4 new secret settings for your phone

Plus a pair of neat new audio features  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ # Brought to you by: �€‹ Aw, shucks, y'all. From the bottom of my heart: Thanks. When I sent out a note last Friday about having to miss that day's newsletter — because of a simple-seeming knee surgery that took an unexpectedly complex turn — I really just wanted to let everyone know why I'd be unusually quiet (a very rare occurrence, believe me!). The fact that so many of you took the time to respond and send your well wishes for my recovery was both unexpected and overwhelming — in a very good way. Back when I first started doing this newsletter, in the late 1400s, what struck me the most about this medium was the kind of close, meaningful connection it has the potential to create between a writer and the reader. It's something supremely special and almost shockingly rare in the typically one-sided world of modern publishing. And this situation was a powerful reminder of just how true that remains today — and just how lucky I am to be able to write directly to you and maintain this special connection each and every week. It'll be a while before I'm back up on my feet and recovered, but I'm delighted to be back here with you in the meantime — chatting about the stuff we love and thinking about ways to make it even more interesting and useful in our day-to-day lives. JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute ⌚ Just for Funsies: 20 seconds ​ A quick programming note... ⛔ With apologies for the awkward timing, there'll be no new Android Intelligence newsletter next Friday, September 8th. I had originally planned to take my typical pinch of fall family downtime that week, and while I won't be doing anything especially entertaining now, it seemed worth embracing at least a sliver of the already-scheduled R&R opportunity — even if most of that time will now be spent doing titillating things like physical therapy and ortho doc follow-ups. 📅 We'll pick back up with our full regular schedule the following week — hopefully with no more interruptions for a good long while! [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Know This Week 1. Your next Android phone could last a lot longer ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: A tantalizing new rumor suggests Google's gearin' up to step up its Android upgrade promise for its self-made Pixel phones — a shift that could set a new standard for Android and force other device-makers to follow suit. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Google's long been in a league of its own with software update timeliness and reliability, but when it comes to longevity, it's fallen frustratingly short. - As it stands now, Pixel phones receive three years of guaranteed operating system updates and five years of monthly security patches. - That frequently draws unfavorable comparisons to Apple and its commitment to keeping older iPhones up to date — and while the comparison is far less parallel than it seems, there's no denying Google could (and should) do more. - And while a Pixel-specific policy change wouldn't necessarily have any impact on other Android devices, as we've seen over time, any one device-maker doing more can absolutely compel other players in the ecosystem to keep up to remain competitive. So no matter what kind of phone you're using, this could be a very good change for the future. 📌 READ MORE: You can find all the still-unofficial info about this possible shift in [this juicy report]() — and for a deeper look at the Android-iOS upgrade comparisons and what almost everyone gets wildly wrong on that front, look back to [this saucy soapbox rant](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Some new Googley goodies are headed our way ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Google's officially sent out invitations for its fall hardware event, which means the next generation of flagship Android products is almost upon us. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Whether you personally prefer Pixels or you like some other sort of Android device, Google's self-made hardware efforts are well worth watching as a signal for the company's current priorities and the directions Android's likely to be headed on an ecosystem level. - This year's hardware event, now scheduled for October 4, is expected to include both the Pixel 8 series phones as well as a second-gen Pixel Watch product. - On the phone front, Google's got its work cut out for it making the Pixel 8 seem fresh and exciting after having just released the cutting-edge Pixel Fold. - Maintaining momentum with two overlapping flagship phone lines is clearly a challenge, so it'll be interesting to see what (if anything) Google does to make this new stuff feel different and exciting. 📌 READ MORE: See the Google event invite for yourself in [this short 'n' sweet story](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Google's app market is getting a whole new look ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: A massive makeover is on the way for one of Google's main software storefronts — but it might not be the one you'd expect. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Google quietly launched a "public preview" of a whole new interface for its Chrome Web Store this week, and it's an even more significant move than it seems on the surface. - The Chrome Web Store is where Google lets you download apps and extensions for the Chrome browser — whether within ChromeOS or just for the regular Chrome browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux. - It hadn't been updated in ages and was really looking long in the tooth and out of place alongside Google's more modern interfaces. - What's weird, though, is that it seemed like the logical move would be for Google to phase the Web Store out entirely and just consolidate everything into a streamlined Play Store setup that'd bring Android apps and Chrome extensions into a single dynamic environment. In my previous conversations, Google execs had even suggested this was the direction they were eyeing. But apparently a separate but more visually consistent web storefront is the path forward for now. 📌 READ MORE: [This under-the-radar announcement]() has all there is to know about the change. You can also try out the new Web Store interface for yourself at [chromewebstore.google.com](=) during this preview phase. #top SPONSORED MESSAGE Don’t miss these Back-To-Whatever deals 🥳 �€‹ Pro-tip: You don't have to be a student, professor, or even slightly intellectual to take advantage of all these epic Back-To-School deals. And while school may already be “back” for some, [Best Buy]( continues to stock deals better than a deluxe 120-count Crayon set (with the sharpener)! Careful, these savings are pipin’ hot: 💻 Up to $200 off laptops 🎧 Up to $80 off headphones ⌚ Up to $100 off smartwatches 📺 Up to $100 off TVs …and tons more! Prices valid thru, well, just hurry. ➜ [Don't be tardy for these piggybank-bolstering, brain-boggling deals!](​ [​​SAVE A TON OF LUNCH MONEY ➜]( #top [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Try This Week 1. Seek out some sweet new secret browser settings Your Android web browser is an endless treasure trove of tasty new treats — and that means there's tons of stuff just waiting to be discovered, no matter what kind of phone you're carrying. ➜ Google updates the Android Chrome browser constantly, and as part of that, the company is always testing out interesting new ideas that aren't yet available to the tech-totin' masses. But with the right roadmap, anyone can enable 'em and start enjoying their experience-enhancing excellence immediately. And it doesn't take much. ⌚ In fact, you'll spend no more than 20 seconds on activating any individual feature in the list I'm about to give you — which has some seriously sweet stuff, like a more intelligent custom shortcut button at the top of your browser and a welcome upgrade for your web-wide Dark Mode adventures. 📌 [Check out this fresh 'n' zesty collection of secret Chrome-Android settings](=), and get ready to see the web in a whole new way. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Translate any email instantly on your phone Android's long offered the ability to translate text at the system level, via the excellent Google Translate app — but now, it's getting even easier to go from one language to another when you're dealing with an email. ➜ Google's in the midst of rolling out a quiet new upgrade for its Gmail Android app that adds in a tucked-away option for on-demand translation of any email, anytime. ⌚ It'll take you all of seven seconds to find: - Just open up the Gmail app on your phone and then open any email in your inbox. - Tap the three-dot menu icon within the actual email — alongside the sender's name. (It's a little confusing, as there are actually two different menu icons in view here. This is the lower one.) - And hey, how 'bout that? Right then and there, you should see a newly added option to "Translate." ​ All that's left is to tap that son of a gibbon and tap it good, and you'll have all sorts of stunning new linguistic superpowers at your fingertips. ​ (Side note: I should really start writing in French more often.) If you aren't seeing the new Translate option yet, don't panic. Check the Play Store for any pending updates to the Gmail app, then check again in another few days. It's rolling out as we speak, and it oughta reach you any moment now! --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Treat yourself to two neat Android audio additions Google's clearly in the giving spirit this week, and its unannounced Android additions include a pair of enchanting new audio options. ⌚ Each will take you a whopping four seconds to find. ➜ First, in the [YouTube Music Android app](), you can now see a live karaoke-style view of a song's lyrics scrolling on your screen as you listen. - Just open up YouTube Music on your phone and start playing any ol' song you like. (I recommend sampling a track by the rarely recognized underground 90s-era poet Sir Mix-a-Lot.) - Once the song is playing, tap the "Lyrics" tab beneath it in the full-screen song view. - That should show you the full lyrics in real-time, dancing along with the song and with the current line always being highlighted. ➜ Next, in the regular YouTube Android app, Google's testing a new experimental option to let you search for any song imaginable simply by humming it. This one's available only to a tiny subset of YouTube Premium users right now, but guess what? You don't even need this feature to accomplish the same feat this second: - Forget YouTube and instead fire up Google Assistant on your phone (by saying "Hey Google" or using any manner of on-screen or button-based shortcut you prefer). - Say "Name this song." - And when Assistant starts listening, you start humming. If you're even remotely close to nailing the melody of a known groove, Assistant will figure it out and show you the actual song's name and author right then and there. A fine trick to remember — and one that'll only make you look like a mild nitwit to anyone around you. #top [] ❱❱ And Just for Funsies... Here's a thinker for ya: What would today's tech brands look like if they'd existed in the 90s? An ambitious graphic artist decided to try to find out. He created impressively realistic mockups of 90s-era gadgets representing modern-day tech services — like, for instance, Netflix: ​ Or Spotify: ​ Or, my personal favorite, the Google Speak & Spell gadget: ​ Man, oh man — 90s-era me would have totally bought that thing. 📌 [Check out the full gallery]() for even more smile-inducing nostalgia. #top A Very Merry September to Ye Hey, thanks as always for havin' me over to your inbox. We've got some awesome stuff ahead of us this fall, between the various pending Googley revelations and our own incoming expansions in this virtual neighborhood. Oh, and remember: There'll be no new Friday newsletter next week (though there will still be a Monday and a Wednesday delivery). Hope you enjoy the extended Labor Day weekend, if you're observing it. I'll see ya back here soon. What'd you think of this issue? Pick a face to vote and let me know! [Loved it]([It was all right]([Coulda been better]( ​ ➜ Did you enjoy this issue? [Copy your custom referral link]( and share it with other people to spread the word and earn [all sorts of awesome rewards](=)! ➜ Hungry for even more? [Try a Platinum membership]( to gain access to three premium Android Intelligence publications along with oodles of other advanced resources. ➜ New here and not yet subscribed? Take two seconds to [sign up now](). ➜ Not feelin' it anymore? Sorry to see you go — but no worries: You can [unsubscribe or update your preferences here](=). [Get even more Android Intelligence. Upgrade to a Platinum membership today.](=)