Google surprises Pixel users with return of Horizon Live Wallpaper
Do you remember the Horizon Live wallpaper? The one that showed you the sun rising and setting according to your battery level? Well, it’s back! After being mysteriously missing from the Pixel 7 series and the Pixel 6a, Google has finally brought back the Horizon Live wallpaper feature with a server-side update. Now you can enjoy this beautiful and useful wallpaper on your Google Pixel device again.
Google Horizon Live wallpaper was first introduced with the original Pixel and was a popular choice among Pixel users. And now, again users of Pixel devices can use this wallpaper.
The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will have new wallpapers inspired by minerals. The Pixel Tablet has some of the Living Universe wallpapers, but only eight of them. These are the ones that are optimized for larger screens:
- Bird’s-Eye View, Zion National Park
- White Sands, Sonoran Desert
- Flying above, Monument Valley
- Garden, Kent, United Kingdom
- Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, CA
- Pantheon, Rome, Italy
- Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
- Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia
Google has started rolling out new Theft Protection features for Android devices including Samsung Galaxy devices running version 10 and above. Announced at the I/O 2024 event in May, these new features help to keep your personal information safe if your phone gets stolen.
The trio of Theft Protection features are now becoming available to Android users including those with devices from brands like Pixel and Samsung. You can start seeing these new features if you’re part of the Google Play services beta (version 24.40.33) program.
Google Theft Protection
The Theft Protection is a new privacy and device safety feature added under Google Services. It helps to keep your personal data safe if your device is stolen.
To access the new theft protection features, check the Theft protection in your device’s Settings app. You can also go to the Google Services page and find it under the All Services tab. This feature includes three main options, they are:
1.) Theft Detection Lock
This feature uses your device’s sensors, Wi-Fi, and smart device connections to detect if someone suddenly grabs your phone while you’re using it. If this happens, your phone will automatically lock its screen to unauthorized access to your personal data.
2.) Offline Device Lock
This feature starts its work if someone steals your phone and turns off the internet to stop tracking. For that, Google mentions two conditions – you need to be using your phone while it’s unlocked, and you can only lock the screen up to twice a day.
3.) Remote Lock
If your phone is stolen, you can go to android.com/lock to lock it remotely. You’ll need to confirm your identity with a phone number and answer a security question. This is faster than the Find My Device method.
With these features, Google aims to enhance your security and protect your personal information. The company will soon make these features available to all Android users through a stable update.
Google Maps will soon display real-time police activity in one US state, thanks to a partnership with the Illinois State Police (ISP). This collaboration aims to enhance driver safety and awareness while promoting compliance with the state’s “Move Over” law.
Currently, Google Maps provides user-generated reports for alerts about traffic incidents. Now, with this new collaboration, police officers will report their activities directly to provide more accurate and timely information to drivers. This will include updates on traffic stops, accidents, and other roadside incidents.
When an officer reports an incident or activity, the information will be sent to Google Cloud, which will then share it with Google Maps users. As drivers go towards a location where police are present, they will see specific icons on their map indicating these situations.
The ISP explained that this new feature will improve awareness of police activity, making it easier for drivers to navigate safely around emergency situations.
However, it’s important to note that while Google Maps will display police locations, it will not include reports of speed traps which users can still report on their own.
The Police Activity Alerts feature is expected to roll out soon, enhancing the Google Maps experience for Illinois drivers in the US. It could be available in more states.
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Samsung devices include several important features powered by Google Play services. A recent update of the Google Play services lets you check how much data these services are using, which helps to manage your data more effectively.
Google Play services support various features on your Samsung device, such as connecting to other devices, ensuring security, and managing your Google account. They help to keep your apps and system running smoothly. Now, you can easily track their data usage.
You just need to follow a few simple steps to check out how much data Google Play services are using.
- Open the Settings app on your Samsung device.
- Search for “Google Play services” in the App section.
- Tap on Mobile data usage.
- Select the View App settings option
Here, you’ll see a detailed breakdown of data usage, split between Mobile and Wi-Fi. This can help you understand where your data is going.
The update shows data usage for different functions within Google Play services. These fucntions are Device Connections, System Management, System diagnostics, Security, Wallet, Developer features, Contacts, Ads Safety, Fitness, General, Account management, Support, Autofill with Google, and Location sharing.
Tracking Google Play services data on your Samsung device is easy and can help you manage your mobile experience better. This feature is available on All Android phones.
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