Feature Request

Feature Request is a 9to5Google series where authors offer their opinion on how to improve popular hardware or software products.

One feature we’ve seen floating around the Android space for the past year or so ─ most recently on Google’s Pixel smartphones ─ is fingerprint quick actions. Since picking up my Pixel, I’ve been heavily using that feature to access my notifications and quick settings, and it’s great, but I feel it could be more useful if it had a few more tricks. Let me explain…

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Feature Request is a new regular 9to5Google series where authors offer their opinion on how to improve popular hardware or software products.

I think most of us who have used it are aware that Android Wear isn’t exactly a complete platform yet. It feels a little beta-ish. And that’s okay for now. One of the best things about Google’s software efforts is that we get to go along for the ride as it publicly experiments and launches new features. It’s not a case of waiting for months, or years, for it to secretly ‘perfect’ its product before telling us we’re ready for it.

Android Wear is still young enough that there’s plenty Google could change without upsetting the apple cart too much. One feature I think should be implemented soon (this year if possible) is a Force Touch-like technology. In other words: Android Wear should have a deeply engrained system to take advantage of pressure-sensitive touchscreen displays…

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Feature Request is a new regular 9to5Google series where authors offer their opinion on how to improve popular hardware or software products.

It’s almost impossible not to have an opinion on OnePlus. They make fantastic hardware at competitive prices, and none of us can decide whether the marketing choices they make help or hinder them. A prime example being the invite-only system which either creates so much desire that customers have to take the plunge and buy as soon as they get an invite, or it leaves people so frustrated they never want to talk about OnePlus again. Whichever one it is is beside the point, the OnePlus X is quite possibly the best small, affordable phone on the market this year. But its size is precisely what keeps it from being in my pocket everyday…

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