Handy hidden Maps tricks

Plus a neat new Android customization option  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Android Intelligence](#) [Android Intelligence](#) Oh me, oh my, oh — have we got some good stuff to go over this fine Friday! Today's issue is bursting at the seams with awesome info you can put to use this second, including a whopping 16 of my favorite out-of-sight tricks for Google Maps on Android. But first: It's time. As you might have seen in your inbox earlier this week, we're officially opening up the gates for a handful of new members to join our [Intelligence Insider club](. - Being an Insider gives you access to advanced, in-depth resources and personal advice you won't find anywhere else. - You'll have our searchable tip treasury and complete newsletter archive at your fingertips 24/7 along with all sorts of interactive info only available in that environment. - And you'll have the option to customize your newsletter deliveries and erase all the ads and sponsored segments throughout our newsletters and website, if you're so inclined. Beyond that, your membership as an Insider directly supports our independent journalism model and allows us to continue doing what we're doing at a time when media outlets everywhere are struggling to survive. ⌛ We only open sign-ups to a small number of newcomers in a few short windows each year to ensure a truly exceptional, interactive, and personal experience. So if you'd like to join, now's the time! ⭐ You can [read more about all of the Insider perks on this page]( or sign up instantly with the links below — anytime between now and Sunday: [Full Insider access, please! ​Newsletters, resources, all the perks​ ​($95/year)]( [Just upgrade my newsletters ​An awesome email-centric experience​ ($55/year)](=) As always, I'm extraordinarily grateful to be able to write directly to you and visit your inbox each and every week in this way. Now in particular, it's a privilege to be able to earn a living sharing interesting, useful info with people who share my passion for tech-aided productivity. I hope to see you on the other side. [JR Raphael, Author] JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute 45 seconds ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute ⌚ Just for Funsies: 35 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] 1. Samsung's software updates may get safer — and saner ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Google introduced a huge improvement to the way Android updates are handled way back in 2016. And now, eight years later (!), Samsung finally seems to be getting on board with the standard. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Android's seamless update system allows software updates to install in the background without any annoying interruptions to what you're doing, with the new version then just automatically appearing the next time you reboot. - For some reason, despite the rest of the Android ecosystem adopting this setup ages ago, Samsung has thus far stuck with the antiquated alternative in which an incoming update completely takes over your phone and installs in the foreground. - All questions of convenience aside, the seamless update setup also causes an update to install in a separate area of a device's storage — which means it's easy to undo if something goes wrong. - After years of ignoring the improvement, Samsung seems to have implemented it on its latest midrange model. Combined with signs that Google is about to phase out support for the older method entirely, that certainly suggests Samsung is coming around to the concept — and, hopefully, gearing up to offer it on more devices soon. 📌 READ MORE: [Dive deeper into what's happening](=) and why. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Smaller Android flagships could be making a comeback ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Some new leaks make it look like Google's upcoming Pixel 9 could come in three sizes, with a smaller Pro option. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Our phones have been pushing into increasingly plus-sized terrain for years now, particularly on the higher-end side of the spectrum. But not everyone loves carrying around a chongus. - Early on in the Pixel era, Google offered both a regular and an "XL" model of its main flagship with more or less all the same features and capabilities. - But more recently, it's started framing the Pro model as the bigger and better version and the non-Pro sibling as a smaller but lesser choice. - If this change pans out as expected, that'd bring back a welcome option for anyone who wants the best phone available but prefers it in a (relatively) smaller size — and maybe, just maybe, other device-makers will follow suit. 📌 READ MORE: [See the full rumor for yourself](=), along with some unofficial predictions of what the Pixel 9 might look like. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Finding phones will soon be easier — if Apple cooperates ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: We've been waiting nearly a full year now for Google to roll out its new and improved Android Find My Device system, and it seems like things are almost ready. Just, uh, one little asterisk... 🔎 KNOW MORE: Google has now gone on the record as saying that it's waiting only for Apple to catch up and get on board with a new cross-platform standard for unwanted tracking detection. - The new network would rely on Android devices worldwide pinging each other via Bluetooth to help pinpoint lost phones. - That'd make it much more effective than the current equivalent, which relies solely on an individual phone's own last known location. And with every active Android device in the mix, it'd be quite a setup. - But in order to protect people from misuse, Google wants to work with Apple on implementing a system that'd let Android and iOS work together to alert anyone of shady-seeming, stalker-like tracking activity. And from the sounds of it, Apple's dragging its feet — despite all the other pieces being ready. 📌 READ MORE: [Catch up on the complete saga]( — and let's hold onto hope we hear more about this by Google's I/O convention in May. ​ SPONSORED MESSAGE Discover the latest tech news in 5 minutes 🚀 [Cartoon of penguin drinking espresso](=)​ That’s right — in the time it takes for you to sip an espresso, you can [read the daily tech news roundup from Techpresso](=). Techpresso scans 60+ tech sources everyday, sniffing out the most important headlines and emailing the findings straight to your inbox. How’s that for saving time? Why Techpresso is the last tech email you’ll ever need (besides this one, of course!): - Unlike espresso, it’s totally free - Written in short, hard-hitting bullet points for easy digestion - Read by 90,000 professionals from Google, OpenAI, Meta, and more ➜ [Supercharge your morning routine and subscribe to Techpresso FREE with 1-click!]() [​SUBSCRIBE WITH ONE CLICK​ ➜]() ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Teach yourself some handy hidden Maps tricks On the surface, your phone's navigation app might not seem like the most obvious place to seek out buried treasures. But my goodness, is it ever. ➜ The Google Maps Android app is absolutely packed with time-saving, experience-enhancing gems that are out of sight and off by default. Ironically, you just need a virtual map to find 'em! I've dug up 16 such wonders for ye — including super-simple switch-flips to give you better directions, faster paths, smarter searches, and other goodies you can put to good to use in a matter of minutes. ⌚ In fact, each individual item in the list should take you no more than a single minute to set up and start using. 📌 [Check out the complete collection](), and get ready to rev up to a whole new level of Android Maps adventuring! --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Customize your conversation colors in Google Messages Here's a fun one: Google's in the midst of rolling out a new option right now that lets you control the color of each individual conversation in the Android Messages app. ➜ This new option is specific to the Google-made Android Messages app​​, which notably is not the same as the similarly named alternatives preinstalled by Samsung and certain other Android players. But you can (and arguably should!) download it and then start using it on any Android device. ⌚ Once the option is available to you, you'll be able to find and activate it with about 20 seconds of effort. 📌 [I put together a quick 'n' simple guide](=) to help you get going. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Step up your Google Sheets smarts We're on a roll with core Android app knowledge, so let's keep the trend, erm, rolling — shall we? ➜ One of Google's most power-packed yet overwhelming apps is the feature-laden Google Sheets spreadsheet editor. Sheets may seem like a simple place for storing numbers, but Goog almighty: That thing's got some serious productivity potential. It's just up to you to learn its language and unearth its many advanced options. ⌚ Luckily, most of 'em won't take you more than 45 seconds to master, once you've got the steps in front of you. 📌 [This fresh 'n' steamy new feature o' mine](=) will turn you into a total Sheets pro in no time. Happy learning! Deal alert... Two of my most-used Googley gadgets, the [Pixel Buds Pro]() and [Pixel Tablet](=), are marked down by a hefty $60 and $100 right now. Heck of a time to snatch 'em up! [CHECK 'EM OUT FOR YOURSELF ➜]() [] ​ [And Just for Funsies...] Well, here's a sentence I never thought I'd say: A Google-made AI bot has just written us an Android Intelligence theme song. And you know what? It's pretty damn decent! The song comes from a brand spankin' new Google Arts & Culture experiment called Musical Canvas. It's super-simple to use... ➜ You just [open up the Musical Canvas website]() in any browser, on any device, and use your mouse or fingers to make an original drawing. I decided to go with a crudely created portrait of our loveable The Intelligence mascot, Lenny: [Google's Musical Canvas experiment with a drawing of The Intelligence mascot Lenny] ​ Hey, he may be lopsided, but he's got character, garsh darn it! (Much like me.) Once your drawing's down, you smash the Generate Music button at the bottom of the screen — and in a matter of seconds, the system analyzes your drawing to detect what it's all about and what mood it conveys. [Google's Musical Canvas experiment analyzing a drawing of The Intelligence mascot Lenny] ​ From there, the site spits out an original computer-generated theme to match your creation. You can rock out all you want and share it with anyone. 📌 [Take a listen to our official Lenny-inspired Android Intelligence theme song for yourself]() — then see what you can come up with. Let the (weirdly robotic musical) games begin! So long, farewell... Hey, it's been a hoot and a half hangin' with ya, as always. Don't forget to [claim your spot in our Intelligence Insider club]( while you can. We'll leave the door open for new member sign-ups through this coming Sunday (for both [our fully featured Prodigy plan]( and [our newsletter-centric Genius membership](=)). It truly means the world to have your support, and I know you'll be delighted with all the advanced resources and elevated reading experiences you'll enjoy in our inner circle, too. No exaggeration: I wouldn't be here doing this if it weren't for the direct support of readers making it possible. A very happy Easter to ye, if you're observing it this weekend. I'll see ya next week — in April (eek!). 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up](=) [Thumbs Down]( Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications or unsubscribe entirely. New here and not yet subscribed? 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