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Inbox is written by Daniel Bader. Read previous issues here, and then catch up with Ben Schoon’s excellent Weekender column.
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Another Android Drop is here, and it comes with some legitimately useful new features. But one feels designed specifically for me and my forgetfulness, and I can’t wait to use it all the time.
Gemini has been updated to work with Find Hub, Google’s tool for tracking phones and other gadgets in the ecosystem, to remember the location of physical objects. “Hey Google, remember that I left my spare key inside the hollowed-out copy of Infinite Jest on my bookshelf.” I’m a big fan of these kinds of small, tangible improvements to Android that most people, not just those on the latest version or running a Pixel, will benefit from.
The other new features include a Motion Assist accessibility feature to counteract motion sickness in the car; a Gemini-powered Live Guide accessibility feature that uses AI to “offer descriptions of what’s in front of you”; and a Keep integration inside Google Messages that lets people co-create shopping or packing lists.
Read more: Pixel 11 series getting early September update, not Android 17 QPR1
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IFA is here, and that means there are a bunch of gadgets to talk about.
- Poco F9 Pro and F9 Ultra launch with 185Hz panels, 8 Elite Gen 5 chips, and huge batteries. Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Poco, used to be known for its lower-priced devices, but now that everything’s expensive, the company is leaning into specs. These feature massive batteries and, on the Ultra, an honest-to-goodness subwoofer that