Fabelt's Blog

Google Assistant can do some really useful stuff with location, if you know what to ask. I don't know if you've noticed, but our favorite virtual helper is losing some of its location-sensing smarts. Yes, oh yes: For reasons unknown, Google's in the midst of quietly pulling back Assistant's ability to handle reminders based on your physical location — y'know, the "remind me to do something when I get to this place" sorts of commands that have long been possible on Android. It's part of a broader  confusion campaign   realignment   of Google features  that seems to be placing more emphasis on the company's Tasks service and its integration with other Google apps. Blah, blah, blah — yadda, yadda, yadda. We can yammer on all day about the silliness of this shift and the comedic gold of Google's never-ending flip-flop habit. And let's be honest: We almost certainly will, one of these days. But not today, gersh dern it. Today, I want to turn our...

Make missed calls much easier to manage with this simple Android enhancement. It's easy to forget sometimes, but these powerful little computers we carry in our pockets are also phones — you know, devices with numbers that can make and receive those crazy old things called voice calls. Go ahead and take a minute to absord the shock of this revelation. Gasp, guffaw, get a comically exaggerated expression of surprise on that stunning face of yours — whatever does the trick. I'll wait. Back? Okay, good. Listen, I know: Nine times out of 10, when we talk about Android tips, we talk about ways to be more efficient and productive with tapping around on our screens and getting things done. But today, I want to share a handy little enhancement I've encountered for making the  phone  portion of your smartphone more useful and easier to manage. I don't know about you, but on those rare occasions that I actually get a call these days — be it something related to work or the work o...

These easy-to-apply adjustments will help you fly around your keyboard like a total typing pro. If there's one place where saved seconds can seriously add up, it's in your smartphone's on-screen keyboard. This doesn't get nearly enough attention among average tech-totin' animals, but Android has an awesome advantage over that (cough, cough)  other  mobile platform when it comes to text input. All it takes is two minutes of trying to type text on an iDevice to see just how much of a good thing we've got goin' (and to make yourself want to gouge your eyes out with the nearest overpriced Apple accessory). And you know what? While we've got no shortage of  commendable Android keyboard apps  to choose from, Google's own  Gboard keyboard  really is the perfect example of how simple, effective,  and  expandable the Android typing experience can be. Gboard works well right out of the virtual box, and once you start poking around in the must...