Technologies

Google Launches Android 14 for Pixel Phones: Everything You Need to Know

If your Android phone supports Android 14, you can download the OS today.

Google announced the release of Android 14, alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones, on Wednesday during the Made by Google event. The Android 14 software update is rolling out to supported devices.

The latest major release of the Android mobile operating system brings new features to your Android smartphone, including AI-generated wallpapers, passkeys for third-party apps, monthly reminders for data-sharing, and camera flash notifications.

Read more: Google Promises Pixel 8 Phones Will Get Software Updates Through 2030

Android 14 was first released as a developer beta back in February, shortly after Google’s annual Google I/O event, with a beta version dropping a couple of months later. The general public release of Android 14 was originally slated for early September but was ultimately pushed back until today.

During today’s Made by Google event, in addition to the new Pixels, the company also unveiled the Pixel Watch 2 and the latest Pixel Buds Pro — all of which you can preorder.

Don’t miss: Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Watch 2: Everything Google Just Announced

If you’re interested in testing Android 14, here’s everything you need to know, including the biggest new features, whether your phone supports Android 14, and if so, how to download Android 14 onto your device.

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What new features are coming with Android 14?

Android 14 doesn’t revolutionize the Android experience so much as push the mobile operating system forward, but it does now offer AI-generated wallpapers, passkeys for third-party apps, dynamic monochromatic themes and more.

Mostly there are enhancements: camera, accessibility, home screen, lock screen, privacy and security, and battery optimization all are improved with Android 14.

The camera gets several improvements with Android 14, including support for high-quality Ultra HDR images, better low-light photography on compatible phones and in-sensor zooming that allows you to zoom in and out without loss of image quality in some third-party apps. A new document scanner service will allow apps to digitize physical documents, like your receipts, with your camera.

For accessibility, Android 14 offers larger fonts, scaled up to 200%, for those who are visually impaired. There are also camera flash notifications — which use your camera’s flash to notify you — meant for people who are hard of hearing. You can pinch-to-zoom to set magnification in your apps. And there are more customization settings for hearing aids.

The lock screen features a new customization picker, with custom clocks and lock screen shortcuts.

And for privacy and security, you have notifications warning you of any changed data-sharing practices for third-party apps, stricter app permissions, enhanced PIN privacy, ability to disable 2G connectivity, encryption for all cellular connections and more.

Which Android phones support Android 14?

Every Android phone out there supports the Android OS — but not in the same way.

Google usually develops a new Android update, known simply as Android OS, and then releases it to its own devices, like the Pixel Pro, Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. Other smartphone manufacturers then transform the stock Android OS into their own update, or skin — Samsung has One UI and OnePlus has OxygenOS, for example.

As for pure Android 14, only a limited number of Google devices support the latest Android OS:

Pixel 4A
Pixel 5
Pixel 5A
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
Pixel 6A
Pixel 7
Pixel 7 Pro
Pixel 7A
Pixel 8
Pixel 8 Pro
Pixel Fold
Pixel Tablet

Android 14-based updates will be pushed out to devices from Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, Sony and other manufacturers later this year.

How to download Android 14 on your phone

On your supported Android, go into the Settings application, scroll down to the bottom and tap System > System update. If Android 14 is available on your device, you’ll see your update status appear. If not, tap the Check for update button at the bottom. Next, hit Download and install and wait for your phone to download the latest software and restart. Once your phone boots back up, you should see Android 14 running.

Note: If you see a «not enough space available» notification, you’ll need to free up storage before you can update to Android 14.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.