Microsoft Your Phone app; Sync, See and manage Android notifications on Your PC

A new update to Microsoft's Your Phone app will be extremely useful for professionals who move between an Android phone and a Windows 10 PC for work or personal use. A new feature in the app allows users to get all of their Android phone notifications—or the ones they select—directly on their PC.

Users will also be able to manage those Android notifications on their PC, responding to texts through the computer instead of the phone. You can also take a photo on your Android phone and see it on your computer immediately, which could be helpful for adding photos to a presentation or social media scheduling tool.

The Your Phone app launched last year, with Microsoft continually testing and rolling out new features for Windows Insiders. The feature allowing users to sync app notifications from the phone to a connected Windows 10 PC began rolling out for Windows Insiders using the app back in April

In May, Windows added updates to the app including the ability to send and receive MMS messages, images, and GIFs, as well as syncing over mobile data, and not just over WiFi.

With the latest update, if someone messages you on WhatsApp, for example, you will be able to click the notification on your PC and it will open WhatsApp on your phone, and mirror the phone screen to your PC, allowing you to reply, Thurrott noted.

Here's how to use Your Phone to receive and manage Android notifications on your Windows 10 PC:

1. Link your Android phone to your computer in Windows Settings, or through the Your Phone app
2. Download the Your Phone app from Microsoft to your mobile phone (you must have Android 7.0 or later)
3. Follow the setup prompts 

(Alison DeNisco Rayome)

Google may wipe your personal data backups after two weeks of inactivity

Android users who go two weeks without using their phone may find the personal data backups wiped by Google, according to the company's policy on managing backups.

While the policy isn't necessarily new, it was recently brought to light by Reddit user Tanglebrook, who detailed their experience with the feature in a post on the website. It all started when Tanglebrook began looking for an Android replacement phone after returning Nexus 6P.

While without an Android device, the post said, Tanglebrook was using an old iPhone in the interim. Soon after, Tanglebrook noticed that the 6P backup was missing from the Google Drive Backup folder where it was previously stored. Something was definitely wrong.

After contacting Drive support, Tanglebrook's fears were confirmed: The backup was gone. All of the Android settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and data from 50 or so apps on Nexus 6P were gone forever.

This is the kicker, Google never formally alerted Tanglebrook. Apparently, the policy only displays an expiration date for a given backup on the backup itself, once Google decides to wipe it.

"Your backup will remain as long as you use your device. If you don't use your device for 2 weeks, you may see an expiration date below your backup," Google's support page reads.

Even stranger is that Tanglebrook, who claims to be a paying Drive customer, didn't have an option to use the 100gb of their Drive storage to keep the backup, the post said.

However, this isn't just an Android issue. Apple has a similar policy, and will also delete older iOS backups, as noted by another Reddit user, are-you-really-sure, in a comment.

If you are planning on not using your iOS or Android device for a while, be sure to check the expiration date on your backups and consider storing an extra backup locally just to be safe. (Conner Forrest/techrepublic.com)

Google Assistant Is Now Adding The Ability To Capture Your Screen By Saying “Take a screenshot.”

Taking a screenshot on an Android smartphone can be achieved a number of different ways, but nearly all of them require a number of taps or button presses. However, thanks to a recent update to Google's AI assistant, that task can now be performed simply by using your voice. Say "OK Google, take a screenshot" and the Share panel will pop up, allowing you to capture whatever is on display.

The screenshot command in Google Assistant is a fairly recent addition, but functions exactly like the button method. As such, the navigation and status bar are not visible in resulting captures.

It can be activated by either saying or typing "Take a screenshot." After a brief loading screen, the system Share panel will slide up. The command will also appear in your history of previous Assistant actions.

This new feature also works when the Assistant panel is taking up the entire screen and even after you've asked several questions before issuing the command. "Take a screenshot" will always capture what's "behind" the Assistant panel.

The verbal command is particularly useful and comes as some have noticed in the past day that the screenshot button has disappeared from Assistant. That chip, along with the "What can you do?" option, has disappeared on two of my devices, though it remains on my colleague's phones.

Meanwhile, the built-in screenshot editor that we first encountered several months ago and in a recent Google app teardown is still not yet available for most users. (via 9to5google.com)

Android Oreo is Coming, From Better Notification Handling To a Tool That Helps You Free Up Storage

Now that Android Oreo is starting to reach devices outside of the Android Beta program, here are some of the best features you'll find after installing the update.

From better notification handling to to a tool that helps you free up storage, Android Oreo is full of some awesome stuff. Let's take a look.

1. Notification channels

Developers no longer control the importance level of a notification on Android Oreo. Instead, you are in complete control.

Once a developer updates an app for Android Oreo, the app will have notification channels. Each channel is for a different alert type, and you can set the way it alerts you on your device.

Go to Settings > Notifications > Notifications and select an app to view its channels and customize how it alerts you.

2. Picture in picture

Watching a video, getting directions in Google Maps, or continuing a video call while multitasking on your Android device now possible with Android Oreo's new picture-in-picture feature.

The next time you're chatting up a friend in Google Duo or watching a video, tap the home button to activate the new feature.

3. Wi-Fi improvements

In the habit of disabling Wi-Fi to save battery when you're out and about? With Android Oreo, your device will automatically turn Wi-Fi back on when it detects you're home and reconnect to your home network to save on mobile data.

4. Notification dots

This is sure to be a polarizing feature. Either you're going to hate the small dot placed on top of an app's icon when you have a pending notification, or you're going to love the added touch to keep you on top of potentially missed alerts.

Don't worry, you can disable the notification badges with a long-press on the home screen, followed by a tap on Settings. Next, slide the switch next to All notification dots to the Off position.

5. Password Autofill

Forgetting app passwords is frustrating. With Android O, Google will offer to fill login forms with information stored in your Google account or in third-party password apps that have integrated the new feature.

It's super easy to use and eliminates any excuse for not remembering a password.

6. Better storage management

Running low on storage? Open Settings > Storage > Free Up Space.

You will have the option to delete contents of the downloads folder or uninstall apps you haven't used in awhile to free up precious space.

7. Updates even if you're outta space

Future updates to Android Oreo and beyond will still continue to install even if your device is out of storage. Essentially, the update will stream from Google's servers to your phone or tablet and install on the fly. Users need only 100kb of available space in order to install an update. (Jason Cipriani/Cnet)