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[Update: Take screenshots] Android 11: ‘Columbus’ gives Pixels double-tap gesture for Assistant and more

new google assistant chrome double-tap

The Android 11 Developer Preview, as the name implies, is primarily intended to be an early preview of Android 11’s changes so developers can make their apps compatible long before it launches. However, sometimes upcoming Pixel-exclusive features leak through, as is the case with “Columbus” which lets you do things like invoking the Google Assistant with a double-tap on the back.


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Exclusive: Google plans new Chromecast Ultra based on Android TV (w/ remote!)

Chromecast 3rd Gen and Chromecast Ultra

According to a reliable source familiar with the company’s plans, Google is planning to launch a second-generation Chromecast Ultra this year based on Android TV. The device is a dongle, much like the current form-factor, but there is one major hardware addition: an external remote.


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Here’s how fragmentation killed the Moment Pro Camera app for Android

This week, Moment announced that it would be pulling the plug on its Android app, “Pro Camera.” Why? Because of Android’s fragmentation. In the time since, I’ve seen countless people complain that Moment just isn’t trying hard enough or that it can’t be that complicated.

Instead of just telling you that I think they’re justified in this decision, I think it’s easier to just show you how complicated the situation has become for Moment Pro Camera on Android.


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Sources: Internal YouTube Music gains music library upload as Play Music transition nears

According to two sources familiar with the matter, Google has internally rolled out a beta version of YouTube Music that adds support for the music library/cloud locker functionality you might be familiar with from Google Play Music. One source suggested that efforts to transition Google Play Music users to YouTube Music are right around the corner…


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How Google could open up Pixel 4 Motion Sense to app and game developers

Pixel 4 Motion Sense

Over the past month, we’ve been slowly learning more about what the Project Soli powered “Motion Sense” on Google Pixel 4 can and can’t do. Now, we’ve found evidence of how Google would open Motion Sense on the Pixel 4 to app and game developers, including a Unity game engine plugin.


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Google is hiding OEM gesture navigation systems on Android, can’t include in setup

android q 10 gesture navigation bar

Android 10’s new gesture navigation system is a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s what Google wants to be a standard across every Android device. Now, we’re learning that Google is going to force OEMs to hide their own gesture navigation systems in Android, even going so far as to not include them in the setup wizard.


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Exclusive: ‘New Google Assistant’ on Pixel 4 ‘coming soon’ to these countries

pixel 4 google assistant ui

Since exclusively showing the “new Google Assistant” in action on Wednesday, one common question we’ve been asked is about availability. Unsurprisingly, the next-generation Assistant will launch first on the Pixel 4 in the US, but it’s also “coming soon” to three other countries.


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Google is close to launching a speed test feature on Nest Hub devices

google assistant speakers nest hub max

According to strings found in a build of the Nest Hub’s frontend software, Google is actively developing (and is nearing launch of) a new speed test feature for the popular Nest Hub smart display. The feature could possibly allow for troubleshooting connection issues when devices are unresponsive, or perhaps just exist as a standalone feature.


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Exclusive: Google Pixel 4 camera will bring ‘Dual Exposure Camera Controls’, here’s how it works

Google Pixel 4 Dual Exposure demo

We’ve learned so much over the past few months about updates to the camera on the Google Pixel 4, including a recent tidbit about the existence of a “Pixel Neural Core.” We’ve now learned that the Google Pixel 4 will offer “Dual Exposure Camera Controls” to help you take the perfect shot, regardless of lighting.


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Exclusive: Latest Pixel 4 spec sheets reveal ‘Pixel Neural Core,’ no buds in the box

For the past two months, the hardware of the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL has felt “known,” with leakers even posting the full spec sheet to YouTube. Today, we’ve exclusively obtained the official spec sheet for the Google Pixel 4, which includes a previously unknown detail, the “Pixel Neural Core.”


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Exclusive: Official Pixel 4 camera samples show astrophotography, selfies, more [Gallery]

Google Pixel 4 Camera Samples

The Google Pixel 4 is now less than two weeks from being properly unveiled at the 10/15 Made by Google Event, but the leaks just keep rolling in. We can now exclusively show you some official, full-resolution camera samples that Google plans to use to promote the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.


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Exclusive: Google and Pokemon built a Soli demo game for Pixel 4 [Video]

pokemon wave hello pixel 4 soli game

Google and The Pokemon Company jointly built a Soli/Motion Sense demo app for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pokemon Wave Hello, as you can see in the screenshots below that 9to5Google has exclusively obtained. The app is not a full-fledged game, but rather a quick demo to show how the Pixel 4’s new air gesture features work…


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Exclusive: Here’s the ‘new Google Assistant’ on Pixel 4 [Video]

Pixel 4 Assistant

The first Pixel 4 tease from Google actually came during the I/O 2019 keynote. A “next generation Assistant” was demoed from a case-covered device, and officially teased as launching on the “next Pixel phones.” We now have an exclusive first look at the “new Google Assistant” that will debut on the Pixel 4.


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[Update: 14 more] Motion Sense on Google Pixel 4 will work with these 9 media apps at launch

Google Pixel 4 Motion Sense apps

One of the features we’re most looking forward to on the Google Pixel 4 is the ability to control things like music without touching our phones by simply gesturing over the screen. Now we’ve now learned that Motion Sense on the Pixel 4 will certainly work with these media apps.
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