iPad
- Apple ID
- iPhone and iPod touch models with iOS 14.5 or later
- iPad models with iPadOS 14.5 or later
All note-taking apps should implement this new Android feature.
Even before the DMA came into effect, Android users could choose and set their preferred browser, SMS app, and more. This can be done by going to Settings > Apps > Default app. Now, Google has announced that note-taking applications will also be included in the list.
There will be a shortcut on the lock screen to open the note-taking app without having to unlock the device. It looks similar to the Apple-Notes feature on the iPad. But unlike Apple’s walled garden, users will be able to choose their preferred note-taking app.
There are some adjustments to the app that must be made, which are explained in this I/O 2024 video. What I didn’t get is whether this is an Android feature or just meant for tablets running Android.
Even if it’s only for tablets, I think all companies that make note-taking apps should implement the changes needed to use this new feature. We, the users, will appreciate it.
Android's Answer to AirTags is here. Time to switch!
Wait, there’s another competitor. Who would have believed that Tile would pull such a card from its sleeve?
If you go to the AirTag page on Apple’s website, and check the ‘System Requirements and Compatibility’ information, you’ll see this:
As you are already aware, I am a Pixel user, so it was the third item in the list above which convinced me to become an early adopter of AirTags. And even though Apple says the company designed the AirTag to track items, not people or pets, my plan was to do exactly that: attach it to my dog’s collar.
When I asked Drance about parents using AirTags to track their small children (such as during an outing at an amusement park) or pets (we know you’re up to something shady, Fluffy) she was quick to stress that the company designed the AirTag to track items, not people or pets. If parents would like to safely track their young children, she suggests an Apple Watch with Family Setup might be a better choice. (source)
My dog’s AirTag.
When the AirTag arrived, I linked it to my iPad and immediately started testing it. Every time my wife would go on a longer walk with our dog, I would track them simultaneously on Google Maps and Apple ‘Find My’ app. To accomplish that, my wife would leave her iPhone behind and bring an Android that was sharing its GPS location with me.
If she were to take the iPhone with her, it would be too easy for the tracker. My goal was to learn how the AirTag would perform when having to rely on other people’s iPhones to do its thing. And to my surprise, the first tests went very well. The ‘Find My’ app would show our dog about a block behind the Android GPS, which was expected and quite accurate if you ask me.
However, on walks very early in the morning, I would completely lose track of my dog on the map. The same would happen in large and spacious parks. All of that was also expected, but sometimes it was not working, even when she had people around her. Android users, for sure. But that’s not all the problems I experienced.
I don’t know why, but the AirTag alarm would go off every other day even when my dog and the iPad were close to each other. Extremely close to each other. I would be sitting on the couch reading something on the iPad, with my dog lying down by my side.
That, I could never fix. Even after unpairing, resetting and parring again several times. It was so frustrating that I ended up destroying the AirTag.
Relax, it’s not what you are thinking.
We had a trip coming up, and our dog would stay with a pet sitter, which meant she would inevitably face the ‘away from owner’ alarm. As for the ‘AirTag traveling with you’ alert, that’s okay, as I definitely would tell her about the tracker.
Long story short, I decided to disable the speaker altogether. This would also solve the issue of the alarm going off when it wasn’t supposed to. Taking great care, as always, I went about the delicate process. Unfortunately, after the surgery, the AirTag refused to pair.
That was the perfect timing to try the Chipolo Spot, which is compatible with Apple’s network. I bought a 4-pack, and guess what? One of them also had the alarm going off almost every day. Maybe it’s an issue with the iPad parring, since it never happened to the ones paired with my wife’s iPhone.
Google’s Answer to AirTags
A few days ago, I received an email from Google with the news I was expecting for a while and decided to buy new takers.
Find My Device network is coming soon.
You’ll get a notification on your Android devices when this feature is turned on in 3 days. Until then, you can opt out of the network through Find My Device on the web. After the feature is on, you can manage device participation anytime through Find My Device settings on the device.
How it works.
Devices in the network use Bluetooth to scan for nearby items. If other devices detect your items, they’ll securely send the locations where the items were detected to Find My Device. Your Android devices will do the same to help others find their offline items when detected nearby.
Of course, there are plenty of people using iPhones here in Europe, but Apple’s phone is only more popular than Androids in the United States. Android has a much larger market share worldwide, which translates to a potentially wider network for Google’s ‘Find My Device’ service when compared to Apple’s ‘Find My’. And that’s something I’m excited to test.
I purchased another 4-pack, but this time it was a Chipolo Point. Point? What about the Spot? Okay, time to decode Chipolo product line.
Be careful
Similar to Tile, Chipolo already had its own network and was selling distinct tracker models, namely ONE, which resembles a circle, and Card, which resembles, well, a card.
When Apple introduced the AirTags, Chipolo released compatible trackers, which they branded as Chipolo Spot. And now there’s the Chipolo Point, compatible with Google’s ‘Find My Device’ service. The appearance and form factor of the models are the same, no matter the network. So, always pay attention to what you are buying.
The Future
Life360, the parent company of Tile, which has never mentioned trackers compatible with Apple’s or Google’s networks, recently announced a GPS-Bluetooth network in partnership with Hubble Network. What‽
I’ve never heard of this network or the technology before, and am interested to see how a satellite can pick up a Bluetooth signal from Earth. But besides the brief post and hyperbolic video published on Life360 website, there is not much said about anything else. And I have so many questions. For example, will there be a subscription? Will current Tiles work on this network? Does the satellite constellation currently exist?
In any case, I’ll be taking good care of the Tile trackers I still have in my drawer.
The first time I used an e-Ink screen device to write an article.
I’m torn. Part of me wants to make this work because that screen is so good, but at the same time, the writing experience is not as convenient as opening my MacBook Air and starting to type.
My obsession with how simple it is to sit down anywhere, open a lid, and start typing began with an 11-inch MacBook Air back in 2012. I loved that computer. It traveled with me around the globe, allowing me to write books, articles, and blog posts wherever I was. Furthermore, its size was perfect for trains and plane tray tables.
It was eventually replaced by the M1 Air, which is a little bigger, but I still carry it with me to far too many places. Regarding the small screen of both computers, it was never a problem since I always had an external display at my office.
And, yes, I have tried an iPad, but, regardless of what Apple claims, that’s not a computer. Mostly because of iPadOS limitation. Anyway, I quickly stopped using it because, more often than not, I had to also pack my laptop for the non-writing work. So, why bring two devices with me if I can do a much better job with just the MacBook Air.
Enters the Supernote
The Nomad, which is the one I have, is a little bigger than a Kindle, but much smaller and thinner than an iPad. It has an e-Ink screen and the Kindle app. And talking about reading, I love my Kindle and keep it in my bag all the time. Can you see where I’m going with this? But before that, let’s talk about my first attempt to organize my notes in the Supernote (video below).
I’m trying my best to document and share my learning process, but inevitably the videos about the Supernote will always be a few days and many features behind my real-life experience. So, what I showed in the video above has already evolved to a system that I’m thrilled with.
I’m easily capturing and organizing my ideas like never before. There’s almost no friction and, of course, I’ll publish a new video about it in the following days. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that with the above solved, I thought I could probably give the Nomad an extra job.
Yesterday I packed a generic foldable Bluetooth keyboard and a tablet stand and went to a coffee shop. Writers tend to spend far too much time looking at screens, and that combined with the time I spend editing videos has taken a toll on my eyes. So, the first thing I felt when using the Supernote to write was an immense relief. The comfort is almost indescribable. What a gorgeous screen to look at.
However, before that, I had grabbed the Supernote pen, navigated to the article, unfolded a keyboard, unfolded a stand, and only then start typing. Arguably, there are also many steps when using a laptop, but it is a single piece of equipment and there’s no need to lift the hands off the keyboard and trackpad to get to the app and start writing.
Extra gear and fewer features
Using the Kindle app on the iPad was never an option because of the screen, but I can now leave my beloved Kindle behind, and make room for the Supernote.
However, if my goal is to write long texts when away from my home or office, I’ll have to always carry that keyboard and stand with me. I’ll also miss some useful tools, like LanguageTool. Not to mention that I have already expressed my negative thoughts about devices like this.
Fortunately, I’m already old enough to understand that only the fool never changes their minds. Maybe less strain on my eyes and a more mindful writing experience is what I need for a while.
The only way to know it for sure is by trying, and if this extra job I’m giving the Supernote ends up failing, I’ll be fine with it. Like I mentioned above, this lovely device has already become my quick go-to notepad for jotting down and organizing ideas. In other words, it’s already in my everyday bag, coming with me everywhere.
How the Vision Pro caught my attention despite my skepticism
It looks like Apple did it again!
No, I haven’t purchased one and do not intend to do so anytime soon, but this is the first device of this type I would ever buy. Confused? Go with me for a moment. It will make sense, I promise.
Even though the Vision Pro isn’t the only Augmented Reality device out there, I always felt like all the others were made for gamers. It might be because of how they are promoted. I don’t know. But since I’m not a gamer, buying a virtual or augmented reality headset simply never crossed my mind.
It’s a computer
From the very beginning, Apple was clearly positioning the Vision Pro as a consumer device, but because of my gaming perspective and the price tag, it was never an item on my radar. Then I watched Casey’s video about it, and something clicked for me. This is definitely not for gamers. It’s not a gimmick for geeks, either. It’s for everyday people who prefer or have to use computers to do their work.
I’m still putting off buying a US$4,000 (after taxes and some accessories) first-gen gadget, but that video sent me on an endless journey on YouTube. Many people are showing it being used as a computer with several giant screens. In other words, one can use it to “work on a computer” with practically no desk space. All that real-world usage really spoke to me. Well, “real-world” might not be the best choice to describe it, but I think you got it.
I could never use the iPad as a Mac replacement. Despite Apple spending a fortune trying to promote it as a computer, it is not a computer. The restrictions imposed by iPadOS make my work much more challenging. The Vision Pro, on the other hand, can be connected to a real computer, and that makes all the difference.
So many Apps
However, a computer is only as good as the software library available for it. And as far as I could understand, everything that works on macOS will work when a Mac is connected. Which kind of brings us back to the old debate about touchscreen Macs, but I digress.
Then there’s visionOS, which has the potential to unleash a wave of new ideas, much like iOS did a long time ago.
And, of course, the younger generation that prefers mobile devices was not left out. Thanks to Scott Forstall’s advocating for the App Store on the iPhone, there’s now an abundance of Apps already available for Vision Pro.
Why not buy it?
Well, first there’s that price tag. Then there is the fact that it is a first-generation device. I waited until the 3GS to buy my first iPhone, and in hindsight, I should probably have waited until the 4S.
There is one thing for sure: Apple won again. I can clearly see myself purchasing a smaller, lighter, and much, much cheaper version of the Vision Pro in the future. And if it makes the Apple stock go up enough, I might be able to score one for free by selling some of what I own to buy its “4S” generation.