Meet Android Auto

December 19, 2019 • Android

Connect your phone. Now hit the road.

Connect your phone to your car display—your Android apps show up onscreen, just like that. Tap to get driving directions or talk to send a text. Even call your mom, hands-free. Android Auto is made to help you focus on the road. And have fun along the way. Just plug in and go.

Check compatibility

Get help from your Google Assistant.

With the Google Assistant on Android Auto, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Use your voice to get help with your day. You can find routes, play your favorite songs and even check the weather. Just say “Hey Google” to get started.

Navigation tools to find a better route.

Get real-time alerts with Google Maps and Waze. Even ask your Google Assistant to find gas along the way. You can see it all on your car’s dashboard display, helping you know more about what’s nearby. Just say where to. And then go.

Call and chat features to stay connected.

Your Google Assistant can read your messages out loud. And you can write back by talking. From making calls to using chat apps with just your voice, Android Auto makes driving less distracting.

Entertainment so you can enjoy the ride.

Take your media on the road. And control it all with your voice. Pause your road-trip playlist and pick up where you left off. Just talk to start a new audio book. Or blast that one song for the hundredth time.

See everything on widescreen.

Use the navigation bar for more control.

Respond to messages when it’s safe.

Get started.

Step 1

Check your car.

Make sure your car or stereo is compatible with Android Auto.

Check compatibility
Step 2

Check your phone.

If you have Android 9 or below, get the Android Auto app on your phone. With Android 10, Android Auto is built in—so you don’t need the app to get started.

Download android auto
Step 3

Connect and go.

Connect your phone to your car with a USB cable and see Android Auto on your dashboard display. Some phones can connect wirelessly.²

An Android phone running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and up with a data plan. For best performance, we recommend Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and up.
A car or stereo that’s compatible with Android Auto.
A high-quality USB cable.
(For wireless connection) A compatible phone (see list) and an aftermarket car stereo from JVC, Kenwood, or Pioneer.

An Android phone running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and up with a data plan. For best performance, we recommend Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and up. You can check your phone’s software version by looking at the About Device section under Settings
A car mount for your phone (optional but recommended).
A USB cable (optional for charging).

The Android Auto app is currently available in the following countries:

The Google Assistant for Android Auto is available in the following countries:

Go to the Google Play Store, download the Android Auto App and run it anytime you’re on the road. Download it here.

For most compatible cars or aftermarket stereos, simply plug in your phone using a USB cable. If your car display supports wireless connection, you must pair your phone with your car’s bluetooth for set-up. After set-up, depending on your car, either the phone will automatically connect or the Android Auto app icon will appear on your car display.

An increasing number of makes and models of vehicles and phones support wireless connections to Android Auto. Availability is rapidly evolving and varies based on geography and trim level. Check back here and/or inquire with your preferred automobile and phone manufacturer.

Firefox Lite 2.0 for Android is out now [APK Download]

November 14, 2019 • Android, Firefox

Mozilla Taiwan’s Firefox Lite — previously Firefox Rocket, then Lite, then Rocket again — is pleasingly snappy to use, with a focus on light browsing and privacy. The Chromium-based app blocks ads and trackers by default, allowing for lightning-fast browsing under the decreased bandwidth. After having its name changed four times, Firefox Lite has been updated to version 2.0.

Lite’s new update comes with some fun and handy features, my personal favorite of which is built-in, full-page screenshots. On the home page you’ll have access to a number of games (fun) as well as a very pared-down news page (handy). Both pages load quickly and the games launch right away within the browser. Also on the homepage is a search bar specifically for comparing product pricing, which may come in especially handy considering the upcoming holidays.

Firefox Lite does have a few minor shopping-related features region-locked to Asia, but in all the 2.0 update is worth checking out if you’re mindful of your privacy and are on the prowl for a light, airy browser. If you’re outside of Asia and looking for a download, you can snag your copy from APK Mirror.

Via:
GHacks

Firefox Lite — Fast Web Browser, Free Games, News

10 things to know about Android 10

September 5, 2019 • Android, Things

Dave Burke

VP of Engineering

Published Sep 3, 2019

Android 10 is here! With this release, we focused on making your everyday life easier with features powered by on-device machine learning, as well as supporting new technologies like Foldables and 5G. At the same time, with almost 50 changes related to privacy and security, Android 10 gives you greater protection, transparency, and control over your data. This builds on top of our ongoing commitment to provide industry-leading security and privacy protections on Android. We also built new tools that empower people of all abilities, and help you find the right balance with technology.

Here are the 10 things you should know, centered on innovation, security and privacy and digital wellbeing:

Simpler, smarter, and more helpful

1. Smart Reply now suggests actions. So when someone sends you a message with an address or a YouTube video, you can open and navigate in Google Maps or open up the video in YouTube—no copying and pasting required. And Smart Reply now works across all your favorite messaging apps.

2. Come to the dark side… with Dark Theme. You can enable Dark Theme for your entire phone or for specific apps like Photos and Calendar. It’s easier on your eyes, and your phone battery too.

3. Take advantage of larger, edge-to-edge screens with the new gesture navigation. With simple swipes, you can go backwards, pull up the homescreen, and fluidly move between tasks. After switching, you won’t want to go back to visible buttons.

4. With a single tap, Live Caption will automatically caption videos, podcasts and audio messages across any app—even stuff you record yourself. Live Caption will become available this fall, starting with Pixel.

New privacy and security features put you in control

5. You can choose to only share location data with apps while you’re using them. You’ll also receive reminders when an app that you are not actively using is accessing your location, so you can decide whether or not to continue sharing.

6. In a new Privacy section under Settings, you’ll find important controls like Web & App Activity and Ad Settings in one place.

7. With Google Play system updates, important security and privacy fixes can now be sent to your phone from Google Play, in the same way your apps update. So you get these fixes as soon as they’re available, without having to wait for a full OS update.

Find the right balance with technology for you and your family

8. You have greater control over where and when notifications will alert you. Mark notifications as “Silent” and they won’t make noise or appear on your lockscreen, so you’re only alerted by notifications when you want to be.

9. Now Family Link is part of every device running Android 9 or 10, right in settings under Digital Wellbeing. Parents can use these tools to set digital ground rules like daily screen time limits, device bedtime, time limits on specific apps, and more. They can also review the apps children install on their devices, as well as their usage.

10. Want to be in the zone but not off the grid? Digital Wellbeing now brings you Focus mode. Select the apps you find distracting—such as email or the news—and silence them until you come out of Focus mode. Sign up for the Beta to try it.

There’s lots more in Android 10, including a new enterprise feature that lets you use different keyboards for your personal and work profiles, app timers for specific websites so you can balance your time on the web, new gender-inclusive emoji, and support for direct audio streaming to hearing aid devices.

Android 10 begins rolling out to Pixel phones today, and we’re working with our partners to launch and upgrade devices to Android 10 this year. Learn more at android.com/10.

Android 10 (formerly Q) is rolling out for Pixel phones today, later for others

September 4, 2019 • Android, formerly

Android 10 (formerly named Q) begins rolling out now to Google’s Pixel phones. Non-Pixel Android devices are supposed to get the update later this year. Announced at Google I/O, it boasts a range of new features including:

New privacy and security features (including around location).
A number of “digital well-being” controls to limit screen time and prevent distraction.
Gesture navigation (swiping, pulling, similar to the iPhone).
Smart reply (combining suggested responses with recommended actions/apps).
Dark theme (saves battery).
Live captions for video, podcasts and audio messages.
Faster bug fixes and security updates.

More privacy and security. Consistent with broader industry trends, Google is placing more emphasis on privacy and security in Android 10. As we wrote previously, users will now have more control over location and can grant apps location access in the background (always), while in use or never.

Google is also going to periodically remind users when an app is accessing location in the background so that it can be turned off. This is a feature that Apple used to have on the iPhone but discontinued because of developer objections.

Privacy settings will be easier to find, in a single location. Web activity and Ad Settings will also be housed there.

Users will be able to determine how long Google stores data. For example, there’s an auto-delete capability for location history. You’ll be able to direct Google to save your data for three months or 18 months, after which it will be wiped. Users can also opt out of retargeting and ads personalization.

Features like Family Link and Focus Mode help users control screen time and mute distracting apps. Users will also be able exercise more control over notifications.

Why we should care. The enhanced controls over privacy, location tracking and advertising should, in theory, promote user confidence and trust. It remains to be seen, however, how many people discover and actively engage with these settings.

If more people, for example, control access to their location — together with the forthcoming CCPA — there could be a meaningful impact on the availability of location data for advertisers and the broader data ecosystem.

About The Author

Twitter or find him on LinkedIn.

Android gets new accessible logo design

August 24, 2019 • accessible, Android

New Android logo

(Image credit: Android)

Google’s mobile operating system, Android, has been given a minty fresh logo redesign and a new naming system with the launch of Android 10. Leading the redesign are new colours for the Android robot and brand name (above), which sees Google doing away with the sweet-based system.

The new-look Android bot that will now be gracing the best Android tablets and your favourite Android apps is now a minty green colour. Google says the shade is more modern and – crucially – more accessible than the previous lime colour.

“It’s a small change, but we found the green was hard to read, especially for people with visual impairments,” said Android’s VP of product management, Sameer Samat.

“The logo is often paired with colours that can make it hard to see – so we came up with a new set of colour combinations that improve contrast.” As well as changing colour, the body of the Android has been removed from the logo. Watch how the brand has developed below.

Up until now, Android releases have been named after sweet treats in alphabetical order, including Android KitKat and Android Oreo. Although these names were appetising, they caused confusion with the public as some people didn’t know which version was the most recent. A straightforward number system has been introduced to make things much clearer.

A rebrand that looks good and works better than before is a winning combination, so hats off to Google for giving Android a stylish and practical redesign that will benefit its users.

The updated logo will start rolling out in the coming weeks with the final release of Android 10. Find out more about the new logo in this blog post from Google.

Related articles:

Updates to Android?s brand

August 22, 2019 • Android, Updates

Sameer Samat

VP of Product Management, Android

Published Aug 22, 2019

Over the last decade, Android’s open platform has created a thriving community of manufacturers and developers that reach a global audience with their devices and apps. This has expanded beyond phones to tablets, cars, watches, TVs and more—with more than 2.5 billion active devices around the world. As we continue to build Android for everyone in the community, our brand should be as inclusive and accessible as possible—and we think we can do better in a few ways.

First, we’re changing the way we name our releases. Our engineering team has always used internal code names for each version, based off of tasty treats, or desserts, in alphabetical order. This naming tradition has become a fun part of the release each year externally, too. But we’ve heard feedback over the years that the names weren’t always understood by everyone in the global community.

For example, L and R are not distinguishable when spoken in some languages. So when some people heard us say Android Lollipop out loud, it wasn’t intuitively clear that it referred to the version after KitKat. It’s even harder for new Android users, who are unfamiliar with the naming convention, to understand if their phone is running the latest version. We also know that pies are not a dessert in some places, and that marshmallows, while delicious, are not a popular treat in many parts of the world.

As a global operating system, it’s important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world. So, this next release of Android will simply use the version number and be called Android 10. We think this change helps make release names simpler and more intuitive for our global community. And while there were many tempting “Q” desserts out there, we think that at version 10 and 2.5 billion active devices, it was time to make this change.

A refreshed look for the brand

The Android brand has evolved over time. Back in 2014, we updated our logo and brand color, and this year, we’re introducing a more modern, accessible look.

The design of the logo draws inspiration from the most recognizable non-human member of the community, the Android robot. The robot belongs to everyone in the community, and has long been a symbol of the fun and curiosity at the heart of Android. Now, it has a special place in our logo.

We also changed the logo from green to black. It’s a small change, but we found the green was hard to read, especially for people with visual impairments. The logo is often paired with colors that can make it hard to see—so we came up with a new set of color combinations that improve contrast.

We’ll officially start using the updated logo in the coming weeks with the final release of Android 10. Thank you to the community for supporting Android and inspiring us over the years.