GoKawiil
Tech News
Vivo has released the X500 Pro Max, a new flagship that borrows several features from its X300 Ultra, including the same periscope telephoto camera, a 1440p 144Hz OLED display, 90W wired and 40W wireless charging, and a 7,800mAh battery. It runs a MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro chip rather than the latest Snapdragon, and is priced at roughly €1,799 ($2,000).
Google confirmed at the Android Dev Summit that detachable Chromebook designs are coming soon, expanding beyond current clamshell and convertible models. Shortly after, Lenovo's Bluetooth keyboard and stylus for its rumored Chromebook Duet m appeared in the FCC database, with the keyboard's documentation showing Chromebook branding and pogo-pin connectors matching the device.
Several Canadian provinces and territories, including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba, recently ended seasonal clock changes and permanently adopted daylight saving time. Following the switch, owners of the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential report on Reddit that the device's LED display is off by an hour, even though asking Google Assistant for the time returns the correct answer. Other Google Home devices, such as the TV Streamer and smart displays, reportedly updated correctly.
Google has released an updated Wear OS emulator built on unreleased Wear OS 7.1 software, based on Android 17. The emulator introduces a persistent system status bar that appears over app windows at the top of circular watch displays, showing the time and system icons after a few seconds of inactivity. Google says the feature currently only displays a placeholder star icon and won't be present when Wear OS 7.1 actually ships to devices.
Android Authority found code in ChatGPT's latest Android app build (v1.2026.300) referencing several Health Connect permissions, including reading historical health data and background data access. The permissions also cover metrics like body weight, basal metabolic rate, body fat, lean muscle mass, and bone mass, suggesting OpenAI is preparing to link ChatGPT Health with Google Health on Android. ChatGPT Health already supports Apple Health on iOS, but no equivalent Android integration currently exists.
A newly spotted Google Wallet app version (26.43.1009867093) includes a working 'Tap to pay' setting in the verification menu, which Android Authority enabled after it previously crashed. The setting appears to let users adjust how often they must re-verify identity for contactless payments, but still requires unlocking the phone.
A hands-on comparison found Google Maps' Gemini assistant can be triggered by voice alone on Android Auto, while on CarPlay it requires tapping a button that appeared only late in testing. Google's own help page reportedly still listed Gemini as unavailable for CarPlay at the time, and route changes such as adding stops or finding alternate paths home were slower to process on CarPlay than on Android Auto.
Google's Android Auto treats apps installed inside a managed Work Profile differently from personal apps, restricting their functionality on the car dashboard. Microsoft confirms Teams calls and meetings don't work through Android Auto when the app sits in a Work Profile, while Google Meet shows active calls but hides upcoming meetings and call history from that profile.
A tech advisory explains that habitually wearing only one earbud from a pair—whether for calls, lectures, or driving—causes that bud's battery to degrade faster than its twin, creating an imbalance. It recommends using transparency or ambient mode instead, which lets wearers hear their surroundings while keeping both buds in, or relying on speakerphone and car systems like Apple CarPlay for calls while driving.
Android phones, including Pixel devices, let users turn on the flashlight through Quick Settings, a customizable lock screen shortcut, or a double-tap Quick Tap gesture on the back of the phone. Users can access these options via the Quick Settings pencil icon, lock screen Customize menu, or Settings > System > Gestures.
A tech review piece examines Apple's newly launched iPhone 18 Pro Max, highlighting its 2nm chip, upgraded cameras, larger RAM and faster-charging battery. It then surveys the Android market to identify which single device best matches the iPhone on hardware, software polish and wide carrier availability, concluding one phone stands out as the nearest equivalent.
YouTube's new Android redesign replaces the separate Subscriptions tab with a 'Subs' section nested at the top of the Home screen, alongside new prompt-based Custom Feeds. Users can also swipe to reach subscriptions, but the familiar bottom-bar tab is gone. Android Authority's Khamosh Pathak found a workaround to restore the old tab layout.