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Google's latest Android feature drop lets users ask Gemini to remember where they placed rarely-used items like passports, complete with an optional photo, without needing a physical tracker attached. The saved location can later be retrieved by asking Gemini directly or checking a new 'remembered items' tab inside Find Hub. This works on Android 16 devices in regions supporting both Gemini and Find Hub.
A Reddit user shared screenshots showing Google's new advanced sideloading flow now live on their Android device, requiring a restart and a mandatory 24-hour wait before installing apps outside the Play Store. The interface warns users about scammers who pressure victims into enabling sideloading, and once the waiting period ends, users can permit sideloading for either seven days or indefinitely.
Android Authority found a new floating button in the Google app's Gemini Daily Brief labeled 'Talk through your brief,' which opens Gemini Live and reads the briefing aloud. The audio works, but the accompanying UI is unfinished, currently just showing generic intro text like 'Here's what's on your plate today.' The feature was spotted in Google app version 17.54.10.
Google is trialing a new Quick Settings panel inside Android Auto's beta version 17.6.663424, accessible from the notification shade at the top of the screen. So far only a single Do Not Disturb tile has appeared, letting drivers silence phone notifications without opening the full settings menu. The feature arrives alongside a new app icon and a raccoon-themed weather animation spotted in the same beta build.
Roku offers a free companion app for iOS and Android that lets users control their Roku devices directly from a smartphone, connecting over the same home Wi-Fi network. It replicates the core functions of the physical remote, including navigation, playback and volume controls, without requiring any purchase or subscription.
Android launched publicly in 2008 on the HTC-made T-Mobile G1, a bulky device with a sliding screen and awkward physical keyboard, built hastily to counter Apple's iPhone. Google had bought Android and its creator Andy Rubin in 2005 for $50 million, originally envisioning it as camera software before pivoting to mobile after the iPhone's 2007 debut spurred urgency.
A hidden feature in Android Auto beta version 17.6.66 shows a small animated raccoon, internally named 'Jimothy' after the viral social media character, hopping across the music player interface to display weather information. The widget also shows rain, clouds, or sun icons depending on local conditions, and currently only appears after manually switching the device theme in settings. Google has not confirmed a timeline or plans for a wider public rollout.
A teardown of Google app version 17.54.10 reveals two new buttons being developed for the Gemini home screen: "Chat," for standard conversations with Gemini, and "Assign," which routes messages directly to Gemini Spark. This follows an earlier discovery of a similar "Assign Task" feature that has yet to launch for users.
A Geekbench 7 listing for the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra (SM-X940) reveals it running MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip with 12GB of RAM and Android 17 preinstalled. The device scored 2,760 in single-core and 9,291 in multi-core, notably higher than a comparable Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra result.
Google has begun automatically inserting a Gemini AI shortcut into Google Messages, even though there is no dedicated toggle for it in the Connected Apps settings within Gemini itself. Users who don't want the floating AI icon hovering near their chat button can still remove it through an in-app setting, according to Android Authority.
Android Authority discovered a hidden feature in Google app version 17.54.10 that lets the Gemini overlay automatically shrink into a floating button while it processes a request. This would let users keep using their phone instead of waiting with the overlay locked on screen. The feature isn't live yet and appears to still be in internal testing.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy S26 FE with only minor spec upgrades over its predecessor, yet raised the price by $50/£50 for equivalent storage tiers, reportedly due to rising component costs. This narrows the price gap to the flagship Galaxy S26 to roughly $100, while that model offers a stronger chipset and better cameras.