Latest news with #RitaElKhoury
Android Authority
17 hours ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Can't find Google's button to ring your missing phone? Here's where it moved
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google recently rebranded Find My Device as the Find Hub. Perhaps as a consequence of this, the 'Find your phone' page in Google account settings no longer lets you ring your device. You can still ring your phone from the web, though, so long as you use the Find Hub page. Between Google I/O 2025, Material 3 Expressive, Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, and now Samsung's One UI 8 beta, May has been one incredibly busy month for all things Android. With so much happening, it's easy to lose track of all the little things that are changing, especially when that impact isn't immediately obvious. And this week we're taking the time to remember what we need to change the next time we want to track down a missing phone. A couple weeks back, Google shared that Find My Device was being rebranded as the Find Hub. And sure enough, it wasn't long before we saw our phones reflecting that change. But the impact of this shift has been wider than even that, as Android fans like Reddit user UnArgentoPorElMundo are pointing out. In a thread on the site's Android sub, he brings our attention to a potentially frustrating situation users could encounter when going on the web in an attempt to locate missing phones. In the past, you've been able to visit Google's 'Find your phone' page within account settings, displaying recently used devices and letting you ring them, to aid in tracking them down. Stephen Schenck / Android Authority While you can still access your devices here, there's no longer that option to make your phone start ringing. Instead, you'll now get a message like the one you see above here, which is understandably a little frustrating — what used to be a straightforward 'ring' button is now basically a shrug emoji, asking you to figure it out. Stephen Schenck / Android Authority If this seems bizarrely half-assed all of a sudden, at least there's a good reason for the loss of functionality. Rather than accessing that page in your account settings, Google now wants you to visit its web destination for the Find Hub. There, you'll find exactly the missing options you're looking for, including the ability to ring a missing phone. And this is now all tied together in a much more attractive, map-based interface. Maybe the real failure here is that Google's not doing more to direct users to the Find Hub from the old screen — or that Google Search doesn't rank it higher than the account page for 'find my phone' queries. While both of those could change for the better (and Search may just naturally improve its ranking as time goes on), for the moment you may want to bookmark the Hub so you'll know where to look when you need it. 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
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Google confirms that Instagram battery drain you've noticed on your phones is real
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR The Instagram app on Android was causing excessive battery drain, as users reported. Comparisons showed that lately, Instagram was using significantly more battery power than other apps with similar screen-on times. Google has acknowledged the problem and advised updating to Instagram build 382.0.0.49.84, which users say has resolved the battery drain issue. Google has confirmed that the Instagram app has been draining the battery on Android phones, something many users, including several on Reddit, have noticed lately. According to several Android users, Instagram has been consuming significantly more battery on their devices compared to other apps with similar usage. For example, one Redditor with a Samsung Galaxy A53 reported that Instagram used 12.4% of their battery during 54 minutes of screen-on time, while WhatsApp, with a comparable 49-minute screen-on time, used only 2.4%. Reddit Some users who tried installing older versions of Instagram in hopes of avoiding the battery drain noticed their phones heating up instead. Others switched to Instagram Lite and saw a noticeable improvement in battery life, further suggesting the issue lies with the main app. In response, Google has issued an advisory titled 'Battery drain on Android devices,' urging users to update Instagram. 'Starting today, Instagram is rolling out an updated app that should fix a battery drain issue on Android devices. Please make sure you have the latest version of the Instagram app (build 382.0.0.49.84) to resolve this issue,' the company said. Following the update, users are now reporting that the battery drain issue appears to be resolved.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Use Tile's Bluetooth trackers? Don't be surprised if you're soon pushed to this app
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Tile was acquired by Life360 back in 2021. So far, the Life360 app has supported Tile tracking, but not full device setup. Life360 has now updated its app with full Tile support, raising questions about how long the old Tile app will stick around. Bluetooth trackers are one of those fantastic modern conveniences whose value you may never properly appreciate until you invite them into your life — and then quickly find yourself unwilling to go without them ever again. Trackers are getting even better on Android with growing UWB support, but when it comes to the classic approach, there are few brands better known than Tile. Its trackers have been around for over a decade, but a few years back we learned about a controversial acquisition that was in the works, as oft-maligned family tracking app Life360 bought up Tile. While the relationship between the two has so far allowed for a little breathing room, it's starting to feel like that's finally changing. Today, Life360 shares that Tile trackers are now fully supported within the Life360 app. You've already been able to track Tile hardware in Life360, but the Tile app itself was still required for critical setup and configuration steps. Going forward, that's no longer necessary, and owners can take full advantage of Tile devices without needing anything but the Life360 app. If you're already a Life360 fan, this is good news, but the app has more than its fair share of detractors. Beyond just disgruntled users strong-armed by their families into sharing personal location data in the name of 'safety,' Life360 has faced some well-deserved criticism for its policies regarding selling user data for profit. Right now, even following the Life360 app's absorption of all functionality needed to support Tile trackers, you still have the option to just stick with the old Tile app. But with Life360 using language like 'One App to Track It All' and 'No more switching back and forth' in its announcement of today's news, you'd forgive us for feeling a little paranoid that the company is leaning increasingly on its primary app, in what could very soon be to the Tile app's detriment. 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
4 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
This is the most beautiful color on any Android phone ever
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority I've always liked the color green. Growing up, my parents wanted me to wear red, pink, blue, and yellow, but I always wanted green clothes, and there was never enough choice. Or even a decent choice. So I gravitated towards other colors, but when someone asked me what my favorite one was, I always said green. This is why I feel best outdoors, I love hiking among the trees, and I'll pick emerald over ruby any day. But when it comes to phones, green has often been the bastard, forgotten, mistreated color. Even back in the 2010 Nokia days, we had gorgeous orange and blue colors for the N8, but a middling green. Many companies have continued to pick abysmal green shades for their phones. It's been tough to find a proper emerald, dense, and saturated green color on a modern Android phone. Google has been the biggest culprit of this. It started with the blue-grey Pixel 5 that was supposed to be Sorta Sage, the faded dual-tone Sorta Seafoam Pixel 6, and the similarly dull Sage Pixel 6a. After that, Google switched away from the greyish greens and went for a more minty/limey tone in general, but it kept the saturation level to a minimum. We got the desaturated Lemongrass Pixel 7, a greyish olive-toned Hazel Pixel 7 Pro, a light Mint Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, and another light Wintergreen Pixel 9. Perhaps the only time Google got adventurous enough to tune up the saturation level a bit was with the Aloe Pixel 8a. But that was it. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Other companies have tried too. From the nearly white Jade Green Galaxy S24 Ultra to the brown Khaki Green Xperia 1 VI, passing by the many teal-shaded OnePlus phones from the eighth series onward, there's been a smorgasbord of green-but-not-really-green phones. The one that stands out the most in my mind is the Green Emerald Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge; that was the shade I liked the most, and I ended up looking for cases that emulated the same color. But what do you know, even case makers don't really like green! Green has often been the forgotten or mistreated color on Android smartphones. All of this to say that I may have finally found the perfect green shade on a modern smartphone, and it's made by realme. The just-announced GT 7 Dream Edition literally took my breath away when I unboxed its (very imposing and wasteful) box. But the phone, the color. Oh, just absolute perfection. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Photos, including all the press materials and the images that I've taken in this post, don't do this phone justice. It's gorgeous in person. The most saturated and metallic green color I've ever seen on an Android phone, emerald under some lights, dark teal in other lighting conditions, and just perfect in every scenario. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority To say that I like this more than the Bay Pixel 8a and Peony Pixel 9a — the two most colorful phones in my possession now — would be an understatement. It's a million times more sophisticated and classy. My colleagues compared it a bit to the OnePlus 12 and 13 series, based on some photos, but those veer more towards teal than emerald, in my opinion, and are clearly darker. They lack the popping color of the GT 7 Dream Edition. Obviously, you can tell from the photos here that this is a special edition phone, made in collaboration with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team. In fact, it's the exact emblematic green shade that Aston Martin is known for. I don't follow the races anymore (I was a fan right up until Räikkönen won the World Championship, celebrated that, and then lost interest in the sport), but I know what Aston Martin's F1 car looks like. And this phone perfectly emulates that color… Rita El Khoury / Android Authority … right down to the lime green power button and chamfered edges around the camera module and every lens opening. I'd say these small details give it a more playful vibe and remind me of Google's playful power button era with the Pixel 3 and 4 series. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Though if I'm being honest, I think the racing stripes, or 'wings' as realme calls them, with an ever-so-small bevel give this phone way more character. I was afraid they'd look gaudy when I saw the renders, but in reality, they don't. Go back up the page, and you'll notice that they aren't visible in most lights. You have to catch them at the right angle to see the thin, shiny stripes on each side. Between the fantastic green shade, lime green accents, and iconic Aston Martin badge, this phone looks and feels unique. However, the really gaudy part is the retina-searing icon theme that realme has gone for. I understand wanting to carry the phone's hardware branding throughout the software, but this feels a bit too much. Maybe Aston Martin F1 fans will love it, but to me, it was an instant turn-off. Luckily, you can easily switch back to a standard theme. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority You can tell that I'm not a fan of too much branding on my phones, so the presence of both the realme logo and iconic silver wings Aston Martin emblem feels a bit much. I'd be willing to forgive it, though, because it's done so tastefully with high-end metallic materials. It's the addition of the white, characterless 'Formula One team' engraving that irks me a bit. Could've done without it overall and I think the phone's design would've spoken for the racing and speed experience without adding this extra line. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority And look, I'm not saying the realme GT 7 Dream Edition is the best Android phone on the planet now. No, but it's a fantastic, powerful Android 15 device with a blazing processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a gorgeous display, and an impressive 7,000mAh battery with 120W SUPERVOOC charging. I haven't been able to kill the battery in one day so far, despite how much I've thrown at it. For the right demographic, this is an absolute dream of a phone. For someone like me, who doesn't play too many games and just needs a clean and efficient interface, it's not the right choice. But that green color. Ah, that green color, I tell you. It's beautiful. It's stunning. It's glamorous and irresistible. It's stupendous. And I might not run out of adjectives and superlatives if I keep going. Petition to all Android brands: Make smartphones in this color. Or at least a case. I'd take a case in this shade at this point.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
This new Pixel 9 rival offers a 7,000mAh battery, 120W charging, and a fully-cooled back
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Realme has announced the realme GT7 and GT7 Dream Edition phones. Both phones feature a 7,000mAh battery paired with 120W wired charging. The Dream Edition device is effectively an Aston Martin F1-themed smartphone. Realme has long had a reputation for offering well-priced Android phones, but the company has also pushed battery technology in the last year. The realme GT7 Pro delivered a 6,500mAh battery, and the newly announced realme GT7 ups the ante even more. The company just launched the realme GT7, and it offers a 7,000mAh battery in concert with 120W wired charging. The manufacturer claims this combination is a first for the industry. In any event, the company says you can expect a 1% to 100% charge in 40 minutes. You'll presumably need to add a few minutes if you're going from dead to full. Realme's phone also supports bypass charging, which directly powers the phone instead of charging the battery. Unfortunately, there's no wireless charging support here. Nevertheless, this 7,000mAh battery is almost double the capacity of the Galaxy S25 Edge (3,900mAh) and significantly larger than the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 5,000mAh pack. Does the realme GT7 bring the (figurative) heat? The GT7 also debuts the Dimensity 9400e processor, which is effectively last year's MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus chipset. So the device should offer great performance on par with last year's flagship Android phones. The phone also packs a 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED screen (2,780 x 1,264, 6,000 nits peak brightness, 2,160Hz PWM dimming). Realme's latest phone also sports a relatively flexible rear camera system. It consists of a 50MP IMX906 main camera, a 50MP 2x telephoto camera (Samsung JN5), and an 8MP ultrawide lens. A 32MP camera is available for selfies and video calls. As for camera features, you can expect Lightning Snap functionality for fast-moving subjects, a 4K/60fps underwater mode, 4K/120fps slow-motion video, and three styles for 'travel' photography (mountain, island, and city). The phone also offers an interesting AI Landscape Plus feature. This reduces haziness and fogginess when taking photos of landscapes while also correcting skewed composition. Staying with software features, realme is also offering an AI Planner feature. You need to double-tap the phone's back panel to summon this feature, which then scans on-screen content (e.g. times and locations) and automatically generates events in your schedule. One example cited by realme was using this in a WhatsApp chat to plan a night out, with the AI Planner able to accurately capture the time and date. The feature can also be used when viewing notifications or images like event posters, as well as in your booking/accommodation emails. As for durability, the realme GT7 offers an IP69 rating and Gorilla Glass 7i on the front. Realme also made a big deal out of the graphene layer found underneath the phone's rear cover, claiming this offers a six-fold improvement in thermal conductivity compared to glass covers alone. The company also claims this should result in a phone that feels cool in summer and 'warm and gentle' in winter. realme GT7: Pricing and availability Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Realme also announced the GT7 Dream Edition, which is effectively the GT7 Aston Martin F1 Edition. This phone features a distinctive design, including a bold green color scheme that's a refreshing departure from other manufacturers' green colorways. In fact, colleague Rita El-Khoury reckons this is the most beautiful color she's ever seen on a smartphone. Of course, the Aston Martin logo appears on the back, too. The special edition device also comes with an F1 car SIM ejector tool, a special phone case, and customized software. The latter includes a special wallpaper, green-hued icons, and an exclusive camera watermark. You can expect to pay a starting price of €749.99 (~$852) for the 12GB/256GB realme GT7, all the way up to €899.99 (~$1,022) for the 16GB/512GB option. Want the realme GT7 Dream Edition? Then you'll be paying €899.99 (~$1,022) for the sole 16GB/512GB variant. In any event, the phone compares favorably to the €899 Pixel 9. You do miss out on wireless charging, but you gain 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.
