Pick up a Pixel 6 on Black Friday? These are the first 9 things to do with it

The Google Pixel 6 might most effective be a month previous, however Verizon and AT&T have been nearly giving them away all over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. If you were given the ultimate Android phone on the marketplace without spending a dime final week, congrats! (If you have not, the ones offers are nonetheless lively presently, so pass industry up to greatness.

With superb options, insanely-fast AI thank you to the Google Tensor processor, and a flashy new design to sing their own praises its upgraded digital camera array, Google has labored exhausting to make it extra private, colourful, and a laugh. While the preliminary setup procedure tries to duvet up to Google can conceivably cram in there, there are all the time things that you want to configure in a while — assuming the place to to find them. From little-known settings to the maximum distinguished portions of your phone, this is how to make the maximum of your Pixel 6.

Ensure Call Screening is enabled

Call Screening used to be the very first Pixel Drop characteristic and it stays considered one of its maximum life-changing. After all, who desires to deal with 3-30 unsolicited mail calls a day? No one!!

Call Screening does not simply deny calls from explicit numbers; it solutions and displays suspicious calls. Using Google Duplex, Google will ask who is calling and what the name is set. Assuming the name is actual and a real particular person solutions, Google will notify you and ask if you need to take the name or decline it.

We have a complete information to the use of Call Screening, however right here are the fundamentals:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the most sensible nook.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Tap Spam and Call Screen.

5. Tap Call Screen.

   

   Source: Android Central

Once you might be in right here, you’ll be able to need to be sure that your settings fit the final screenshot: personal, hidden, and first-time callers will ring at once with the possibility to display the name from the incoming name display, whilst unsolicited mail and faked numbers would possibly not disrupt you until they are saying the proper factor to Google Duplex.

Arrange your Quick Settings

One of the least-liked adjustments in Android 12 is that you just see fewer Quick Settings on any given display. 6 toggles atop the notification panel was 4, and 9-12 (relying on your producer) was 8. It way that there is now not a unmarried spot to waste on your Quick Settings, so when you would possibly’ve simply let the default format slide in the previous, you probably want to customise your fast settings in Android 12.

Before you click on on that information, despite the fact that, I additionally need to speak about a few new and altered toggles. Firstly, as a part of the new privateness dashboard and permission adjustments in Android 12, there are now Quick Settings toggles for device-wide Mic get entry to and Camera get entry to. I’ve been the use of the Mic get entry to toggle when I’m doing considered one of my Netflix or Hulu binges, as Google Assistant is lightning instant on my phone and thinks I sound like the sassy feminine workforce member in part a dozen crime presentations.

As a sidenote, whilst you flip off device-wide mic get entry to, it way you’ll be able to have to flip it again on manually every time you obtain or make a name, as a result of device-wide contains the phone app, too!

Another modified toggle this technology is the merging of the Mobile knowledge and Wi-Fi toggles into a blended Internet toggle. Many out of date Android customers dislike this as a result of they are used to simply toggling Wi-Fi on or off relying on the place they are, however I want the blended toggle.

Instead of utterly “disabling” Wi-Fi — which did not in fact flip Wi-Fi off or prevent any battery — if Wi-Fi is providing you with a deficient, inconsistent connection, you’ll be able to faucet Internet after which faucet 5G/LTE. Android will prevent connecting to Wi-Fi networks for a whilst, then get again to commonplace whenever you depart the Twilight Zone and head house the place the Wi-Fi is powerful.

Set your device gestures

There’s extra than simply faucets and swipes when you need to engage with your phone. From double-clicking the energy button to opening the digital camera with the Pixel 6’s fancy new again faucet gesture, there may be a number of gestures you’ll be able to and must edit.

How to achieve Pixel Gestures menu

1. Tap Settings from your own home display or app drawer.
2. Tap System close to the backside of the menu listing.

3. Tap Gestures.

   

   Source: Android Central

From this menu, there are 3 settings I counsel you edit — or no less than evaluation.

I counsel taking a looksie thru each and every gesture in the menu, as it can refresh you on gestures you will have forgotten. It too can educate you gestures chances are you’ll now not consider the use of earlier than.

Turn on Wi-Fi Calling

Depending on your service, this would possibly rather well be enabled out of the field, however simply in case it’s now not — or in case the E911 cope with is mistaken — it’s all the time a excellent concept to test it. Because Wi-Fi calls are routed thru a router somewhat than your native cellular tower, it cannot robotically inform 911 dispatchers the place you are. Because of this, Wi-Fi calling on some carriers calls for you to examine your cope with information earlier than you’ll be able to flip it on.

Here’s the place to make sure Wi-Fi calling is on and your cope with knowledge is proper.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & web.
3. Tap SIMs.

4. Tap Wi-Fi calling.

   

   Source: Android Central

5. If the toggle is off, faucet Use Wi-Fi calling.
6. You must robotically be taken to the cope with information web page; if now not, faucet Emergency Address.
7. Enter your cope with knowledge if it wishes replacing — akin to in case you are on a circle of relatives plan and do not reside with the number one account holder.

8. Tap Verify cope with.

   

   Source: Android Central

Another useful atmosphere to take a look at this is Calling choice. By default, it’s set to want a cellular community, however when you reside or paintings in a space with deficient, intermittent reception, I counsel swapping over to “Call over Wi-Fi.” This will default to Wi-Fi calling first, then use cellular knowledge if the Wi-Fi is not to be had.

Try Google Assistant voice typing

Normally I’m the first to bitch about the inconsistencies and awkward delays when it comes to voice typing on a phone, however the Google Assistant voice typing in Gboard is beautiful spectacular. Words seem the 2nd I say them thank you to Tensor’s AI processing prowess, and accuracy is set double when put next to the voice typing on my earlier telephones.

The skill to insert emojis, higher punctuate your words, and edit or delete a phrase or a entire sentence makes it a lot more straightforward to kind with your voice. For fast replies out of your notification panel, simply faucet “Reply” and Gboard’s mic icon; there may be not anything sooner. It’s additionally nice when my fingers are hurting after a lengthy day and I do not need the power left to kind.

The greatest catch to this best-in-class voice typing is that you just most effective get the entire enjoy when you use it thru Gboard. If you have got a other keyboard app set — I’ve been a SwiftKey consumer for approximately six years now — you’ll be able to summon Google Assistant with the same old word and command it to kind one thing in for you, however you lose the spoken modifying and simple deletion.

Just consider, like the rest Google Assistant-based, the extra you could have used Assistant over the years, and the extra you utilize it for voice typing, the fewer errors you’ll be able to see.

Boost fingerprint accuracy

Many other people were complaining about the fingerprint sensor in the Google Pixel 6, pronouncing that it is not dependable. It in fact is extra dependable (actual) from a safety viewpoint, however that still way a upper possibility of dangerous reads in case your display is schmutzy or your arms are oily.

It’s extra safe, however at the value of comfort.

Users have attempted a number of strategies to strengthen the excellent learn/dangerous learn ratio. No, the fingerprint calibration device does now not assist until you broke and changed your display, and whilst moisturizing your fingers is a wonderful concept as the dry, biting winds of iciness arrive, when you use an excessive amount of (or too continuously) it simply makes your fingers greasy, expanding your probabilities of a smudged learn. (Please, moisturize responsibly.)

In our enjoy, there are two things you’ll be able to do the actually will strengthen your enjoy: test your display protector and sign up your fingerprints two times. You will have up to 5 fingerprints registered, so you’ll be able to sign up each thumbs two times. Having the fingerprint registered two times implies that the print can fit towards two profiles, doubling the probability your fingerprint fits on the first take a look at.

Google used an optical sensor underneath the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro displays, so in principle, there don’t have been any compatibility problems with Pixel 6 display protectors, however customers have skilled the fingerprint scanner changing into necessarily unnecessary after making use of a display protector.

If you might be the use of a tempered glass display protector, it’s one that is Made for Pixel. Admittedly, there may be now not a lot of the ones presently, however many heavy accountability Pixel 6 instances with integrated display protectors have a circle of adhesive in order that the sensor has a transparent, bubbleless floor for fingerprint reads, in order that’s another choice whilst we look ahead to ZAGG and OtterBox to catch up provide to meet call for.

Are you protecting Pixel Launcher?

I do know that purchasing a Pixel is all about the instrument and the cameras — despite the fact that the Pixel 6 is a beautiful swanky phone all-around — however the one a part of the Pixel enjoy I all the time disable straight away is the Pixel Launcher. I switch out for a higher Android launcher, particularly Smart Launcher 5 as a result of it nonetheless shall we me have Adaptive icons thru Icon Pack Studio.

On maximum telephones, the launcher that comes on the phone is ok, however the Pixel Launcher is missing in some ways. The greatest grid you’ll be able to get is 5×5, which simply wastes lots of vertical area on your own home display and hugely limits widget placement. You even have At a Glance taking up the most sensible of the display whether or not you flip it on or off, and the all-important seek bar sits throughout the backside.

In quick, Pixel Launcher is inefficient.

Pixel Launcher is not all dangerous, despite the fact that. If you stick with the Pixel Launcher, you get house display icons that change with Material You widgets every time you switch wallpapers. It’s the iconic Pixel glance from all the advertising fabrics, however you’ll be able to’t are compatible just about as a lot on your own home display directly.

Because Material You widgets may also be carried out in any launcher and as I stated above, you’ll be able to get adaptive colour icons — in fact extra colourful variations of adaptive icons, it pulls 2-5 colours — you do not need to stick with the Pixel Launcher to get a customized Material You glance. It simply takes a little extra atmosphere up than the Pixel Launcher’s out-of-the-box answer.

Make the maximum of Material You

Once making a decision on a launcher, I would like you to do one thing for me that chances are you’ll now not have ever executed earlier than. It’ll appear bizarre, however you simply have to accept as true with me; it will make your Pixel 6 enjoy higher.

I do know Android widgets earned a rap as unpleasant and awkward years in the past, however Android 12 is in any case replacing that. Google has rolled out up to date widgets for many of its apps, and there may be even a handful of widespread apps that experience already up to date tom fit.

The new Google Keep widget seems wonderful and scales fantastically, and YouTube Music’s Turntable widget helps to keep things easy but a laugh. Google’s executed an excellent task with its climate widget, too: it may also be as small as a 1×1 present temperature or it may also be a 4×3 hourly and multi-day forecast.

Once you could have attempted out one widget, I all however ensure you’ll be able to to find every other price including. And when you run out of Google and third-party Material You widgets to take a look at, there may be a wide selection of Material You KWGT packs to sink your enamel into.

Last however now not least, set a recent wallpaper and spot how Material You shall we your own home display come alive underneath other palettes. The Google Wallpapers app has lots of serious designs — I specifically like the Art segment’s Magic ginkgo, Seashells, and Urban scene — however in case you are having a look to take a look at one thing new, we all know the place to to find the ultimate wallpapers on Android.

Protect your funding

Last, however on no account least, please, please, please offer protection to your new phone, back and front. While we discussed the scarcity of Made for Pixel tempered glass display protectors, maximum movie protectors like ArmorSuit and SuperShieldz will be offering scratch resistance and have not gave the impression to intrude with the fingerprint sensor but.

Moving on to protective the rear glass and that thicc, thicc digital camera bar, there are a number of choices when it comes to each Pixel 6 instances and Pixel 6 Pro instances. Pixel 6 Pro instances — particularly name-brand instances — were exhausting to stay in inventory, every other testomony to the Pixel 6 Pro’s reputation.

Among the present crop of instances, the Caseology Parallax and Vault have felt nice on my Pixel 6 whilst staying on the slender aspect. If you want extra capability with your taste, the Poetic Revolution and i-Blason Cosmo carry a little bulk and a lot of coverage to your new Pixel.

Another funding I’d ask you to extremely imagine is a PopSocket or phone grip, and you’ll be able to need it on the Pixel 6 for 3 causes. First, the Pixel 6 and particularly the Pixel 6 telephones are sizeable telephones, and a PopSocket will can help you achieve extra of the display with out straining your thumb and inflicting an RSI.

Second, you’ll be able to steer clear of every other doable RSI: gripping the PopSocket somewhat than the backside of the phone is helping you steer clear of pinky-propping. Holding up a phone this forged and weighty by way of your smallest finger is a recipe for making your fingers hate you without end. My left pinky is screaming at me as I kind those very phrases; do now not finish up like me.

Thirdly, PopSockets upload taste and personalization to your Pixel 6 with no need to sacrifice construct high quality or drop coverage by way of purchasing a customized, approved case. You’ll to find sports activities workforce emblems, characters from extra popular culture franchises than you’ll be able to throw a PopGrip at, authentic designs, charity designs, or even particular subject material PopGrips and PopTops that give a distinctive and oh-so-satisfying really feel.

Now that you have got the entirety squared away, the most effective factor left to do is experience your glossy new Pixel 6. Go take the ones candy new cameras for a check force, after which see which Material You theme works ultimate with your taste.