Your phone's physical gesture magic

Plus smarter package tracking on Android  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Android Intelligence](#) [Android Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [HP Instant Ink logo]()​ The most important advantage of Android isn't just the software itself or even all the exceptional choices in hardware it provides us. It’s the freedom and flexibility the platform gives us to make our phones work exactly the way we want — in all sorts of efficiency-enhancing ways. Today, we’re gonna go beyond the philosophical value of that advantage and explore a super-practical way to put its power to use — by creating your own custom physical gestures for your phone. This is some truly next-level stuff. It’ll make whatever phone you’re using way more useful with next to no effort. And you’d better believe it wouldn’t be possible on that other phone platform. --------------------------------------------------------------- A quick bit o' nice news to share with ye, before we get going: Congrats to The Intelligence readers Pam and Tony for winning our $50 gift card drawings — and a very special thanks to everyone who took our reader survey related to that a couple weeks ago! Also, if you submitted your name on our Intelligence Insider scholarship form, keep an eye out for an email about the selections on that front soon. And if you missed that announcement, don’t worry: We hope to have more scholarships to share soon! [JR Raphael, Author] JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute ⌚ Just for Funsies: 10 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] 1. Android 15 is almost out in the wild ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Some coded comments made it sound like we'd see the first Android 15 developer preview this week — and while that hasn't yet happened, it certainly seems like it's incredibly close. 🔎 KNOW MORE: A note from a Google developer in Android's open source code explicitly mentioned February 15th — yesterday — as the date for the first Android 15 preview release. - That'd line up pretty closely with the timing of recent past Android releases. The first developer preview for Android 14 landed on February 8th last year. - Timing for these types of launches is often in flux up until the last minute, so it's not entirely shocking that things could have been delayed and pushed back from any original plans. - Android 15 is expected to add a standard operating-system-level area for hiding sensitive apps along with a new "easy" preset mode, among other improvements. 📌 READ MORE: See [the release timing comment](=) and get an early look at [the under-development Private Space feature](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Your phone may soon play nicer with other devices ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Google appears to be putting the finishing touches on a new system that'd make it possible to share calls, connections, and other types of data between your Android phone and other tablets or possibly even computers. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Some under-development code makes it look like the system, seemingly called "Cross-Device Services," could give us a simple way to beam those experiences from an Android phone to any other device signed into the same Google account. - We've been hearing about plans for this sort of "better together" cross-device continuity for years now, but so far, it's mostly been limited to interactions between Android phones and Chromebooks. - From the sounds of it, this system would significantly expand both what's possible and what types of devices would be supported. - Something like that could go a long way toward creating a cohesive ecosystem-like feel, similar to what Apple provides with its products — only in a much more versatile, open framework that wouldn't limit you to using only one specific company's stuff. 📌 READ MORE: [Check out the clues for yourself](=) and stay tuned for more on this front — hopefully soon! --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Google's Android assistant plan has serious problems ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Now that we're a week into the initial release of Google's next-gen Gemini chatbot, it's painfully clear that the plan for that to take over the role of Google Assistant on Android is seriously flawed. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Using Gemini on Android feels like Google's forgotten why a phone assistant actually matters — and what we, as actual users in the real world, need from such a service. - The new capabilities Gemini brings into the picture, like being able to generate text and images, just aren’t things that belong in an on-demand assistant — particularly when the same functions are also being added into every other imaginable app now, anyway. - And when it comes to the core functions we actually rely on from a smartphone assistant — things like answering quick questions, performing basic on-device tasks, and interacting with connected gadgets — Gemini is slower, less accurate and reliable, and in some cases entirely unable to perform the tasks that Assistant handles. - Offering Gemini as an add-on you could summon from Assistant might make sense. But as it stands now, Google's getting it backwards and trying to force the wrong tool to work for a very specific purpose (and with some very apparent competitive pressure driving the decision-making process). 📌 READ MORE: Join me for [a brutally honest, no-holds-barred analysis of this subject](=) — and let's see if Google listens. ⭐ DIVE DEEPER: Get ahead of the wait list and [reserve your spot now]( to explore Gemini in depth with me and the rest of our Intelligence Insider Community. Fantastically thoughtful discussions await! SPONSORED MESSAGE Say goodbye to empty ink cartridges 👋 [Father and daughters drawing and using a printer]()​ So long, last-minute ink cartridge sprints! With [HP Instant Ink](), you'll never be caught empty-handed again. Their smart printers automatically monitor ink levels and send new cartridges directly to your door before you run out. Plus, readers of The Intelligence newsletters can claim a $10 welcome credit, which translates into up to 6 months free. HP Instant Ink benefits include: 🚚 Reliable ink delivery — before you even know you need it ♻️ Convenient recycling of your used ink cartridges 💲 Won’t break the bank ➜ [Life is busy enough — simplify yours with the magic of automatic ink delivery!]() [CLAIM YOUR $10 CREDIT​​ ➜]() ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Unlock your phone's physical gesture magic I don't want to brag, but right now, I can wave my phone around to have its flashlight come on. And I can flip it face-down on my desk to have it silence itself and sound a special chime to confirm — then flip it back over to exit silent mode and have it speak the current time aloud. And that's only scratching the surface of what you can accomplish when it comes to physical gestures on Android. ➜ Thanks to Android's flexibility and the freedom it affords us, you can set your favorite phone up to do all sorts of wild stuff related to physical movements. ⌚ All you need is the right app and about 60 seconds to get things going. 📌 I'll make it especially easy for you in [this zesty new guide](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Become a certified Android file master Android's freedom and flexibility have long stretched beyond the surface and into our devices' underbellies, and that's still the case today. ➜ In fact, every Android device essentially acts just like a computer and gives you the same sort of power to manage files on its storage in all sorts of interesting ways — ranging from viewing and interacting with 'em to plugging in a regular ol' USB storage stick and even automatically keeping certain folders synced between your phone and computer. ⌚ Most of these feats will take you two to four minutes to figure out. 📌 Mosey on over to [my freshly updated Android file management guide]() to see what's new — or maybe just a worthwhile refresher! — for you. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Boost your package tracking intelligence Here's an interesting one for ya: Did you know that the standard Gmail Android app can also act as your personal package tracking concierge? ➜ Gmail's had a way to track packages referenced in your email for a while now, but (a) it's up to you to manually enable it, and (b) it's recently received some updates that make it even more useful and worth using. ⌚ And it'll take you a mere 30 seconds to get goin': - First, open up the Gmail app on your phone. - Next, tap the three-line menu icon in its upper-right corner, then scroll down and select "Settings" from the menu that appears. - Now tap the name of your Gmail account. (Note that the feature might not be available on company-connected Workspace accounts, but it should be present on all regular, personal accounts.) - And finally, scroll down until you see the line labeled "Package tracking" and make sure the checkbox next to it is checked and active. That's it: Now, anytime you get an email that includes a tracking number, Gmail will automatically keep tabs on its status and show you updates right from your main inbox view — and, in a newly added twist, it'll even bump an email up to the top of your inbox anytime its status changes. [Package tracking info displayed within the Gmail inbox view] ​ Pretty handy, wouldn't ya say?! [] ​ [And Just for Funsies...] With all the buzz around Apple's overpriced dork goggles magical and revolutionary Vision Pro headset as of late, I can't help but think of a classic cartoon I've always adored. It's by a guy named [Rob Cottingham](), and despite the fact that he made it way back in the prehistoric era of 2010 (!), it feels almost eerily appropriate for today. Take a peek: [A cartoon: "Yes, it's a fishhook lodged painfully in my nose. But it's an Apple fishhook, so the user experience is surprisingly pleasant."](=)​ Yup. Some things truly never change. Ciao for now Hey, thanks as always for inviting me into your inbox. It's a hoot and a half to hang with ya and think through these geeky, Googley subjects together. Hope you have a splendid weekend ahead, and I'll see ya right back here 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. 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