Latest news with #JoeHindy
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Android Authority
Samsung flexes its customization muscles with LockStar's new fingerprint unlock animations
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has updated Good Lock's LockStar module to support One UI 8. The updated module brings some fun, new fingerprint unlocking animations. Unfortunately, these animations don't work on phones running One UI 7. Samsung is bringing some playfulness to the lock screen experience with the latest update to its LockStar module. Version 7.0.01.5 of the module targeted at One UI 8 introduces a handful of new fingerprint unlock animations that make unlocking devices super fun. Reliable tipster Ice Universe first highlighted the new animations on X. These include: A water drop effect that ripples out from the fingerprint sensor A ghost emoji with stars bursting out A more minimalistic effect featuring circles around the scanner A starburst effect that explodes upon unlocking Users testing One UI 8 on the Galaxy S25 series are loving the new animations as they add a fun and personalized touch to the routine task of unlocking Galaxy phones. While some users have tried sideloading the updated LockStar APK on devices running One UI 7, the animations reportedly don't function outside One UI 8. This update is the latest example of Samsung's ongoing commitment to deep device customization through its Good Lock platform, a suite of official modules that let users tweak everything from lock screens and multitasking layouts to animations and theming. LockStar is one of the most popular Good Lock modules, focusing on lock screen personalization. Samsung also recently updated its other Good Lock modules, including Home Up, MultiStar, and more, to support One UI 8. Most Android brands lock users into UI experiences that can't be personalized to this extent. By offering tools like LockStar, Home Up, Theme Park, Keys Cafe, One Hand Operation+, and more, Samsung has managed to build a loyal fanbase of power users who appreciate the ability to customize nearly every aspect of their device.
Android Authority
17-07-2025
- Android Authority
Samsung's eye-catching Theme Park update teaches Apple how to do a glass UI right
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has rolled out a new update for the Theme Park Good Lock module. The update tweaks the UI, adds a new 'Effects' menu, and fixes minor bugs. The Effects menu offers five options to customize the look of your icons. If you're a fan of customization, the Theme Park module in Good Lock can help get your Galaxy phone looking just the way you want it. From changing the colors of keycaps to adjusting the shape of icons, there is no shortage of ways to give your UI a unique look. If that wasn't enough, users are now getting one more way to customize their screen. Samsung has rolled out an update for Theme Park (version 1.1.01.23), which it details on the Galaxy Store page. According to the changelog, this update tweaks the UI, applies minor bug fixes, improves app stability, and fixes a few issues. Most notably, it also adds an 'Effects' menu to the icon pack. In this Effects menu, you get five options that allow you to apply certain effects to your icons. These effects include Basic, Film Grain, Duotone, Glass, and Gradient. While this would be nice all by itself, Samsung took it a step further by giving users the freedom to adjust aspects of the effects. For example, you can change how opaque or transparent you want the very Apple-like Glass effect to be. However, this extra level of customization is only available for the Glass, Film Grain, and Gradient effects. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority This additional customization option works pretty well, with certain styles working better depending on your background. However, we have found that it's not perfect. As you can see in the image above, the effects don't appear to work for the Play Store icon. But that can be fixed with another update. 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
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Android Authority
Samsung Wallet will soon let you start, lock, and unlock your Mercedes-Benz
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung Wallet will soon support digital keys for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Users will be able to securely share their digital key with friends and family. A digital key can be locked or deleted remotely if the device that contains it is stolen or misplaced. Like other digital wallets, Samsung Wallet can store various things like payment methods, identification cards, digital keys, and more. On the digital key front, the app already supports a range of vehicle brands like Hyundai, BMW, Volvo, and Audi. In the coming weeks, that list will expand to include a new car brand. Samsung has announced that it will soon add digital key compatibility for Mercedes-Benz vehicles to Wallet. There's no exact date on when support will arrive, but the tech giant shared that it will roll out sometime in July 2025. When support becomes available, Mercedes-Benz owners will be able to lock, unlock, and start their car with just their smartphone. Samsung Wallet users will also be able to share their digital key with friends and family. And you have the option to restrict access if necessary. Additionally, if the device containing the digital key is stolen or misplaced, you'll be able to lock or delete the digital key remotely through Samsung Find. In its press release, Samsung emphasizes that its platform is secure, protected by 'government-grade security from Samsung Knox.' It adds that 'digital keys are securely embedded within the device, meeting rigorous EAL6+4 security standards,' to prevent unauthorized access. Support for Mercedes-Benz digital keys won't be available on every Samsung phone. Samsung says it will work for the Galaxy S21 series, S22 series, S23 series, S24 series, S25 series, S25 Edge, and Z Fold 3 and up. The supported car models will also differ per region. You can check out the full list to see if your car will be supported. 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
19-06-2025
- Android Authority
YouTube Shorts is about to look a little more like Instagram Reels
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR YouTube Shorts now lets creators place product stickers on their videos. Tapping on the sticker will redirect the viewer to the retailer's website for that product. Viewers can see the full list of products the creator tagged by tapping on the down arrow. You may see something new on the screen the next time you watch a YouTube Shorts video. The platform is giving creators a new tool to get you to buy the products they're advertising. If you make or watch Instagram Reels, you may be familiar with the concept of stickers. Simply put, they are just little graphics you can place on your videos. However, if you're a business, partner, or have a qualified account, then you can also create product stickers for brands and shops to earn money. What does this have to do with YouTube? The company is taking this concept and applying it to YouTube Shorts. In a post on the YouTube support site, the company announced that the previous shopping button on Shorts is getting upgraded to product stickers. If you're wondering why this change is happening, it appears to be more than just a way to make the shopping button more fun. According to Google, an experiment conducted in May 2025 showed that users were 40% more likely to click on product stickers than the shopping button. If you're a creator, you'll be able to create a sticker by tagging products. You'll be able to tag multiple products, but the generated sticker will appear as the first product in your list. If you want the sticker to look like a different product, you can reorder your list so the desired product is listed first. Additionally, you'll be able to change the size of the sticker and place it wherever you want. However, sizing and placement can only be done in the YouTube mobile app. For viewers, if you tap on the sticker, you'll be redirected to the retailer's website. If the creator tagged multiple products, there will be a down arrow on the sticker you can tap on to see the full product list. With the exception of South Korea, this feature is available globally. However, Google says it plans to expand the feature to that market soon. So you'll likely start seeing stickers on Shorts sooner rather than later. 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
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
YouTube Music's new lyrics sharing feature is finally reaching more users
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR YouTube Music's new lyrics sharing feature is now available widely on Android and iOS. You can use it to share up to five lines from a song in a custom image. The feature is live in YouTube Music version 8.24 and appears as a new 'Share' button in the Lyrics tab. YouTube Music has been working on a new feature to help users easily share song lyrics for quite a while. We first spotted references to the feature in a teardown this January, and YouTube Music briefly rolled it out to some users in April, giving us an early look. The feature is finally receiving a wider release, and you can try it out in the YouTube Music app for Android and iOS. The lyrics sharing feature is live in version 8.24 of YouTube Music (via 9to5Google). You can access it by opening the Lyrics tab and selecting the new 'Share' button. This opens a 'Select Lyrics' screen, where you can choose up to five lines to share. Once you're happy with your selection, tap the 'Next' button, and you'll see a preview of the lyrics card. The card features the song name and artist at the top alongside the album art, followed by your selected lyrics and the YouTube Music logo. The card's default background matches the dominant color from the album art, but you can switch to a different color by tapping on one of the ten options in the carousel below. You can then select the 'Share' button to save the card to your gallery or 'Share with other apps.' Spotify has had a similar lyrics sharing feature for a while, and it's great to see YouTube Music catching up and making it easier for users to share meaningful lyrics with friends and family. 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.
