This week's issue of Advisorator was brought to you in large part by a Raspberry Pi running Android.

That is, I took one of Raspberry Pi's cheap, programmable mini-computers, installed Android on it, plugged it into my monitor, and proceeded to use it much like a regular computer. I used a Markdown editor called Easymark to write, synced my documents to OneDrive with another app called Autosync, and used Samsung's internet browser—honestly, the best large-screen Android web browser I could find—for research.
 

The experience was admittedly not effortless. Android doesn't officially work with Raspberry Pi devices, so support instead comes from a lone developer by the name of Konstakang. His Android 10 build is a somewhat-buggy work in progress, performance can get pokey at times, and getting everything up and running the way I wanted on my Raspberry Pi 4 took a solid few hours.

And yet, I love it just the same. It's been a great distraction-free writing environment—the Android version of Microsoft Word works just as well as the Markdown editor I mentioned earlier—and it's a nifty entertainment machine as well. I've already loaded it up with classic game console emulators, and while Netflix and Disney+ don't show up in the Google Play Store on this device, I was able to install them through an outside source and download videos for offline playback.

Besides, a tech project like this can be rewarding unto itself. The allure of a Raspberry Pi is that you can make it do all kinds of things with a little digital elbow grease, from running an over-the-air DVR server to setting up a network-wide ad blocker. Trying to run Android on a Raspberry Pi is a great way to get out of your tech comfort zone and learn some advanced Android concepts like sideloading and Recovery mode, and if all goes to plan, you'll end up with a neat miniature computer to show for it.
 

If this is something you want to pursue, I'd suggest either the Raspberry Pi 4 with at least 4 GB of RAM ($55 on its own) or the new Raspberry Pi 400, which crams the entire computer into a slim $70 keyboard. In both cases, you'll also need a 5.1V USB-C power supply like this, a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable like this, a MicroSD card with at least 8 GB of storage, and an external monitor or TV. You'll have to supply your own USB mouse and keyboard (or just a mouse for the Pi 400) as well.

For the sake of keeping this newsletter to a reasonable length, I'm not going to do an exhaustive setup walkthrough—Konstakang's website has all the necessary details, file downloads, and answers to common questions—but here's a rough overview of the process:

• On another computer, you must download and extract the Android setup file and use a program called BalenaEtcher to make it installable on your MicroSD card.
• You then plug the MicroSD card into the Raspberry Pi, boot it up, and go through the Android setup process.
• Once Android is up and running, you must enable the Developer Options menu in Settings, then use it to enable an "Advanced restart" mode.
• Google apps aren't included by default, so you must download them from Konstakang's site using the basic Android web browser, then restart the Raspberry Pi using the "Recovery" option that you enabled in the previous step.
• This takes you to a menu called TWRP, where you can use the "Install" option to load the Google apps you just downloaded. Rebooting should take you back through the Google account setup process, at which point you can download apps from the Google Play Store.
• On MicroSD cards larger than 8 GB, you can also download Konstakang's resize tool, then revisit the TWRP Recovery mode to install it. This will allow Android to use all the space on your card.
• Finally, it's time to fine-tune. I visited Settings > Display > Advanced > Display Size to make on-screen elements look smaller, and Settings > Sound to make media volume louder. I then used the site APKMirror to download Netflix and Disney+, neither of which showed up in the Google Play Store for some reason.

If this sounds like your idea of fun—or you want to brainstorm some other Raspberry Pi projects—just send me an email or hop into the Advisorator chat room on Slack. I'd be happy to help!
 

Hey folks, it's not too late buy an Advisorator gift subscription and get a $5 credit toward your own subscription as well. These are non-recurring subscriptions available in increments of six months (for $30) or one year (for $50). Please consider it if you know anyone who could use some tech advice!
 

Apple's in-app subscription sharing: As reported last week by MacStories, you can now share subscriptions to third-party iOS apps with other members of your family group at no extra cost. Apple had announced this capability back in June, and it seems to be rolling out now.

A few things to keep in mind though: Family sharing will be enabled by default for any new subscriptions you set up from this point forward, but you'll need to turn it on for any subscriptions you already have. You can do so by heading to Settings > iCloud > Subscriptions, then tapping on each individual subscription and selecting "Share with Family." Also, sharing will only work if the app maker has opted into it, so you may not see the option for all your subscriptions yet. In any case, consider revisiting last month's newsletter on subscription sharing if you missed it or need a refresher.

Expensive AirPods headphones: In one more bit of Apple news, the company just announced a $549 set of headphones called the AirPods Max. It seems like the goal is to bring AirPods Pro features such as noise cancellation, spatial audio, and "Transparency" mode to full-blown headphones. They also look pretty comfy with an oversized mesh headband, and I like that Apple's repurposing its Digital Crown from the Apple Watch for volume and playback controls.
 

The price is obviously steep—other premium noise-cancelling headphones tend to sell in the $300 range—but at this point I know better than to question Apple's ability to command higher prices in a given product category, especially where personal audio is concerned. Apple's taking preorders on the AirPods now and shipping them next week.

The $20 smartwatch: On the opposite end of the price spectrum, cheap gadget maker Wyze has announced the Wyze Watch, a $20 smartwatch with an aluminum frame, a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen sensors, and IP68 waterproofing. It's up for pre-order now and shipping in February.

The price itself is not super novel if you look at smartwatches on Chinese e-commerce sites like AliExpress and Gearbest, but Wyze has made a name for itself by slapping slicker software onto such products, as it's done with the excellent $20 Wyze Cam. The results can be hit or miss—I was not crazy about Wyze's $25 fitness tracker from earlier this year—but it's hard not to be intrigued by a full-blown smartwatch for even less.
 

Voiceless assistants: You don't have to speak out loud anymore to chat with Amazon's Alexa assistant. Instead, just open the Alexa app on an iPhone or Android phone, then tap the keyboard icon in the top-left corner. This opens a text message-style interface for typing questions and getting written answers. It's helpful if you're trying to use Alexa in a quiet environment, but even better for navigating the Alexa app's otherwise labyrinthine interface. Try typing "routines" or "reminders," for instance, and you'll get links straight to the corresponding part of the app.

Alexa isn't the only voice assistant with this kind of silent mode, though. If you're using Google Assistant on your phone, tap the keyboard icon next to the microphone for a similar text-based conversation.

For Siri on an iPhone or iPad, head to Settings > Accessibility > Siri, then turn on the "Type to Siri" toggle and check off "Only with 'Hey Siri' under Voice Feedback. You'll still hear Siri out loud if you say "Hey Siri" or have a Bluetooth audio device connected, but holding your phone's power or home button will bring up a text field instead with silent responses instead.
 

HomePod for work: Speaking of voice assistants, I recently put together a guide to using Apple's HomePod speaker in a home office setup, spurred in large part by the launch of the smaller, cheaper HomePod Mini. Due to Siri's tight iPhone integration, the HomePod is pretty useful for placing calls, managing calendar appointments, and setting reminders.

Best of all, though, is the ability to set up more advanced automation with iOS Shortcuts. Here's a Shortcut I made to email yourself a note, and here's one that sets up a focus timer, which turns on Do Not Disturb for the duration of your choosing and plays an alarm at the end. Check out the full story on Fast Company for more details and tips.

Custom browser shortcuts: Over at Computerworld, my pal JR Raphael came up with a clever way to make your own keyboard shortcuts in Chrome. With some modifications to the search engine menu in Chrome settings, you can launch your favorite sites, jump directly to certain Chrome settings, or even perform certain actions on the web just by typing a few characters into the address bar.

I won't regurgitate JR's full column here, but I will note that the same trick works just as well in Microsoft Edge, which has been my browser of choice lately. You'll find the applicable search engine menu under edge://settings/searchEngines, and for most of the quick settings JR mentions, you can replace "chrome://" with "edge://" to enable them in Microsoft's browser. Also, as a refresher, pressing Ctrl-L in Windows or Cmd-L on a Mac will highlight the address bar so you can enter these shortcuts without touching your cursor. Neat stuff! (JR also has his own Android- and Google-centric newsletter, which is great.)
 

• By me: Acer's Swift 5 is a great MacBook Air alternative for Windows lovers.
• Related: What a "Hackintosh" fan hopes Apple learns from PC makers.
• Apple starts a free replacement program for iPhone 11 touchscreen issues.
• Comcast's new nationwide data caps are squeezing remote workers.
• Google Play Music has shut down for good ...
• ... But you can now listen to Apple Music on Google Assistant speakers instead.
• "Please do not put your internet router in a Faraday cage."

Now's a good time to upgrade your computer's speakers with discounts on a couple of speaker-and-subwoofer systems. Logitech's Z623 2.1 system is on sale for $100 (reg. $120) from Amazon or Best Buy, while Costco members can get Klipsch's ProMedia 2.1 system for $90. I have a cheaper variant of Logitech's system (the Z533) and have been happy with it, and Klipsch's system has earned high praise from both The Wirecutter and longtime tech journo Dwight Silverman. Both systems just plug into the headphone jack or auxiliary speaker output on most laptops or desktops.

Other notable deals this morning:

• Lenovo's Chromebook Duet returns to its record low of $229, or less with open-box pricing. Read my earlier write-up of this little machine.
• Also from Lenovo: The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop with an 11th-generation Intel Core-5 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage for $650, down from $900. This looks like an upgrade from last year's well-received Yoga C740, with better gaming performance and battery life.
• Adorama is bundling Sony's WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones with a 20800 mAh battery power bank for $278.
• If you've been holding out on Apple's Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro or new iPad Air, Amazon has it for $50 off.

I appreciate you all bearing with me through this extra nerdy edition of Advisorator. Sometimes I just can't help myself, but if this was just too much for you, don't hesitate to let me know via email.

Until next week,
Jared