A fresh set of Android treasures

Plus instant search sorcery for any phone  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Android Intelligence](#) [Android Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [BetterHelp logo]()​ My favorite weeks are the ones when I get to put on my metaphorical detective hat, grab the nearest available bubble pipe, and hunt for rarely seen treasures lurking deep within our devices. This, my friend, is one of those weeks. Be sure to make your way down to today's Things to Try section. No matter what kind of Android phone you're using, you'll find something new and useful waiting for you there — no bubble pipe required.* * Bubble pipe still highly recommended --------------------------------------------------------------- Hey! Before you mosey onward, one quick thing: Can you spare a couple minutes to [take a short survey](? It should only take a minute or two, and we'll enter you in a drawing for a chance to [win one of two $50 gift certificates to your choice of Amazon or Best Buy]( as a special thanks for your time. Your responses will go a long way toward helping us better understand who's actually reading our newsletters — and helping us find sponsors that'll support what we're doing while also hopefully being relevant and interesting for you. [START THE SURVEY ➜]( Thanks in advance for your help! [JR Raphael, Author] JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute 15 seconds ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute ⌚ Just for Funsies: 20 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] 1. Typing with your voice could soon be even easier ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Some under-development code makes it look like Google's got an interesting upgrade on the way for Android's voice typing system. 🔎 KNOW MORE: The feature is a subtle-seeming but potentially significant new option in the works for the Gboard Android keyboard. - It's described as "seamless voice typing" and framed as a way to have voice typing "start automatically" as soon as your keyboard appears. - So in essence, it'd change your phone's default typing method from touch to speech. - For anyone who opts for voice-to-text more often than not — and I know quite a few folks who do! — this could be a welcome new way to save steps and skip straight to the style of input you're likely to use. 📌 READ MORE: [Dive deeper into the development]( and keep an eye out for additional info as this effort moves forward. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Foldables may finally be getting affordable ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: According to a new report, Samsung has big plans to expand its foldable phone empire with a new entry-level model of its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 device. 🔎 KNOW MORE: This would be quite a twist, if it ends up playing out as predicted. - The report, published by a Korean electronics site with a decent reputation for releasing this sort of info, says Samsung intends to launch the more budget-friendly Fold later this year alongside the standard premium model. - It's supposedly part of a company goal to grow its share of the foldable market and get more people into that type of device. - A move like this makes a lot of sense and honestly seems less like a matter of if and more like a matter of when. Samsung recently shot down rumors of an imminent midrange foldable, but it's pretty apparent that making foldables available on a broader level would only be a positive move for phone-makers — at whatever point the costs would allow it. 📌 READ MORE: See [this translated version of the original report]( for all there is to know. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. A bunch o' new Pixels are headed our way ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Pixel products are leaking left and right this week, and that means we're getting our first likely look at much of Google's upcoming hardware lineup. 🔎 KNOW MORE: In the past few days alone, we've seen leaks around the midrange Pixel 8a, the next-gen Pixel 9, and the upcoming Pixel Watch 3 (whew!). - By and large, none of this is especially shocking. We obviously knew all of these products were in the works for 2024, and their outer appearance alone doesn't tell us too terribly much. - But there are a couple of interesting notes, including the fact that the next Pixel Watch could come in a choice of two sizes — a move that seems like a smart (and probably inevitable) way to make the device appealing to more people. - Most eyebrow-raising for me, personally, is the Pixel 9 design and how much it looks like an iPhone on the surface. After years of seeing Google develop its own distinctive Pixel identity, it's a bit disappointing to see a transition like this. It's early yet, though, and leaks like these can often be incomplete or misleading. So, we'll see. 📌 READ MORE: Peek at the [Pixel 8a](, the [Pixel Watch 3](=), and the [Pixel 9]( (and [9 Pro](!) leaks for yourself. SPONSORED MESSAGE Transform your struggles into strengths 💪 Ready to make 2024 a landmark year for personal success? [BetterHelp]() is your partner in turning aspirations into achievements. [Two phones, one showing a text conversation with therapist and one showing a video appointment ]()​ Confront life's challenges with confidence, supported via text, phone, or video call by BetterHelp’s network of 30,000 professional therapists who are dedicated to your personal development, offering insights and strategies tailored to you. Join the global community benefiting from professional ~online~ therapy. With their New Year's offer, you save 25%, opening the door to a journey filled with growth, emotional wellness, and self-improvement. ➜ [Begin today with a special 25% off on your journey of self-discovery.]()​ [EMBRACE CHANGE AND SAVE 25%​ ➜]() ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Achieve instant search sorcery on any phone All right — time for some creative treasure-surfacing! Up first: Remember Google's fancy new Circle to Search system — y'know, that new way of searching for anything on your phone that The Big G announced (and we then talked about) last week? In short, it's a nifty new system for getting info about anything on your screen simply by holding your finger to the bottom of the display and then highlighting the area you want to explore: With a simple gesture, you can select images, text, or videos in whatever way comes naturally to you — like circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping — and find the information you need right where you are. It's a clever way to bring the typically buried brilliance of Google Lens on Android into the forefront and make it a more prominent, native-feeling, and easily accessible part of the Android experience. It's also, unfortunately, very limited in its availability for the foreseeable future — with the feature launching only on the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 phones to start. Or so it'd seem. ➜ I challenged myself to figure out a formula for bringing the same Circle to Search concept to virtually any Android phone — no matter how old it is or who made it. And guess what? It's almost shockingly easy to do. ⌚ In fact, you've got a couple equally effective options, and neither of 'em requires any real setup or effort to activate. We're talkin' maybe one to two minutes to figure it out. 📌 Check out [my short 'n' simple guide](=), and prepare for a whole new level of on-demand search smartness. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Find some fresh Android 14 magic Android 14 may not exactly be new at this point, but it's a relatively recent rollout for lots of Android devices — and no matter how long you've had it on your phone or tablet, it's probably still packing some out-of-the-way additions you've yet to encounter. ➜ That's why I decided to do my next bit of digging into Android itself in order to surface some splendid experience-enhancers across our favorite mobile operating system. ⌚ Each nugget will take you no more than one to two minutes to digest and start putting to good use. 📌 Chew over these [14 new Android 14 tips]( and see what worthwhile new treasures you find. (If you're among those still waiting for the software to reach you, by the way: (a) my condolences; (b) consider a Pixel for your next purchase if timely and reliable updates matter to you (which, ahem, they absolutely should!); and (c) kindly file this knowledge away in your noggin for future reference — hopefully not too-too far in the future.) --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Add a pinch of extra intelligence into your browser If you take advantage of Chrome's cross-platform consistency and use the program on multiple devices, like I do, take note: The browser's desktop version is in the midst of gaining an interesting new series of "experimental" AI options. ➜ Specifically, you can now have Chrome automatically organize your tabs into sensibly combined groups for you — and have it create custom on-demand themes based on any subject, mood, and style you want. The features are part of the Chrome 121 release, which has been rolling out for Windows and Mac systems this week. (It looks like it won't be showing up for ChromeOS for another couple weeks — until February 6.) ⌚ Once you have that update, you'll need approximately 20 seconds to find and enable the new features: - First, head into the Chrome settings by clicking the main three-dot menu icon in the browser's upper-right corner and then clicking "Settings." - Next, look for the new "Experimental AI" section in the left-of-screen sidebar menu there. - And finally, flip the toggle next to "Try out experimental AI features" into the on position. Then shut down and restart the browser to get the new stuff to show up. If you aren't seeing that section of the settings yet, type chrome:help into your browser's address bar. That'll let you see what version of Chrome you're using and manually start any pending updates that are available! [] ​ [And Just for Funsies...] Ever wonder what you'd look like as part of a famous piece of art — or maybe a favorite era from the past? Of course you have. And if you haven't — well, pal, you're about to find out, anyway. Get this: Google's got a new feature in its [Arts & Culture Android app]( that lets you use AI to imagine yourself in all sorts of hilarious historical scenarios. All you do is snap a selfie within the app and then pick a scene. For instance, here is me in Monet's famous garden: [A portrait of JR, as created by the Google Arts & Culture Android app and its new Art Selfie feature] ​ And here I am in the style of a Frida Kahlo portrait: [A portrait of JR, as created by the Google Arts & Culture Android app and its new Art Selfie feature] ​ Yikes! Let's quickly erase that image from our minds, shall we? Hmm...how 'bout me as a Roman gladiator? [A portrait of JR, as created by the Google Arts & Culture Android app and its new Art Selfie feature] ​ Not bad. And hey, maybe that luscious long hair would translate well into a surfer-dude vibe? [A portrait of JR, as created by the Google Arts & Culture Android app and its new Art Selfie feature] ​ Totally tubular! Hang on, though — I think Da Vinci's Ermine might be the look for me. [A portrait of JR, as created by the Google Arts & Culture Android app and its new Art Selfie feature] ​ Yup. As my merry new meerkat friend can confirm, we officially have a winner. And we'll all be having nightmares for many days to come. Happy selfie-snapping I hope you have as much horror fun as I did creating your own AI Art Selfie portraits. And don't forget to [take two minutes to take our 2024 reader survey](, if you'd be so kind. (Remember: You'll be entered to win one of two $50 gift cards to your choice of Amazon or Best Buy if you do.) Hey, thanks as always for reading and for being a part of this ever-wacky adventure. I'll see ya next week! 🤚 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? Take two seconds to [sign up for our newsletters](): Android Intelligence, Windows Intelligence, or Cool Tools (or all three!). Hungry for even more? [Learn about becoming an Intelligence Insider](=) to gain access to our one-of-a-kind community, power-packed advanced resources, on-demand help desk, and tons of free apps and services. Independent journalism relies on you. 🤝 [An Intelligence Insider membership](=) allows you to support our work and keep this newsletter sustainable!