Android owners can now benefit from Google’s new updates: one allows you to find lost devices, and the other makes verification easier. Google has made its Find My Device network behave similarly to Apple’s AirTag system. You can find your lost Android phones and Bluetooth trackers, even when they are not connected.

Delivery places appear live on a map. Google has modified the way Android phones and tablets are shown, so now they display as “Android” instead of the whole brand name. In this case, your “Pixel 8 Pro” might be seen on the map as “Android”. The update tries to make things easier for users who monitor several devices.

In addition, Google Wallet now allows a simpler way to confirm your identity. You no longer have to enter your PIN when confirming your identity, since a digital ID (like a driver’s license) in the Wallet app allows you to scan with your face or finger.

You can use this to enter airports or receive services at government offices, since digital IDs are recognized there. You can prove your identity fast and securely without showing your ID. Google wants Android devices to be both useful and secure, so they added these two features.

Just recently, a person using a Google Pixel 6a shared that their phone got extremely hot and started to catch fire when they were charging it. At the time, the phone was being charged overnight with its original Google set.

The poster wrote on Reddit that they placed the phone on a wooden table and went to bed. In the middle of the night, they became aware of smoke all around them. The table had also suffered damage as a result of the burnt Pixel 6a. In their opinion, the phone was meant for light usage, like charging,g and was not used for things like gaming or video streaming.

Online photos reveal a damaged phone, showing it was overheated and suffered a meltdown. According to the user, the phone was never mishandled and was operating normally up until the incident happened. As a result, it is cause for concern because the charging station was standard and officially approved.

Google has not commented on the issue so far. Even though this incident is unusual, it should remind users to never charge their phones overnight without being present to watch. For those using a Pixel 6a, if you spot any unexpected heating in the phone, contact support for assistance.

My Google Pixel 6a spontaneously combusted in the middle of the night
byu/zaliver inGooglePixel

The new colors, blue and white, are now available for the Google Nest Audio, and it is also getting Gemini AI features. Both the updated Nest Audio and the Mini come in Lemongrass (light yellow-green) and Charcoal (deep gray). As they are in the same colors as the latest Nest Mini and Google Pixel gadgets, they help make Google’s devices appear more similar.

The Pixel Buds arrive in pink and light blue at the Google Store in New York and give the speaker a more current appearance. Before, Nest Audio was only sold in Chalk (white), Charcoal, and Sand (light pink). Now that Lemongrass is available, people can choose a speaker that adds more variety to their home decor.

Google will also add Gemini support to Nest Audio shortly after updating its color. Thanks to Gemini, the speaker will provide smarter answers and assist in summarizing emails, making messages or listing things. Following Google’s announcement, the Gemini experience will appear in the Google Home app, though it will still allow you to use the main Google Assistant. Alternatively, users have the option to use the services that are right for them.

The company has plans to add Gemini support to the Pixel Tablet and to several smart displays as well. The new features for Nest Audio prove that Google is continuing to work on its smart home products, despite not releasing new hardware recently. Ultimately, the improved design and new features, thanks to Gemin,i make Nest Audio feel fresh.