Advanced Android gesture tricks

Plus a new song search shortcut and secret calendar codewords  ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ [Android Intelligence](#) [Android Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [Esper logo](=)​ Fair warning: Today, I'm gonna give you the finger. I'm gonna give you a whole bunch of 'em, in fact — and encourage you to do the same. To be clear, these aren't single-finger salutes, in any bird-flipping sense. They're motions you'll make on the screen of your favorite Android gadget to unlock some awesome advanced actions. And you know what? Whether you're encountering these gestures for the first time or you just forgot about 'em at some point along the way, I'd be willing to wager you'll discover at least a few fun new treasures. I know I did, as I was swiping, sliding, and poking my phalange all over the place to remind myself of every last invisible option in the Android arena. So a hearty finger to you, my fine-feathered friend. Let's get into it, shall we? [JR Raphael, Author] JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 50 seconds ⌚ Just for Funsies: 12 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] 1. Android 16 could sport a sweet surprise ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Some fresh sleuthing suggests Google's lookin' at launching the next big Android version much earlier than usual — in a matter of months, somewhere in Q2 of 2025 (so as soon as April!). 🔎 KNOW MORE: Provided this pans out, two possible explanations come to mind: One, Google could be pushing its entire release schedule back to match the change with its Pixel launch timing this year — or two, Google could be going back to a pattern of multiple, sometimes-smaller Android releases each year, as was the norm in the platform's earlier eras. 📌 READ MORE: [This thoroughly researched report]() has all the latest intel. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. AI is creeping into Chrome hardware ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Google's gearing up to replace the Chromebook's most distinctive and useful physical key with a button closely connected to generative AI. 🔎 KNOW MORE: The new "Quick Insert" key will replace the Search/Launcher key that's lived in place of Caps Lock since the very first ChromeOS devices. All practical consequences aside, this move speaks volumes about Google’s changing priorities and makes me even more nervous curious about what might come to Android next. 📌 READ MORE: See what, exactly, is happening and why it very much matters in [this somewhat scathing new column](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Gmail's getting a neat new touch ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: An incoming update to the Gmail Android app will add significantly expanded summary cards onto the top of certain emails to make it even easier to see and act on important info. 🔎 KNOW MORE: The cards will show up above emails related to purchases, events, bills, and travel, with built-in summaries and contextual action buttons. Perhaps most interesting, you'll also soon see a new "Happening soon" section in your main inbox view with timely info from different emails — to make sure you don't miss anything pressing. 📌 READ MORE: Take a peek at [all the new elements]() — and let me know when they show up for you! Cast your vote... ​[What email service do you use most often?](​ SPONSORED MESSAGE The 6 ways your device fleet could be at risk 🚨 [Minion warning](=)​ Do you use mobile devices for your business? Kiosks, POS, employee tablets, etc. Studies show that you have a [28% chance of having a cybersecurity incident](=) in the next two years. And considering that the average cost of a cybersecurity breach is $3.92 million… *gulp* Lucky for you, you can [evaluate your device fleet’s security with Esper’s free MDM security checklist.](=)​ This comprehensive guide covers [six key security questions](=) you should be asking yourself, covering unauthorized access, device tampering, app vulnerabilities, and more. ➜ [Don’t wait for a costly breach — download the no-cost guide now to ensure your MDM system is fortified!](=) [FIND OUT IF YOUR DEVICE FLEET IS SECURE ➜](=) ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Discover some advanced Android gesture tricks So — ready to flex those fluttery fingers of yours? ➜ Android's absolutely overflowing with action-spawning gestures that can save you time and help you achieve all sorts of interesting feats on any phone you’re using. The problem is that by their very nature, gestures are invisible. You don’t see 'em or have any real signs of their existence — which means it’s up to you to remember they exist and then get yourself in the habit of using 'em. With that in mind, I've been racking my brain to remind myself of all the awesome Android gesture tricks that are out of sight, out of mind for most of us (myself very much included!). ⌚ Each one will take you roughly seven seconds to figure out and master. 📌 [Here are 15 of my favorite finds](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Identify any song in seconds "Man — what's the name of that song? And who sings it?!" Those are questions I've asked myself whilst out and about more times than I can count. (The answer, somehow, is almost always Men at Work's "Down Under.") Android's had options for identifying songs on the fly for quite a while now, but they aren't always easy to access. This week, that changes. ➜ Google's in the midst of rolling out a simple new Song Search shortcut that can name that tune anytime you need it, with a single fast tap. ⌚ And you'll only need about 20 seconds to uncover it. 📌 I put together [a short 'n' sweet guide](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Custom-code your calendar for colorful illustrations Have you ever noticed how Google Calendar sometimes shows certain events in a larger, more eye-catching format, with a special graphic attached? Like, for instance, this: [Screenshots showing Google Calendar events with illustrations] ​ ➜ Well, here's a little secret: Those illustrations are triggered by the presence of special codewords within your event titles. And once you know what codewords cause which illustrations to appear, you can hack the system, in a sense, and make any event in your agenda stand out with a specific illustration around it. ⌚ It's literally just including a certain very specific phrase within the event's title. It'll take you maybe six seconds to do. 📌 I just updated [my master list of all the typically unpublished Google Calendar codewords]() to include a whole slew of new additions. Have at it — and have fun transforming your calendar with next to no effort! ​ SPONSORED MESSAGE One large Techpresso, please — to go ☕ In the time it takes for you to sip an espresso, you can [read the daily tech news roundup from Techpresso](=). Totally free, easy to digest, and straight to your inbox. [SUBSCRIBE WITH ONE CLICK]() [] ​ [And Just for Funsies...] Android powers all sorts of crazy stuff out in the real world — from random cameras to the kiosks you use to order your breakfast biscuits. But one thing I never expected to see Android powering is a one-of-a-kind "Bop Spotter," hidden away atop a pole somewhere in San Francisco. The Bop Spotter is the brainchild of a 22-year-old software engineer named Riley Walz. Walz decided to take a "crappy Android phone," to use his words, hide it high atop a busy city street, and rig it up for 24/7 solar power so it could identify songs played out loud around it and report the results to his website. [A screenshot of the "Bop Spotter" website] ​ It's "culture surveillance," as Walz explains on his website. "No one notices, no one consents. But it's not about catching criminals. It's about catching vibes." 📌 [Check out the Bop Spotter for yourself](. It's quite a site — and sight! — to see. Adios, amigo A very merry autumn weekend to ye. I'll see ya right back here next week. --------------------------------------------------------------- 📊 Last week's poll results: In our previous Android Intelligence reader poll, I asked if you'd want an Android device with a dedicated AI button. - 66% of you said no way - 23% of you said sure - And 11% were undecided [A cartoon showing an Android robot pressing a red button and saying: "An AI button, you say? If it's a big red "off" button....I'll take it."] ​ 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up](=) [Thumbs Down]( Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications — or [unsubscribe entirely]( from all of our newsletters. New here and not yet subscribed? Take two seconds to [sign up for our newsletters](): Android Intelligence, Windows Intelligence, or Cool Tools (or all three!). Hungry for even more? 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