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A tech commentary compares foldable phone screen sizes to compact tablets, noting devices like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra offer displays close in size to the iPad Mini's 8.3-inch screen. The piece argues that folding phones combine smartphone portability with tablet-like screen space, and can eliminate the need for a separate cellular data plan that many tablets require.
Lofi Cities is a free website at loficities.com that displays animated pixel-art nighttime scenes of 16 cities, including Paris, Tokyo and New York, paired with ambient sounds and lofi music generated live in the browser using the Web Audio API rather than samples. Users can switch musical vibes, toggle weather and seasons, and set the app to auto-tour cities based on time of day, all without downloads, accounts or pop-ups.
Google's March Pixel Drop update for Android 16 introduces Desktop Mode, a feature that lets Pixel 8 and newer phones connect to an external monitor to run a PC-like interface. The feature had been in beta testing for several months before this official release.
Android Authority writer Zac Kew-Denniss outlined features found on other Android phones but absent from Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices, including ultra-fast charging, IR blasters, dual desktop modes with advanced app cloning, Moto Actions-style gestures, and Nothing's Glyph lighting system. The piece notes Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra tops out at 60W charging and the Pixel 11 Pro at 45W, compared to phones like the OnePlus 15 at 80W and even faster options available outside the US.
Android Authority's Stephen Radochia has published a comparison review of Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL against the Pixel 8 Pro after a week of testing. He reports that the new phone feels lighter and more refined, with a matte black finish and color-matched aluminum frame, while gaming performance remains a weaker point. He now says it's harder to recommend holding onto the Pixel 8 Pro than in previous years.
An Android Authority reviewer highlights Face Unlock on the Pixel 11 Pro, noting it can authenticate not just the lock screen but also sensitive apps and mobile payments, thanks to security processing on Google's Tensor chip. This capability has existed since the Pixel 8 series in 2023 and remains largely unchanged, while competitors like Samsung and Motorola limit face unlock to lock-screen access only.
A tech enthusiast tested whether an eight-year-old Google Pixel 3 XL could be reused as a home security camera and as an Android TV replacement instead of being discarded. Using the AlfredCamera app paired with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 as viewer, the Pixel served as a low-latency camera node with motion detection and two-way audio. The author found the security camera use case worked well, while the Android TV box conversion was less successful, though specific limitations of that experiment weren't detailed.
Google Health version 5.09 is rolling out on Android and iOS, bringing the newly announced Pixel Watch Health Guardian features—blood pressure tracking, insulin resistance trend charts, and sleep breathing quality data—to Pixel Watch 3, 4 and 5 owners. The update also lets Garmin and Apple Watch users sync workouts into Cardio Load calculations, adds new activity-logging options, fixes a step streak display bug, and improves how custom food items handle serving units and meal times.
Android Authority polled over 2,200 readers on which phone they'd choose instead of the Pixel 11 Pro. The Galaxy S26 Plus won with 26.2% of votes, followed by the Pixel 10 Pro at 21.8%, the Nothing Phone 3 at 20.5%, and the Motorola Razr at 19.5%. The standard Pixel 11 finished last with just 12% of the vote.
Users are reporting that the Google Photos editor's Share, Edit, Add to, and Trash buttons stop responding once a photo has been cropped or rotated. The issue appears across multiple Pixel generations, including the 8, 9, 10 and 11 series, and does not occur if the photo hasn't been edited. Google has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded publicly.
Android Authority found new code strings in Pixel Buds app version 1.0.981607934 referencing a 'Mute & unmute' feature. The strings describe a single tap on either earbud to mute or unmute during a call, with a footer noting the feature would be limited to Pixel devices using the Phone and Google Meet apps.
Following Google's September Pixel Drop, some Pixel owners reported being unable to unlock their phones using pattern or PIN lock screens. Affected users described failed attempts with safe mode, screen cleaning, and external mice, with several forced to factory reset their devices and lose all data. Google has reportedly been reaching out to affected users on Reddit threads.