|
IN THIS ISSUE: The Latest Android Intelligence: The Android upgrade downslide and the new unlikely u
| |
| March 2 · Issue #1 · View online |
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE:
-
The Latest Android Intelligence: The Android upgrade downslide and the new unlikely underdog worth watching
-
5 Things to Know This Week: Fancy phones, a heating up battle for the smart home, and new features on the way for Assistant and Chrome OS
-
Tips o’ The Week: Floating faces, Photos movies, and a virtual music studio in your browser
-
Deal Intelligence: Save serious cash on your next mobile tech purchase
- Plus more must-read stories and fun stuff you might have missed!
|
|
|
|
Oh, hi there! What a lovely inbox you have. Thanks for inviting me. And not to worry — I wiped my feet on the way in. This, as you may know, is the first-ever issue of the Android Intelligence insider’s newsletter. It’s something I’ve been planning and preparing for a long time now, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have you along for the ride. At its core, Android Intelligence has always been about going beyond the headlines and providing the next-level advice, insight, and analysis that’s so often missing from the fast-moving stream of mobile tech news. It’s about serving up something fresh and different — something you’ll enjoy whether you’ve read a thousand news stories in any given week or none. My hope is that this newsletter will take that same concept and turn it up a notch, with even more useful info for you. It’ll always have the most current columns, of course — with a little extra context and commentary sprinkled in — but it’ll also bring you perspective on the week’s most impactful Android news, a hearty helping of bonus tips and recommendations, and plenty of other interesting extras. Android Intelligence isn’t your average Android news — and this most certainly won’t be your average newsletter. This journey is just beginning, and you and I, my friend, are in it together. Keep me posted and let me know what you think. All you’ve gotta do is hit “reply.”
|
jr@androidintel.net
|
|
|
Android upgrade downslide: 4 years of damning data in 3 crazy charts
|
Following up on my incredibly disheartening Android Upgrade Report Card from last week — in which, in case you missed it, pretty much everyone other than Google reached new lows of embarrassingly poor performance — I thought it’d be interesting to step back a little and look at things from a bigger-picture perspective. I’ve been closely tracking Android upgrade performance since the early 1800s, after all. We all know the device-makers have been doing poorly as of late, but have they at least gotten a teensy bit better with each passing year? Or maybe stayed at a stable level of shoddiness, if nothing else? The answer, in short, is no. I pulled together data from the past four years of upgrades — from Lollipop, in 2015, to Oreo today — and man, oh man: Seeing it all laid out in visual form, it’s even worse than I ever would have imagined. Check out the column for the full analysis and some charts that speak volumes. |
The unlikely new Android underdog worth watching
|
A spark of promise amidst all the upgrade-centric doom and gloom: Nokia — yes, Nokia — is emerging from a week of flashy new phone announcements as the most interesting player roaming the Android field. And if the company’s first year in the Android ecosystem is any indication, what we’re seeing now may be the beginning of something big.
|
|
|
|
1. The Galaxy S9 is here… …and it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect: an incrementally updated version of last year’s Samsung flagship, with all the usual year-to-year talking points (better display, faster internals, more advanced camera, more kitten pics per capita, etc). It’ll almost certainly sell well and make for many a happy buyer, but there’s not a heck of a lot that’s particularly exciting. If you’re a Samsung fan and find your buying bone being tickled (watch it…), pre-orders kick off pretty much everywhere today, and the phone will actually be available starting March 16. 2. The shameless notch clones are coming We knew it was inevitable, and sure enough: Apple’s magical and revolutionary iPhone X notch is officially on Android. Asus got the party started with the introduction of its almost-hilarious ZenFone 5 this week. Oh, yes:
|
Anyone else getting a hankering for some Doublemint gum?
|
The phone’s most distinguishing design choice is not just a blatant copy of another company’s original idea, but it’s also functionally hollow.
|
|
|
Calling it now: "You'll get used to the phone's front camera cutout" is the new "The smartwatch's flat tire really isn't *that* bad." https://t.co/PuCC4dXPIY
|
|
|
|
Huawei, OnePlus, and LG are also said to have notch-tacular innovations of their own in the works.
3. Amazon is inching its way further into the smart home Word broke this week that the retailer is shelling out big bucks to buy Ring, maker of the Ring Video Doorbell and security cameras. Given the fact that the now-Google-incorporated Nest is just weeks away from shipping its first competing video doorbell product, this sets the stage for an elevated battle between Google and Amazon — with an invitation to your (allegedly) smart abode being the prize. 4. Google Assistant is learning some new tricks Buried within all the week’s mobile tech hand-flapping were some interesting little tidbits about fresh features coming to Google Assistant. First, Assistant will get the long-ago-promised native ability to handle multipart “routines” — like turning on your lights, cranking up the A/C, and blaring your favorite Chumbawamba jam, all with a single spoken command. That’ll roll out to Assistant-packing devices “over the coming weeks.” 5. Chrome OS is creeping further into tablet terrain You know my theory about Chromebooks being the new Android tablets, right? In yet another step in Google’s never-ending Android-Chrome OS alignment, the tablet-like pull-to-refresh command has officially shown up in Chrome. The option is tucked away in the developers’ channel for now, but it’s a beginning — and another move that’ll soon fill in the few remaining gaps between an “Android tablet” experience on a traditional tablet and an “Android tablet” experience on a touchscreen Chromebook. |
|
|
|
Float a face in your Phone app Got a Pixel, Nexus, or Android One device? You probably got an update to the Google Phone app recently, and hidden within it is a handy new unlisted feature: a floating bubble that appears anytime you start a call and then move into another app on your screen.
|
"Sorry, pal, wrong number."
|
Novelty aside, the bubble serves as a simple way to manage your ongoing voice calls: Just touch your finger to the face of the person with whom you’re speaking and then drag the bubble down to the bottom of your screen to end the connection. Movie time You know those cool Google Photos compilation reels you get in the app every now and then? You can now manually make your own — picking from a variety of aww-inducing themes like “Father’s Day Movie,” “They Grow Up So Fast,” and “Meow Movie.” Photos does all the heavy lifting for you: You just pick a face or two to include, and it’ll handle the rest. Hit up the Movie option within Photos’ Assistant tab to give it a whirl. The sound of music Break out your inner Beethoven and head on over to Google’s brand spankin’ new Chrome Music Lab Song Maker site when you have a few minutes to kill. The site lets you program your own tune, using a variety of instruments and tools, and then share it with anyone — and even allow them to jump in and collaborate, if they’re so inspired. Hey, at least I can say I knew you when.
|
|
|
|
Up to $30 free from Google Express This is a good one: Ever heard of Google Express? It’s Google’s market-like shopping site, and it features items from a ton of different retailers — Walmart, Fry’s, Home Depot, Google’s own Google Store, and a couple dozen other well-known outlets. Point being, it’s got tons of stuff. And if you buy anything through the official Google Express Android app right now and use coupon code APPSAVE30 at checkout, you’ll get 30% off your entire order (with a max discount of $30). The promotion appears to be good for all first-time Express shoppers through this Monday, March 5, so don’t wait long. $100 off a Galaxy S9 pre-order If you’re getting the Galaxy S9, get it today: Best Buy is offering $100 off all pre-orders today and today only (Friday, March 2). $100 in Google Store credit with a Pixel 2 XL purchase If the Pixel 2 XL is on your wish list, Google’s offering a $100 Google Store credit with all purchases of the phone. The offer runs from now through March 17. $100 off a Pixelbook 40% to 50% off UE Boom Bluetooth speakers UE Boom’s wireless speakers tend to be well-reviewed (I’ve had one myself for years), and right now, the Boom 2 is half-off, at $99, while the waterproof Wonderboom is 40% off, at $59.99, both courtesy of Amazon. |
|
|
|
The House That Spied on Me
I wish I’d been the one to come up with this story. The author outfitted her home with as many connected gadgets as she possibly could — ranging from her lights and coffee maker to her vacuum, toothbrush, and some even more, shall we say, intimate items. Suffice it to say, it’s…quite the read: Smart coffee was also a world of hell. The Brewgenie Smart Coffeemaker I ordered first was “smart” in that it had Bluetooth connectivity, so I could use its custom app on my phone to make it run a pot of coffee, but it wasn’t compatible with Echo, so I couldn’t say, “Alexa, make me coffee.” To remedy this, I ordered the Behmor Connected Customizable Temperature Control Coffee Maker which promised Alexa compatibility. I came to regret this while setting up my Eight Sleep Tracker—a sensor layer that went over my mattress that could track sleep, warm the bed, and connect to “any wifi-enabled device in your house.” Its instruction manual, along with dire warnings about possibly setting my bed on fire, informed me that it could automatically brew me coffee when it sensed I was waking up … but only if I had a WeMo coffeemaker. Yeaaaaaaah. A good reminder that the future isn’t quite here yet — and that even once it does arrive, there may be a limit to how connected we actually want to allow ourselves to be.
|
In an Era of ‘Smart’ Things, Sometimes Dumb Stuff Is Better
Along those same lines, The New York Times has a thoughtful piece about how useful some of our fancy-schmancy “smart” gadgets actually are — and whether we’re using them because they’re actually better than the old-fashioned alternatives or simply because they seem neat. It’ll definitely make you think.
|
|
|
|
An Ode to the Video Store Chain, on the Occasion of Blockbuster’s Demise
Confession: I worked at Blockbuster on and off for years during my high school and college era. (Yes, I’m evidently now “old.” Damn it.) So for me, this story had a particularly special connection. But I think most of us ancient fogies have fond memories of the days of video stores. And, well, maybe some not not-so-fond ones, too. Either way, this is a fun trip down memory lane and a reminder of just how far we’ve come.
|
|
|
|
If you’re enjoying this newsletter and would like to see it continue, you can help! And you’ll get a little something in return, too. With change ranging from the cost of a soda to the price of sandwich, you can upgrade to a platinum-level subscription that’ll give you fun extras like early access to the newsletter (ooh!), an inside look at my ever-evolving personal tech setup (ahh!), and the ability to submit questions to be answered in a future issue — either by me or by a relevant industry expert (holy moly!). You can even snag some limited-edition Android Intelligence merchandise, if you’re really inspired (whoopee!). Just as important, though, your support will make it possible for me to continue devoting the time and resources required to keep this newsletter going — and to improve and expand it over time. While most of my writing appears in established publications, this newsletter is something I do independently — just me, JR, on my own time and my own dime. The equivalent of a couple lattes from enough readers each month would add up to cover the time and costs that accompany this kind of effort. Hey, thanks for reading. Can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed hangin’ out in your inbox. I’ll see you back here again next week — and around the web in the meantime. Don’t be a stranger, okay?
|
|
The Android Intelligence insider’s newsletter is a weekly publication by JR Raphael (hey, that’s me!). You’re receiving this email because you asked to subscribe at some point — and, more broadly, because you have excellent taste in writers and content (clearly). If you ever want to unsubscribe, meanwhile, you can find a link to do so below. (Fair warning: I will shed a single tear if you do. But near, far, wherever you are — my heart will go on. Somehow.)
|
|
|
Did you enjoy this issue?
|
|
|
|
If you don't want these updates anymore, please unsubscribe here.
If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here.
|
|
|
|
For more Android Intelligence, visit AndroidIntel.net
|
|
