Category: Google

Google as a general rule has done a good job of getting fixes out to their devices in a timely manner.  This time however, they failed.

A small subset of Google Pixel owners have been experiencing not receiving SMS messages after upgrading to Android Oreo on their Pixel or Pixel XL.  The problem seems somewhat isolated to Verizon customers but users on other carriers have been impacted too.  The bug first popped up a couple of weeks ago and there is a long thread about the issue in the Google Product Forums.  It appears that it took a while for Google to pinpoint exactly what the issue was but now are stating they have gotten to the bottom of it.

We want to let you all know that we have been able to identify and implement a fix for this issue. Thank you to those that sent over bug reports and for including detailed information here on this thread.

There was an issue introduced in the release of Android Oreo that affects text message (SMS) delivery for a subset of Pixel (not Pixel 2) users.This issue was only seen on a small number of carriers. Unfortunately this has resulted in devices getting into a state where they do not receive messages.

The problem is that users who are impacted by this issue will have to wait until the November Android Security Update to get the fix.  That’s right, you get to live with it for at least another 2 weeks.

Google’s new Made for Google program is kicking off in earnest as the new site for the program has now gone live.  The site lists 22 different vendors who make accessories for various products like the Pixel phone lineup and Pixelbook.  Those accessories have been certified by Google as working with the device for which they are designed for flawlessly.

The site more-or-less is a landing page with links to the 22 different vendor sites.  Those links go to the accessories they make for particular devices like the Pixel, Pixel 2 or Pixelbook.  Not all of the links on the page are functional yet but that will likely change quickly.

Ah, the love between Amazon and Google shows itself once more…. NOT!  It appears that the latest spat between the two giants is over YouTube and the newish Amazon Echo Show.

Users of the new Alexa-powered smart device were cut off from YouTube yesterday with a warning that the smart speaker was unable to play content from the world’s largest video site.  Amazon states that they are disappointed, laying the blame at the feet of Google.  Google, in return, indicates that the reason for the shutdown is due to a violation of the terms of service and that they made Amazon aware that Tuesday was the drop date.

Like many services from Google, Google Finance is under going changes.  Part of those changes is the deprecation of portfolios and portfolio management in the financial news & information site.  The news came from Google yesterday in both a support posting as well as a banner that now appears on the portfolio page of the site.

In an ongoing effort to make Google Finance more accessible and user-friendly for a wider audience, we’re making a few changes to the service in November 2017.

As part of this updated experience, you’ll still be able to:

• Follow the stocks you’re interested in – the list of stocks in your portfolio will be migrated into the new experience on Google automatically

• Receive the latest industry news and market trends

The news means that if you are using Google Finance to keep up to date on news about stocks in your portfolio & to mange it, it’s time to look for another source.

After an update rolled out to the app late last week, several users are reporting that notifications in Android Messages is no longer working.  The update in question is version 2.5.207 users are reporting that the SMS/MMS app simply stops giving notifications and there is no way to enable them again.  Indeed, the app will indicate that notifications are enabled but none are given to users.

The problem appears to be widespread.  Multiple reviews within the Google Play Store indicate that notifications have quit working across multiple devices and Android flavors.

A new update to Google Fit for Android is rolling out with several new features and enhancements.  The update is version 1.73 for those keeping score at home and most of the updates are aimed at improving your workout experience and summaries.

The most visible change in the update is the redesigned workout mode and you can now review summaries of past activities on your Android Wear device.  With Android Wear devices, you can now hear spoken announcements while you are running too.