Latest news with #AndyWalker
Android Authority
2 days ago
- General
- Android Authority
This is how I make any Android phone feel more like a Google Pixel
Andy Walker / Android Authority Many people will argue that the Google Pixel series is the pinnacle of Android smartphones. These devices offer the slickest implementation of the OS I've ever used, while including heaps of exclusive features. Google's constantly adding to this list, further distancing the Pixel line from its contemporaries. But, to be completely frank, Pixels aren't entirely unique. Even their 'exclusive' features can be ported to other Android phones without much fuss and some know-how. You've come to the right place if you've ever wanted your OnePlus, Samsung, or Xiaomi to feel a bit more like a Pixel phone. After experimenting with my Galaxy S24 FE, I've slowly made my Samsung-designed phone feel like a Mountain View invention. You can too by following my guide below. Do you want your phone to feel more like a Google Pixel? 0 votes Yes, I do. NaN % I only want certain Pixel features on my phone. NaN % No, I'm happy with my phone as it is. NaN % Why would I want Pixel features on my phone? Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Pixel Screenshots Well, why wouldn't you? First of all, it's fun to experiment! Even if you don't want a Pixel per se, turning your phone into one is a great learning exercise. Secondly, there are some incredibly useful Pixel-only features that I'd love to have on my Samsung. Take Now Playing, for instance, a feature that uncovers and records the details of music in the background. It's satisfying to get home from a trip to the mall and see a list of new songs registered. Then there's the look and feel of Pixel Launcher. While I have quarrels with the native launcher, it's so slick that I can forgive its quirks. I crave its quickness when I'm using anything else. Pixel-exclusive features are part of their charm. Why wouldn't you want them on your Android phone? There's some merit to adopting some traits that make Pixels Pixels. But, of course, there are some features you won't be able to access unless you have a Google phone yourself. This includes the myriad calling features like Hold for Me and Call Screen, both of which aim to reduce the annoyance of using one's smartphone, you know, as a phone. Best Take and Add Me are two additional smarts I wish I could access on all devices, but remain locked to Pixel hardware. So, which Pixel features can you port to your Android phone? Despite the restrictions Google imposes on most Pixel-exclusive features, several can still be enjoyed on your Android phone. This is largely achieved using specific apps inspired by Pixel features or ports of those features. Below is a list of those apps, including a general overview of their functionality and any dependencies they may have. At a Glance Required app(s): Smartspacer and Shizuku Andy Walker / Android Authority At a Glance can be annoying at times. The irremovable info bar sits at the top of the home screen, ticking through information as it becomes relevant, such as an upcoming event or a traffic update. As it's a fixture on the Pixel Launcher, I've grown to love and hate it. Naturally, I wanted to feel the same emotions when using any Android device. The easiest way to bring At a Glance to any Android phone is through Smartspacer. I've covered this rather brilliant app before, and, in many ways, it's an upgrade of At a Glance. It can be used in a widget slot and but offers more customization options and information sources from many apps. Everything from stock fields, like Digital Wellbeing data and weather forecasts, to third-party plugins that include package tracking and a particularly adorable lively greeting option, are available to me. There's one small caveat: Smartspacer requires Shizuku to run. Shizuku effectively allows Smartspacer to run at an elevated privilege, and the app needs this to replace At a Glance. One must follow its own installation and activation steps, which is essential as several apps on this list require Shizuku's help. Now Playing Required app(s): AmbientMusicMod and Shizuku Andy Walker / Android Authority Remember me mentioning how much I love it when my Pixel 8 greets me with a list of songs it heard along my daily journey? You can have this feature on any Android phone with AmbientMusicMod. Incidentally, it comes from the same developer as Smartspacer and requires Shizuku to run. Like Now Playing, AmbientMusicMod offers automatic music recognition, the frequency of which can be adjusted to increase the number of results or conserve battery. It also includes history, favorites, a summary, and a manual trigger if you're impatient. Finally, it can show the song currently playing on the lock screen, which I find endlessly entertaining. Pixel Launcher experience Andy Walker / Android Authority Required app: Lawnchair 14 beta Lawnchair is both a hilarious name and one of the oldest third-party launchers available for Android devices. The open-source app has largely followed the stock Android and Pixel experience throughout its development history, with version 14 based on the current look and feel of Pixel Launcher. This includes full support for Google's Material aesthetic, a slot for At a Glance, and the Google search bar at the foot of the home screen. While it looks like Pixel Launcher, Lawnchair is fundamentally better. Its global search smarts allow you to find items across your device, while its support for wider grid layouts makes it easier to place icons and widgets. There are more toggles to tinker with, making it perfect for those who want the look and feel of Pixel Launcher without the fuss. There's one small problem with Lawnchair: version 14 has been in beta for several months. While version 15 is available, finding and downloading it is comically difficult. The launcher also has its fair share of bugs, but I saw no game-breakers while using it on my Pixel 8. Regardless, Lawnchair remains the best reinterpretation of the Pixel Launcher you can get on Android, and it makes a fine base for anyone wanting to make their phone feel more like a Pixel. System hint color customization Andy Walker / Android Authority Required app(s): ColorBlendr and Shizuku Depending on your Android phone's skin, you may be unable to change the hint color of your various UI elements freely. ColorBlendr puts those buttons and toggles back in your hands. It's a brilliant app that I use on my Pixel 8 and other devices. It allows finer control of system colors to match your wallpaper or mood. Maybe you want to customize the saturation or companion colors — ColorBlendr offers these features. Like Smartspacer and AmbientMusicMod, ColorBlendr will not work without Shizuku. Using the app without rooting your phone will open up the majority of the available features, however, you will need to root your device to access everything. Back Tap Andy Walker / Android Authority Required app: Tap Tap One of the more unique Pixel features of recent years is Back Tap. This feature turns a simple finger tap on the rear of the phone into a powerful shortcut launcher. With Tap Tap, almost any Android phone can utilize this feature. The app uses the gyroscope and accelerometer of a phone to monitor for taps, and, once detected, can launch over 50 actions in response. The options are truly limitless, especially when you factor in Tasker support. But essentially, you can flick on the flashlight, trigger an app or shortcut launch, or even use this action to replace the home button's duties. It sounds great on paper, but I couldn't for the life of me get it to work on my Galaxy S24 FE. Regardless of the size or sensitivity I chose, the app couldn't register my taps. Granted, your mileage will vary. There's a good chance that Tap Tap still works on other devices. Magic Compose Andy Walker / Android Authority Required app: Ainput If you use Google Messages on a Pixel phone, Magic Compose allows you to rewrite your text in various styles and tones. With a simple tap, I can make an invitation more formal or send a cheery happy birthday message. In short, it makes typing up message content far easier than on any other Android phone. Notably, several OEMs now have similar AI generation features for text, but if yours doesn't, you may want to consider Ainput to plug the gap. Larger volume panel Andy Walker / Android Authority Required app: Precise Volume (in-app purchase required) Google rolled out a new volume panel with Android 15 that's as useful as it is fetching. While the volume rocker still triggers the smaller volume popup, tapping a three-dot menu on that popup now expands the panel to a larger bottom display, which includes volume adjustments for media, calls, the ringer, notification pings, and alarms. It's super helpful, so porting this to your Android phone will give you more control. One such app that does this is Precise Volume. Unfortunately, this is the only app on this list that requires a premium unlock to gain this feature. Is it worth it? For my uses, no. I own a Samsung phone, and Good Lock's SoundAssistant module exists. However, if you own another model, it's perhaps worth considering. To give Precise Volume its dues, the app offers plenty of additional functionality, including further panel customizations, various equalization options, and automation smarts. Pixel Screenshots Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Required app: PixelShot Pixel Screenshots is a must-have app if you religiously record content on your screen for later. Available on the Pixel 9 series, the app collates and organizes screenshots and information for easier recall later. It leans heavily on onboard Gemini smarts, so it's not a feature that can be easily replicated on other devices. Nevertheless, third-party app PixelShot aims to do something similar for phones running Android 11 and newer. Like Google's tool, PixelShot organizes and extracts information from screenshots for use later. The app also offers a note facility for screenshots and a collections tool that lumps similar shots into bundles. I don't appreciate that the app demands access to all my storage, not just the Screenshots folder. If you value your privacy, you may want to think twice about this. As PixelShot isn't a Google product, it doesn't use onboard Gemini processing (and how can it, if it's compatible with much older Android phones?) Instead, online services require a connection to do the heavy lifting. Still, if you must have Pixel Screenshots on your Android phone, here's one good way. The finishing touches Robert Triggs / Android Authority Now, I've covered all the apps and services that imitate exclusive Pixel features on any phone, but what about the smaller bits and bobs that matter? What about wallpaper, widgets, icons, and the like? We've collated the best Pixel wallpapers from the Pixel 9 series to the legacy models. Be sure to grab these and apply your favorite. Google makes the vast majority of its vast widget library available to Android phones. Lawnchair makes it easy to select and move these widgets around the home screen, too. You will want to grab a few third-party widgets, though. Personally, I prefer using Breezy Weather's Material widget for my ambient condition needs. It makes full use of Google's Material stylings, making it a great fit. As for icons, you can opt to use the default list of icons your device offers, utilize Lawnchair's own icon pack called Lawnicons, or opt for a third-party Pixel-inspired pack from the Play Store. If I can get all these features on my Android phone, why buy a Pixel? Robert Triggs / Android Authority You're likely asking yourself, 'Is it even worth buying a Pixel phone anymore if I can get exclusive features on my average phone?' My answer to that question is still 'yes!' Beyond the firm Pixel-exclusive features, you're still likely to be among the first smartphone users in the world to receive the latest versions of Android. In addition, Google has robust update support for modern Pixel models, with support spanning over seven years since a device's launch. Only Samsung can match that promise, and few other Android manufacturers come close. There's also the distinct design. You can't use an app to redesign your phone's exterior, so if you're craving those quirky stylings, that polished pebble exterior, and the cyclops camera module, you'll have to purchase the actual hardware. There's no getting around that. Nevertheless, the list of apps and my suggestions will help your smartphone feel a little bit more like a Pixel phone than before. Have I missed any apps or services that port a Pixel-exclusive feature to Android phones? Let the community know in the comments!
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
I've been using Arc browser for a year and am not switching back to Chrome
Andy Walker / Android Authority Arc browser was all the rage a year ago, and it made me curious enough to give it a try. After an early test run, I gave it a few months before switching to it full-time. If you ask me today whether I regret the decision, the answer is a resounding no. In fact, it's been one of the most refreshing tech switches I've made since moving from Windows to Mac many years ago. At a time when every browser started to look and feel exactly like the other — with most running Chromium under the hood — Arc felt like a breath of fresh air. While it was the visual upgrades that drew me in, the various smart features have kept me hooked for more than a year. And at this point, I don't even want to consider going back to Google Chrome — or any other web browser, for that matter. Would you ever consider switching from Chrome to Arc (or another browser)? 0 votes Yes NaN % No NaN % I've already ditched Google-ville NaN % The tab gods have blessed Arc with ingenuity Andy Walker / Android Authority I hate to admit it, but I've always struggled with managing browser tabs. I know a lot of users are in the same boat, but that reassurance never helped, as my situation was embarrassingly out of control. I had tabs open for months with no clue why I needed them, mixed in with temporary tabs like login pages that just piled on the clutter. I had accepted my fate — until I fully switched to Arc. To be honest, Arc was a big shift from what I was used to with Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. But maybe that massive leap was exactly what I needed to finally change my habits for good. And I'm happy to report that it did. The most consequential change for me was Arc's default setting to automatically close all unsaved tabs after a day (you can customize this; I've set mine to a week). It flipped the script: instead of tabs being saved by default and piling up endlessly, they now disappear unless I deliberately save them. This alone has drastically reduced clutter on my most-used desktop app. This simple ingenuity is what won me over. Karandeep Singh / Android Authority Arc complements this approach with something called Little Arc, which is a mini window that pops up to open websites you only need temporarily and don't want clogging up your tab bar (think login pages and such). It's a huge part of my workflow now, even though it stays out of sight. Thinking about this as I write, I wonder how I ever worked without it and why more browsers haven't copied the idea yet. Arc vs Chrome: One makes the other seem dull Andy Walker / Android Authority Sure, most mainstream browsers, including Chrome, are now on the AI hype train, typically adding a chatbot into the sidebar like some patchwork. That saves you one step of visiting an AI tool's website, but not much else. Arc, on the other hand, has been offering genuinely useful and smart features for longer, and they're much better integrated. For example, you can hover over inline links to get a quick summary of the page before deciding whether to open it. Plus, the Cmd/Ctrl + F shortcut doubles as an AI-powered search bar that lets you ask questions about the page in your natural language. After all, what are tabs if not digital laundry that is back again the second you finish folding the last pile? The two things I use most are both related to tab management — which, if you haven't already guessed, is a huge deal for me. After all, what are tabs if not digital laundry that is back again the second you finish folding the last pile? To start with, Arc automatically renames tab titles and downloaded files with readable, contextual names, instead of the usual mess of gibberish filenames. And when I'm working on a big story with dozens of tabs open for research with no clear order or structure, I use the Tidy Tabs feature. One click from the sidebar, and Arc neatly groups similar tabs with appropriate titles, without me lifting a finger. For what it's worth, even Google Chrome has started catching up here, recently adding a similar feature with Gemini. Oh, and Arc also includes mini apps with built-in integrations for popular services like Gmail and Google Calendar — two things I use all the time. If I've got a meeting coming up, a join button appears right in the sidebar minutes before, letting me jump straight in without having to dig around my emails or calendar entries for the link. Similarly, I can see recent emails in a small pop-up window without needing to open a full tab. As the fruit company likes to say — it just works! I wish it was all rosy with Arc Andy Walker / Android Authority As much as I love Arc and plan to stick with it for the foreseeable future, it's not without flaws. The biggest issue for me, by far, is battery life. Arc eats up my MacBook Air's battery faster than I'd like. Chrome is just as bad, if not worse, while Microsoft Edge has been noticeably more battery-efficient — despite also running on Chromium. Arc's maker is now focusing on a new browser, with no new features coming to Arc, making the future of Arc look bleak. Then there was that major vulnerability that could potentially expose the entire browser to bad actors. Arc thankfully patched it before it became a widespread issue, but it still left many questioning its reliability. Add to that the recent news that the company is now focusing on a new browser, with no new features coming to Arc, and the future of Arc starts looking bleak. That last bit stings the most. But I've grown fond of Arc enough to keep using it until it becomes truly unreliable for daily work. Until then, Chrome can cry on Gemini's shoulder.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Deal: The latest 2TB iPad Pro is $400 cheaper right now
Andy Walker / Android Authority The only thing more impressive than Apple's state-of-the-art hardware is the brand's reluctance to offer significant discounts. For these reasons, we were excited to see that the latest 11-inch iPad Pro with M4 Chip is currently subject to a massive $400 price drop on Amazon. Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4, 2TB) for $1,599 ($400 off) This is very much a deal for storage hogs, as the offer is only available on the 2TB Wi-Fi model of the Apple tablet. There are also markdowns on the other capacity variants, but none match the 20% savings available here. Only the Space Black colorway is subject to the discount, but when you're still paying more than $1,500 for your next tablet, you might want to consider popping it in a case for protection. Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (M4, 2TB) Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (M4, 2TB) OLED-gendary. With the powerful M4 chipset, and an OLED display, the 2024 variant of the Apple iPad Pro is a welcome update in the series. Available with 11-inch or 13-inch displays, 256GB - 2TB of storage, and 8GB or 16GB of RAM, this ultra-slim tablet is ready for work or play. See price at Amazon Save $400.00 With Coupon! The 2024 iPad Pro is Apple's most powerful and portable tablet yet. It's insanely thin and light, but still packs a serious punch thanks to the new M4 chip with a 10-core CPU and GPU. The Ultra Retina XDR display looks fantastic, with super vibrant colors, deep contrast, and smooth ProMotion scrolling. You also get top-tier extras like a landscape 12MP front camera with Center Stage, four clear speakers, high-quality mics, and a LiDAR scanner for next-level AR. With 2TB of storage, Wi-Fi 6E, Face ID, and support for Thunderbolt accessories, it's ready for just about anything — whether sketching, editing 4K video, or running heavy apps. And since it's built to handle Apple Intelligence features, it's as future-proof as an iPad gets. Keen to learn more? Hit the widget above to find the iPad Pro deal.
Android Authority
5 days ago
- General
- Android Authority
PSA: You need to update this 3DS emulator to avoid a security risk
Andy Walker / Android Authority TL;DR Azahar 3DS emulator released a minor update that fixes a security flaw in the RPC server setting. Previously, other users on your network could read and write data to the emulated application's memory. Online capabilities added in recent updates make the feature more risky than before. Nintendo 3DS emulation is better than ever thanks to the merging of Lime3DS and PabloMK7's Citra forks into the new Azahar emulator, but if you have the emulator installed on your device you need to update it right away. Previous versions of the app have the RPC server enabled by default, which can be useful for external game displays or integrations with streaming tools. However, it also poses a risk, since other devices on your local network can read from and write to the emulated application's memory. There was no option to turn it off in settings. This feature has existed since the days of Citra, but with all the updates made to the original code since it was shut down in the wake of the Yuzu case, new risks have emerged. PabloMK7 points specifically to 'online functionality and account login support' and states that the team believes it's 'no longer ideal to have the RPC server enabled by default' in a post on Discord. Find the full text of the post below. As a result, the team has released update 2121.2, which turns the RPC server off by default and adds a toggle to turn it back on. There are no known instances of the feature being used maliciously in the wild, but it's worth updating right away. The update has a few other minor fixes across platforms, but nothing that will affect performance. You can download the latest version from the official GitHub page for all platforms. The update has also been pushed to the Google Play Store version to make the process even easier on Android devices. 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.
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Now Bar is my favorite One UI 7 feature, but this tiny change would make it even better
Andy Walker / Android Authority I've really enjoyed using One UI 7, even if it does have a few niggles. It's always exciting to have a shiny new toy, even if that toy is software. But my fondness for it goes beyond its new car smell. The new Samsung Android skin packs plenty of practical features I've grown to like, and the Now Bar tops that list. For the uninitiated, the Now Bar is a UI addition that displays context-relevant information on the lock screen and always-on display. The pill-shaped info box doesn't support many apps at launch, with clocks and timers, sport scores, modes, and Google Maps directions some of its more useful list items. However, I've found it great for monitoring currently playing music. Do you want Samsung to add Now Bar customization options? 0 votes Yes, I want more control over Now Bar's design and controls. NaN % No, Now Bar is fine as it is. NaN % My morning work routine goes a lot like this: I'll make a strong cup of coffee, sit down, slap on a Spotify playlist, and get keyboard mashing. My Galaxy S24 FE sits on a stand below my monitor, and the Now Bar makes it so easy to glance at the screen to see which track is playing (even if it's locked). The feature has been a lovely quality of life improvement for me as I no longer have to tap to wake the screen or have Spotify baking my display, which would no doubt distract me from my current task and ruin my phone. Despite everything I like about Now Bar, it's far from perfection and there is plenty of room for improvement. Where are my Now Bar customization options, One UI 7? Andy Walker / Android Authority Let's start with my biggest annoyance: its rigidity. One UI 7 lets users customize more features than ever before, and with Good Lock, almost no element is out of reach. Now Bar is not one of those items. Now Bar makes monitoring currently playing music so simple, but it should allow me more control of its look and functionality. On the lock screen, the Now Bar pill displays minimal info, including the track's name, a play/pause button, and previous and next options. That's it. There's no option to switch these buttons for others or display other details, like the artist's name or current track position. I'd really like to know who composed or performed the track I'm listening, too. I wouldn't say no to size and position adjustments for the pill, as you can do with almost all other UI elements on the lock screen. However, no such options exist, forcing me to use Now Bar as Samsung dictates. Andy Walker / Android Authority My second big issue isn't so much a missing feature but how an existing feature is implemented. Tapping the bar while a track is playing expands it into multiple elements that display much richer information — essentially what I'm calling for above. I get a large album art view, the track's name and artist below, and a control box, with the current output device, an animated seek bar, and additional shuffle and add to library controls. The color of these elements also changes based on the album art's primary hues, which isn't true on the always-on display. You can see the expanded Now Bar design below. Gorgeous, right? Visually alluring and practical, this view would solve many of the problems I have with its current barebones design. So what's the fuss? Well, there's no option to make this a permanent fixture. As it's restricted to the lock screen, I'm back to the threadbare Now Bar display when my phone relocks. The solution here is simple: allow this view on my always-on display when playing music. Easy. Small changes will have a massive impact Joe Maring / Android Authority Now Bar in One UI 7. To give Samsung credit, I do really like the concept of the Now Bar, and overall, my grievances are minor. They don't ultimately detract from its purpose of delivering quick bites of info, and, if I need to, I can draw more details from it. Additionally, it works well, I haven't encountered any bugs yet, and the apps that support it are all made better by it. However, I'm not going to say it's the finished article. That's to be expected. It's a new feature, and it'll take time to mature. However, I don't want Samsung to just sit on its hands with the Now Bar. It's here, but now it needs further refinement. I have hope that it will, though. The company has handed over the reins of One UI to users with glee, and I can't see why it wouldn't include Now Bar with it. In short, I'm optimistic. With Android 16 just around the corner and One UI 8 hopefully following in short order, I trust the changes I seek will come sooner rather than later.
