Google Fit on Wear OS is starting to automatically detect when a workout has finished

Google Fit for Wear OS is gaining a new ability that addresses a common pain point faced by many users: forgetting to end a workout session. Earlier, if you started recording your workout and didn’t end it manually, Google Fit would go on recording everything as though you were still doing your workout and thus mess up your activity data. But now, it’s getting smarter.

As spotted by Reddit user u/ayyndrew, Google Fit for Wear OS is now able to detect when you are finished with your workout activity. If you forget to end your workout, it will no longer keep recording your activity — which was the case before this feature rolled out. Instead, it will show a prompt on your smartwatch telling you to stop your workout session. It even sends haptic feedback to remind the user to finish their session, according to u/Zwiada.

It’s unclear if the new feature came as part of a new update to the Google Fit or was a server-side switch. But going by the Reddit thread’s user responses, it looks like it seems to be widely available. It’s a welcome quality-of-life addition that’s sure to improve the user experience of Wear OS users.

Google Fit for Wear OS received a big face-lift in November last year, which brought a revamped UI and some much-needed features. Some of the major changes in the new update include new tiles that make it easier to start workouts, the ability to set workout goals right from your smartwatch, pace alerts while you’re running, a Touch Lock button to prevent accidental touch inputs, a new Breathe Tile for guided breathing sessions, and so on.

At the same time, the new update also removed a useful feature: advanced strength training tracking, which allowed users to automatically track individual reps along with rest periods between sets.

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Google’s Street View app prepares to add a new way to share your surroundings

Google started testing a new “Driving Mode” in the Street View app last year to help users contribute to the platform without requiring a 360° camera. The new feature lets users record their journeys on their phone’s camera and upload it to the Street View database in order to help fellow Street View users. Google is now preparing to add another such feature to increase user contribution to the platform.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

A teardown of version 2.0.0.357726500 of the Street View app for Android has revealed new strings of code that talk about a new mode called “Photo Path.” The code suggests that this mode will let users “Create a series of photos, by moving along a street or path,“ resulting in a short clip for other Street View users.

<string name="photo_path_subtext">Create a series of photos, by moving along a street or path</string>

The app also includes a video that demos what a Photo Path will look like, along with an icon for the new feature.

As you can see in the attached video, the feature will automatically stitch photos captured by users into a short clip. Although the clip doesn’t look all that great, it will likely be more than enough to help other users find their way around a location.

Photo Path icon (Gray background not included)

 

The feature will probably work a lot like the aforementioned Driving Mode, allowing users to share pictures of their surroundings while on foot. The collected data will then be incorporated into the Street View database to help other users. As of now, the feature isn’t live in the current Street View release, and Google hasn’t shared any official information about it. We’ll update this post as soon as it rolls out with a future update.

Google Street View (Free, Google Play) →

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Telegram is adding new features to make joining group chats even easier

A fresh beta of Telegram is rolling out for Android, and as usual, it previews several new changes before they arrive in the stable channel. In the Telegram beta 7.5, we’re getting QR code group invites, the ability to set a time and user limit on invite links, an auto-delete timer for public groups, widgets support, and more.

Invite by QR code and custom invite link

Right now, group invites are only possible through an invite link. But with Telegram 7.5, (via TestingCatalog) group owners can now generate a QR code to let users join the group by simply scanning the code. Group owners will also have the ability to set an expiry date on the invite link. For example, they can specify how many hours, days, or weeks the link will remain valid and even specify how many times a given link can be used to join the group. The QR code and time limit on invite links were first previewed on the macOS client last week, and now they are available to Android users as well.

Widget support for Android

The Telegram 7.5 beta finally adds widgets support for Android, allowing users to add a widget for quickly accessing their favorite chats and channels right from the home screen.

Auto-delete timer for Telegram group admins

The new beta now lets group admin set an auto-delete timer for messages posted in a public group. This can be enabled from the three-dot menu in the right-hand corner in the chat or via Clear history. The timer can be set for 24 hours or 7 days.

Broadcast group

Finally, group admins can now convert a normal group into a Broadcast group. Compared to regular groups, which can only have 200k members at max, broadcast groups have no limit on the maximum users. But note that only admins are allowed to post messages in broadcast groups, and switching back to the normal group isn’t possible.

All of these changes are present in the Beta, though there is no word on if and when they will arrive in the stable channel.

Telegram (Free, Google Play) →

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Chrome OS is finally getting a much needed calendar widget

Chrome OS comes with a bottom tray or ‘shelf’. Notably, the right corner is somewhat similar to what you might have seen or used on Windows. However, unlike Windows, it is very limited when it comes to usability. For instance, the clock that is displayed sadly doesn’t present you with a calendar upon clicking it. However, a new update in the future might just change that to fulfill the requests of many users.

A commit spotted at the Chromium Gerrit suggests that a ‘simple calendar widget’ is coming to Chrome OS very soon. The information comes from Android Police, which has also been tracking a new ChromeOS feature called ‘Scalable Status Area’. This is reportedly an update for the shelf that would offer more information including important notifications, and the ability to show the date right next to the clock, as well as a mini-calendar when you click on it.

Scalable Status Area: Put date change into later launch.

We decided to put the changes in the date into later launch since this change is consistent with the calendar widget feature. Moved the change to a different feature flag.

There is not a lot of information when it comes to how the calendar widget will work or how it will look like, but it is being said that the change will be a part of a broader update to move the date into the tray, which isn’t necessarily dependent on the Scalable Status Area feature. It will also be interesting to see if the new calendar widget will offer the ability to show your schedule, event, or reminders from Google Calendar.

The folks over at Android Police recently also uncovered new commits on Chromium Gerrit which suggests that Google is working on deeply integrating the Google Photos into the navigation pane of the file manager, thus allowing users to quickly access their uploaded photos within the file manager. The Google Photos shortcut should show up on the navigation pane after installing the app on a ChromeOS device.

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These are the Best Galaxy S21 wireless chargers: Samsung, Mophie, Anker, and more!

Over the past few years, wireless charging technology has come along way and is genuinely really useful nowadays. It’s an easier way to charge your smartphone, rather than constantly plugging it into a wall-based power socket, and you can just drop-and-forget your phone and come back to it topped up.

Like many other high-end Android smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra all support 15W wireless charging. But to make the most of this technology, you’ll need a wireless charger that works with the Galaxy S21 range. To help you pick one, we’ve rounded up the best Galaxy S21 wireless chargers.

Samsung 15W Fast Charge 2.0 Wireless Charger Stand

The best choice

With this wireless charging stand from Samsung, you’ll be able to use your Galaxy S21 in either landscape or portrait mode while it charges. The stand sports Qi wireless charging certification, a cooling fan, an LED indicator, and a USB-C wall charger. It’s available in black or white on Amazon.

Buy at Amazon

Mophie Wireless 15W Charging Pad

Compact and lightweight

Mophie is well-known for its power banks and wireless chargers, with the Wireless 15 Charging Pad being an excellent choice for the Galaxy S21. It provides up to 15W wireless charging, support for Qi-enabled devices, a compact and lightweight design, and a suede finish that’ll suit any modern home.

Buy at Amazon

Spigen Convertible Fast Wireless Charger

Fast wireless charging

Spigen’s Convertible Fast Wireless Charger offers 15W wireless charging and works with QI-enabled devices. What’s innovative about this wireless charger is that it offers both flat and stand modes. What’s more, there’s a low LED power light that won't disturb your precious sleep. It’s available in black or white.

Buy at Amazon

Samsung Wireless Charger Trio

Charge three devices

If you own a Galaxy S21, a pair of Galaxy Buds, and a Galaxy Watch, you’ll be able to charge them at the same time on the Samsung Wireless Charger Trio. It sports a sleek and modern design, an LED charging status light, and support for phone cases with a thickness of up to 3mm. You can buy it in black or white from Amazon.

Buy at Amazon

Samsung Portable Wireless Charger

Portable wireless charging

Even though the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra sport large batteries, they can still run out of power during a long day. But with this portable charger from Samsung, you’ll be able to charge your Galaxy S21 on-the-go. It boasts a 10,000mAh battery, 7.5W wireless charging, and up to 25W wired charging. You can buy it in grey, silver, and pink.

Buy at Amazon

Anker 15W Max Wireless Charger

A high-quality design at a cheap price

This wireless charger from Anker provides up to 15W of charging, a high-quality aluminum base, an anti-slip silicone pad to ensure your Galaxy S21 doesn't fall off the charger, and support for Qi-enabled devices. You can get it from Amazon.

Buy at Amazon

Although wireless charging has been around for a long time, there are more wireless chargers than ever on the market today. What’s great to see is that many of them will work with the new Galaxy S21 range from Samsung.

Any of these wireless chargers will do the job, but Samsung’s 15W wireless charger will be the best option for most Galaxy S21 users. But if you own several Samsung devices, it’s worth checking out Samsung’s Wireless Charger Trio. Meanwhile, the portable wireless charger is great if you want to top up your Galaxy S21’s battery when you’re out and about.

The new Galaxy S21 series does not come with a charging brick included in the box. Many users will need to either rely on their existing power bricks, or pick one separately. If you are looking for one, we have recommendations for fast chargers for the Galaxy S21. But if you already have compatible power bricks, it does make some sense to invest into a wireless charger, even if just to see what the fuss is all about. They are high on convenience, and count a lot on you to drop-and-forget, so give them a shot!

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Redmi Note 8, Xiaomi Mi Note 10, and Mi 10T Lite get Android 11-based MIUI 12 updates in some regions

Xiaomi kicked off its Android 11 update rollout with the Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, and the Redmi K30 Pro in September last year. The company has since rolled out MIUI 12-flavored Android 11 for a couple of devices, including the Mi 10 Lite, Mi Note 10 Lite, Redmi Note 9 Pro/Redmi Note 9S, and more. Continuing the update flow, the Chinese OEM is now rolling out Android 11 via MIUI 12’s stable channel for the Mi 10T Lite, Mi Note 10, and the Redmi Note 8 in select regions.

Out of the aforementioned devices, the Mi 10T Lite has three unique regions-specific variants. The device is sold as the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G in China and the Mi 10i in India, albeit the Android 11 update is available only for the global variant at this moment. On the contrary, the Chinese variant of the Mi Note 10 (AKA the Mi CC9 Pro) is no stranger to Android 11, but its international counterpart has so far lagged behind. The wait is finally over, as the update is now live for the European model.

The Redmi Note 8, on the other hand, has received the Android 11 update in China. For reference, the mid-ranger debuted with Android 9 Pie with MIUI 10 on top and subsequently received Android 10, which means this is the second major Android OS update for the phone. As such, there’s no guarantee it will get further major software updates.

In case you wish to try out MIUI 12 based on Android 11 on one of these devices, you can download the appropriate update package from the index below and install it on your device. However, before you go ahead and start downloading, do note that you may need to use a custom recovery like TWRP in order to flash the build. Xiaomi still treats these updates as “stable beta”, which is why an authorized Mi Account might be required to sideload. Once the company considers them to be stable enough, they are going to flip a server-side switch that will eventually remove the need for such authorization before flashing.

Sr. No.	Device, Device Codename, and XDA Forum Link	Build Number and Region	Recovery ROM
1.	Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite (gauguin)	V12.0.2.0.RJSMIXM – Global	Download Link
2.	Redmi Note 8 (ginkgo)	V12.0.1.0.RCOCNXM– China	Download Link
3.	Xiaomi Mi Note 10 (tucana)	V12.1.3.0.RFDEUXM – EEA	Download Link

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Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer yshalsager for providing the download links!

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Samsung’s smart AR glasses concept will let you have your own Iron Man moment

Although AR glasses aren’t as big today as Google may have hoped back in 2013, a few companies are still working on bringing their own Google Glass-alternatives to the market. For instance, OPPO showcased its AR smart glasses at its Inno Day event late last year, and Lenovo launched the ThinkReality A3 AR glasses for enterprise customers earlier this year. Similarly, rumors suggest that Samsung and Apple are also working on bringing AR smart glasses to the market, but we’ve not learned much about these products so far. However, leaked concept videos about Samsung’s AR glasses have now surfaced online, giving us a brief glimpse of what Samsung plans to achieve with the product.

The leaked videos in question come from Twitter user WalkingCat (A_h0x0d_), and they showcase two products — Samsung AR Glasses and Samsung Glasses Lite. The first video is all about the Samsung Glasses Lite, and it highlights all of the features on offer. As you can see in the attached video, the Samsung Glasses Lite will be capable of projecting a large screen in front of a user’s eyes, allowing them to enjoy games or watch videos.

R&D Vision Concept ? https://t.co/JYQmy850K9

— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 21, 2021

Users will also be able to use this screen as a DeX Display, to make video calls, and even to view a direct video feed from a connected drone. Users will be able to control the glasses using a Samsung smartwatch, and the glasses will also offer a Sunglass mode, which will tint the glass at the touch of a button to improve outdoor visibility.

and….. this is the 3D holographic version https://t.co/PXDAHjDNWb

— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 21, 2021

The second video highlights the Samsung AR Glasses, which seem to be a more premium version of the Glasses Lite. These advanced glasses will let users see digital 3D objects in the real world, letting them create AR workspaces, make holographic calls, and generate holographic simulations like Iron Man. Looks pretty cool, right? Don’t get your hopes up, though, as these glasses are just as real as Iron Man right now and until Samsung releases any official information, they’re going to remain that way.

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