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We enabled Android's new App Pairs to show you split-screen shortcuts in action
Android will soon let you save an App Pair to quickly launch a duo of apps into split-screen mode
One of the biggest advantages of using an Android device with a larger screen is the ability to multitask more effectively. Android has long offered a split-screen mode that enables placing two apps side-by-side or one above the other on the screen. However, Android doesn’t natively offer the option to save your split-screen configuration. That means if you want to open a particular pair of apps in split-screen mode, you have to manually do it every time. Fortunately, Android could finally let you save an App Pair so you can quickly relaunch a pair of apps into split-screen mode.
Get Firefox 91 five days ahead of the official release date (APK Download)
It's already available for download
Mozilla has already published the first stable Firefox 91 version, a full five days ahead of the official release date. It comes with a few select changes, but we're still left eagerly awaiting some hotly anticipated features that were long promised. For what it's worth, you can download it right now over at APK Mirror.
Android TV is now receiving its Google TV-inspired facelift (APK Download)
Say hello to a new three-tab interface
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Following a minor facelift of the Play Store TV interface and the completely new Google TV UI, the regular Android TV experience is in for an overhaul. After announcing a new three-tabbed look for Android TVs earlier this month, Google's beginning to start updating devices.
Google Home may soon let you restrict access to smart home controls
You might get different tiers of access levels for individual household members soon
Google Home has only ever allowed for a rudimentary all-or-nothing approach when it comes to managing household members. You can either grant someone full access to your smart home devices or none at all. Based on recent UI tweaks, Google is looking to change that and might introduce tiers of different access levels soon.
Google Home now lets you specify what type of device a smart plug controls
The feature is live on Android and iOS
Smart plugs are a great way to make simple electronics more intelligent — be it an old lamp with a non-removable light bulb, an older TV, or a coffee maker. However, outlets can't tell what's plugged into them, so any smart plug just got a generic logo in the Home app. That changed when Google started automatically adjusting the symbol depending on what you call the device — e.g., "desk light" will give you a light bulb icon. Now there's a more straightforward way to change the device type right through an extra option in the Home app on Android and iOS.
The Google Home app has become this awkward monolithic thing over the years, expanding with more options, settings, and duties as Google's smart home ecosystem has grown. It can be pretty hard to find what you need without some sort of degree in Googleology — or at least some extensive searching. But an update that's now widely rolling out makes navigating through your home's settings a little easier.
Google Home app gets Nest Cam events and improved smart outlet icons (Update: New lighting controls)
It now lets you view all of your Nest Cam footage
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Google Home received an overhaul last year that reduced its number of bottom tabs from four to two — only home control and a feed remain. The latter hasn't been populated by too much content, but a recent update to version 2.19 changes that, at least if you own Nest security devices. The feed now shows you Nest Cam events in the form of highlights and makes the whole history available for viewing. The update also gives smart outlets icons that better depict which devices they're controlling.
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- We're starting to see the new Google Home UI on our devices, which has only very slightly evolved from the screenshots we posted back in September. The pause button is now just a tad larger, and the volume card doesn't show any text. The most important change is the stop button, which has been replaced with one showing the cast device's name, and can be used to play content on another device.
When casting music, movies, series, or videos to a speaker or TV, the Google Home app conveniently lets you control it, even if you used another device to initiate playback. Although the interface was handy, it wasn't visual enough. Thankfully, Google is seemingly working on a revamped one for cast media control.
The Google Home got an update today with no immediately discernible changes to the UI. But as usual, there are some other interesting changes that speak to what we'll see happening in the future. Google is preparing the interface for users to migrate their Nest accounts to Google for improved security, there will be support for Internet radio, and it looks like a lightweight bottom navigation bar is in development.
If you still haven't purchased a smart speaker or want to get an extra one, today's your lucky day, as Rakuten is running an offer that lets you get the Google Home Mini for just $20. This is even cheaper than the ongoing deal for $25 apiece, thanks to an additional 20% off.
Smart speakers add a layer of convenience to a household, but have you ever thought of them as planting a mole into your own living room? Back in April, Amazon admitted its employees reviewed anonymized recordings in order to improve its speech recognition system. Now a fresh controversy has emerged around Google and its Assistant, where the company confirms doing the very same — but there's still no need to worry.
Although Google's smart home devices have been going on sale several times in the past, the company is currently discounting almost the entire Home range, including the Nest Hub smart display. This is a great opportunity to get an extra intelligent device in your household, or even to buy your first one if you don't have one already.
If you're thinking of making your home smarter or even improving your game to replace your smart speaker with an intelligent display, you're in luck, as this deal lets you get a nice bundle for $98 less than the regular MSRP. For this price, you'll get a Nest Hub smart display, a Hello doorbell, and a Google Home Mini speaker, which work seamlessly together to make your life easier.
A new version of the Google Home app is rolling out, but there aren't any visible changes making their way out with this one. Instead, this update seems to be focused mostly on adding initial support for some new hardware, including something that sounds like a smart home hub called Zion, and a security device called Castell that may be a door lock. There's also a little motion on a previously teased device that will likely be the Nest Hub Max, and some details on a new "Reactive UI" feature that lights up as you approach.
During CES last month, Google announced its Home speakers and smart displays with Assistant would be capable of becoming virtual interpreters and translate live conversations between people speaking in different languages. The feature seems to be rolling out to the masses as an official support page has been set up, and several devices are now capable of translating discussions.
The latest update to the Google Home app is out, but it's not going to give you much to look at in the form of live changes. Instead, this update appears to be largely focused on adding new hardware support for Nest security products, and possibly a few others. There's also a new feature in the works called Talk and Listen that could be a solid enhancement to the Broadcast feature.
Valentine's Day is coming up and you still don't know what to get your significant other? Think no more; Google has you covered with bundles and special deals on the Pixel 2, several connected home devices, and accessories.
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
The beta Android app is now available on Android One devices as well as Pixels, and it seems that Digital Wellbeing features are also coming to Google's smart speakers. As you can see from the image above, the Digital Wellbeing webpage has said it was "coming soon" for a while, and now people are reporting seeing it in their app.
Probably the biggest market for smart home hardware is home security, and ADT's Pulse app brings the company's security products into the future with remote management from the convenience of a phone. Back in May, Home/Assistant support was said to be in the pipeline, and so far as we can tell, it's actually, finally here starting today.