Google Design today shared a video “collage of animated experiments inspired by #MaterialDesign,” specifically Material You.
Expand Expanding CloseWatch Material You and Android UIs interpreted ‘in more physical ways’ [Video]
Author
Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
Google Search tests letting you bookmark pages directly from mobile results
Last September, the Google app redesigned its “Collections” tab, and the system built in to Search for bookmarks is now becoming more prominent with a save button directly on mobile web results.
Expand Expanding CloseSusan Wojcicki held talks about Tesla COO job before becoming YouTube CEO
Susan Wojcicki became the CEO of YouTube in 2014 but held talks about a job as Tesla’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Elon Musk’s second-in-command before that.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Assistant ‘TNG’ bug opens keyboard instead of voice input on Pixel
Over the past day, Pixel owners are encountering a bug that sees Google Assistant always open keyboard input over voice entry, while those users are also seeing “TNG” at the bottom-left corner of their screen.
Expand Expanding CloseLogitech G Gaming Handheld leaks with Google Play Store, cloud gaming, and Chrome
At the start of this month, Logitech and Tencent teased the Logitech G Gaming Handheld, and images of that device have now leaked.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle letting app developers go back to Android 12 on Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and 6a
Android 13 for the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and 6a prevents you from returning to Android 12 due to a security vulnerability. That’s still not changing for end users, but Google is now providing a path for developers to return to Android 12 on the Pixel 6 for app testing.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Reminders dark theme returns with other usability tweaks on Android
With Google Calendar set to lose Assistant Reminders, you’ll be forced to use the very basic and incredibly laggy UI that’s part of the Google app. It’s still bad, but Google recently rolled out some usability tweaks to Reminders and restored the dark mode.
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Google Docs now has an easy way to add emoji
Earlier this year, Docs on the web introduced emoji reactions and Google is now making it very simple to insert emoji as you’re writing.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid 14 Beta likely starts April 2023 as Android 13 QPR period shortened
We already know that the Android 13 QPR1 beta starts next month, with Google getting ready by updating the Android Beta Program and also sharing several Android 14 details, like when it could start for Pixel.
Expand Expanding CloseSource: Here’s how Google plans to price the Pixel Watch and launch with Pixel 7
In recent months, 9to5Google has detailed several key aspects of the Pixel Watch, and we’re now hearing how Google will price its first wearable at launch this fall.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Assistant tests persistent ‘Search this screen’ Lens button on Android
Just over a year ago, Google Assistant swapped out the “What’s on my screen?” button with a Lens-branded shortcut that could now be replaced by “Search this screen.”
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Keep adds Wear OS 3 tile to quickly create notes
Over the past year especially, Google has encouraged Wear OS app developers to add tiles, and Google Keep is now the latest first-party application to do so.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Meet gets push-to-talk with space bar unmute shortcut
Google Meet is getting a rather nifty shortcut that lets you unmute yourself by holding down on the space bar.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music will stop using precise location to power recommendations
One way YouTube Music offers recommendations is by knowing your precise location, but that’s going to stop next month.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music introduces Summer Recap 2022 [U: Rolling out]
Following the inaugural seasonal recap in June, YouTube Music today is beginning to roll out the Summer edition.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle letting Android app devs build Nearby Share-esque cross-device experiences
At I/O 2022, Google detailed a way for Android apps to build cross-device experiences, similar to Nearby Share, and the SDK’s developer preview is now available.
Expand Expanding CloseHealth Connect no longer appears in your app launcher after update
With Health Connect, Google is making fitness and other related data more interoperable on Android. Ahead of the expected fall launch, an update to Health Connect today curiously removes the app icon from the launcher.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Duo is not coming back, but its icon has intentionally returned on Android [U]
In an amusing turn of events today that’s most likely a bug, an update to Google Meet (which was previously the Duo app) on Android brings back the Google Duo icon. As such, you now have two ways to launch the same application.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Search, Maps will identify confirmed veterans hospitals and abortion providers
Google is rolling out a change to Maps and Search that explicitly notes whether a place provides a specific, confirmed service, starting with healthcare facilities that offer abortions and veterans hospitals.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle opens AI Test Kitchen waitlist registration as gradual US rollout starts
At I/O 2022 in May, Google announced the AI Test Kitchen mobile app as a means to let the public “learn about, experience, and give feedback on emerging AI technology.” You can now “Register your interest” for it to experience LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications).
Expand Expanding CloseNew Fitbit device hits FCC with NFC payments, possibly Charge 6
Fitbit just announced a trio of new devices, but it’s already preparing another one. An FCC filing filed Wednesday could be for the Fitbit Charge 6.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle completes Fuchsia rollout for Nest Hub Max
After entering the Preview Program in June, Fuchsia is now rolled out on the Nest Hub Max for all users. Google’s nascent OS is now widely available on a second device after the original Nest Hub last year.
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Gmail web search will now surface Spaces from your Google Workspace
Google’s push to make Spaces a better Slack or Microsoft Teams competitor continues by making them discoverable in Gmail search on the web.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle’s RawNeRF research brings us closer to yelling ‘enhance’ at images
Earlier this year, Google Research presented its work on RawNeRF with “NeRF in the Dark: High Dynamic Range View Synthesis from Noisy Raw Images” at the CVPR (Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition) 2022 conference.
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