The November Pixel Drop just introduced major changes, while also making the HiLight feature just a touch more useful. And while Google outlined a bunch of new things that you’ll see with the update in its press release, apparently there are more features to discover on your own. That said, we’ve gotten word that the update also adds a new Notes widget, which lets you more easily jot down ideas on the fly.
A quick and easy way to jot something down
The way the new Notes widget works is that you can now add a 1×1 widget to your home screen, and when you tap on it, it will surface a floating bubble that can be used to take notes.
By default, this widget is associated with Google Keep, but according to our source, this can be changed if you head into the Settings menu. For the most part, this should be a pretty useful widget.
You can also check previous entries from the widget as well. If you’re running the November Pixel Drop, we recommend giving this widget a try. The update is rolling out now, but could take a few weeks to arrive to your phone.
What else comes with the November Pixel Drop?
The new update brings Gemini Intelligence to more phones, with the Pixel 10 and Motorola Signature 27. It’s important to highlight that Rambler is the highlight feature here, allowing users to more easily communicate when using voice to text.
In addition, users will now have access to customizable widgets, with the ability to create something that really suits their needs. The feature will eventually find its way to the Pixel Watch 4 and Watch 5 at some point. Custom Icons are now a thing too.
One of the more interesting updates from the November Pixel Drop is that Pixel’s HiLight feature is becoming more useful. We had high hopes for HiLight, but it ended up being a complete dud upon release. It only supports Gemini and calls from favorite contacts.
The notification LED will now be able to handle Google Messages from favorite contracts, adding another layer to the Pixel 11’s notification array. We don’t know why Google is dragging its heels here. This should have been something that was fully customizable from day one.
Let’s hope that at some point, Google will open this up to developers at the very least. If you own a Pixel 7 or newer, you’ll want to give the November Pixel Drop a try. Again, the update is rolling out over the new few weeks, so if you don’t see it now, you should see it soon.
Thanks, Zac Kew-Denniss
