Articles by Derrek Lee

Google Assistant is starting to understand more context clues.

What you need to know

Google has made some improvements to its AI Assistant’s conversational abilities.
Google Assistant can now understand contextual prompts better than before.
Users can teach the Assistant how to pronounce the names of their contacts.

Google Assistant is handy when it comes to performing tasks, providing information, and has a pretty good understanding of what’s being asked of it. That said, the AI assistant isn’t perfect, and Google is continuously working on making improvements to it. The latest update from the company highlights some of the improvements that have been made to Google Assistant, which should make it even more helpful at completing tasks around the house.

For starters, Google is now improving the Assistant’s ability to understand context clues. Now, when multiple queries are given, the Assistant will discern between them and better connect later prompts to previous ones. For exam…

T-Mobile’s item tracker can even tell when it’s moved into a dark space.

What you need to know

T-Mobile has launched its own item tracker that uses LTE to track items.
The SyncUp Tracker gets real-time tracking from miles away and can set a geofenced boundary.
T-Mobile customers can add the device to their accounts for just $5 per month.

Now that Samsung and Apple have entered the item tracker market, more companies are set to follow suit. T-Mobile is the latest to launch its own device as part of its SyncUp line of connectivity devices. The SyncUp Tracker may not look as svelte as the best Bluetooth trackers, nor is it quite as affordable, but it offers some handy features that could make it a must-have for anyone prone to losing their items.

The key difference between T-Mobile’s SyncUp Tracker and many other devices like the Apple AirTag is that the SyncUp Tracker relies on a GPS and an LTE connection instead of Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband (UWB). Because of this, it doesn’…

Android’s earthquake detection could save lives.

What you need to know

Google is expanding its earthquake detection and alert system to more states and countries outside California.
The feature is expanding to Washington State after recently coming to Oregon.
New Zealand and Greece are the first countries outside the U.S. to receive the new system.

Last year, Google launched the Android Earthquake Alerts System, which utilizes the best Android phones “to form the world’s largest earthquake detection network.” The system was created with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and ShakeAlert to send earthquake alerts to smartphones and help keep people safe. The service was only available in California but is expanding to both New Zealand and Greece, where earthquakes can be quite common and dangerous.

Google’s system uses the accelerometer in your smartphone to act as a mini seismometer to pick up any chang…

The company all about search finally added a search bar to Google Stadia.

What you need to know

Google has announced that it’s finally bringing a search bar to Stadia.
Several new features and enhancements are in the works for Google Stadia.
Android users will soon be able to access Stadia from the web browser.

While Google Stadia has improved since its launch, adding plenty of new games to its repertoire, some fairly basic functions are still missing from the service. Fortunately, Google has listened to its users and is working on bringing several new features to the platform, which should greatly enhance the experience.

The first and probably most important function coming to Stadia is the search bar. This feature has been surprisingly absent from Stadia, despite the platform being developed and operated by the largest search provider in the U.S. With the addition of a search bar, it should be much easier for Stadia players to search through the platform’s continuously growin…

Amazon Key is making grocery deliveries convenient and safe for more people.

What you need to know

Amazon is expanding its Key In-Garage delivery service across the U.S.
Key In-Garage allows Amazon delivery workers to access customer garage doors to place deliveries safely in homes.
The service is free for Prime members, and new sign-ups can get a $20 Amazon credit.

Amazon Key was launched in 2017 as a way to make deliveries more convenient and keep packages safe from potential thieves. The service was eventually expanded to garage deliveries, and now Amazon is announcing that it’s expanding In-Garage Grocery Delivery across the U.S.

Key In-Garage Grocery Delivery service is now available wherever Amazon groceries can be delivered, which is more than 5,000 cities across the United States. While we’re in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this should add a safe, contact-free delivery experience while keeping your food items safe from outside elements, as highlighted by Pete Ge…

Amazon launches its most powerful Fire HD tablet.

What you need to know

Amazon launches four new Fire HD tablets aimed at adults and children.
The Fire HD 10 Plus is Amazon’s most powerful tablet with 4GB of RAM and an optional wireless charging dock.
The Fire HD Kids Pro gives kids a “grown-up” tablet design with up to 12 hours of battery life.

Amazon is refreshing its tablet lineup with four new tablets with more modern designs for adults working from home and kids who are distance learning. The new lineup of Fire HD tablets offers respectable specs for an affordable price that should make them perfect for any household.

First up is the new Fire HD 10, offering slimmer bezels and a 10.1-inch FHD display that Amazon claims is 10% brighter than the previous generation. Another improvement is the 3GB of RAM which should offer more reliable performance over last year’s models like the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020), including the new split-screen functionality for easy multitasking. A…

Get ready for new ways to command Assistant without shouting “Hey Google.”

What you need to know

A new Google Assistant feature has been spotted dubbed “Guacamole.”
Guacamole appears to be related to voice command shortcuts that don’t require the “Hey Google” wake-word.
The feature doesn’t seem to work for users with the toggle.

Google is continuously looking for ways to make Assistant easier to use. The company recently launched a series of new features like an autofill feature to complete your online orders and a feature that lets users set up and manage Google Assistant Routines with home screen shortcuts. With the latter feature, owners of the best Android phones can tap on an icon, and a routine will commence. According to today’s reveal, Google is now looking to extend Assistant shortcuts to skip the “Hey Google” prompt.

Android Police caught wind of Google Assistant’s new “Guacamole” feature that has appeared in the app settings for some users. Based on the name alone, w…

Get ready for speedier installations from the Play Store.

Update, Apr 23 (5:15 pm ET): The feature is now rolling out in the Play Store

What you need to know

Google is preparing the Play Store for “app install optimization.”
The new feature will collect certain usage data to help speed up app installations.
No identifying data will be collected, but users could opt out of the service when it goes live.

Owning an Android smartphone means there’s a good chance you know how to install Android apps. It also means that with the more feature-rich apps being developed, installing and getting started on a new app can take a while, especially when using some of the best cheap Android phones. Google has been working on getting users into their favorite apps quicker, and the latest effort could come soon to the Play Store.

9to5Google spotted references in the latest version of the Play Store to a new feature coming to the Play Store called “App install optimization.” According to an asso…

The ZenFone 8 would mark the return of “mini” Android phones.

What you need to know

ASUS is teasing the launch of its next flagship smartphone.
The ZenFone 8 is teased to get the “compact” treatment with a smaller 5.9-inch display.
ASUS is rumored to launch three ZenFone 8 models next month.

After the respectable camera performance of the ASUS ZenFone 7 Pro’s versatile camera system, the company is finally gearing up to launch the successor. ASUS now has a splash page on its website for an upcoming launch event for the ZenFone 8, which will happen on May 12 (or May 13, depending on where in the world you are).

The countdown teases a device that’s “Big on performance. Compact in size.” That would fall in line with the rumors that ASUS plans to bring back the “compact” Android phone that was once popular with devices like the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. This would come alongside two other ZenFone 8 models, a rumored Flip model and what might be a Pro model.

While no features or sp…

The market for UWB item trackers is about to explode after the AirTag.

What you need to know

OPPO has been spotted with its own Bluetooth tracker in the works.
The OPPO Smart Tag will feature UWB similar to Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag+ and Apple’s AirTag.
Smart Tag will also include a USB-C charging port instead of a replaceable battery.

The tech industry can often be unusual in handling trends, and the latest release of the Apple AirTag is an example. The market for Bluetooth item trackers has been around for some time, but this year Samsung and Apple decided that it was time to get into the game with their own item trackers. Of course, part of that may have to do with the recent growth of technology like Ultra-Wideband (UWB) to boost the usefulness of these trackers, something that OPPO is gearing to take advantage of, according to the latest leak.

Images of a Bluetooth item tracker from OPPO have been found online (via XDA-Developers), which will make use of Ultra-Wideband tec…