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Two Hours To Live gives you 120 minutes to save Jay from certain death (Review)

Gerson Noboa
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With the rise of mobile gaming, one of the genres that have slowly become more relevant is text-based games. These kind of games are ideal for being consumed in small bursts, are not battery-hungry, and often have interesting stories to tell, making them ideal for consumption on phones.

They are also more interactive than reading a book, making them a good balance between gaming and reading. Two Hours To Live takes this concept even further, giving you limited time to complete a story, and making you a part of it.

Developer: KG2 Entertainment LLC
Price: Free

Overview

Two Hours To Live is a text-based game in which the choices you make decide the outcome of the story. After having a virus injected by an unknown scientists, the main character is given a two-hour limit to pay money to be saved, or die if he refuses to cooperate. Every now and then, you are asked how do you think the story will unfold. Your answers are the difference between saving Jay or dying before the story is completed.

There is a timer reminding you at all times how much time Jay has left. In case you answer something and the story doesn’t go in that direction, you lose time, which means you won’t get until the end of the story.

Gameplay

Unlike other text-based games I have played (like Lifeline), this one consists of a long scroll view with the text written on it. It doesn’t scroll by itself or presents the text in some kind of dialog interface or something similar. The whole game, which is divided in chapters, is a big block of text that you have to read through.

In order to avoid cheating (that is, going through the whole block of text quickly to reach the end with lots of time), the game lowers the timer automatically in certain sections. This means you will always have the urge of finishing quickly, even in subsequent playthroughs.

When you reach the end of certain chapters, the game asks you what do you think is going to happen next, and gives you three different options for you to predict. If you get the right one, you will see a positive message and letters at the top of the screen (that spell EPILOGUE) will turn green. I suppose that, by filling all of the letters, you will reach the end of the game.

Unfortunately, my decision making wasn’t good enough to reach this, and I frequently got negative messages by Jay, and reductions in my available time as a consequence. Getting all of the prompts correctly means that you either have to be good at guessing, or you need to do several runs in order to remember where the story goes.

Sadly, I have already described all interactions the user makes in Two Hours To Live. You scroll through text and occasionally get asked questions that may or may not lower your available time. There’s also several transitions between chapters in which you are presented with full-screen ads, which, as you know, are the worst offenders in terms of obtrusiveness. They even created some folders on my device with some kind of cache.

There’s a bookmark feature that replaces the save button, making it more appropriate for a text-based game. However, I found the hard way that this is the only way of saving. There’s no such thing as auto-save.

This means that if you don’t bookmark your current position, and then exit the game, your progress will be lost. It’s very uncommon to see games that ask you to save by yourself (Pokémon games spring to my mind), but it’s not a dealbreaker. I just had to re-do four chapters.

Story

With so little interactive elements, then the story needs to be good to keep the game afloat and interesting. Fortunately, the story meets expectations, with interesting and intriguing elements that keep you on the edge. There are some elements I consider annoying, like the constant babbling of Jay’s wife, which add very little to the overall story. Also, there are some very minor grammatical mistakes on the text.

The biggest problem that I had with it is the name “Escorpiones Negras.” This is some kind of drug dealing group that is central to the story. With such a prominent role in it, the developer could have at least researched a little bit about Spanish language.

The correct expression would be “Escorpiones Negros” because “escorpiones,” Spanish word for scorpions, is a male noun. Having to read through such a big mistake so many times throughout the story made me enjoy it less, since it just cuts out the immersion.

Graphics and Sound

I don’t know where to start here. The graphics are appalling, there’s no way around it. The interface is horrible, the use of colors is horrible, and the style is horrible. There’s at least four different fonts used throughout the game, if not more. The font for the title of the game is different from the “New Story” label in the Start New Story button, which is already different from the “An Epic Interactive Story” subtitle.

Sometimes the text has glow, sometimes it has shadow. Sometimes the shadow is black, sometimes yellow. The Start New Story button looks different than the continue button at the bottom of each chapter, which also looks different to the buttons used for the outcome prediction. Everything is all over the place.

Worst of all, the game hasn’t been optimized for the long screens we have now. I thought at first that the game looked a bit stretched out but dismissed it. However, when I re-checked the screenshots in the Play Store, I now see that the interface I got is massively stretched, since the game apparently was done with a 4:3 screen in mind.

The game changes its music depending on the situation. You start with a calm soundtrack, which then changes into a song that just screams “hurry up,” to almost silent surroundings when you are in the forest. Out of the audiovisual elements of this game, the music is the one that actually stands out for being acceptable rather than unpleasant.

Conclusion

Two Hours To Live is a good idea on paper. A non-linear story that makes you choose the outcome of your character, while, quoting Linkin Park, “the clock ticks life away.” At least, the story part delivers on the excitement, with Jay unraveling the plot he has been dragged into in a satisfying way.

However, the actual interactiveness of the game is not that big. While your decisions do affect the outcome, since a wrong choice means Jay is closer to his death, there aren’t that many prompts throughout the game to actually feel like you are making a difference. Coupled with terrible graphics and obtrusive ads, Two Hours To Live is sadly not as good as it could have been.

Download and install Two Hours To Live from the Google Play Store.

Pokemon Go adds Trainer Battles for head-to-head fights

AndroidGuys
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Niantic on Tuesday announced it will bring one of its biggest, and most anticipated features to it popular Pokemon Go. Slated to arrive in December, Trainer Battles lets players take one another on in head-to-head fights.

SEE ALSO

Although it has been more than two years since the game first launched, the concept of fighting other players has been high on the list of anticipated mechanics. Once rolled out, Trainer Battles will let players field teams of three in one-on-one throwdowns.

Since the Trainer Battles hasn’t started, the full details are not yet available. With that said, there are a few things we do know about what’s in store for the Pokemon Go feature.

Trainer Battle features

You can battle your in-game friends whenever you’re in range of each other. If you are Ultra or Best Friends, you can challenge your buddy no matter your locations.

Trainers will compete in Trainer Battle Leagues, which determine the CP limit for the participating Pokémon. Strength (CP) alone is not going to guarantee a victory so you’ll want to choose wisely and apply strategy. There are three leagues: Great (up to 1,500CP), Ultra (up to 2,500CP), Master (Unlimited CP).

You can take on other trainers who are not one of your friends; it’s as simple as scanning a QR code.

Your Pokemon will get both Fast and Charge moves for battles so be sure to find the right combo. Also, you can use stardust and candy to purchase a secondary Charge move for use in the fight.

A new component, called Protect Shield, will help you to absorb damage without fainting. Be careful, though, as you only get a couple of them per battle.

Both trainers will receive rewards for battling, including stardust and rare evolution items — even Sinnoh Stones.

The budget Alcatel 1X Evolve is coming to Metro by T-Mobile on Dec 10

Alexandra Arici
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Looking for a new smartphone this winter, but you’re on a tight budget? Well, then you might be interested to know that the new Alcatel 1X Evolve was just announced at Metro by T-Mobile.

The smartphone will go on sale on December 10, but pricing details will be made available later. Although, we can tell you it’s going to be wallet-friendly.

The new Alcatel 1X Evolve features a premium design with elegant soft suede fit and finish that feels quite premium. But as you’d expect, specs are on the lower side of the spectrum.

The new handset comes equipped with a 5.34-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio, 480 x 960 resolution and 2D Dragontrail glass.

TCL launches a new affordable Alcatel phone in the US

The phone takes advantage of a decent 1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6739WM processor under the hood. And working in concert with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, the chipset is quite capable of keeping up with your daily demands. There’s also a microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 32GB, for those who need more memory.

In the photography department, the Alcatel 1X Evolve comes boasting an 8MP main camera with LED flash, and a 5MP selfie snapper with LCD screen flash. The main camera can also shoot 1080p video at 30fps.

Powering the whole shenanigan is a 2,460 mAh battery which according to TCL (who owns Alcatel) can offer up to 21 hours (4G) of talk time, 10 hours (4G) of streaming time and up to 337 hours (4G) in standby time.

The device runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and might get Android Pie at some point in the future. Moreover, the new offering features 4G LTE with 600MHz support for expanded LTE coverage.

So if you’re looking for a smartphone that won’t break the bank this holiday season, the Alcatel 1X Evolve might be a great fit for you. It could even make for a great gift. Remember, the phone goes on sale on December 10, so next week.

Pixel 3 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: which smaller flagship is for you?

Alexandra Arici
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The Pixel 3 is one of the best Android smartphones unveiled in the last few months, but is it as good as the mighty Samsung Galaxy S9?

In this article, we take a look at how the Pixel 3 compares against the Galaxy S9 in an attempt to answer the question: which one should you buy?

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

While the Pixel 3’s and Galaxy S9’s larger siblings tend to take all the spotlight, what’s great about these two smaller models is that they are almost identical to their higher-end brothers, but are sold for more affordable price tags.

So which one of these pocket-friendly Android devices is better? Keep reading below.

Design and display

The Pixel 3 and Galaxy S9 are both “small-ish” devices compared to most smartphones available on the market today. The Pixel 3 features a 5.5-inch OLED display with 2160 x 1080 resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio, while the Galaxy S9 takes advantage of a larger 5.8-inch curved Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio and support for Mobile HDR Premium content.

Both of these displays are gorgeous and work really well in all situations, although the Galaxy S9’s tends to be a little bit more colorful.

In terms of design, both Pixel 3 and Galaxy S9 looks very similar to their predecessors. The Galaxy S9 gets the same curved glass front and back as the Galaxy S8, which meet at a thin metal frame. The tall and narrow Infinity Display makes the phone feel elegant and svelte in hand. Compared to the previous model, the Galaxy S9 boasts slightly thinner chin and forehead, but the overall look is maintained.

Turn the phone around and you’ll see a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor that sits beneath the single camera. Samsung is also offering face and iris-unlocking technology on board of this smartphone.

Also read: Pixel 3 XL impressions

The Pixel 3 retains the same two-tone style we’re already familiar with from the previous generation. But this year Google is using glass instead of metal for the phone’s back. There’s a central fingerprint sensor on the rear, with the camera sensor sitting in the top left corner.

The Pixel 3 has bigger bezels at the top and bottom than the Galaxy S9, although this design choice allows for front-facing speakers to be accommodated.

It’s important to note here that both flagships have skipped the “notch” trend, by opting for the classic look. The same goes for the Galaxy S9+, although the Pixel 3 XL does feature a big notch on top of the display.

The Pixel 3 has IPX8 rating against water ingress, but the Galaxy S9 features full IP68 certification against water and dust.

Power and performance

The two models are based on the Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line chipset, the Snapdragon 845. Both models include the 4GB of RAM and 64GB of base storage. But with the Galaxy S9, you can get a variant with up to 256GB on board, as opposed to just 128GB, which is the maximum you can get with the Pixel 3.

Google’s flagship does not have a microSD card slot, while the Samsung one does. It can be employed to expand memory up to 400GB.

When it comes to battery, the Pixel 3 relies on a 2,915 mAh juice box with 18W fast wired charging. Fast Qi wireless charging is also part of the equation.

The Galaxy S9 has a larger 3,000 mAh battery with Fast wired charging, as well as fast Qi. Despite the slight difference, neither of the phones should struggle to offer all-day performance.

Camera

Both Samsung and Google flagships are known for offering a superior camera experience. And the Pixel 3 and Galaxy S9 are no exception to the rule.

The Galaxy S9 is the first Samsung device to introduce the new variable aperture feature. This means the main 12MP sensor can switch between a fast 1/5 aperture and a f/2.4 aperture depending on the scenario.

In combination with 1.4-micron pixels, the wide aperture can offer improved low-light performance. The rear camera also has optical image stabilization (OIS) and can record video in 4K at up to 60fps or 1080p at 240fps. There’s also a super-slow-motion 960 fps video recording option.

As for the Pixel 3, it uses a 12.2MP sensor with 1.4-micron pixels and f/1.8 aperture. Google has equipped it with optical and electronic image stabilization too. And with the company’s AI-power image processing on board, the Pixel 3 is capable of delivering some great results. The camera is packed with a series of great features like Night Sight mode which promises super well-lit and detailed shots in the most dimly lit environments. It works in a similar way to Google’s HDR+ feature.

Where the Pixel 3 stands out is the dual front camera. It’s a pair of wide-angle lens which enables a new Group Selfie Cam that offers a wide-angle view so you can get more people into one shot.

The Galaxy S9 has only a single front-facing lens of 8MP variety with an 80-degree FOV and wide f/1.7 aperture.

Software

Samsung and Google offer dramatically distinct software experiences. While the search giant leans towards simplicity by offering a pure Android experience, the Korean smartphone behemoth bets on the number of additional features and customizations.

The Galaxy S9 launched with Android 8.0 Oreo and Samsung Experience user interface, but since then the company unveiled One UI. This is the phone maker’s new user interface that comes with modern features, layouts and modes. In the US, Galaxy S9/S9+ users can already access One UI with Android Pie in beta. A public roll-out is expected in January.

One UI marks a new approach for Samsung, by making it easier to use devices single-handed, helping users focus on one thing at a time, and more.

Even so, a certain category of users will always tend to gravitate towards the elegant software experience which only the Pixel can offer. It’s fair to say that in this department, Google’s flagships will always have the advantage. The Pixel 3 was launched with Android 9 Pie out of the box.

Special features

Both flagships come bundling their own set of special features. The Pixel 3 has borrowed the squeezable sides technology that was first introduced by the HTC U11. Like before, a firm squeeze on the phone’s frame will quick-launch certain apps like the Google Assistant.

Also read: HTC U11 review

Google’s latest flagship also includes features like Now Playing (which tells you which song is playing) or Screen Call (for screening calls).

As for the Galaxy S9, it offers the option of turning yourself into a 3D cartoon-like avatar with AR Emoji. What’s more, the flagship is capable of powering a desktop-like experience through DeX.

Both smartphones include a self-developed virtual assistant, although Samsung’s Bixby is still light-years behind the Google Assistant.

Pricing

Introduced back in February at MWC 2018, the Galaxy S9 is widely available with carriers and several retailers in the US.

Prices for the unlocked Galaxy S9 start at $719.99, but if you plan to acquire the device via a carrier, you might be able to score a deal. For example, at the time of writing, AT&T is offering the phone with a $70 discount (conditions apply).

As for the Pixel 3, you will be able to grab it either from the Google Store or from Verizon. Prices start at $800.

Conclusion

While the Pixel 3 is a bit more expensive, it’s worth considering if you’re craving a solid software experience, the latest updates and great photography. Alternatively, the Galaxy S9 comes with a gorgeous display, it’s available with more storage and also offers a very good camera with some special features like super-slow-motion video shooting.

Never forget your phone at home again with Adero’s smart bag system

Alexandra Arici
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It happens to all of us. Packing for a trip or for an activity and forgetting that one essential item (or more) you can’t do without.

Well Adero, a new startup from California which rose from the ashes of TrackR has a solution to this widely-spread problem.

The company has developed a unique solution which can turn any bag into a smart bag through a system of Smart Tags and Tagles that are backed-up by a mobile app (compatible with Android 5.1+ and iOS 11+).

Keep track of your essential items, always

Just place a Smart Tag on your bag – it can be a backpack, gym bag or anything you use to carry your items around – to get started. Next, stick Taglets on your essential items. Like for example, your keys, your passport or your phone.

Both Taglets and Smart Tag have adhesive cases that use superior adhesive to stay in place, even as you force your backpack into a crammed trunk, or shove your passport in your bag.

To check if you have everything you need, press the Smart Tag and if it lights up red, you know to check the app and see what items are missing. If it flashes green, it means you’re good to go.

Adero’s system also lets you set up notifications for when you need a specific bag. So if you’re going Monday to the gym, the app will send you a reminder to make sure you have everything you need in the bag and will tell you what’s missing from it too.

The Smart Tag is powered by rechargeable batteries that can last up to two months between charges.

So, interested in keeping tabs on your essential items at all times? If the answer is yes, then you should know the Adero Starter Kit is available for purchase starting today from Adero.com for $119.99. The bundle includes 3 Smart Tags (3 smart tag adhesive cases, 3 keyrings and 3 lanyards), 3 Taglets and 1 Smart Tag Charger.

A Delux Kit with 5 Smart Tags and 9 Taglets will be available soon for $199.99.

Buy the Adero Starter Kit

How to change the font on your Android phone

Alexandra Arici
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Android smartphones come with a default font that’s responsible for your reading and writing experience. But like with everything else on Android, the font can be changed to suit your particular taste.

Even though the standard setting on your device is made to work well on small screens, sometimes we want to take things into our own hands. Maybe there’s a particular font or style that you’ve come to use on other devices, like computers. If you want to give your phone a new look, you should know that you can always change fonts.

In an attempt to differentiate themselves from the crowd, some Android OEMs have bundled additional fonts and settings with their respective phones. Although not all offer this option, it’s more common today than in the past. The good news is that even if your device doesn’t have this extra setting, you can still change fonts.

In what follows below, we’ll show you how to change the fonts on Android without rooting. There are several methods to employ, and we’ll go through a number of them.

At-a-Glance

  • Check your phone’s settings for built-in options
  • Install a third party launcher app
  • Install a font app

Check your phone’s settings for built-in options

As we mentioned above some phones offer the ability to tweak/change fonts. The quickest and easiest way for most modern phones is to open your Settings app and search for the word “font”. Often it will give you direct access to a configuration or two, including the ability to change font or font size.

OnePlus devices come with two font choices and some extra configuration as well. Here we’ll walk through the steps on a OnePlus 8 Pro.

How to change the font on your OnePlus phone

  1. Open your phone’s Settings application and scroll to “Customization”
  2. Tapping on that, the bottom of the next screen you’ll tap on “Font”
  3. Choose between Roboto and OnePlus Sans

How to change the font size on your OnePlus phone

  1. Open your phone’s Settings application, scroll to “Display”
  2. Tapping on that, near the bottom of the next screen you’ll tap on “Font size”
  3. Choose between one of four font sizes

How to change the font on your Samsung phone

  1. Open your phone’s Settings application, scroll to “Display”
  2. Tap on Display and scroll to “Font size and style”
  3. Under “Font stlye” you select the font you want for your phone from a number of options
  4. From there you can also tap the “Download fonts” where you’ll be able to install additional fonts. Note that you’ll need to log in with a Samsung account in order to do so.

Install a third party launcher

What if you don’t have any font settings on your Android phone? Not to worry, you can always install a launcher and change fonts from there. For example, you can give the Apex Launcher a try.

In the early days of Android one of the best reasons to install a custom launcher was because it provided so many ways of adjusting the user experience. Although has become more robust over time, it’s still a great way of taking the user interface into your own hands.

Here’s how to change the font using the Apex Launcher

  1. Tap on Apex Settings (Gear icon at the center)
  2. Find and tap on Advanced Settings
  3. Located the Icon Settings menu
  4. Tap on Icon Font and then choose the font you want to try
  5. The app will automatically update the icon labels on your phone

Note: the app does not change the font within the apps installed on your phone. It will only affect the home screen and app menu.

Go Launcher is another alternative if you want to change the font while you’re using the launcher.

How to change the font using Go Launcher

  1. Tap on the three-dot menu located in the lower-right corner.
  2. Tap on Go Settings.
  3. Find the Font option and tap on it.
  4. Click on Select Font.
  5. Browse through the fonts available.
  6. If you want more options, tap on the Scan font button.
  7. Select the font you like and the app will automatically set it.

Note: Not all the fonts will work, and some may cause the launcher to crash.

Install a font app

The Google Play Store is home to countless of apps and plenty of them claim to let you change the font on your phone.

However, in most cases for these apps to work you’ll need your Android device to be rooted. Or, you may need to have a Samsung device. Even here things have changed over the years so a bit of trial and error may be your approach. If you’re using a modern Samsung phone, the aforementioned option might be the way to go.

Apps like iFont or FontFix work on non-rooted Samsung Galaxy devices. Although to be able to take full advantage of them, it’s best to root. If that concerns you, we suggest leaving things where they are right now.

Here’s how to change the font on your older, non-rooted Samsung Galaxy device with FontFix

  1. Open the app on your Galaxy device.
  2. Browse through the font options available.
  3. Choose the one you want to install and tap on it.
  4. Press the download button.
  5. Read the instructions that pop up and then tap on “Continue”.
  6. Another window will pop up, tap on “Install”.
  7. Once again tap on “Install”.

  1. Now, go to Settings>Display>Screen zoom and font and search for the font in question.
  2. Tap on it and click on the Apply button in the right upper corner.
  3. The font should be applied automatically, no restart required.

Note: Some fonts don’t work with non-rooted Galaxy devices, which will prompt the message “font is not supported”. Bottom line is, you’ll have to search quite a bit to find a supported font.

The second app we mentioned, iFont extends the “without-root” policy to Xioami and Huawei devices, as well. But what if you don’t have a phone from this companies? You might want to consider rooting after all.

Another Option

Some users may not want to change the overall font for their phone, but prefer to use a special font in messaging or social media.

Apps, such as Cool Fonts for Instagram – Stylish Text Fancy Font which lets you type your message and choose from a wide variety of fonts. From there you can copy and paste it wherever any typing might take place, including email, text, or on social media profiles.

Header Image: Photo by Brett Jordan from Pexels

AT&T Prepaid offering free Alcatel Tetra with plan

AndroidGuys
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AT&T Prepaid is, for a limited time, offering customers the opportunity to pick up a free phone with service. The deal runs from today through January 10, 2019 and sees the Alcatel Tetra going for free with a new line of service.

To qualify for the phone, the subscriber must sign up for Auto Pay, the automatic monthly bill payment. Note that this offer, and others, is only available at participating AT&T locations.

The Alcatel Tetra runs Android 8.1 Oreo and features a 5-inch display, 16GB internal storage, and a 2,050mAh battery. The rear houses a 5-megapixel camera while the front packs a 2-megapixel shooter.

In addition to the free phone, AT&T Prepaid is also offering up to $50 off select Android smartphones. This deal, too, expires on January 10. Customers who sign up for Auto Pay can save extra money right now; new subscribers can get a $20 discount each month on the $65 and $85 rate plans.

Get to Know AT&T Prepaid

Should you purchase a device from Walmart, Best Buy, Target, or other major national retail outlet, you can get a $75 gift card, too. Simply sign up for a plan that’s $35 or higher and make three monthly bill payments.

Learn more about the Alcatel Tetra at AT&T Prepaid’s website.

You can try these three amazing titles with Xbox Game Pass for $1

AndroidGuys
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With must-play new releases coming out almost as often as movies, it can get pretty difficult to buy and play it all. The good news is that Xbox is now offering Xbox Game Pass, a solid alternative to blindly buying new games before you try them. Xbox Game Pass offers you unlimited access to an ever-expanding library of games, so you can try out new titles before you decide to buy or just keep the variety alive by constantly playing new games. Best of all, you can get 1 month of Xbox Game Pass for just $1.

Xbox Game Pass gives you unlimited access to its catalog of over 100 games – all you have to do is download the games you want and play them anytime, online or offline. If you start to really hit a groove with a game in the catalog, you can buy it as it leave the catalog for up to 20% off, and any add-on packs or consumables for up to 10% off. Plus, you’ll get launch-day access to Xbox exclusives, so it’s not like you’re getting a bunch of has-been games. Don’t forget the best part: you can play for $1 by signing up with this special offer.

$1 for 1 month of Xbox Game Pass

Here are some games we’re excited to play on Xbox Game Pass:

Forza Horizon 4

The latest installment of the top-selling racing series drops you into a gorgeous open world with up to 72 other players and 450 different vehicles to master. Tackle drift and speed racing challenges alone, race head-to-head against both human and AI opponents, or form a convoy of up to 12 friends to compete in team adventures for awesome rewards.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

The godfather of the white-hot battle royale shooter genre, PUBG drops you onto a huge island map with 99 other players and one objective – be the last player standing. Combining the best elements of 3rd-person shooters and survival games with hilariously customizable characters, PUBG delivers a massively multiplayer experience like none other. Kill or be killed, and have a blast while doing it.

Sea of Thieves

Satisfy your inner pirate and take to the seas with a massive open world of players searching for treasure and infamy. Assemble a crew and embark on quests to locate buried treasure or battle undead pirates, but be ready to thwart treachery from rival players seeking to steal your loot and leave you marooned. Sea of Thieves offers a vast charming ocean to explore and plunder as you see fit.

Click here to sign up for 1 month of Xbox Game Pass for just $1 to get unlimited access to these and over 100 other great titles. It’s the best thing to happen to gamers since the ability to save your game.

What is Google Fast Pair?

AndroidGuys
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Pairing a Bluetooth device, such as headphones or a speaker, to your phone is a pretty straightforward process. If anything, it’s simple. Yet, it can be tedious. Google Fast Pair makes things easier and more efficient.

The Problem

Many of us own multiple portable electronic devices, be it phones, tablets, and/or Chromebooks.  We log into them using our Google accounts and hop between them. At the same time, we have our favorite headphones, speakers, and Bluetooth accessories.

As easy as it is to pair devices together, it can become a nuisance. Why go through the process over and over again when all you want to do is listen to a podcast or playlist? Sure, it sounds like a “first world problem” but it’s a pain point whenever you buy a new phone or tablet.

The Solution

Google has a way to simplify connecting Bluetooth accessories to Android phones. The feature, called Fast Pair, was introduced back in 2017 and has recently been updated.

Described as a “hassle-free process to pair your Bluetooth devices on all supported Android devices”, it’s makes discovery and pairing easy for Android 6.0+ phones and tablets.

Google’s $159 Pixel Buds offer real-time translation, other smarts

 

In essence, Google Fast Pair ties your Bluetooth pairing details to your Google account. This way, whenever you log into a new device you don’t have to worry about pairing. Much like Chrome knows your username and passwords for websites, Fast Pair knows how to make your handset and earbuds work together.

How Fast Pair Works

Fast Pair uses Bluetooth Low Energy and your Android phone’s location to automatically discover accessories in close proximity , and automatically connects them via a simple tap.

When a Fast Pair-enabled accessory is in close proximity to your Android smartphone, the phone shows the accessory’s product image, its name, and any related companion app. Once you connect you’ll see a confirmation advising the pairing’s successful. The phone will also offer to download the accessory’s companion app from the Play Store. All of this is done without meddling with the Bluetooth settings.

As part of a recent update (November 2018), Google makes it easier for you to connect Fast Pair-compatible accessories to devices associated with your Google Account. Going forward, Fast Pair will connect accessories to all current and future Android phones (6.0+).

Looking ahead, Google says it will add support for Chromebooks in 2019, too. Once in place, Fast Pair will automatically pair and configure your Chromebook in the same manner; they do support Android apps after all.

How to Use Fast Pair

As indicated above, the pairing process employs traditional Bluetooth connection but in a more streamlined manner. With that said, here’s how to go about pairing your Fast Pair-enabled accessories.

  • Turn on the Fast Pair-ready accessory and put it in pairing mode
  • Your phone will notify you, asking to “Tap to pair” to the accessory
  • Tap the notification and Android establishes a Bluetooth connection
  • A success notification is shown with a link to download any related companion app

What accessories support Fast Pair?

As of today, the following accessories are listed as officially Fast Pair-enabled:

Google is currently working with dozens of manufacturers to bring new accessories to the market; we suspect they’ll arrive at the start of 2019. The annual CES trade show seems as good of a place as any to introduce them.

New Android Auto update expands messaging and media features

Alexandra Arici
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Google this week unveiled a new series of features for Android Auto to make it easier to view messages or search for music, books and podcasts while you’re on the move. As always Google says the new features add more convenience without sacrificing safety.

First off, the media library in Android Auto has a new look and layout with larger images for the album art, so you can easily identify what you songs you want to hear.

If you already know which song or artist you want to play, you can use the improved voice search feature. Simply can say “OK Google, play Linkin Park” and you’ll immediately be able to view more categorized search results from your app on your car’s screen.

Like listening to music while you drive? Then you’ll love the latest Android Auto update

Music apps such as Spotify, Google Play Music and iHeartRadio have full integration with the latest version of Android Auto. And Google says that it’s working to bring new updates to more music and media apps.

Next, Google has also added some improvements to the whole messaging experience. Android Auto will now display a preview of your texts from Messages, WhatsApp or Hangouts once you’ve stopped driving.

The messages will show up regardless of what app is in use. But note that you’ll need to turn on this preview feature manually via Settings. Once again Google says it will add support for other messaging apps in the near future.

Previously Android Auto could only display plain SMS messages, but Google has now added group messaging, along with MMS and RCS messaging support.

Check: A full list of Android Auto-compatible apps

The updates will become available in the next few days. To take advantage of the new features you’ll need to navigate to the Android Auto page on the Google Play Store and manually update the app from there.

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