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Android Oreo

Top 12 new features of Android 12 you should know

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Top 12 new features of Android 12 Android 12, as the successor of Android 11,  was publicly released on October 4, 2021, with many new features and improvements, as expected.

This guide summarizes the top 12 new features of Android 12 that most users will like (or need) to know. A concise explanation of each of these new features is provided to help users, especially those upgraded from Android 11, quickly start to use these new features.

Detailed step-by-step guides for some of these new features of Android 12 will be covered in other posts separately (and listed on the Android 12 Guides page).

Please note, a few big Android vendors (e.g., Samsung)  may implement a few of these features differently in their Android 12 releases. So, if your phone is not running the stock (or near-stock) Android 12, you may find the settings are in different locations or have different options.

If you have questions about getting the Android 12 update for your device, you may check this guide.

Here is our list of the top 12 new features of Android 12.

1. Redesigned UI: one of the most eye-catching new features of Android 12

After you update to Android 12, you will very likely be surprised by the huge digital clock on the lock screen.

This is just an example of dramatic changes in the redesigned UI (user interface).

Based on Google, the redesigned UI in Android 12 lets users feel more comfortable. For example, you will see more space in the notification panel. The quick settings panel is no longer just icons: the name and current status (if applicable) are also shown.

The redesigned UI in Android 12 actually changed the entire user interface, from shapes, light and motion, to customizable system colours.

It is also a lot easier to customize the Android 12 UI.

2. Camera and microphone access indicator: the most practical new features of Android 12

Android 12 now lets you know whenever the camera or microphone is accessed by an app. So, this is an addition to the location access control introduced in Android 10 to protect your privacy.

In the status bar, you will see the camera and microphone icons when they are being accessed.

And if you don’t want any apps to access your microphone or camera, you can completely disable camera and microphone access globally in the quick settings panel in Android 12. By default, these two quick setting buttons are hidden.… Read the rest

How to use notification history and notification logs in Android 11?

You can use notification history in Android 11 and notification log to check dismissed notifications.

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Android 11 Notification iconWith the Android 11 update, a new feature, notification history, has been introduced, allowing users to track the notifications on their devices even after being dismissed.

In addition to the notification history introduced in Android 11, stock Android also allows you to access full notification logs through a Settings widget.  It is a somewhat hidden feature.

This Android 11 guide will explain what the Android 11 notification history is, the difference between notification history and notification log,  how to use it and answer some questions you may have about the notification history.

What is the Android 11 notification history?

Since the feature of snoozing notifications was introduced in Android Oreo(Android 8), it has allowed users to organise their notifications on their devices and prevent notifications from cluttering. However, there are times when you may accidentally dismiss an important notification before checking it out. Therefore you may want to check the notification history or the full notification logs.

The Android 11 notification history is essentially a feature which allows users to track their notifications and view all previously dismissed notifications on their devices.

This feature is useful for decluttering the notification panel under the quick settings menu.

Users can always refer to the notifications history to look up some important notification that may have been missed.

In the notification history, the time and date at which the notification was sent are also recorded so users can view time-limited notifications that may have been missed.

Difference between notification history and notification log

Notification history and the notification logs were designed for different purposes.

  • Notification history is only available in Android 11 (and later). Notification log is available through a Settings widget from at least Android Gingerbread (Android 2.3).
  • Notification history only offers notifications in the past 24 hours.  Notification log includes notifications since the last reboot.
  • Notification history only shows notifications that have been shown in the notification panel. Notification log has all notifications including the hidden (not shown in notification panel) notifications.
  • Tapping any notifications in the notification history will open the corresponding app. Tapping and holding (long tapping) the notification will direct you to notification settings for the corresponding app. But if you tap notifications in notification log, you may get different results in different versions of Android. In Android 11, it directs you to the notification settings for the corresponding app. The long-tapping and tapping gestures work identically in the notification log page.
… Read the rest

Top 20 new features of Android Pie (Android 9)

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new features of Android Pie (Android 9)You will enjoy many new features of Android Pie (Android 9) once your phone is updated to Android Pie, or you get a new phone shipped with Android Pie.

Although Android manufacturers may customize or cripple some of the new features of Android Pie (9) in their devices, you will still enjoy a similar Android Pie experiences.

This Android Pie guide explains the top 20 new features of Android Pie (Android 9) most users will enjoy.

What is Android Pie (Android 9)?

Android Pie, aka Android P or Android 9, is the 9th major update of Android OS. It was officially released to the public on August 6, 2018.

As the successor of Android Oreo, many new features of Android Pie are expected in both of the user interface (UI) and the underhood.

Since the release of Android Icecream Sandwich (Android 4.0) in 2011, Google has released one major update of Android each year: Android Jelly Bean (Android 4.1)  in 2012, Android KitKat (Android 4.4) in 2013, Android Lollipop (Android 5)  in 2014, Android Marshmallow (Android 6) in 2015, Android Nougat (Android 7)  in 2016 and Android Oreo (Android 8) in 2017.

On the release date, only Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL received the Android Pie (Android 9) update.  Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are the first phones shipped with Android Pie.

Most Android vendors started to roll out Android Pie update for their flagship phones from October 2018.

Why do you care about the new features of Android Pie (Android 9)

For most end-users, user interface (UI) is one of the most important features.

Android Pie will not disappoint you.  There are tons of UI improvements.  Of course, unless you are using a Google Pixel phone or an Android One phone, the manufacturers may tweak these new UI features a bit.

This page highlights the top 20 new features of Android Pie that most Android users will be happy to enjoy.

For app developers, there are also many new features of Android Pie. For example, Android Pie now supports the Wi-Fi Round-Trip-Time (RTT). So you can take advantage of indoor positioning in your apps.

Anyway, updating your phone to Android Pie will rejuvenate your Oreo phone, which may look boring and work slower day-by-day.

#1 of the top 20 new features of Android Pie: new navigational gestures

Navigation buttons  (Home, Back and Recents/Overview) have been a standard feature in Android for a long time.… Read the rest

How to use smart text selection in Android Oreo?

Smart text selection suggests you the most relevant app to use the highlighted text directly.

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In Android Ore0 8.0 and 8.1, smart text selection was introduced by adding a dynamic (smart) option (based on text highlighted) to the text selection menu.

So, you can get one additional option (in addition to the normal text selection in previous versions of Android) to use the highlighted text directly without going through the copy and paste procedure.

This Android Oreo guide explains to you what smart text selection is, and how to use this feature with examples.

What is smart text selection?

Prior to Android Oreo, selection, copy, and paste are all independent of other operations.

For example, after you finish the text selection, Android simply put the contents in the clipboard and close the pop-out window. Later, you can paste the text in supported apps.

Smart text selection in Android Oreo gives you a suggested shortcut to specific apps, in addition to all other text selection options.

The suggested app shortcut is based on the contents highlighted.

For example, if you highlight a number, Android Oreo may think it is probably a phone number and therefore the phone app is suggested.

If you highlight an email address, smart text selection will think you may want to email this person, and therefore GMail app is suggested.

When you highlight an address, then Google Maps app will be suggested.

In Android Oreo, smart text selection can only suggest apps that can directly operate on the highlighted text.

In Android Pie, smart text selection can be used in the overview screen as explained in this guide.

How to use smart text selection?

Smart text selection is always enabled in Android Oreo.

There are no user-accessible settings for it. This means you even cannot disable it even if you do not like it.

Smart text selection in Android Oreo may suggest various apps such as Google Maps, GMail, Chrome and Phone.

Here are some examples of smart text selection for these apps.

Smart text selection for Google Maps

Android Oreo can detect addresses from highlighted phrases and suggest Google Maps as the following app to use the selected text.

When an address is highlighted, as shown below, Google Maps is placed before the cut/copy options in the copy/paste menu.

You have the option to use cut/copy/paste and other options normally as in text selection in Android Marshmallow/Nougat.

How to use smart text selection

If you tap Google Maps as shown above, your phone will bring you directly to Google Maps and display the address highlighted, as shown below.… Read the rest

How to play Android Oreo Easter egg game?

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Since Android Gingerbread, Google always hides an Easter egg in each major version of Android.

In Android Lollipop and Marshmallow, the Easter egg is the flappy bird-like game: dodging lollipops or flying bugdroid (to dodge Marshmallows).

The Easter egg in Android Nougat is even more interesting. The cat-catching game (Android Neko) is somewhat addictive for some users.

Android Oreo is not an exception. It also comes with an Easter egg.

What is Android Oreo Easter Egg?

Android Oreo’s Easter Egg features an octopus (because it is Android O).

It is a simple game: you can watch the octopus moving in the sea. Of course, you can drag it to move faster and change its path.

How to access the Android Oreo Easter egg game?

Google did not change the way to access Easter egg in Android Oreo.

If you are new to Android Easter egg, you may follow these steps to access the Android Oreo Easter egg game.

Step 1: Access phone settings

You can access phone settings via quick settings panel or settings app in the Home screen or Apps screen.

For example, as shown below, you can tap the settings icon (gear) in the quick settings panel to access phone settings.

Oreo easter game

Step 2: Access Android version

In settings, scroll all the way down until you find system (or about phone in some Android phones).

Then as shown below, tap on System.

Oreo easter game Oreo easter game

In System page, tap on About phone.

Oreo easter game

In the About phone page, you can find the Android version.

For example, as shown below, this Pixel XL is running Android 8.1.0.

Please note, some Android vendors may arrange the Android version in other locations.

Oreo easter game

Step 3: unhide Android Oreo Easter egg

You can unhide the Android Oreo Easter egg by tapping rapidly on Android version for more than 5 times.

An Android Oreo icon should appear as shown below.

 

Oreo easter game

Step 4: Play Android Oreo Easter egg game

Tap on the Android Oreo icon rapidly a few times and hold it to launch the game.

There are also a few other ways to launch the game as well.

The Android Oreo Easter egg- an octopus,  would appear.

You can drag the octopus by its head around the screen to move it.

Oreo easter game

To exit the game, simply press the back icon on the navigation bar.

Oreo easter game

Do you know how to unhide Android Oreo Easter egg?

… Read the rest

How to use and manage notification channels in Android Oreo?

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Notification channels (notification categories) in Android Oreo give you granular control of notifications.

You can manage individual channels of notifications from all apps to meet your needs.  You can use notification categories (channels) together with notification dots and notification snooze to get total control of notifications in your Android Oreo phones.

This Android Oreo guide explains what notification channels are, 3 ways to access notification categories and how to manage notification channels in Android Oreo phones.

In addition to notification management, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

What are notification channels?

When an app pushes notifications, you may want to only allow a certain type of notifications, for example, important notifications related to certain activities, to appear in the notification panel.

Prior to Android Oreo 8.0, you can enable or disable notifications for individual apps.  You can also silence notification for individual apps.

But you cannot selectively disable or enable some notifications of an app.

In Android Ore0, developers can group notifications of their apps into different notification channels (aka notification categories). You, as a user, can disable or enable individual notification channel (notification category) based on your preferences. For example, you can allow notifications from a specific notification channel to bypass do not disturb.

In a nutshell, notification channels offer granular control of notifications of individual apps. You can manage the notifications of each channel as well as of individual app.

Notification channels are enabled by individual app developers for their apps.  Apps developed for older versions of Android (API level less than 27) will not have notification channels even if your phone was updated to Android Oreo.

How to access notification channels in Android Oreo?

There are at least 3 ways to access the notification channels for individual apps:

Accessing notification channel through the Quick Settings panel or settings app

Step 1: Access the Settings menu

You can tap the settings app icon in the Home screen or Apps screen to enter phone settings.

Alternatively, you can open the quick settings panel by pulling the status bar downwards (swiping down from the status bar).

Then in the quick settings panel, tap the settings icon as shown below to access phone settings.… Read the rest

How to use notification snooze in Android Oreo?

You can snooze important notifications without dismissing them to avoid a cluttered notification panel.

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Notification snooze allows you to temporally snooze a notification and act on it later on. This is similar to snooze an alarm.

When a notification is snoozed, it is not dismissed so that it will remind you again after the snoozing period (which you can customize) expires.

This Android Oreo guide shows you how to use notification snooze in Android Oreo 8.0 and Android Oreo 8.1 to snooze notifications and adjust the snoozing duration.

In addition to notification snooze, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

In Android 12, a snooze button is added to each notifications in the notification panel so that you can quikcly snoooze any of the notifications, as explained in this guide.

What is notification snooze?

Once in a while, you may want to snooze a notification, instead of dismissing it, when you cannot handle it at that moment.

If you simply dismiss the notification, you very likely will forget it and you may miss some important events.

Notification snooze is a new feature introduced in Android Oreo 8.0. It allows you to snooze notifications to avoid notifications from cluttering in the notification panel.

At the same time, notification snooze will help you to keep the important ones.

How to use notification snooze in Android Oreo?

Notification snooze settings are integrated into the notification panel and notification channels in Android Oreo.

You can use snooze notifications directly in the notification panel.

You can also manage settings for notification snooze in the notification shade.

Please note, you cannot use notification snooze in notification dots. This means you cannot snooze notifications through notification dots menu in home screen or apps screen.

Access notification snooze icon

Notification snooze is associated with individual notifications or notification channels.

When a new notification arrives, you can then snooze it.

To access the notification snooze icon, partially slide the notification to either the right or left until a clock icon appears as shown below.

The clock icon would be accompanied by a settings (gear) icon which leads to the notifications channels and other settings.

How to access and use notification snooze in Android Oreo How to access and use notification snooze in Android Oreo

Choose duration of snooze time or cancel snooze

When you tap the clock icon, as shown above, the default snooze menu will be shown.

Tap Snoozed for 1 hour (except 1 hour area) to snooze the notification immediately for 1 hour.… Read the rest

How to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo?

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ow to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo?Notification dots (aka notification badges), a new feature in Android Oreo 8.0 (and 8.1) quickly alerts you to unattended notifications from supported apps so that you will not miss any important notifications.

In addition to notifications in the notification panel, you can now find notification dots, which represents unread notifications near corresponding app icons, in the home screen and apps screen.

This Android Oreo guide shows you how to use notification dots in Android Oreo 8.0 and Android Oreo 8.1.

In addition to notification dots, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

What are notification dots?

When a new notification arrives, it will be automatically shown in the notification panel.

If you clear all notifications in the notification panel, you can then only find the notification/message after you open the app.

Therefore, sometimes, you may miss some important notifications, when you accidentally clear all attended notifications and forget to open the app later.

This problem was addressed in Android Oreo 8.0 with the introduction of notification dots.

If you are a Samsung Galaxy phone users, you probably have used the number badge already. But number badge is Samsung’s proprietary implementation. Only apps that implemented some Samsung libraries will have this number badge feature.

Notification dots in Android Oreo works with all apps. Even the app was developed (targeted) for old versions of Android, Android Oreo is able to show notification dots (notification badges).

You can also customize notification dots in Android Oreo.

For example, you can enable or disable notification dots for individual apps (read on). Notification dots also work with notification channel introduced in Android Oreo.

App developers can further customize notifications to be shown in notification dots.

How to use notification dots in Android Oreo?

Notification badges only appear when you receive notifications in an app.

For example, if you receive a new SMS message, a notification dot would appear at the top right of the messages app icon as shown below.

If it is an app folder, the notification dots indicate the presence of notification badges for one or more of the apps inside the folder. You need open the folder to find out the app having unattended notifications.

How to use notification dots in Android Oreo

To see the notification, press and hold the (long press) app icon.

A pop-up (pop-out) window will appear.… Read the rest

How to use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo 8.0 and 8.1?

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use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo 8.0 and 8.1Picture-in-picture (PIP) mode allows you to run two apps simultaneously with one app floating over the other app.

This Android Oreo feature is an addition to the split-screen view mode of multiwindow introduced in Android Nougat. PIP mode is similar to pop-up view mode in some Samsung Galaxy phones.

In this Android Oreo guide, you will learn how to use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo 8.0 and 8.1. We will show you two examples of using picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo: VLC player and Google Duo.

If you are using a Samsung phones, you should check this guide.

What is picture-in-picture (PIP) mode?

PIP is a multi-window mode which is mainly used for video playback. You can use any app with a video playing (or Google Maps navigation) window floating over it.

As picture-in-picture (PIP) mode is a new feature for Android devices requiring the latest Android API (level 27), the number of supported apps is still very limited.

Currently, PIP mode can be used for apps such as Youtube (only if you have Youtube Red), VLC for Android, Google Duo, voice navigation in Google Maps, video calls in Whatsapp and a few others.

This list will expand when more app developers enable PIP support in their apps.

How to grant permission for picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo?

In order for apps to use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode, you have to grant them the permission first.

Apps that can float over other apps in PIP mode need a special permission. By default, this permission is granted when you install the apps.

This is required only for the floating apps. Apps under the floating app don’t need any special permission.

You may follow these steps to grant app permission for picture-in-picture (PIP) mode so that these apps can float over other apps.

Step 1: Enter the Settings page

You can enter the Settings menu through the Settings app in home screen or apps screen.

Another way to access the Settings menu is through the Quick Settings panel by swiping down from the status bar or top of the screen as shown below.

use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo

Step 2: Enter Apps and Notifications settings

Tap on Apps & notifications in Settings page as shown below.

use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo

Step 3: Access Advanced settings

Once in apps and notification page, scroll down until you see advanced as shown below.

How to grant permission for picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo? How to grant permission for picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo?

Step 4: Grant permission for picture-in-picture mode

Tap on Advanced and then select Special App Access.… Read the rest

What’s new in Android Oreo 8.1: Android Oreo 8.1 vs Android Oreo 8.0

New features and enhancements introduced in Android Oreo 8.1

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Android Oreo 8.1 vs Android Oreo 8.0There are two versions of Android Oreo: Android Oreo 8.1 vs Android Oreo 8.0.

Google released Android Ore0 8.1 in December 5, 2017,  in less than 4 months after the release of Android Oreo (8.0).

There are a couple of new features and enhancements (as well as bug fixes) in Android Oreo 8.1, compared to Android Oreo 8.0.

This Android Oreo guide will show you the new features in Android Oreo 8.1. For new features in Android Oreo 8.0, please check this post.

Android Ore0 8.1 new features: #1. Neural Networks API

With Android Oreo 8.1 update, Android API level climbs to 27 with considerable changes for developers, especially in machine learning.

Neural network processing, which provided a much faster computation than with general-use CPU alone, is one of the most prominent features in Android Ore0 8.1.

Neural Networks API provides a base layer of functionality for higher-level machine learning frameworks. It can be called by machine learning libraries, frameworks, or relevant tools so that developers can train their models off-device and deploy them on Android devices.

With Android Neural Networks API, apps can run computationally intensive operations on mobile phones and to support on-device inferencing including classifying images, predicting user’s behaviour and selecting appropriate responses to search query.

Because inferencing is on-device, all your data are kept on the phone. So, it is unnecessary to worry about the privacy issues.

Android Ore0 8.1 new features: #2. Android Oreo (Go edition)

Android Go is a smaller and lightweight version of Android targeted for more entry-level smartphones.  It will complement Android One, which targets for middle range devices with pure Android experiences.

Android Oreo (Go edition) is the first release of Android Go. Some Android Go devices will be available in the market in 2018.

Compared to stock Android, Android Go is optimized for smartphones with lower specs:

  • Memory optimizations: memory usage is improved to ensure that apps can still run efficiently on devices with 1GB or less RAM.
  • Optimised Google Apps:  Google apps are redesigned for lighter updates and optimised to ensure they use less memory, storage space and mobile data. This allows them to create more space and at the same time improving the phone’s performance.
  • Google Play: All apps will still be available on devices running on Android Go.  But Google Play in Android Go would highlight apps that are specifically optimised for Android Go.

We will review some Android Go phones once they are available.… Read the rest