- Roblox crashes right when a game finishes loading
- Your phone has been warning you it’s “low on storage” lately
- Other apps are also acting sluggish or failing to update
The Pixel's “Now Playing” feature has become a standalone app following the March Pixel Drop, improving music discovery and allowing users to manage their song history. Users reported issues such as the missing “Tap to see what’s playing” feature on the lock screen and syncing problems with Now Playing history. Google has issued an update to address these glitches, and some users have confirmed the return of the lock screen feature, although not all have benefited from the update. Google provided a troubleshooting guide for users facing difficulties, including steps to enable necessary services, ensure song identification, and restore missing song history. The app requires a full 24 hours to set up correctly, and many issues are linked to the March software update.
Android 16 features a revamped quick settings menu, allowing users to personalize their experience by adding, removing, and rearranging tiles, including third-party options. The default setup includes only a few basic tiles, prompting users to enhance it during initial setup. The Pixel 10 includes a "hum to search" feature in its camera app and recommends adding the Now Playing button to the quick settings, which identifies songs playing in the background but not those hummed or sung. The Song Search feature helps identify melodies hummed by users. The battery saver feature activates automatically when the battery level drops below 20%, and users can add a shortcut for quick access. The Google Pixel 10 offers the latest Android features, impressive cameras, strong AI capabilities, and efficient multitasking in a compact design.
The optimal range of RAM for smartphone performance is generally considered to be 8GB to 12GB. Power-intensive applications can create challenges, but managing cache, clearing storage, and restricting background usage can help. Certain apps, especially those using location data, require specific permissions and background activity. Users can check battery usage by app in their device's battery health settings, where higher battery consumption often indicates increased CPU and data usage, potentially leading to sluggish performance. Replacing resource-heavy apps with lighter alternatives or limiting background activity may improve device performance.
TikTok requires a significant data cache for seamless playback, and its processing power demand can cause performance slowdowns, especially when streaming high-definition videos. TikTok Lite offers a less resource-intensive alternative. Google Photos functions primarily as a cloud-based storage solution, which can affect device performance during image indexing and backups. Spotify's aggressive caching can lead to storage issues, and using Battery Saver mode may throttle CPU performance. Google Maps relies heavily on GPS and runs in the background, increasing data usage and potentially slowing down devices. Instagram can drain battery life through notifications and preloading media, which may lead to storage issues if the cache is corrupted. Reducing notification frequency and managing alerts can help alleviate performance strain.
In daily life, people engage in repetitive phone actions that shape their routines, such as turning off Wi-Fi or silencing notifications. Android devices offer basic automation features, but true automation potential lies in apps that allow personalized routines.
Samsung Galaxy users can utilize Modes and Routines, integrated into One UI 5.1, to create preset profiles and custom automations based on triggers like time and location. Google’s Action Blocks enable users to create customizable shortcuts for complex tasks with a single tap, leveraging Google Assistant.
Automate by LlamaLab uses a visual flowchart interface for routine creation, allowing users to design automation flows with over 320 building blocks available. aProfiles focuses on profile-based automation, adjusting settings based on time and location, while IFTTT allows users to create applets for connected services, with limitations on custom applets for free users. MacroDroid offers a three-part structure for automations, with over 100 triggers and actions, and a template library for pre-made macros, while the free version limits users to five macros.
Many users seek to extend battery life on Android devices, especially budget models. Here are twelve settings that can enhance battery performance:
1. Turn off the always-on display to improve battery life.
2. Enable Adaptive Battery to optimize resource management based on usage patterns.
3. Activate Battery Saver mode to limit background activity and visual effects.
4. Switch to dark mode to reduce energy consumption on OLED displays.
5. Adjust display brightness and sleep time to enhance battery longevity.
6. Remove unused accounts to prevent background syncing that drains battery.
7. Turn off keyboard sounds and haptics to conserve energy.
8. Reduce notifications to limit background activity that drains battery.
9. Turn off "Hey Google" detection to prevent unnecessary battery drain.
10. Reduce the screen's refresh rate to improve battery performance.
11. Turn off unused wireless features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and location services.
12. Use low-power mode to limit background activity and reduce screen brightness in critical situations.
Microsoft has released cumulative updates KB5068861 and KB5068865 for Windows 11 versions 25H2, 24H2, and 23H2, addressing critical security vulnerabilities, bugs, and introducing new features. The updates are mandatory and include the November 2025 Patch Tuesday security patches. Users can install the updates via Start > Settings > Windows Update or download them from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The build number for Windows 11 25H2 will change to Build 26200.7019, and 23H2 will update to 226x1.6050.
New features include:
- A revamped Start menu UI allowing removal of the Recommended feed.
- Updated lock screen battery icons with color indicators and battery percentage.
- A dedicated Microsoft 365 Copilot page for commercial devices.
- Rebranding of the “Email & accounts” section to “Your accounts.”
- Refreshed taskbar battery icons with clearer visual cues.
- New Administrator Protection Preview feature for safeguarding admin rights.
- API support for NIST post-quantum cryptography algorithms.
Fixed issues include:
- Taskbar app icon hover behavior.
- Display issues in apps and browsers.
- Context menu behavior in File Explorer.
- Pen and handwriting input responsiveness.
- Narrator launch issues during Windows setup.
- Performance improvements in taskbar loading after sleep.
This update is the final release for Windows 11 23H2, as support for this version ends today, and no optional updates will be released in December.
Microsoft released its November 2025 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11, featuring a redesigned Start Menu and enhancements for the 25H2 and 24H2 versions. The KB5068861 update includes:
- Improvements for Copilot+ PCs:
- Click to Do enhancements for tasks like translating text and selecting objects.
- File Explorer updates allowing quick action commands when hovering over files.
- Voice Access enhancements with Fluid Dictation for better grammar and punctuation.
- Enhanced Windows Search with semantic search capabilities.
- Redesigned Start Menu with a scrollable All section, responsive layout, and Phone Link integration.
- Taskbar updates with a new battery icon indicating charging status and health, along with battery life percentage displayed on the lock screen.
- A new security control for Administrator Protection available in preview.
- Quality updates addressing issues with Task Manager and gaming handheld devices.
Two changes related to File Explorer have been postponed for a future update: recommended files for Microsoft Account users and third-party cloud storage integration.
Google is implementing stricter controls on background processes in the Android ecosystem to conserve battery life. Developers can create foreground services for necessary background tasks, but this requires user notifications. Google encourages the use of APIs like JobScheduler, AlarmManager, and WorkManager for efficient background task management. The Android operating system does not effectively quantify battery costs for these tasks, and while there is a cap of 150 jobs per app, this can still lead to significant battery consumption.
To address these issues, Google conceptualized the Android Resource Economy (TARE), which proposed a system where battery power is treated as a limited resource. TARE introduced a virtual currency called "Android Resource Credits" (ARCs) for executing background tasks, with a smaller unit called "Cakes." The system aimed to balance the Cost to Produce (CTP) of tasks with their Price in ARCs, adjusting dynamically based on device state.
Apps earn ARCs through Regulations and Rewards, while spending is regulated by an enforcement mechanism that halts tasks if an app's balance is insufficient. TARE also included a "Consumption Limit" to align resource availability with battery status. However, TARE was abandoned with the rollout of Android 15, raising questions about the complexities of managing a virtual economy for battery behavior.
Google Maps is developing a power-saving mode to address battery drain issues during navigation. This feature, found in version 25.44.03.824313610 for Android, will prioritize essential information like upcoming turns and estimated time of arrival, reducing visual clutter to minimize power consumption. Users can activate this mode easily by pressing the power button during navigation, and it will work for driving, walking, and two-wheeler routes, though not for public transit. The mode operates independently from Android's system-wide battery saver, allowing activation at any time. However, it may not support landscape mode and could transition to a monochrome display, which might affect visibility for certain elements. An official release date is not yet announced, but it is expected to appear in a future beta version.
