Android Archives - Page 2 of 10

Android 17 launches Pause Point, a function to save us from addictive apps. It is the paradox of the arsonist firefighter

May 14, 2026 by usatoday24

Among all the news announced by Google a few days ago, without a doubt Gemini Intelligence It was the one that attracted the most attention, but it was not the only one. Android 17 also releases other changes Among which a function called ‘Pause Point’ caught my attention, an option that promises to save us from infinite scrolling by making us stop and think for a few seconds. When I discovered what Pause Point was, I did just that, stopped to think for a moment and realized the ironic of the situation. What is Pause Point “Have you ever spent 45 minutes scrolling and suddenly you realize that you don’t remember why you opened the phone?” This is how Google presents this new function that will arrive with Android 17 and that follows the line of others like Digital Wellbeing that was released with Android 9. Until now, if we wanted to limit the use of certain apps we could set timers or even block access completely, but according to Google this does not solve the problem: timers can be postponed and blocking sometimes makes it impractical if we need that app for something important. What they propose now is another different approach: when you open an app that usually distracts you, Pause Point is activated and makes you stop for 10 seconds to ask yourself “Why am I here?” During this break you can do a small breathing exercise or open the app, but setting a timer of 5, 15 or 30 minutes. It also offers you other apps to focus on, such as one for audiobooks. It makes sense: we have internalized certain patterns so much that we pick up our cell phone and open apps for no apparent reason, out of pure muscle memory. If we want to completely disable Pause Point, it is necessary to restart the phone. The goal is to make you stop and think before anything else. It makes sense and is something we have talked about before: we have internalized certain patterns so much, that we pick up our cell phone and open apps for no apparent reason, by Pure muscle memory. The arsonist who sells fire extinguishers In 2017 we were already talking about what was being set up an industry that promised to cure us of mobile addiction. There are all kinds of solutions that promise to reduce our screen time, from boring cell phones that make us use them lesseven accessories that They prevent us from opening certain apps. What is striking is when Those who offer the cure are the same ones who have created the problem. Recently, a judge in the United States has said that Meta, TikTok and Google They are guilty of having deliberately designed their products to generate addiction among young people, with functions such as autoplay or infinite scroll. Google defended itself arguing that “this case misinterprets YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social network.” It is true that the concept of “addictive” infinite scroll was born with apps like Snapchat, TikTok or Instagram, but let’s not forget that Google entered fully into this formula with YouTube Shorts and one is no less guilty for having committed the “crime” later than the rest. Google is not the only company that is offering the solution to a problem that they themselves are fueling. Instagram and TikTok also have features to help users disconnect from the app, but without leaving the appclear. As long as the metric that controls is usage time, these “detox” functions will be little more than a cosmetic patch in a system designed so that we never let go of our cell phone. One thing must be clear and that is that the business of these apps lies in Let us spend as much time as possible on them. Only then do we see more advertising and buy more products. We live in the attention economy and, as long as the metric that controls is the time of use, these “detox” functions will be little more than a cosmetic patch in a system designed so that we never let go of the mobile. Images | Google In Xataka | The psychology of doomscrolling: the trap our brain is programmed to fall into again and again

put an Android computer on your table

May 14, 2026 by usatoday24

The presentation of the new Googlebooks It left many of us wanting more. Above all, more information, because although the company revealed its intentions with these “Premium Chromebooks”, what it did not explain is what operating system would govern them. Everything seems to indicate, however, that here Google will go all out on an operating system that was born to conquer the mobile but now wants to also conquer the desktop: Android. Android comes out of your pocket. For a decade, Google’s strategy has been two-fold: ChromeOS for lightweight, affordable laptops, and Android for everything else. Both operating systems have been getting closer for some time, and in June 2024 the Chromium developers they already explained that “ChromeOS will soon be built with large portions of the Android stack.” We are facing a merger that was silent but now seems to have its own name. Aluminum OS. Curiously, Google did not mention this project even once, but everything indicates that Googlebooks could be governed by this evolution of ChromeOS that will be called Aluminum OS. Those responsible for Google have already indicated that they hoped to launch it in 2026 and everything suggests that it will be just to accompany those laptops. From desktop mode to something else. Although Google takes years fiddling with the idea from desktop mode, it has only been now that has finally offered it on some Pixel family devices officially. One can connect the mobile phone to a monitor using a USB-C cable, and then also connect a keyboard and mouse to the mobile phone via Bluetooth, and start using that desktop mode as if you were working on a conventional PC… more or less. “Stretched” apps. What we have in that desktop mode is an Android experience adapted to the big screen, and that is noticeable from the first moment, for better and for worse. Although the applications work and being able to use them with a mouse and keyboard is very attractive, others seem like “stuffed apps” that don’t fit too well with a conventional desktop environment. What Google intends here is to solve precisely that problem and so that we do not miss the traditional versions of Photoshop or Excel. The danger here is that the “Google PC” will remain a toy for browsing the web, which is something that Chromebooks with ChromeOS could already do. It is reasonable to think that the current Android desktop mode is basically what we will see on Googlebooks. Gemini like glue. Competing with Windows, macOS or Linux with these options may not be enough, so Google keeps the card for its artificial intelligence platform. Gemini Intelligenceits new AI platform to automate mobile processes, also seems like a good way to enhance this operating system, but we will have to see if the implementation is really useful or not. What is proposed is striking: an operating system in which icons are no longer too relevant, because AI will anticipate our needs and do things for us in the operating system without us barely having to use a mouse or keyboard. Samsung DeX has already shown the way. The South Korean company has been betting on its own desktop mode with DeX. That function is still present on their phones, but it has remained a second-tier feature that users can take advantage of but that has never had the ambition of making us stop using Windows or macOS. But of course: Samsung does not sell laptops with DeX (at the moment), and Google intends to do exactly that to offer a total alternative to the traditional Windows or macOS laptop. Can we do it all with an Android laptop? Maybe not everything—we’re thinking about gaming, and Googlebooks won’t be for that—but most of what we currently do. The problem is not being able to do it, it is whether changing a Windows or a macOS for a desktop operating system based on Android will provide something truly different. That is the challenge, and although Android has its strengths (such as a huge app catalog), pure “desktop apps” are not its forte. But the moment is right. Especially considering that Windows is in low hours after that obsession that has made Microsoft I flooded it with AI. The company seems want to correct that problem that so many criticisms has generated, but there are many users disenchanted with an operating system. That gives a unique opportunity to its rivals, and for now Apple has already taken advantage of it. with the Macbook Neo. If Google’s execution is good, Googlebooks could indeed present an alternative. Image | Pepu Ricca (Xataka Android) In Xataka | France wants to “become independent” from Windows and embrace Linux: Extremadura has a lesson to transmit

Android 17 says it’s okay now

May 13, 2026 by usatoday24

Uploading content to social networks from an Android mobile has been, for years, a real punishment. Beyond specific agreements with Samsung or Google —which did introduce relevant improvements, such as HDR support on some platforms— the difference between iOS and Android when it came to sharing content on networks was simply abysmal. The problem went far beyond the casual user who uploads a photo to Instagram and wonders why it looks so bad. It was a structural limitation that pushed companies and content creators to buy an iPhone or the latest high-end Galaxy if they wanted to develop any network strategy with a minimum of seriousness. It is something that will finally change with Android 17. Or so Google says. The change. Mishaal Rahman himself, one of Google’s workers, admitted after Google’s presentation that taking a good photo is 50% of the job. The rest is provided by the operating system. “Recent benchmark testing using the Universal Video Quality (UVQ) model confirms that video captured and uploaded to Instagram from flagship Android devices scores the same or better than the leading competitor.” Google. It thus announced that Google has been working with Meta to completely optimize upload flows to social networks like Instagram. Starting with Android 17, they promise a notable improvement. Specifically, “impressively sharp” and much faster climbs. Beyond. In addition to solving the structural problem related to uploads, more than interesting functions are added from Android. Ultra HDR capture and playback Integrated video stabilization Night Sight integration in Google Pixel New interface for tablets Additionally, Android will have direct integration with Editsthe Instagram app for editing videos. With a single touch, using AI, we can improve the quality of low-resolution photos and videos. The small print. Without giving too many details about the implementation of the measure, Mishaal lets it be known that these news will reach “lThe most advanced Android devices“. It remains to be seen if for practical purposes these changes are really noticeable and if they end up reaching all devices or are restricted to the high ranges. It is also worth keeping in mind that video recording continues to be the Achilles’ heel on many Android phones. Even if Instagram and Google optimize the flows, if we do not have a quality native recording, the upload will be limited. Why is it important. For most users, the quality of what they upload to networks may be secondary. For Google, it is not at all. In markets like the United States, where the iPhone dominates with an iron fist, one of the most difficult fronts to attack is precisely that: Apple’s product works exceptionally well on social networks, and Android has not been able to say the same for years. Finally without weak points? With Android 17, it seems that Google has read the list of weak points that the system had to eliminate them one by one. We are facing the safest version of its historywith a renewed and 100% own design, without being “inspired” by Apple’s Liquid Glass, as expected. Gemini has a real and meaningful integration as AI, there is compatibility with AirDrop for everyone, a universal clipboard (something that was missed if we came from iOS), important new features in Android Auto… In short, a version that can return Android to the top. In Xataka | Android 17 wants to be more than Gemini Intelligence: its other news also has a lot to say

its recipe mixes Android, Gemini and premium design

May 13, 2026 by usatoday24

The laptop market had long been divided into quite recognizable territories: Chromebook as a simple and economical option, the most affordable Windows laptops, where concessions often have to be accepted, and premium equipment playing in another price league. That photograph has begun to change with the MacBook Neoa proposal that has helpedto boost Mac sales. Google seems to have read that move well. Googlebook It seems to want to move right there: into the gap of those looking for something more ambitious than a traditional Chromebook without necessarily entering the logic of the most exclusive laptop. Google itself knows well where this story comes from. In his statement he recalls which introduced Chromebooks more than 15 years ago as laptops designed for a cloud-first world, a formula that found its place and continues to have a journey. The point is that that approach was born for a very specific stage of personal computing: fewer local applications, more browsers and more online services. Googlebook wants to fill the gap that Chromebooks never finished conquering Now, Google has decided to show Googlebook before there are specific products in stores. For now, what we have is a first window into the experience, not a list of specific models. The company does make it clear that the first devices will arrive in the fall, when Google promises to share more details with its partners. Regarding the latter, we find names already known from the Windows world, such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP or Lenovo. The nuance is in the operating system. Google does present the Googlebook as a proposal that mixes the best of Android and ChromeOS, but it has not yet said clearly what software will power these laptops. There appears an interesting doubt: it could be Android, but also the rumored Aluminum OS, which would have been leaked in an image just before the presentation. At this point, it’s time to wait. Google insists that Googlebook has been designed from the beginning so that Gemini Help appears where it makes sense, not as a separate app that the user must open each time. The best example is Magic Pointera feature created with Google DeepMind that turns the cursor into a gateway to contextual suggestions. If we point out a date in an email, it can suggest creating a meeting; If we select two images, such as a living room and a new sofa, it can help us visualize them together. The promise is easy to understand, although now it remains to be seen how far it goes in real use. That same logic appears in Create your Widget, another of the functions that Google has advanced for Googlebook. The idea is that we can create custom widgets with a simple request, without having to search for a specific application or assemble the desktop by hand. Google gives a fairly clear example: a family reunion in Berlin in which Gemini brings together flights, hotels, restaurant reservations and even a countdown in a single panel. The iFull Android integration that idea of continuity between devices. It’s not just about syncing notifications or sharing files, but about being able to use phone apps directly from your laptop when it makes sense. Google cites simple cases, such as ordering food or completing a Duolingo lesson without leaving what we are doing on the computer. Quick Access adds an equally practical layer: access your mobile files from the Googlebook file explorer, search for them and insert them without intermediate steps. Google also wants the Googlebook to be recognized before opening any applications. The company talks about “premium materials and finishes”, a formulation that points to a more careful construction, although without yet going into details. He does anticipate that there will be different formats and sizes, something logical if the proposal is in the hands of several manufacturers. The common element will be the Glowbar, a light bar that Google describes as “functional and beautiful,” and that seems designed to give these laptops their own visual identity. Everything indicates that Googlebook was born to dispute a conversation that until now has eluded Google and, to a certain extent, also Windows. The proposal seems to go towards a careful experienceconnected to mobile phones and prepared for AI in a time zone where price, design and ecosystem are becoming increasingly important. Now we have to wait to see if that promise becomes something real. More details on materials, pricing, and other features are on the way. Images | Google In Xataka | Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra, review: Samsung has finally built the Windows laptop that Apple never created

Three settings for iOS and Android that are more effective to avoid straining your eyes if you have presbyopia than changing the text size

May 11, 2026 by usatoday24

If you are already a few years old and presbyopia is starting to make an appearance, don’t limit yourself to making the text on your cell phone bigger. Let’s tell you others three most effective adjustments to avoid straining your eyes that you can turn to, and that are available on both Android and iOS. These are three fairly simple adjustments that are not going to be as disruptive in terms of showing less content on the screen as when you increase the font size. However, they are going to be even more effective in helping you read. The key is contrast, bold and white balance. Expands screen contrast In the accessibility options of your mobile you have an option to increase contrast or high contrast text. By doing so, there were no more pale grays or blues that are difficult to read, the mobile will force the apps to show the maximum contrast in your texts to make them easier to read. You can combine this option with reducing transparency on iOS or disabling blur effects on Android, to eliminate some translucent effects that can make content difficult to read. Turn on bold text On iOS, within the text display and size section in the accessibility options you will have the option to activate bold text. With this you will make all the letters of the operating system, from the clock to the notifications, appear in bold. This will make all text easier to read without having to make it larger. In Android 16 you will have an even more advanced option, which is outlined text, within the Screen and text size section in the accessibility options. This will add a small border to each character to make it much easier to read, even when there are complex backgrounds behind it. Adjust the white balance The third setting that I recommend you try is the white balance. In iOS the option is called Reduce white pointand it’s in the display and text size settings in the accessibility section. On Android the equivalent is in the screen tone settings, within the section Screen. With this, what you will do is reduce the intensity of pure whitesnot the brightness in general. By doing so, the screen will be less bright, and it will be more comfortable for your eyes to read, especially when you are using your mobile at night or in poorly lit areas. In Xataka Basics | How to create a podcast from a text to study, research or simply listen to if you don’t feel like reading

all the changes and improvements of the latest update of the Android version for the Samsung Galaxy

May 6, 2026 by usatoday24

Samsung already has officially launched the stable version of One UI 8.5the new version of its customization layer for Android. At the moment this version It has already arrived in South Korea, and it is expected that in a short time it will also begin to reach other countries in the world. We are going to tell you what are the new features that have arrived in this version, which has initially arrived for the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultraand it is expected to also reach other terminals such as Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 or the Galaxy S25 FE. This is how Samsung makes money: the secret is in the IPHONE What’s new in One UI 8.5 Here we leave you a list of the new features that have been included in One UI 8.5, which is based on Android 16 QPR2. And be careful because They are not minor newsand it has arrived packed with interesting changes. Customizable quick settings panel: The panel buttons are now adjustable, and you can rearrange both the icons and the layout of the panel elements. Native App Lock: You will be able to protect apps without having to duplicate them, although you will still be able to use the secure folder, now it will no longer be mandatory. 3D icons: Added a 3D effect to system icons. audio cleaner: Artificial intelligence will be used to improve audio processing and eliminate background noise so that voices are clearer in recordings. Scientific Calculator in Portrait Mode: Something peculiar. A calculator designed for students and professionals is added. More AI improvements: Here and there are various AI improvements, such as suggestions and various types of user optimizations. Dynamic screen clock: The lock screen clock now adjusts better depending on your wallpaper, to give it a personal touch by creating visual harmony between elements. Redesign of the Telephone app: It has a more modern look and a cleaner interface. Visual interferences have been removed, but essential functions have been maintained. File management improvements: The app is updated my filesimproving your organization and recovery. You can reorganize them based on the source of origin (downloads, shared files, camera, etc.), the workflow is improved, and you can easily locate files to recover them faster. Improvements in the weather app: New animations and improvements to the data visualization have been added to make it clearer and more accessible. It also has compatibility with older devices. Animations improvement: All operating system animations have been polished, especially in transitions between lock screen and desktop. How to update to One UI 8.5 To update your mobile to this new version, first you must wait until May 11which is when it is expected to start arriving in this part of the world. That’s when you can search for the update and download it. To do this, you have to go to the settings and enter the section Software update. Once inside, click on Download and installand here you will go to a screen where you can check for operating system updates.

wants Gemini to stop being the only AI with privileges on Android

April 29, 2026 by usatoday24

The European Commission has published their preliminary conclusions on how Google manages artificial intelligence on Android. According to the organization, the operating system favors Gemini over the rest of its competitors, which is why it requires the company to apply measures to promote interoperability between other AI alternatives in its ecosystem. As might be expected, Google, for its part, is not willing to accept it without a fight. Another chapter in the Digital Markets Law. This law (DMAfor its acronym in English), is the one that forces large technology companies considered “gatekeepers” (including Alphabet) to guarantee fair conditions of competition on their platforms. Google has been subject to this legislation since March 2024 and because of this has had to introduce changes in Europesuch as showing screens so that the user can choose other search engines apart from Google on Android, or allowing alternative payment methods in its application store. Now Europe has knocked on the door again, this time over questions about Google’s AI, and it is the next chapter in this tug-of-war between regulation and private companies. Gemini rules Android. When you turn on an Android mobile with Google services, Gemini It’s already there, integrated at the system level. It can be voice activated, access screen context, interact with other apps, and generate proactive suggestions based on your activity. Applications like ChatGPT or assistant Claude They can be installed, but they do not have the same level of access. The European Commission points out specific cases where Gemini is the only way available: sending an email from the default email app, ordering food at home or sharing a photo with contacts. That, according to Brussels, is not fair competition. What the EU proposes. Preliminary measures published last Monday they point in several directions. Third-party AI services should be able to be activated using custom wake words or physical buttons on the device. They should also be able to access screen context when the user opens them, and query local device data to provide suggestions and summaries, something only Gemini now does. In addition, the Commission proposes that other AIs can control apps autonomously, such as Gemini is already starting to do (although the result still leaves something to be desired in some cases) and that external developers have access to the hardware necessary to run local models with comparable performance. Finally, Google could be forced to create new APIs and provide technical support to other AI developers who want to integrate into Android, all at no cost to third parties. Google’s response. The company was quick to react. Clare Kelly, Senior Competition Advisor, described the proposal as an “unwarranted intrusion” that “would require giving access to sensitive hardware and device permissions, unnecessarily increasing costs and undermining critical privacy and security protections for European users.” Google defends that Android is already an open ecosystem and that device manufacturers have full autonomy to customize the AI services they offer to their users. What’s coming now. The process is not over. The Commission is opening a public consultation until May 13, after which it will review the input they have received (including from Google) before issuing a decision by July 27. If Google does not comply with the measures or an agreement is not reached, the company is exposed to fines of up to 10% of its global annual turnover. Just like share from Ars Technica, although Google would not have to open its systems all at once, implementing these changes would take time and doing so in a hurry could create security risks. Furthermore, as is often the case with DMA decisions, any changes that finally occur would be, at least in principle, limited to the European market. Cover image | José García and François Genon In Xataka | A developer went to sleep with a $10 alert on Google Cloud: he woke up to a bill of more than $18,000

wants Gemini to stop being the only AI with privileges on Android

April 28, 2026 by usatoday24

how to view your draft summary and file your 2026 return from your Android or iPhone

April 8, 2026 by usatoday24

Let’s tell you How to access your 2025 Income draft on your mobilewhich is the declaration we make in 2026. We have already reached the key date of the Income calendarand now you can access your draft online and present it. You can also do it on your mobile. However, you should know that The Income Tax app does not allow you to make changes to the draftyou will have to do this through the official website as we have explained to you here. On your mobile you will see the summary, if you have to pay or return, and present it. That is why it is important that you first review everything from the browser, because although it is the Treasury that collects your data and generates it, If there are errors, you will pay the fine.. In the end, the responsibility of reviewing your return is yours. To submit your declaration with your mobile phone you have to use the official app of the Tax Agencythe AEAT app that you can find for Android on Google Play and for iOS in the App Store. In it you will have to identify yourself, using your digital certificateincluding the FNMT certificate and that of DNIe. You can also do it just with your DNI number and expiration date, and a few more steps to identify yourself. Income tax return by mobile To consult your draft from your mobile phone you have to enter the Tax Agency app. Once inside, on the main screen click on the option Income 2025 of the section Rent. It is called 2025 although we present it in 2026 because it corresponds to the accounts of our last fiscal year. You will go to a screen where you will see several options related to your Income Tax return. In it, you have to click on the option Draft/declaration processing that will appear at the top. As it is advisable to have reviewed your draft on the web, you will also have the option to Continue with the presentation. This will take you to a screen where you can see If your declaration is worth paying or returningand if you have configured in your account that you have a spouse, you will be able to see their declaration and the joint one. Here, if you click on the declaration you will be able to see a somewhat broader summary, and you will be able to configure how to receive money or if you want to make donations to the Catholic Church or for social purposes. You can also see the preview in PDF, your tax data, or enter the website to modify the draft. If everything is fine, click Submit declaration and that’s it. In Xataka Basics | Income Guide 2025: calendar, previous steps and how to prepare for the 2026 declaration

I thought Chinese cars were going to be the new Android. They are actually the new iPhone

April 4, 2026 by usatoday24

For a few years, the nightmare of European manufacturers has had a specific name: the Android scenario. That Google, or Apple, or Amazon, would turn the car into interchangeable hardware. that the value will migrate to third-party software and they will be reduced to outdated manufacturerslike PC manufacturers in the nineties. That fear has kept them on guard, looking towards Silicon Valley, investing a lot of money in their own connectivity and infotainment systems, trying not to be left out. They’ve been guarding the wrong door. The movement that is happening is not the equivalent of Android. It’s exactly the opposite, at least where it hurts the most: BYD makes its own batteries, your own operating systemand operates its own charging network. Xiaomi does practically the same with HyperOS. The logic is not to create a platform where others monetize but to control every centimeter of the experiencewithout intermediaries. That has a name that we all recognize, and it is not Google. It’s Apple’s. The paradox is that the Android scenario that Europeans feared so much is happening, but it is not being carried out by the big American technology companies, they are building it themselves: European generalists have become what they feared most, without anyone from outside having to impose it on them. What makes the Chinese movement so different is what is noticeable inside the car. Denza, YangWang, Luxeed, Exeed either Xpeng They are brands that three years ago almost no one in Europe even knew about, but that Today they are manufacturing cars with interiors with an attention to detail that is very reminiscent of what happened with the iPhone in 2007.. It wasn’t that the iPhone did more things than the competition (at the time, in fact, it did considerably less than a Nokia). It was that every interaction was thought out, every transition animated, every small gesture had coherence. Rivals had cool features, but Apple had experience that no one matched. Today, sitting in a mid-range or high-end Chinese car and sitting in a German car of the same price is not so much about comparing specifications as it is about comparing philosophies. And the Germans, who are seeing it, are reacting: the new iX3he CLAeither the newly announced i3 They are serious efforts to recover that coherence of experience. But reacting is not the same as taking the initiative. The problem facing the European industry is not that it does not know how to make cars, there is more to it. The thing is that for many years the margin has been captured by those who mastered mechanical engineering, and they learned to optimize exactly that. What they did not learn is that in the 21st century the margin is captured by whoever controls the entire experience: the software, the data, the services, the ecosystem. When they wanted to learn it, they looked at Silicon Valley because there was the model they knew. Until four days ago, no one looked towards Shenzhen, where someone had spent years building something more like Apple than Google: vertical, closed, cohesive, with a speed of iteration that Westerners simply do not have and they already admit it. Nokia also had very good engineers. In Xataka | At 110 km/h and driving every other day: Europe already has its recommendations for the latest oil crisis Featured image | BYD

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