Latest news with #RyanHaines
Android Authority
16 hours ago
- Android Authority
I sideloaded Galaxy Watch Ultra faces to my Galaxy Watch 7, and here's why I'm keeping them
Ryan Haines / Android Authority I won't lie — I haven't touched my Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 in a while. I liked it when I reviewed it and thought it was worth buying (it's since been replaced by the Galaxy Watch 8), but it had a few omissions that made me long for the Galaxy Watch Ultra, squircle design and all. One of those major misses was that Samsung saved a few of its best, most complicated watch faces for its top model, leaving me behind with others that were just fine. Now, though, the tables have turned. I finally have the Galaxy Watch Ultra faces that I always wanted on my Galaxy Watch 7, and it's breathed new life into this solid, stylish smartwatch. Here's how I upgraded and why you should do the same. What's so great about a Galaxy Watch Ultra face? Ryan Haines / Android Authority Like I just said, I don't think watch faces should be reserved for certain models. Sure, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has other advantages, like a tougher bezel, bigger battery, and a whole set of special watch bands — I'm cool with all that. However, when it's running the same version of Wear OS that the Galaxy Watch 7 runs, I don't see why there should be any difference in the faces it supports. Maybe I wouldn't feel so strongly about the Galaxy Watch Ultra's faces if they were just ho-hum, run-of-the-mill options that added a new color or a pop of style, but they're more than that. They have carefully designed hands that are more visible when the AOD is active, and they automatically swap to an all-red color profile when you toggle night mode on your Galaxy Watch. Maybe that red shift is a shameless pull from what Garmin, but I don't mind — it's better than the blinding brightness of pulling up my watch in the middle of the night. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra faces add more than just a pop of color — they've become fast favorites. I also think the watch faces — or at least Simple Ultra, which I've taken a shine to — do a great job of applying complications. To me, some of Samsung's Rugged faces look like they're trying too hard to be adventurous, while some of its Informative faces are just plain cluttered, so for Simple Ultra to give me my heart rate, the weather, and my current direction is all I could ask for. It lets me glance at the important stuff, but doesn't pull me out of my adventure. Samsung's Ultra Analog is a bit more complicated, with a couple more metrics around the bezel, but it's still cleaner than many default faces. Maybe the secret to success is that Samsung stuck to a relatively simple black, white, and orange color profile, but whatever it is, it's working for me. I've only had to rework a few of the complications to make specific data fields easier to read, but that's easy enough to navigate on my Galaxy Watch 7. Here's how I sideloaded my fancy new watch faces Ryan Haines / Android Authority I know — it's easy to hear about the luxurious Galaxy Watch Ultra faces, but it's another thing to try them yourself. After all, I've probably made it sound like the process involves nothing more than a trip to the Wearables app and a quick download. Oh, if it were only that simple. Unfortunately, it's a bit more involved, but I promise the whole process only takes about 10 minutes if done right. I had some help from my colleague, Aamir, to put together these steps, so here's what to do: Download the Simple Ultra and/or Ultra Analog APK to your Android phone. You may have to enable developer options and give your phone permission to install apps from Chrome, but if you're here, there's a good chance this isn't your first sideloading rodeo. Install Bugjaeger Mobile ADB – USB OTG to your phone, which will allow you to connect your watch to your phone via ADB. Activate developer options on your Galaxy Watch. On your watch, go to Settings, About watch, Software information, and then tap Software version seven times. You should see a confirmation message after the seventh tap. Open the Developer options menu. Toggle ADB Debugging and open the Wireless debugging menu. Tap the Pair new device button to view your IP address and port number. Open Bugjaeger and begin the pairing process. Tap the add device button, which looks like an outlet plug with a plus sign next to it. Select the Pair option. Type in your IP address, port number, and the Wi-Fi pairing code from the Wireless debugging menu. Navigate to the Packages tab within Bugjaeger to install the downloaded watch faces. Select the Install New APK button (a circle with a plus sign inside) and choose Select from Installed Apps. Choose Simple Ultra and Ultra Analog from the list and tap Install. Simple, right? Admittedly, it took me a minute or two to figure out the Packages tab within Bugjaeger, but everything else felt like smooth sailing. Once you install your watch faces, you can toggle between them just as easily as if you'd picked up a new face from the Google Play Store. Would I sideload Galaxy Watch Ultra faces again? Absolutely Ryan Haines / Android Authority When I first saw that I could finally load Galaxy Watch Ultra faces to my Galaxy Watch 7, I was excited. I'm always down to try something new, and I figured this was a better idea than trying to make Galaxy Watch Ultra bands fit with a completely different connection. After all, I'm all for software parity while still believing that some hardware perks can be reserved for the more premium models. Then, about halfway through the process — right around the time I was struggling with Bugjaeger — I was ready to declare the whole idea dumb. I was having trouble figuring out how to pair my watch to my phone via ADB and finding the APKs to send to my watch. As it turns out, I wasn't looking for the right buttons, as our initial steps were pretty bare bones. But once I got back on track, everything became smooth sailing. Sideloading to a Galaxy Watch takes a little learning, but I'd do it over and over again. Now that I have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to sideload watch faces onto my Galaxy Watch 7, I might be hooked. I'm even more willing to add more faces and search the farthest reaches of APKMirror to see what might be out there, whether it's a clone of an Apple Watch Ultra face or simply a clever take on a Samsung classic. Before you rush out to do the same, just be careful — sideloading can be tricky. Make sure you trust where your downloads are coming from, and don't be afraid to ditch an APK if it's causing problems. Who knows, if enough users sideload Galaxy Watch Ultra faces onto older wearables, it will push Samsung to open up its library. I know I'm keeping the cool new faces, and I hope you do the same. Follow
Android Authority
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
My favorite Google Pixel features that don't get enough love
Google Pixel phones are packed with intelligent and helpful features. While Google ensures many of these are front and center by promoting them when you first set up the phone or by periodically reminding you about them when you perform certain tasks, a surprising number of equally brilliant features fly under the radar. These hidden gems can significantly improve your daily experience with your phone. It's a shame that a ton of users simply don't know about them. With that in mind, this is a list of some of my favorite Pixel-exclusive features that, for whatever reason, don't seem to get the attention they deserve. You might be a power user who knows about all of these, but it's likely there will be at least a few readers who will walk away learning something new about the small computer in their pocket. Now Playing has a semi-hidden history Ryan Haines / Android Authority Most Pixel owners are familiar with Now Playing, considering it is one of the features Pixel UI asks you about when you first set up a Pixel. Now Playing identifies songs playing in your environment without you needing to do a thing to trigger it — the information appears on your lock screen automatically. Think of it as an always-on Shazam. What Google doesn't make immediately obvious, however, is that your phone keeps a running list of every song it ever identifies. Now Playing lets you see the music playing around you, but there's a running list of all the songs your phone has ever logged, too. This history can be incredibly handy, but accessing it is a bit convoluted. You can tap the music note on your lock screen when a song is actively playing, but that's not much help when you're trying to recall a track from last night's party while sitting on your couch slightly hungover. To find your full song history, you need to navigate to Settings > Display & touch > Lock screen > Now Playing, and then tap on Now Playing History. Thankfully, you only need to do this once. From the history screen, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right and select Add to Home Screen. This creates a shortcut icon on your home screen, giving you instant access to your musical memories whenever you want. Quick Tap: A shortcut on the back of your phone C. Scott Brown / Android Authority While Now Playing is an opt-in feature made apparent the first day you use your Pixel, Quick Tap is one you need to discover for yourself. This feature triggers a specific action instantly whenever you double-tap the back of your phone. To enable it, go to Settings > System > Gestures > Quick Tap to start actions. Here, you can assign the double-tap gesture to a variety of tasks. You can use it to take a screenshot, access Gemini, play or pause media, or even open a specific app. I personally have it set to toggle the flashlight, as it's incredibly convenient and works even when the phone is locked. I prefer to use Quick Tap to launch the flashlight, but there are a bunch of other things you can have it do. Be aware that some actions, like launching an app, will require you to unlock your phone first, which can defeat the 'quick' aspect of the feature. Also, if you find yourself accidentally triggering the gesture fairly often, you can enable the Require stronger taps option on the Quick Tap settings page, which should help reduce that issue. Automate your settings with Rules C. Scott Brown / Android Authority If you want your phone to change settings automatically based on your context, Pixels have a built-in system called Rules. While it isn't as feature-rich as some competitor offerings, like Samsung's Routines, it's still quite useful once configured. On your Pixel, you can find it under Settings > System > Rules. You'll need to enable background services for it to work, so be sure to hit the Next button the first time you visit this page. Pixel's Rules allow you to automatically switch audio states depending on where you are. Once you've given it all the necessary permissions, you can create rules that trigger changes to your phone's audio state based on your geographical location or a specific Wi-Fi network. For instance, you can set your phone to automatically switch to Do Not Disturb when you're at the movie theater and then revert to your normal ringer profile when you connect to your home Wi-Fi. It's a simple but effective way to automate your daily routines. Again, I really wish Google made this more powerful like Samsung has with Routines, but it's a gem of a feature taken for what it is. Get better selfies with gestures and illumination Ryan Haines / Android Authority The Pixel camera has a few tricks up its sleeve that go well beyond just taking good photos. Did you know you can switch between the rear and front-facing cameras with a simple shake? When the camera app is open, two quick twists of your wrist will flip to the selfie camera, and two more will flip it back. If this isn't working, check that it's enabled under Settings > System > Gestures > Flip camera for selfie. There's a helpful GIF on that page that can help you master the wrist-flicking gesture. Selfie fiends will love the wrist-flicking gesture and the cheat code for getting better lighting. This gesture combines powerfully with another shortcut that most people already know about: double-tapping the power button to launch the camera. With these two features combined, you can go from your phone being in your pocket to being ready for a selfie in seconds (take phone out of pocket, double tap power button, flick wrists). Once you've framed your shot, you can even use the volume keys to capture the photo, meaning you can go from your phone being in your pocket to snapping a selfie all with using only one hand and without ever needing to touch your display. Neat! I also have a bonus selfie tip. Another underappreciated tool is Selfie Illumination, which you can find under the More light setting in the camera app. The setting for this is fairly apparent (open the camera app, swap to selfie mode, and tap the gear icon on the left), but Google does a poor job explaining what it is. Contrary to what some might think, it isn't just an AI-powered brightening filter. When enabled, your phone's screen will turn bright white for a moment right before capturing a selfie, acting as a makeshift front-facing flash to illuminate your face. This can dramatically improve the lighting of your self-portraits in dim environments. You'll only need to enable this in the camera's selfie mode settings once for it to stay active permanently whenever you take a selfie. However, it will reset when you restart your phone. Face-aware Auto-Rotate C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Everyone has experienced the annoyance of lying in bed and having your phone's screen rotate to landscape when you don't want it to. Pixels have a clever solution to this problem. If you long-press the Auto-Rotate tile in your Quick Settings, you'll find an option to enable face detection. With this active, your phone will use the front-facing camera to see the orientation of your face. If it detects that you're lying down, it will keep the screen in portrait mode even if the phone itself is horizontal. Hate when your head hits a pillow and your phone goes into landscape mode? This is for you. This is a small touch that removes a common frustration. It also prevents you from needing to even have the Auto-Rotate Quick Tile active since it should be smart enough to know when you really want the phone to be in landscape or portrait mode. That makes room for a different tile to be there, which is nice. Select text and images right from your recent apps C. Scott Brown / Android Authority The Recents screen (or Overview screen, Google can't make up its mind what to call this area of Android) is accessible by swiping up from the bottom of your display and holding. On Pixels, this area has a powerful tool. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a Select button. Tapping this allows you to highlight and copy text from any of the apps currently displayed in the carousel, without needing to open them individually. You can also share the selected text or start a Google search directly from the tiny menu that pops up whenever any text is selected. Stop taking screenshots of apps and then editing the screenshot before sharing. Use the Select tool! This feature is even more useful for images. Let's say you want to share an image on your phone but don't want to share your whole screen. Instead of taking a screenshot, cropping it, and then sharing, you can simply tap on an image directly from the Recents screen. This allows you to share or save just that specific image, or use Google Lens to search with it. It's a much faster and more efficient way of doing things. Don't ignore the Pixel Tips app! Robert Triggs / Android Authority It's easy to dismiss the Pixel Tips app as just another piece of pre-installed software, the digital equivalent of a car's user manual. But you really should open it and explore. The app is a treasure trove of information, detailing many of the cool things your phone can do that you might not be aware of. If I had a nickel for every Pixel user who's never touched the Pixel Tips app, I wouldn't need to work anymore. The Pixel Tips app is also the best place to find out what new features have arrived with the latest quarterly Pixel Drop. Google makes headlines by announcing a batch of new features for Pixels every quarter, but the rollout can be staggered, and some features are exclusive to certain Pixel models. The Tips app cuts through the confusion by showing you exactly which new features are active and available on your specific device. I now make it a point to check the app every few months to see what's new. Those are my favorite underappreciated Pixel features. Did I miss any? What's your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. Follow
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
A fifth Pixel 6a just caught fire, and it seems like Google's update isn't enough
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Another Google Pixel 6a has caught fire, according to a Reddit user. The user said their phone caught fire despite installing Google's mandatory update to combat battery heating. This also comes after Australia's consumer watchdog issued a notice about Pixel 6a battery overheating. We've reported on several Google Pixel 6a battery fires earlier this year. This prompted Google to release a mandatory update for some units earlier this month to combat the issue. This update is supposed to dramatically cut battery life and reduce charging speeds in a bid to reduce battery heating issues. Unfortunately, someone has reported a Pixel 6a battery fire after installing the update. Redditor footymanageraddict reports that their Pixel 6a caught fire while they were sleeping on Saturday (July 26): I got woken up with a horrible smell and a loud noise. Fire had already started and i managed to throw the phone on the tile floor pulling it by the cord. The phone was sitting less than 40 cms away from my head on my nightstand. Sheets caught on fire. My ac (a floor unit) had damages (sic) on its surface from the fire. My throat hurt the whole day from the fumes i inhaled (My room door was closed because of the ac being on so i basically breathed the smoke for a longer time than i would want trying to stop a fire from spreading). The Redditor said they had been charging the phone with the Steam Deck's 45W charger. They also posted several photos showing the aftermath of the fire, seen below. The images show an extensively burned Pixel 6a, including a melted screen, a partially melted case, and charred internals. What's particularly concerning is that the user said they had installed Google's 'Battery Performance Program' update, which was supposed to reduce the risk of battery overheating in the first place. Google also recommends a free battery replacement for affected devices (via mail or walk-in), but the user said walk-in replacements weren't available in their country. This might be the fifth Pixel 6a to catch fire in the last 12 months. However, the previous four incidents occurred before Google's 'Battery Performance Program' update. This latest incident suggests that the update doesn't go far enough and that Google needs to perform a mandatory battery replacement or device recall. It's also theoretically possible that the device battery was already past the point of no return. However, the user didn't notice any battery swelling or other telltale signs. This also comes after Australia's consumer watchdog issued a warning about the Pixel 6a on July 25. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission warned that the phone's battery may overheat, but added that users didn't have to return their devices. The warning nevertheless came a day before the latest battery fire incident. We've asked Google for comment regarding this latest issue and whether it will take additional actions (e.g., a mandatory recall/replacement). We'll update the article when the Pixel maker gives us an answer. Either way, it's getting harder to recommend mid-range Pixel phones due to this issue. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice. Follow
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Here's the real problem with Nothing's quirky Phone 3 design
Ryan Haines / Android Authority I love Nothing's semi-transparent design language. Its debut Phone 1 was the first Android phone in a long time that I can remember being just as happy to look at as I was to use (if only because it didn't work in the US). Then, I watched Nothing refine its style over a few generations of mid-range and budget phones, reworking its Glyph interface and camera placement until it found a combination so cute that Wall-E might fall in love with it. Now, though, I think it's jumped the shark. Its Phone 3 design looks like nothing (no pun intended) I've ever seen before, let alone tried to protect. It has camera sensors, buttons, and a revamped Glyph Matrix scattered across the back panel, and I've never been so scared to go without a phone case. Here's why that's such a big problem. There's unique, and then there's impractical Ryan Haines / Android Authority Like I said, the Nothing Phone 3 is one-of-a-kind. It doesn't make a single traditional design choice other than having a USB-C port on the bottom and buttons on the sides. Other than that, though, chaos. The cameras sit as far apart as boys and girls at a middle school dance, and the circular Glyph Matrix feels like I should be able to raise a Tamagotchi on it. Don't get me wrong, it's a neat look. I wasn't sure I'd like it at first based on Nothing's trickle of teasers and leaks, but the finished product tickles my design-loving brain just right. However, just because I like the look of something doesn't make it a great idea. I loved the idea of Nike's Adapt Auto Max — a shoe that you could only tighten if charged via a proprietary pad — but I would never buy one because it was in no way practical. Nothing's design is clever as can be, but did it have to put a camera sensor so close to the edge? Unfortunately, that's how I'm starting to think about the Phone 3. At times, it feels like Nothing's engineers realized they could, but didn't stop to think if they should. They didn't consider that spreading out the camera sensors and relocating the Glyph Matrix would open the Phone 3 to easier damage, just as long as the finished product looked cool. Like a shoe with moving electronic parts is more susceptible to wear and tear, a phone with too many cluttered corners feels like it's living dangerously in an adventure-filled world. And yes, I know that the now-iconic camera bar that graces the back of every Google Pixel is a less-than-practical choice too. It's a huge bump that nearly splits any would-be phone case in half. However, it also steps in where a case would have trouble, putting a thick metal frame around the cameras and using tough glass to protect all the sensors simultaneously. The Phone 3 doesn't. Its telephoto sensor is so alarmingly close to one edge of the Gorilla Glass Victus back panel. At the same time, the Glyph interface bumps right up against the other edge, making it impossible to find a 'safe' edge on which to drop your phone (not that I recommend dropping your phone to begin with). It took me years to stop stressing about keeping my phone perfectly clean and immaculately protected, but Nothing has brought back all those worries in such a short period. Please, Nothing, all I'm asking for is a good phone case Ryan Haines / Android Authority I hear you, dear reader, yelling at me from the other side of your screen, telling me to put my Nothing Phone 3 in a case. I get it — it's exactly what I should do. After all, we love to recommend phone cases for any and all devices that come across our desks because the best phone is a working, unbroken one. However, I can't do that right now, and it's not my fault — not even a little bit. Instead, it's Nothing's fault. It's Spigen's fault. It's Mous' fault. It's Nomad's fault. Right now, I can blame every case maker for making me live dangerously with my Nothing Phone 3, because none of them has decided to offer a third-party (or first-party) case for protection. Of course, I get it — it's tough to make a highly specific case for an unusual-looking phone that may or may not move decent volume in the US. And yet, if just one of them were to make a case for the Phone 3, it would automatically claim 100% of the market, and I would recommend it without hesitation. There's only one Phone 3 case on the market right now, and it's as impractical as female RPG armor. Well, if it were a normal enough case, anyway. There is one case — er, bumper — er, frame — er, something to protect the Phone 3. Arc decided to take the plunge and launch its two-piece Arc Pulse for the Phone 3, making it the only option for the most cautious of Nothing fans to protect their phones. Unfortunately, I have a hard time trusting it. I can get on board with a one-piece case, or even a two-piece case that covers my entire phone, but the Arc Pulse doesn't do that. Instead, it's more like the stereotypically impractical female armor in RPGs, somehow getting smaller and less protective the more you level up. I'd still be much too scared to let my Phone 3 take a tumble, only for its minimalist aluminum shell to bounce off and leave my phone cracked on the sidewalk. So, it's time for Nothing itself to step up. If nobody else will protect its first proper flagship-ish device, the call will have to come from inside the house. It already makes cases for the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, and the Phone 3 costs as much as its siblings put together. If Nothing leads the charge, maybe top phone case brands will follow, but I need someone to take that first step.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
'Ok Google, turn on the lights' is mysteriously broken for many users right now
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Many users are reporting not being able to control lights or groups of lights with an 'Ok Google' command. I noticed this issue on my speakers yesterday, but thought it was a random bug. It seems more widespread, and the Google Nest account has acknowledged the issue. Yesterday evening, as I went to bed, I told my Google Nest Audio, 'Hey Google, turn off all the lights.' Normally, this is one of the easiest commands, and my success rate with it is better than many other commands that continuously fail and irritate me. But this time, I just got back silence. So I shrugged, thinking it's a glitch, reached out to the Hue button on my bedside table, and long-pressed it to turn off all my lights. Today, though, my Android Authority colleague Luka pointed out to me dozens of Reddit threads from users who are also having trouble controlling their lights. Turns out this wasn't a simple glitch but a widespread issue affecting many Google Home and Assistant/Gemini users. Can you control all your lights and grouped lights with an 'Ok Google' command? 0 votes Yes, working fine here. Didn't notice the bug. NaN % It was glitchy for a short bit, but it's working now. NaN % No. It's still buggy for me. NaN % Google has already acknowledged this issue and replied to all of these threads with: Hey all, We're aware of an issue with using voice commands to control some lights. We'll share an update as soon as possible, thanks for your patience. The timing, though, couldn't be any worse, with the entire Google Home and Assistant platform under fire from lots of frustrated users due to incessant glitches. Chief Product Officer for Google Home and Nest, Anish Kattukaran, acknowledged the worsening experience and promised 'a long term solution that provides better reliability and capability.' Anish also said Google has been 'actively working on major improvements for sometime [sic] and will have more to share in the fall.' If you can't wait until fall to turn off your lights, understandably, Reddit has a list of suggestions that include telling your speaker, 'Hey Google, sync all devices,' which forces Google to re-check all of the services you've linked to it (like Hue, LifX, Govee, Lutron, Ikea, etc…). If that doesn't work, you might want to go a bit more nuclear and completely disconnect the service providing your lights, reconnect it, and add back all the lights to their respective rooms. That seems to do it for most people affected by the bug. Otherwise, you can just wait. The bug has resolved for me without any tricks, and I'm able to control my lights again with my voice.
