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Google's Alexander Kuscher revealed in an Android Faithful interview that Googlebook laptops contain a hidden app called Glowbar Disco, which syncs the lid's light strip to music. Google previously showed the effect but hadn't disclosed it was a dedicated app, and Kuscher didn't say where on the device it's located.
ATV Launcher's version 0.1.41 update introduces "Arrangements," ten preset home-screen row layouts including Spotlight, Bookends, Centre Stage, Marquee, and Hero Trio, some featuring double-sized highlight tiles. It also lets users embed widgets like Weather, Digital Clock, System Info, and Watch Next directly into app rows, alongside a refreshed Configure Tile dialog, new folder preview styles, edge-to-edge Watch Next cards, and a customizable status bar with pill styles and TV input switching. The developer also released a separate free companion app offering 15 digital clock widget styles.
A tech guide walks through built-in screen recording tools available on Android and iOS phones, starting with Google Pixel devices. On Pixel, users access the Screen recorder widget from Quick Settings by swiping down with two fingers, then adjust options such as showing touches, adding a selfie camera overlay, and capturing app or microphone audio before starting the recording, which saves to Google Photos. The guide also covers similar steps for Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones.
Users continue reporting that alarms on Google Pixel phones fail to sound, with the Clock app displaying a message that the alarm 'didn't fire for an unknown reason.' The problem has been documented since at least 2021, and though Google previously said it addressed the issue, new reports keep surfacing, including one case where an overheated device blocked the alarm and another where alarms fired silently despite the phone not being on silent mode.
Google has rolled out a Play services update that lets many Android 12+ phones show their IMEI number on the lock screen alongside emergency info like contacts and medical details. The feature is optional and can help prove ownership if a device is lost, especially as newer phones like the Pixel 11 series drop physical SIM trays that once displayed the number.
Google's Alexander Kuscher explained on the Android Faithful podcast how Magic Pointer, a Gemini-powered cursor feature for Googlebook laptops, processes screen content. Identifying interactive elements like emails or images happens locally on the device, while content is only sent to Google's cloud once a user selects it and asks Gemini to act on it.
Google's Alexander Kuscher confirmed on the Android Faithful podcast that Magic Pointer and Rambler, two signature AI features on the new Googlebook laptops, will keep working without a Google AI Pro subscription. Googlebooks ship with a free 12-month AI Pro trial, but Kuscher said this sits on top of the base experience rather than gating these core tools.
Google is piloting a Gemini feature on Pixel 11 devices that can call businesses to place orders, book appointments, make reservations, or check stock availability. The assistant identifies itself as AI, provides a live text transcript, navigates automated phone menus, waits on hold, and lets the user take over the call at any time.
F-Droid, the open-source Android app repository, released version 2.0 with automatic update installation and a unified installer that leverages a new pre-approval API enabled by EU Digital Markets Act rulings against Google. The release comes as F-Droid displays a banner warning users about Google's upcoming developer verification requirements, which could restrict distribution of unverified apps on Android devices.
Google has widened availability of several Google Photos features, according to a company blog post. The Redact tool for blurring sensitive image details and the AI-powered Moods filter presets are now rolling out globally on Android, while AI Wardrobe and Video Remix are expanding to more users in the US, India, and Brazil.
Google has published a Play Store listing for its Create My Widget app, first teased at I/O 2026, showing how it will work on Android phones and Googlebook laptops. The app lets users generate custom widgets using natural-language prompts processed by Gemini, with preset categories like combo widgets, weather alerts and daily briefs as starting points.
Android Authority found that Google is developing a UI change for the Phone by Google app that would move the Contacts tab back into the bottom navigation bar, alongside Home and Keypad. The feature was uncovered in beta version 240.0.986973448 and enabled through manual tinkering, not yet a public rollout. Currently, Contacts sits in a sidebar menu after Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign removed it from the main navigation last year.