How my Android cellphone turned my sudden journey buddy on my final solo journey

A pair weeks again, I flew out to California for Google I/O. The journey was solely a few days, however flying out of Ohio, I had lots of time to kill getting there and again. After all, I had my cellphone on me — and because it turned out, it was just about the one machine I actually wanted to deliver. Listed here are 4 issues I did with my Pixel 9 Professional that made my final solo journey a bit higher.

1

Stayed in control on transportation

It is an apparent concept on its face, however smartphones have revolutionized the way in which we navigate the act of touring in a comparatively quick span of time. From checking in for my departing flight to getting instructions driving dwelling from the airport, I dealt with each facet of journey logistics on my Pixel 9 Professional.

I used to be in a position to simply add my boarding passes to Google Pockets (thanks, Southwest!), and monitoring flight numbers on Google saved me in control on delays and gate modifications. And naturally, I referred to as loads of Ubers and Lyfts to get across the San Francisco Bay space.

2

Obtained into Balatro

I’ve a behavior of bringing my Nintendo Change on solo journeys, however I by no means really find yourself enjoying it. This time, although, I did lastly take the time to get into 2024 indie darling Balatro — on my cellphone.

I’ve bought Balatro thrice: on Change, Xbox, and Android. I am an enormous fan of roguelites, however Balatro by no means fairly received its hooks in me (perhaps as a result of I have never performed a lot poker in actual life). However I used to be desperate to kill a while within the air between Chicago and San Jose, and with my Change buried in my carry-on, my cellphone appeared like the most suitable choice.

Balatro was the one recreation I had put in that I might play with out an web connection, and boy, did I. Over the course of the remainder of my I/O journey, in my lodge room and on airplanes, I sunk a few hours into Balatro, studying the nuances and coming to grips with the poker mechanics that make up the premise of the sport. I’ve saved enjoying since I received again dwelling, and I’ve even completed a few runs. I am really not loopy in regards to the recreation on cellular — my Pixel is just too small for the UI — however the Android model of the sport was an amazing introduction.

3

Tried Android 16 QPR1 straight away

Google received most of its I/O-related Android information out of the way in which early, in an Android Present video that streamed the week earlier than the convention began. However the first Android 16 QPR1 beta, full with the shiny new Materials 3 Expressive, dropped in the course of the I/O keynote, and I used to be in a position to obtain it to my Pixel 9 Professional on public Wi-Fi and set up it with no points. Lengthy story quick: I prefer it!

4

Watched (most of) a film I would not have in any other case

My final flight dwelling from I/O was an extended one: Las Vegas to Cleveland. I attempted to learn on my Kindle at first, however a bit over midway via the flight, bleary from days of journey, I gave up and seemed for an in-flight film to look at on my cellphone.

Southwest’s choice did not have a lot that I would usually watch, however I settled on the 2011 based-on-a-true-story baseball flick Moneyball. I am not all that huge on baseball, however I preferred what I noticed nicely sufficient. My flight landed earlier than the film ended, so I do not know whether or not Brad Pitt ended up working for the Purple Sox or not. I assume I will decide it again up the following time I fly Southwest.

Telephones have change into all-in-one journey instruments

Touring alone generally is a drag typically, however my cellphone helped made my solo I/O journey a bit simpler by serving to me get round and conserving me entertained in my down time. Perhaps sometime I will study that I needn’t deliver so many units with me on journeys like this when my cellphone does a lot of the similar stuff as my Change and my Kindle with a a lot smaller footprint.