TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 is three measly days away and we can’t be any more pumped. Here’s an insider’s guide to everything you need to know to have a successful Disrupt experience.

Registration and early badge pickup

Sunday, 10/27: 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Early badge pickup — skip the line on Monday by grabbing your badge early.

Monday, October 28: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 29: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 30: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Please bring your government-issued ID. The name on the badge and ticket must match for pickup. 

TechCrunch Disrupt event app

Download the Disrupt event app via Bizzabo here. Log in with the email address that you used to register your ticket. Use the app for up-to-date agendas, register for Roundtables, view exhibitor lists, and access Braindate to enhance your networking experience.

For more details on parking, directions, food, and more, head to the Disrupt Attendee Portal.

Tune in and discover

Partner Sessions, Breakouts and Roundtables

With SO MUCH happening at Disrupt, we can’t call out every single session, but here are a few highlights of must-see content brought to you by our partners. Make sure to check out the full agenda here.

Monday, October 28, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Roundtable 1 — How to Build & Run Your Board with Justworks

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Roundtable 3 — Tackle Every Challenge Head-on with Affiliate Marketing with Awin

10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Builders Stage — How AI and XR Will Revolutionize All of Your Devices with Qualcomm

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 3 — Leverage Data Standards to Accelerate Your Startup with InterSystems

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Space Stage — Cislunar: The Next Frontier with The Aerospace Corporation

2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. | Builders Stage — Beyond the Hype: Building AI that Means Business with Google Cloud

3:50 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Fintech Stage — Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition with Visa

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Roundtable 1 — How to Build & Run Your Board with Justworks (encore session)

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 1 — Refining Pre- and Post-Training Data Strategy for LLM Success with Telus

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 2 — Tackle Every Challenge Head-on with Affiliate Marketing with Awin (encore session)

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 3 — Leverage Data Standards to Accelerate Your Startup with InterSystems (encore session)

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | SaaS Stage — Building Enterprise AI Apps with Multi-Agent RAG Systems (MARS) with SingleStore

11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Breakout 1 — The Art of the AI Pitch: Winning Over Investors in 2025 with Dropbox DocSend

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Roundtable 2 — Visionary Companies Embrace Innovation to Thrive in the Fast-Paced Economy with SAP

2:50 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. | Builders Stage — Cloud Doesn’t Have to Mean Compromise with Golub

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | AI Stage — Speeding Ahead: Lessons for the GenAI Evolution with Thomson Reuters

10:50 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. | AI Stage — The AI Clouds Race: What’s Behind the Scenes with Nebius AI

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 1 — Refining Pre- and Post-Training Data Strategy for LLM Success with Telus (encore session)

10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Roundtable 2 — Visionary Companies Embrace Innovation to Thrive in the Fast-Paced Economy with SAP (encore session)

2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. | AI Stage — Architecting the Future: Building Hardware for an AI-Native World with HP

2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. | AI Stage — The Future of AI’s Data Infrastructure: Unlocking the Power of GenAI with MongoDB and Capgemini with MongoDB

Pavilion Startups and Startup Battlefield 200

Who doesn’t love watching startups pitch? No one we know! Get your fill on the Pitch Showcase Stage in the heart of the Expo Hall. Check out startups from international Pavilions and companies from the Startup Battlefield 200 delivering fast pitches to, and receiving feedback from, TechCrunch editors. 

Pitch Showcase Stage 

Monday, October 28, 2024

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Korea Pavilion Pitch Session — KOTRA

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, Hardware, Robotics + IoT

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Japan Pavilion Pitch Session — JETRO

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, Health Tech + Biotech

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Korea Pavilion Pitch Session — KOTRA

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Ukrain Pavilion Pitch Session — USAID Ukraine

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, Security, Privacy + Social Networking

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Belgium Pavilion Pitch Session — hub.brussels

12:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Pavilion Pitch Session — Silkroad Innovation Hub

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, Fintech + Edtech

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Korea Pavilion Pitch Session — KOTRA

4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. | Pavilion Pitch Session — Silkroad Innovation Hub

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, Sustainability, Mobility + Logistics

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, SaaS, Enterprise + Productivity

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Startup Battlefield 200 Fast Pitches, SaaS, Enterprise + Productivity

Don’t forget to catch the Startup Battlefield finalists compete on the Disrupt Stage. Check the agenda for times.

Relax and Network

There is so much to take in and learn at Disrupt, so make sure to take a break to network or relax.

Take a coffee break

Perk up with a caffeine stop courtesy of MongoDB (10/30), Carta (10/28), and Metronome (10/29), located in the lobbies on level 2 or 3.

Women of Disrupt Breakfast

Tuesday, October 29 | 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. — For female pass holders, join TechCrunch and J.P. Morgan for breakfast at Disrupt for meaningful networking and dialogue, while connecting with fellow Disrupt goers, in the Deal Flow Cafe on the third floor.

Investor Breakfast

Wednesday, October 30 | 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. — Exclusive to Investor Pass holders, come chat with your peers, and get ready for a busy day at Disrupt. Located in the Deal Flow Cafe, space is limited. Hosted by SE Ventures.

Industry Meetups

At the end of each day, head to the House of Shields to meet folks interested in your industry. Make sure to bring your badge, as it’s your ticket to get in.

Monday, October 28 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. — Space and Fintech Meetup by Kama Capital

Tuesday, October 29 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. — SaaS Meetup, sponsored by Statsig and SGN

Wednesday, October 30 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. — Artificial Intelligence Meetup, sponsored by Google Cloud and VioletX

Disrupt Side Events

Disrupt brings together a close-knit community of founders, investors, and dealmakers in tech across San Francisco throughout the week. Check out the full list of community events and RSVP for the ones that pique your interest.

Are you ready to experience Disrupt 2024?

It’s not too late to register for your pass and immerse yourself in all things tech. Take advantage of the current low rates before prices jump on October 28 when Disrupt doors open. Lock in your discounted pass here.

The best overall wireless earbuds

$298

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Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds improve upon the previous model with richer sound quality, slightly more powerful ANC, and vastly improved comfort thanks to their reduced size and weight. Read our review.

The best budget earbuds under $100

Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds have the same general design as the company’s previous earbuds — but you can get these in a snazzy yellow. They include ANC, more than decent sound quality, and other features like multipoint for just under $100.

The best noise-canceling earbuds

$299

With dynamic, rich sound and the best noise cancellation available in true wireless earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are a terrific pick if you want to listen to your music in peace. Read our review.

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The best earbuds for sports and working out

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds have integrated wing tips that help keep them secure during runs and workouts. They also have excellent noise cancellation, and their sound has just the right amount of bass and kick to keep you motivated. Read our review.

The best earbuds for iPhone owners

The second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with much better noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and onboard volume controls. The latest refresh also ships with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning. Read our hands-on impressions.

The best earbuds for Samsung Galaxy phone owners

$250

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s best-sounding wireless earbuds yet. They have a stemmed design similar to the AirPods Pro, but even if their design is a little bland, the Buds 3 Pro make up for it with great call quality, useful voice commands, and more. Read our review.

The best earbuds for Google Pixel phone owners

$229

Significantly smaller and lighter than their predecessors, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 also offer stronger noise cancellation, a crystal clear transparency mode, and lengthy battery life. Read our review.

The best earbuds if you own both Apple and Android devices

The Beats Studio Buds Plus offer better sound and noise cancellation than the original pair, and they now come in a unique translucent color option. Read our review.

The best earbuds for sound quality

Sennheiser’s MTW4 earbuds provide a top-notch listening experience, decent noise cancellation, and sound personalization for a custom audio profile that’s uniquely tuned to your ears. Read our review.

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The best earbuds for voice calls on iPhone

Apple’s AirPods 4 improve on previous models with better sound, clearer voice calls, and an even more comfortable design. For $50 extra, you can purchase a model with active noise cancellation and wireless charging.

The best earbuds for voice calls on Android

Sony’s LinkBuds have a standout design that’s rooted in comfort and an airy, open sound. They also excel when used for voice calls, outshining pretty much all competitors. Read our review.

In the past, OnePlus has revealed details of its handsets bit by bit as launch day approaches, and it’s the same for the OnePlus 13: the official unveiling is on Thursday, October 31, but we already know the camera specs for the upcoming flagship.

OnePlus confirmed the information in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo (via Android Authority). There are three cameras on the back, which are a 50MP main camera, a 50MP periscope lens, and a 50MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view.

The partnership between India’s space agency, ISRO and Axiom Space for the Axiom-4 mission is a major achievement in India’s space exploration efforts. Set to launch in October 2024 for the International Space Station (ISS), this mission highlights the importance of working together globally, advancing technology and the increasing involvement of private companies in space activities. Interestingly, this mission will include a crew of four astronauts, Peggy Whitson (Axiom Space), Shubhanshu Shukla (ISRO), Sławosz Uznański (POLSA/ESA) and Tibor Kapu (HUNOR) from Hungary. It also has a backup crew which includes Michael López-Alegría (Axiom Space), Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (ISRO) and Gyula Cserényi (HUNOR) from Hungary. 

Axiom Space, established in 2016 by Michael T. Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian, is a major provider of human spaceflight services and builder of human-rated space infrastructure. Located in Houston, Texas, the company plans to create the first-ever commercial space station, known as Axiom Station. Axiom Space conducts complete missions to the ISS while working on developing its replacement, the Axiom Station. Additionally, the company is designing next-generation spacesuits for use in low-Earth orbit (LEO) on the Moon and beyond. 

The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) is a private spaceflight heading to the ISS and is set to launch in October 2024. This mission will last around 14 days and will be managed by Axiom Space using a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilizing a Falcon 9 rocket. The astronauts will go through extensive training that includes scientific research, technology demonstrations and space outreach activities. 

“NASA will provide essential to the Axiom-4 mission, including key services, through a Special Order and a reimbursable Space Act Agreement. These services include supplying the crew, delivering cargo, offering storage and providing daily resources while in orbit. The astronauts, including those from India, will undergo training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This training is crucial to prepare them for the mission and ensure their safety and effectiveness in space. The agreement with NASA also includes up to seven extra days on the ISS in case of unexpected issues, allowing the mission to adapt as needed,” explained space expert Girish Linganna. 

He explained that there is also a special order and space act agreement which includes a detailed plan that describes the services NASA will provide for the Axiom-4 mission. “Providing food, clothes and other necessary items for the astronauts. Transporting and storing the equipment and supplies needed for the mission and making sure that astronauts have access to such essentials as power, water and air while on the ISS.  Allowing up to seven extra days on the ISS in case of delays or emergencies,” added Linganna. 

Under the reimbursable Space Act Agreement is a financial deal where Axiom Space pays NASA for the services they provide including training using NASA’s facilities and knowledge to train the astronauts, access to NASA’s training centres and other buildings and help and support for the launch and return of the mission. 

There would also be scientific experiments on Axiom-4. Under this, ISRO has planned five experiments for Axiom-4. These experiments, created in India, will explore different scientific and technological areas. Some experiments will be done with other space agencies, adding more scientific value to the mission. Besides this, NASA will help carry out these experiments by providing the necessary resources and expertise. This includes setting up and operating scientific equipment on the ISS. Broadly the experiments will focus on materials science, biology and Earth observation, using the unique microgravity environment of space to make new discoveries. 

“One of the unique technical features of this mission is the integration of advanced life support systems and autonomous docking capabilities in the Crew Dragon spacecraft. These systems are designed to provide a safer and more efficient environment for the crew, reducing the need for manual intervention and allowing astronauts to focus on their scientific and operational tasks. Additionally, the spacecraft is equipped with state-of-the-art communication systems that enable real-time data transmission and high-definition video streaming back to Earth, enhancing mission control and public engagement,” said Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, which is into design, fabrication and launch of small satellites, spacecraft and ground systems. 

She added that the mission will also involve the deployment of cutting-edge scientific instruments and experiments. For instance, the crew will conduct research on the effects of microgravity on human physiology, which is crucial for long-duration space missions. They will also test new materials and technologies that could be used in future space habitats and vehicles. These experiments are designed to push the boundaries of our current knowledge and pave the way for future innovations in space exploration. 

“A particularly exciting aspect of this mission is the zero-gravity experience it offers. This environment allows for unique scientific experiments that cannot be conducted on Earth. For example, the behavior of fluids, combustion, and biological processes in microgravity can provide insights that are impossible to obtain under normal gravitational conditions. This experience is not only scientifically valuable but also crucial for preparing astronauts for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars,” remarked Kesan. 

By partnering with Axiom Space, ISRO leverages private sector expertise and resources, significantly reducing costs compared to traditional government-led missions. This approach aligns with the global trend of commercial space ventures, making space exploration more economically sustainable. This partnership exemplifies the growing role of commercial entities in space exploration. Unlike traditional partnerships that are often government-to-government, this collaboration involves a private company, highlighting a shift towards more diverse and inclusive space missions. 

The mission is a critical step in India’s human spaceflight program, particularly in the context of the upcoming Gaganyaan mission. The experience and insights gained will be invaluable for ISRO as it prepares for its ambitious goal of sending Indian astronauts to space independently. The mission supports a variety of scientific experiments and technological tests in the unique microgravity environment of space. This focus on diverse scientific objectives underscores the mission’s critical role in advancing our understanding of space and its applications. 

ISRO’s collaboration with Axiom Space is a landmark event that combines technical innovation, economic feasibility, and international cooperation. It sets a new standard for future space missions and highlights the evolving landscape of global space exploration 

There have been previous Axiom Missions which include Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) that was launched on April 8, 2022. This mission was the first fully privately funded and managed mission to send a crew of four astronauts to the ISS. During their 17-day stay, they carried out various scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. Besides this, there was the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) which was  a private space mission operated by Axiom Space. It launched on May 21, 2023, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission successfully docked with the ISS on May 22. After spending eight days on the ISS, the Dragon crew capsule, named Freedom, undocked and returned to Earth 12 hours later. This mission, which lasted 10 days, emphasised scientific research and educational outreach activities. 

The Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) was also a privately funded space mission to the ISS, launched on January 18, 2024. The mission lasted 21 days and concluded with a successful splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. The goal of this mission was further scientific research and promoting international collaboration in space. 

Google’s next major update for smartphones is here. Android 15 rolled out to Pixel devices on October 15 and will trickle down to countless other devices over the next several months. Android 15 has eschewed visual updates and instead tidies up the interface and improves existing features. It also gets a number of under-the-hood improvements that you may toy with occasionally.

Android 15 packs a host of privacy-centric features, including the excellent new Private Space. Android 15 also brings a big boost to satellite communications, extending the functionality beyond the Pixel lineup. Let’s dive into more details about the availability and new features coming to your phone with Android 15.

Android 15 release date

As a cheeky trick, Google released Android 15 on October 15 for supported Pixel phones and the Pixel Tablet. All Pixel phones from the Pixel 6 lineup and newer are eligible for the update. Since Pixels make up for a small chunk of the Android space, a large percentage of devices still await their respective Android updates.

As with each year, manufacturers have been adapting their custom skins to Android 15, adding their own custom visuals and features on top. Besides Google, brands such as OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, and Samsung have already previewed their new Android 15-based interfaces. Meanwhile, some other brands such as Motorola, Nothing, Vivo, and Honor have initiated open beta programs for some of their devices where anyone can try the upcoming updates. Xiaomi is the sole big brand that has yet to make any announcement about its Android 15 update.

Phones that can download Android 15

Of the phones that can already download the Android 15 update, Google’s Pixel phones top the list. The Android 15 update is already available for the following Google devices:

In addition, a small set of phones, including the Nothing Phone 2a, Vivo X100, and the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro have already received open beta updates based on Android 15. Motorola is also rolling out the beta update for Motorola Edge 2024, but only in certain regions where the phone is known as Edge 50 Fusion.

Meanwhile, OnePlus has announced OxygenOS 15, its custom interface based on Android 15. Samsung, which is usually among the fastest to hop the bandwagon, has delayed the One UI 7.0 update until January, so we expect it to coincide with the Galaxy S25 series launch.

We shall have more details about other devices in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you wish to see if your phone qualifies for Android 15, we have a comprehensive list of all the phones that will get Android 15.

Private Space is one of the biggest new features

With Android 15, Google offers a new way to hide away certain apps and files in a secure vault. Google advertises this as a feature to keep your work and office apps and files separate; it’s like running a phone within a phone — something that previously required specialized apps. Private Space can be an ideal space to tuck away your social media, banking, or dating apps.

Before you can use Private Space, you have to activate and then set it up on your Pixel phone from Settings > Security and privacy > Private space. Google recommends you use a separate email with Private Space. That’s because apps in the vault will exist in a sandboxed environment and can’t interact with the rest of the phone. It is also a good way to secure apps if you are nervous about certain apps stealing your data or abusing Android’s security permissions to access your files.

With Private Space, you can either use your phone’s existing biometrics or set up new ones (including a dedicated fingerprint). This will also be beneficial if you share the device with other people.

After it is set up, Private Space is accessible from the bottom of the app drawer in the Pixel Launcher, where you can add apps or privately access files. At the moment, Private Space is exclusive to Pixel phones and may not necessarily be available on other phones, since some Android manufacturers already offer some similar solutions. For instance, Samsung has a Secure Folder in One UI. Whether other manufacturers adopt the functionality is likely to become clear in the coming months.

Predictive Back updates the navigation experience

Android 15 also brings Predictive Back, a feature that lets you get a preview of the screen that will load up when swipe from one edge for the back gesture. This is similar to the back gesture on iOS, and feels like revealing the card behind the top one in a deck. The idea is to let users know the previous screen without completing the back gesture so they can avoid it if needed. Google says it “lets the user decide whether to continue—in other words, to ‘commit’ to the back gesture—or stay in the current view.”

Unfortunately, Google’s implementation in its current form feels crude (especially compared to iOS) and only displays a small portion of the previous screen. Another disadvantage is that it currently only works in a very small set of apps — we could only spot them in the Settings app and the app drawer.

We would expect other apps to adopt the functionality but unlike Apple, Google gives developers free rein on which features to implement. So, similar to Material You and adaptive theming, developers may choose to overlook Predictive Back.

Make sure to check out Partial Screen Recording

Partial Screen Recording on Android 15 lets you screen record contents on your screen selectively. While starting a screen recording, you will be prompted to choose whether you want to record a specific app or the entire screen. If you choose the first option, the screen recording will only include parts from the selected app and black out the section where you weren’t using the app.

This will prevent you from inadvertently leaking any private information through the screen recordings.

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Simultaneously, there’s another hidden feature that lets you bypass restrictions when specific apps, such as your banking app, prevent taking screenshots. You can skirt around these restrictions by heading over to Settings > System > Developer options > Disable screen share protections. If you haven’t used Developer options before, you may need to enable them from the phone’s Settings > About phone, scrolling all the way to the bottom, and then tapping Build number seven times in quick successions.

Introducing Satellite Connectivity

With the Pixel 9 series that Google announced earlier this year, the company confirmed satellite connectivity as one of the features. Similar to satellite SOS services on relatively newer iPhone and the Apple Watch models, the Pixel 9’s satellite connectivity lets you call emergency services or notify top contacts in case you are ever stranded with no Wi-Fi or cellular service.

Google takes this a step further with Android 15, allowing all phones — besides the Pixel 9 series — to communicate directly with an extraterrestrial satellite. In addition to contacting first responders or alerting chosen contacts, the feature also lets you send messages to just about any phone number.

Google elaborates that any phone with the “proper hardware” will be able to communicate via satellite when necessary. It should supposedly mean phones with modems that support satellite communications, though it’s a little difficult to confirm without proper confirmation from Google.

Google says the feature will depend on carriers, and could possibly happen through special messaging apps that these telcos designate. Though privacy, encryption, and interoperability on these apps are part of a different ball game altogether, we know the functionality will likely not be free of cost. Having long conversations at the expense of artificial celestial bodies will not be economical, so there might be limitations, but these details elude us for now.

Notably, T-Mobile is the only carrier to have activated satellite connectivity. It recently enabled satellite-based texting in partnership with SpaceX, for all of its users in areas affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. However, this functionality supposedly worked irrespective of the operating system.

Whether it’s T-Mobile’s lead with the feature or Google promoting it in Android 15, we can expect satellite communications to get the due attention it deserves.

App pairs are a helpful new tool

Android has supported multitasking in split-screen mode for palm-sized Android devices since Android 7.0 Nougat that was launched in 2016. Over the years, split-screen functionality has become fairly useful because of larger-than-ever displays and hardware that can actually handle the workloads with two apps running simultaneously.

With app pairs on Android 15, you can save sets of two apps that can be launched together in a split-screen view. App pairs can be saved on the home screen, and you can launch pairs directly by tapping the icon. Some Android tablets already support the feature, but it’s now headed to regular-sized phones.

To save an app pair, you first need to:

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1. Open two apps simultaneously in split screen.
2. Open the Recent apps menu.
3. Tap and hold the apps’ icons.
4. Tap “Save app pair”.

These app pairs will appear on the home screen, where you can tap the icon to launch the two apps in split view over and over again. These app pairs would not save in the app drawer, so you will need to be wary while purging excess icons from the home screen.

Notification Cooldown and Adaptive Vibration

With Android 15, Google plans to reduce the pressure that the barrage of notifications put upon us. For this, Google added a feature aptly known as Notification Cooldown with an objective to prevent the bombardment of notifications.

If you ever receive a string of notifications, the feature will subsequently reduce the volume of alerts so they become less annoying. Continuous pings and dings should no more interrupt your flow of thought while you’re trying to conjure up the perfect witty caption for a picture of your cats romping around their multistoried house.

Notification Cooldown currently only works if you keep the volume on for your ringtone and notification alerts. However, if you prefer your phone steadily in silent mode, Android 15 also adds Adaptive Vibrations, which reduces the intensity of vibration when the phone is still (i.e., not being used actively) and facing upward.

This should ideal prevent you from getting distracted by a string of notifications, especially when the phone is set aside. Pixels also give you the option to put your phone facing downward to send it into Do Not Disturb mode.

Notably, Google has downsized the options with these features as compared to when they were initially launched with Android 15 developer preview. This could indicate the company is working to improve them slightly more before being vocal about them.

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HQ webcam mode to the rescue

When the global pandemic hit, our webcams really found purpose again. For many of us who continue to work from home, webcams are vital. But the potato camera that most of the cheap webcams have can impair the quality of our virtual interactions.

As a solution, Apple released Continuity Camera two years ago, allowing the iPhone to be used as your webcam. Google followed suit last year, and enabled your Android to be used as a wired (not wirelessly, alas!) webcam with any Windows, macOS, Linux, or even ChromeOS machine. With Android 15, the quality is getting a significant boost as Google adds a new “HQ” — referring to high quality — mode for the webcam.

The HQ mode makes your images noticeably sharper without adding any latency to the video feed. You can also use your Android phone for camera-dependent activities, such as streaming, without explicitly relying on expensive hardware.

The functionality was previously also facilitated on Android but through third-party apps. By adding this as a native feature, Google eliminates the need to pay to unlock high-quality and near instant camera feed sent to your PC.

USB Lockdown adds an extra security layer

Android’s Lockdown feature adds an extra layer of security to your phone by disabling biometrics. So, in case one of your friends or family members tries to use your phone without your permission, they cannot unlock it by just holding it up against your face or fooling you into pressing your finger on the fingerprint scanner. Even if you haven’t paid attention to lockdown, it has been around since Android 9.

With Android 15, Google goes a step further and locks access to file storage while the phone is in lockdown mode. That essentially means that anyone who tries to access your files by connecting the phone to a computer without your permission, they won’t have luck. More importantly, the feature prevents “juice jacking,” or the technique where public chargers are loaded with rogue cables that can be used to covertly steal your data.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t still tie into the new anti-theft features that Google recently announced for all devices running Android 10 and above. Anti-theft forces your phone to lock when it detects a sudden jerk (similar to the ominous scenario of your phone being yanked out of your hand), but doesn’t fully trigger lockdown mode.

Manual app archiving is another welcome touch

NASA spent the last two weeks hoisting a 103-ton component onto a simulator and installing it to help prepare for the next Moon missions. Crews fitted the interstage simulator component onto the Thad Cochran Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The connecting section mimics the same SLS (Space Launch System) part that will help protect the rocket’s upper stage, which will propel the Orion spacecraft on its planned Artemis launches.

The Thad Cochran Test Stand is where NASA sets up the SLS components and conducts thorough testing to ensure they’ll be safe and operating as intended on the versions that fly into space. The new section was installed onto the B-2 position of the testing center and is now fitted with all the necessary piping, tubing and electrical systems for future test runs.

The interstage section will protect electrical and propulsion systems and support the SLS’s EUS (Exploration Upper Stage) in the rocket’s latest design iteration, Block 1B. It will replace the current Block 1 version and offer a 40 percent bigger payload. The EUS will support 38 tons of cargo with a crew or 42 tons without a crew, compared to 27 tons of crew and cargo in the Block 1 iteration. (Progress!) Four RL10 engines, made by contractor L3Harris, will power the new EUS.

The interstage simulator section NASA spent mid-October installing weighs 103 tons and measures 31 feet in diameter and 33 feet tall. The section’s top portion will absorb the EUS hot fire thrust, transferring it back to the test stand so the test stand doesn’t collapse under the four engines’ more than 97,000 pounds of thrust.

NASA’s testing at Stennis Space Center will prepare the SLS for the Artemis IV mission, which will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft to the Lunar Gateway space station to install a new module. After that, they’ll descend to the Moon’s surface in the Starship HLS (Human Landing System) lunar lander.

You can catch some glimpses into NASA’s heavy lifting in the video below: