All posts tagged: android

These 3 Android Auto apps still work even when the internet gets spotty

These 3 Android Auto apps still work even when the internet gets spotty

Published by skeptic

Driving in India means learning to expect your signal to disappear at the worst possible time. One moment you have full bars, and the next you are crawling through an underpass, stuck in a basement parking lot, or driving across a highway stretch where the network simply gives up. I cannot even count how many times an app has frozen mid-drive because it suddenly needed an internet connection to function. That is exactly why I have come to appreciate a handful of Android Auto apps that keep working even when connectivity fails. They do not panic the second the network gets patchy, and honestly, that reliability matters far more on the road. After years of depending on them during long drives, traffic jams, and random dead zones, these are the three apps I keep coming back to. Related I fixed my Android Auto lag and the cause was embarrassingly simple I spent months blaming my car for Android Auto lag — it was my USB cable, and you’re probably making the same mistake. The navigation …

I’m an iPhone user who switches to Gemini with Android Auto in the car – why I don’t regret it

I’m an iPhone user who switches to Gemini with Android Auto in the car – why I don’t regret it

Published by skeptic

Lance Whitney/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. As an iPhone owner, I primarily use Siri through CarPlay when I’m driving. Apple’s voice assistant can handle basic tasks like giving me turn-by-turn directions, making phone calls, sending texts, checking my calendar, creating reminders, and playing music and podcasts. For more challenging questions that stump Siri, I’ve been turning to ChatGPT. But since my Toyota Camry supports Android Auto as well, I wanted to see how Google Gemini would fare as my in-car assistant. With that in mind, I’ve been using Gemini with my Android phone when I’m behind the wheel. I’ve given it a variety of tasks to perform and questions to answer. Also: Does Android Auto make your phone overheat? Try these 8 ways to cool it down With Google’s AI, you can send emails and messages, ask for playlist suggestions, get information on local restaurants and businesses via Google Maps, set reminders, ask any question on your mind, play a game, listen to a story, and more. How did Gemini …

Your Android has been a PC this whole time — you just didn’t have the right launcher

Your Android has been a PC this whole time — you just didn’t have the right launcher

Published by skeptic

I have always liked the idea of using Android as a pocket computer, and while there are several ways to turn your phone into a PC, until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t found the right launcher to scratch that itch. In my search for one, HyperDroid caught my attention with its Play Store listing, which describes it as a launcher that turns Android into a complete desktop experience. When I checked it out, I quickly found that it does not simply decorate Android but rather tries to reorganize it around a desktop metaphor, complete with a Windows 11-style interface. Before I go into the details of the app, you should note that HyperDroid isn’t a virtual machine, a dual-boot setup, or a remote desktop trick. It’s just a launcher, and that’s what makes it so remarkable. The first boot will make you do a double-take It looks like Windows 11, and even disturbingly so Installing HyperDroid is as mundane as downloading any other app from the Play Store. Once it’s installed, head to Settings …

I turned off cloud typing on my Android keyboard and gained back my privacy

I turned off cloud typing on my Android keyboard and gained back my privacy

Published by skeptic

I often wonder what my phone knows about me. Contacts, location, and browsing history are all obvious. But only after checking my Gboard settings did I realize my keyboard had been sending data to Google the entire time I’ve used my Pixel. Not my actual words, exactly. But close enough to make me uncomfortable. Cloud typing features process keystrokes online to improve keyboard predictions. The catch is that your layout habits and custom vocabulary leave your device. Once I realized how much data was being sent to Google’s servers, I turned it off. Here’s what I found and how you can do the same. Related I tried an open-source keyboard to stop Google from learning my typing habits I gave up Gboard after learning what really happens to your typing data What cloud typing sends to Google (and why it matters) How Gboard’s usage statistics work Gboard, Google’s keyboard app and the default on Pixel phones, includes several great features, many that sync (copy data between devices via the internet) or share your data with …

I tried Microsoft’s Windows 365 Cloud PC on MacOS, Android, and iOS – here’s what it’s like

I tried Microsoft’s Windows 365 Cloud PC on MacOS, Android, and iOS – here’s what it’s like

Published by skeptic

Ed Bott/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways The Windows 365 Cloud PC lets you use Windows 11 on any device – PC, Mac, iPad, or phone. It’s a subscription-based service, and the costs are still relatively high. The biggest benefit: no worries about repairing and replacing hardware. My newest PC is the thinnest and lightest I’ve ever had. It’s literally a pixel thick, it weighs absolutely nothing, and it’s powerful enough to get me through a full day’s work without ever needing a recharge. I am talking, of course, about my new Windows 365 Cloud PC. It’s a subscription-based service that Microsoft is currently offering for 20% off, and I’m halfway through my one-month trial. I’ve been running my Cloud PC on every device I can get my hands on, including multiple PCs, a MacBook, a five-year-old iPad, and even a Samsung phone. Here it is, running in a Google Chrome tab on a Windows PC. This Windows 365 Cloud PC is running in a tab in my Google …

I’ve used Gemini in Android Auto for 2 months now, and it’s transformed my daily drive in 4 ways

I’ve used Gemini in Android Auto for 2 months now, and it’s transformed my daily drive in 4 ways

Published by skeptic

Artie Beaty/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Gemini in Android Auto is changing my daily drive. It’s making me safer, providing entertainment, and more. I actually look forward to car time now.  At the beginning of April, I tried the then brand-new Gemini in my car for a weekend. I was mostly using Gemini to find information — things like the hours of a local business, the address of a theater, or random questions that popped into my head. It was so useful that I finally embraced Google’s AI assistant. Also: I tried different Android Auto weather apps – these 3 are best for storm nerds like me Two months in, I continue using Gemini for all those purposes, but I’m still finding more. Gemini isn’t doing anything that it couldn’t before Android Auto integration, but it’s so convenient that I’m using it more, and it’s changing how my drives feel. My daily drive is becoming safer, less boring, and more connected. 4 ways Gemini has improved my …

I tried different Android Auto weather apps – these 3 are best for storm nerds like me

I tried different Android Auto weather apps – these 3 are best for storm nerds like me

Published by skeptic

Artie Beaty/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways You have a few options for Android Auto weather apps. The two main options provide much deeper info than the default. MyRadar has one extra feature that makes it my top pick. Android Auto has a fairly deep roster of useful apps you probably haven’t downloaded, but there’s one area it’s surprisingly limited — weather. If you’ve ever hit a huge storm on a road trip, though, or seen ominous clouds piling up in the sky ahead of your commute, you know how useful weather insight can be. I’m a bit of a weather nerd, and I love taking a peek at the radar and forecasts even if I don’t expect storms to have a direct impact on my day. When I tried to see what apps I could add to my car’s screen for easy access, though, I was a bit disappointed. Also: I saw the future of Android Auto, and now Google has me dreading my own car I only …

4 Android Auto apps I highly recommend for your next road trip – beyond Maps and Spotify

4 Android Auto apps I highly recommend for your next road trip – beyond Maps and Spotify

Published by skeptic

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Thanks to Android Auto, your phone can be one of your most useful road trip tools, handling your navigation, your entertainment along the way, and more. Apps like Google Maps and Spotify get most of the attention, but they’re far from the only apps you need for your next road trip. Some of these will save you money, some will save you time, some just make your drive a little easier, but all of them will have you wondering how you ever road-tripped without them. Also: Does Android Auto make your phone overheat? Try these 8 ways to cool it down Here’s a look at the four best Android Auto apps for your next road trip, plus a bonus recommendation that’s not Android Auto-compatible but is absolutely worth a download.  Artie Beaty/ZDNET MyRadar: You probably have your favorite weather app, and it might give you pretty reliable forecasts. But nothing slows down a road trip like stormy weather, and MyRadar is one of my favorite …

Vertu Is Back With a Folding Phone Powered by—Surprise—an AI Agent

Vertu Is Back With a Folding Phone Powered by—Surprise—an AI Agent

Published by skeptic

Vertu is a company known for making extraordinarily gaudy smartphones with outdated technology, luxe materials, and eye-watering prices. Now the brand is here to meet the AI moment with its first-ever book-like folding phone, complete with an AI agent on board. The company announced the AlphaFold smartphone on Thursday—targeting business executives—which comes outfitted with the Hermes Agent. This agent can purportedly handle schedules and tasks on a user’s behalf and “connect to enterprise systems.” Agents are big in the smartphone world right now, with companies like Google and Samsung offering ways for Gemini on Android smartphones to perform tasks such as booking an Uber or ordering DoorDash. Vertu is cashing in on that trend. But the company has a checkered past. Originally, Vertu was a Nokia subsidiary that made handcrafted luxury Nokia phones (in the UK!) in the early 2000s. Each phone came with access to a live concierge service. The company faced headwinds with the smartphone revolution and fell behind the times. Vertu then changed hands over several years, with various acquisitions, eventually shuttering …

Does Android Auto make your phone overheat? Try these 8 ways to cool it down

Does Android Auto make your phone overheat? Try these 8 ways to cool it down

Published by skeptic

Artie Beaty/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Android Auto can cause your phone to overheat due to its intensive data usage. There are several tricks you can use to keep your phone cool. Closing apps, running your car’s AC, and using a new cable can all help. Android Auto can be an incredibly useful tool, but it’s pretty taxing on your phone.  When your device is navigating, streaming music, charging, sending data, and more at the same time, it’s no surprise it might start to run hot — especially if you live in a warm climate. I’ve seen high temperature warnings on my phone several times while using Android Auto, and it’s frustrating to have to disconnect or even turn off your device when you need it most. Also: I saw the future of Android Auto, and now Google has me dreading my own car 8 simple ways to keep your phone from overheating Fortunately, there are several tricks you can employ to help keep your phone …