Google started rolling out the new Android Auto earlier this month, and it's an overall improvement. You should have the updated interface already, but we've heard from a number of Android Auto users who haven't seen the update appear automatically. Luckily, there's a quick fix.
Read MoreWaze teams up with Castbox to offer a dedicated podcast experience
Ever since Google bought Waze, we've feared that the company might kill off the app and roll a worse version of it into Google Maps, as is sometimes the case with other services it owns (looking at Nest right now). But Waze is alive and well, and Google keeps adding useful new features to it, such as the Google Assistant and a carpool service. Today, Waze is also gaining support for the podcast app Castbox.
Read MoreWaze is getting Google Assistant in the coming weeks
As usual with the last few years of I/O, Google took a chunk of time to talk about Assistant. While there are some other really interesting pieces, one that is sure to make people happy is that Assistant is coming to Waze.
Read MoreJBL Link Drive brings Google Assistant to your car
JBL is bringing Google Assistant everywhere this year, from speakers to soundbars, displays, headphones, and more. The latest addition to its line-up, the JBL Link Drive, is meant to help you use Google Assistant while driving, but without taking your eyes off the road or fiddling with your phone.
Read MoreChris is a hands-free digital assistant for drivers, with voice and gesture controls
IFA 2018 may be over, but there are still some interesting tidbits of news worth mentioning. One of the stands we visited briefly in Berlin last week was that of German Autolabs to see an interesting new product. It may resemble a Nest Thermostat, but Chris is actually a digital assistant for your car.
Read MoreGoogle Maps is testing a combined Commute tab to replace Driving and Transit
The Google Maps team seems to be trying out different layouts and options for its bottom tabs. Most users have three tabs (Explore, Driving, Transit), in the US and other select countries you also have the For You tab, some users are starting to see another separate tab for the Map, and I just came across this other design with a combined Commute tab.
Read More[Why?] Google Maps tests a standalone Map tab, separating it from the driving and transit views
You open a maps application, you expect to see a map of where you are. It's common sense, yet we have to start this news article with this pretty basic knowledge bit. The reason? Whoever is behind the latest Google Maps server-side test seems to have missed that "Map app making 101" lesson and went free-styling with their own ideas.
Read More'Navigation for Google Maps Go' fixes one of Android Go's biggest problems [APK Download]
The single largest omission present in Google Maps Go (and, in part, Android Go) was the lack of proper navigation support. If you tried to use the app to get turn-by-turn directions, you were pretty much out of luck, as it would just point you to the more fully-featured Google Maps app—basically defeating the purpose of a "maps" app, in my opinion. Well, Maps Go still can't do navigation, but Google has seen fit to break that functionality out into yet another Go app: Navigation for Google Maps Go.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
Driving Detective brings automatic Do Not Disturb while driving to non-Pixel phones using official Transition API
The Pixel 2 launched with many neat tricks under its belt, one of which is the option to automatically turn on Do Not Disturb while driving. Later on, Google opened up the smarts behind this to developers with the Transition API, letting them easily implement a real-world activity detection algorithm into their apps. And we're now reaping the benefit: Driving Detector is a new application that turns on Do Not Disturb automatically when driving, using the official API, and it works on non-Pixels too.
Read MoreGoogle opens Pixel 2's intelligent driving-detection API for developer use
The Pixel 2 has a handy feature that allows the phone to turn on Do Not Disturb when it detects its user is driving a car. The trick is enabled by a tool called the Transition API, which uses algorithms to recognize different types of real-world activity. Google announced Tuesday that the Transition API is now available for use by all Android developers.
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