News
Google introduces five new Android features for phones and smartwatches

Top 3 Key Points:
- New Features: Google adds five new Android features, covering search, accessibility, and safety.
- Enhanced Accessibility: Improvements to TalkBack and Chrome for better audio experiences.
- Wear OS Update: Offline maps for smartwatches to access maps without a phone.
Google has announced the release of five new features that will enhance the Android experience for users with compatible phones and smartwatches. Unlike the usual monthly updates that are primarily focused on Pixel devices, these new features will be available to a broader range of Android users.
The updates bring improvements across several Android services, including the “Circle to Search” feature, Chrome, TalkBack, the Earthquake Alert System, and Google Maps for Wear OS smartwatches.
Instant Song Search with Circle to Search
The “Circle to Search” feature is getting an exciting update for users who enjoy discovering new music. You’ll soon be able to quickly identify songs playing around you without switching between apps. By simply long-pressing the Home button or navigation bar, you can activate Circle to Search and tap the music button. This will instantly provide you with the song’s name, artist, and even a link to a YouTube video.
Improved Accessibility with TalkBack and Chrome
Google is enhancing accessibility with updates to TalkBack, Android’s screen reader designed for users with visual impairments. The new TalkBack will offer more detailed audio descriptions for images, powered by Gemini models on supported devices, making it easier for users to understand visual content.
Similarly, Chrome is being updated to support users who prefer listening to content rather than reading it. This update allows you to choose your preferred listening speed, voice type, and language, giving you more control over how you consume information.
Earthquake Alerts and Offline Maps for Smartwatches
Google’s Earthquake Alert System, which uses crowd-sourced technology to detect and warn users of earthquakes seconds before they happen, is now expanding to cover all U.S. states and six territories. This system aims to provide potentially life-saving alerts in the critical moments before an earthquake strikes.
Additionally, Google Maps is rolling out offline maps for Wear OS smartwatches. Soon, you’ll be able to download maps to your phone and access them directly from your smartwatch, even when you don’t have your phone with you. This feature is particularly useful for those who rely on their smartwatches while traveling or exercising.
These new features are part of Google’s ongoing effort to enhance the Android ecosystem, making it more accessible, user-friendly, and capable of providing critical information when you need it most. Keep an eye out for these updates, which will be available in the coming days.
Google One AI premium now includes enhanced notebook features and student discount

Google One AI Premium has rolled out exciting new features with the addition of NotebookLM Plus, making it easier for users to manage and interact with their notes. Additionally, there’s good news for students in the US, as they can now enjoy a 50% discount on this premium service.
NotebookLM Plus brings significant upgrades over the basic version:
- Increased Audio Overviews: Users can now generate 20 audio summaries per day, up from the original 3 in the free version.
- More Notebooks: You can create up to 500 notebooks, a jump from the 100 allowed in the free tier.
- More Sources per Notebook: Each notebook can now include up to 300 sources, compared to just 50 before.
- More Chat Queries: The daily chat query limit has been increased to 500 from the previous 50.
With the premium subscription, you also get access to exclusive features:
- Controlled Sharing: You can share notebooks in “Chat-only” mode, where others can chat with the notebook but not see your sources or notes unless you allow it.
- Customized Chat Experience: You can tweak your chat settings to get responses in your preferred style, like ‘Guide’ or ‘Analyst’, and choose how detailed or brief you want the answers to be.
- Notebook Analytics: After sharing, you can track how many people have viewed your notebook and how often they interact with it.
Google previously enhanced NotebookLM with updates like Gemini 2.0, a new three-column layout, and an interactive mode for audio conversations. These features are now also accessible for business, education, and enterprise through Google Workspace and Google Cloud.
The Google One AI Premium service costs $19.99 monthly, offering 2 TB of storage, advanced AI features with Gemini, extended Google Meet capabilities, scheduling in Google Calendar, and special perks in Google Photos and the Google Store.
For students aged 18 and over in the US, Google offers this premium access at just $9.99 per month for the first year, which could be a great tool for handling schoolwork, custom study aids, and efficient email management. More details on eligibility can be found on Google’s official site.
New Android Auto update brings fresh app features

Google has just released a new update for Android Auto, version 13.7. This update doesn’t bring many changes that you can see, but it does some work under the hood. This is the second update for Android Auto in 2025, and while there aren’t big changes you can see right away, there are some small tweaks to how things look with the Material You design. However, these tweaks are so small you might not even notice them.
Like most updates, this one mainly focuses on fixing little problems behind the scenes. Google hasn’t said exactly what they’ve fixed, though. But something is interesting if you look closer at the update’s code. There are new messages about new apps coming to Android Auto. One message says an app is now available for use in Android Auto, and another says an app is available but only when the car is parked.
These messages read:
- “Now available in Android Auto”
- “Now available in Android Auto while parked”
We’ve seen similar messages before, but this time, it might be connected to Google’s new push for “Car ready mobile apps.” Google updated a page in January saying they would start helping developers make their apps work well on car screens from February 2025. This includes apps that work when the car is parked.
However, this February rollout is only for cars with Android Automotive OS, not for Android Auto on your phone, which will get these updates later. This update started rolling out late last week, so by now, it should be available for most users. Keep an eye out for new apps that might make your drive or your parked time more enjoyable.
Big trade-in deals for Samsung’s new Galaxy phones

Samsung is making it easier and more rewarding for customers to switch to their latest Galaxy phone, the Galaxy S25, with impressive trade-in offers. Even after the pre-order period, Samsung is keeping the trade-in values high and has expanded the list of eligible devices to include the Pixel 9 series.
Previously, you could trade in for top dollar on older Samsung models, but now, the Galaxy S25 series offers even better deals. During pre-orders, Samsung gave up to $900 for certain devices when trading for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, a jump from the $750 offered for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Now that the Galaxy S25 series is out in the stores, those high trade-in values are still available on Samsung.com. This is surprising because usually, such offers decrease after the initial launch buzz.
A new addition to the trade-in program is the ability to exchange your Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro for a Galaxy S25. Previously, only up to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were accepted. The trade-in value for a Pixel 9 Pro can go up to $650, which is about 65% of its original price, and for the Pixel 9, you can get up to $550, which is just under 70% of its retail price. These values are quite competitive, matching what you might get selling privately, especially since these models were only released in August.
Here’s a quick look at what you can get for trading in different models:
- Google Pixel 9 Pro: Up to $650 for the Ultra, $400 for the S25+
- Google Pixel 9: Up to $550 for the Ultra, $300 for the S25+
- Older Samsung and iPhones: Values range from $100 to $900 depending on the model and the new phone you’re buying.
Remember, these trade-in values are exclusive to Samsung.com, and they might not last forever. Besides the trade-in, Samsung is also offering additional credits and larger storage options for each Galaxy S25 model. The starting price for the new phone is $799. So, if you’re thinking about upgrading, now might be a great time to do so with Samsung’s generous trade-in offers.
-
Apps12 months ago
Gboard Proofread feature will support selected text
-
News12 months ago
Samsung USA crafting One UI 6.1.1
-
News11 months ago
Breaking: Samsung Galaxy S22 may get Galaxy AI features
-
News11 months ago
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with One UI 6.1 and all S24 AI features revealed
-
News12 months ago
One UI 6.1 Auracast (Bluetooth LE Audio) feature coming to many Samsung phones
-
News12 months ago
Satellite SOS feature coming to Google Pixel phones, evidence leaked
-
Apps9 months ago
Google’s fancy new Weather app is finally available for more Android phones
-
News12 months ago
Google Pixel evolves as Europe’s third best selling flagship