-on Ambient Display. Now a bug has surfaced that deletes user data from some people who have joined the beta program. It looks like some 8 and 8 Pro owners have received the stable build of Oxygen OS instead of the Open Beta 3, which leads to the data loss.
Pixel 5's insomnia problems when resting on the Pixel Stand have been fixed (APK Download)
No more sleepless nights for your new phone
The Pixel 5 is by most accounts a perfectly decent device when it's functioning correctly. However, a strange issue has popped up that's affecting users who leave their devices on Pixel Stands overnight, causing screens to come back on. This eye-blisteringly bright bug is basically the opposite of bedtime mode. Thankfully, the latest Pixel Stand APK update offers an antidote to these sleepless nights.
Annoying Android 11 bug prevents apps from going fullscreen
You're gonna get sick of seeing your status icons and navigation bar all the time
Android 11 is over a month old now, but we're still coming across new bugs in the official release. From glitchy media controls to issues with multitasking, the new things introduced in the latest Android aren't all good. The latest bug worth writing about affects mobile gamers in particular, but it's annoying for anyone who uses apps that go fullscreen.
Some Pixel 4a units are exhibiting a touchscreen bug on Android 11
A screen protector seems to make the issue worse
We've all been awaiting Android 11 eagerly, but now that it's there, a subset of Pixel 4a users doesn't have the experience they were hoping for. Some people have taken to Google's and XDA Developers' forums, complaining about touchscreen sensitivity problems such as unresponsive scrolling and phantom touches.
The final release of Android 11 earlier this month brought a ton of new features and improvements, but there was bound to be a bug or two with so many changes. The new media controls make the audio-listening experience a lot nicer, but they're still in need of some polish: some apps with currently playing audio can't be controlled unless you expand the quick settings panel.