Here in the domain of Googley issues, it's a huge week, my group of joyful gibbons.
On Wednesday, Google will have its official autumn hardware event. Along with the unveiling of this year's new Pixel 8 flagship phones, there will also be a new Pixel Watch. Additionally, Android 14, which has been much anticipated, should arrive any day now.
There's a lot to keep an eye out for, and chances are, none of it will provide you, an animal that watches Android, with any instant gratification. But holy cow, have I got the perfect treat for you while you wait (and perhaps drool).
You may give your existing handbag and/or pocket companion a whole new level of use right now by installing this easy-to-use software on any Android device. In a way, it borrows from Apple, but it also hooks into a long-standing—and, until recently, underappreciated—classic Android component and injects some surprisingly new life into that space.
You'll question why Google doesn't include this as a native Android element out of the box since it's that fantastic. On the bright side, you don't need to run a certain version of Android to use it because it isn't currently integrated into the platform. A hint pointing in the proper way and around 20 seconds will do.
Prepare to be pleased.
Android in standby
We are going to play around with a feature that is an adaptation of the StandBy Mode concept that was first launched for iPhones with the iOS 17 release last month, but optimized for Android devices.
That system is a clever idea that transforms your phone into an interactive, info-toting display whenever it's charging and not in use, in case you forgot about it or choose to ignore such Apple-scented issues. Without requiring any additional hardware or any work, you can simply construct your own personalized Smart Display by selecting from a wide variety of specialized widgets and have them shown side by side on your screen while the device is idle.
And StandBy Mode Pro is a handy little program that you need to make it happen.
As soon as you install it and configure it on your preferred Android device, it will turn on automatically whenever your phone is plugged in and positioned horizontally, or in landscape mode. In addition to the time and date, it will display the most recent weather, a scrollable list of your future calendar appointments, and a number of interactive audio panels that let you to control any music, podcasts, or any sound anthologies that are now playing.
If you're like space travel, there's even an option that lets you see Earth in real time from the International Space Station.
Swipe up and down to go between the different widget choices inside each pattern, or swipe side to side to swap between configurations.
(Yes, that is the real layout of my schedule these days. The tale is lengthy.)
Additionally, you will always have access to a helpful display of pertinent information in whatever configuration you choose while your phone is charging.
In addition to allowing you to customize the specifics of your device's idle presentation, StandBy Mode Pro offers a number of intriguing settings, such as a night mode that dims the app's display particularly for twilight hours and a standby interface that can be seen in portrait orientation.
A $4 one-time purchase to the app's premium edition is needed for some of those features to function, including both the night mode and the portrait mode. But even if you decide not to spend so much money, all the essential functions function perfectly.
A little aside, if you possess a Pixel tablet from Google, this really provides a docked-state configuration that is even better and more reliable than what the tablet offers by itself. (Hi Google, are you hearing me?)
However, StandBy Mode Pro's setup is hard to top for a straightforward, elegant, and really remarkable out-of-the-box experience.
By the way, in order for the app to function, it does need a few permissions. However, they are all legitimate requests that are fair in nature. Furthermore, the developer makes it very evident that no data is ever gathered or sent in any manner.
Although it's not Android 14 or a brand-new Pixel, this update is still rather amazing, and it can be installed on any Android device you own right now without the need for rollouts or purchases.
It really doesn't get much better than that some weeks.
