Getting to my destination using Google Maps is only half the job. I still need to find parking, track fuel expenses, and decide which stops are worth making on a road trip.

I use Android Auto almost every day, and a few things about it drive me absolutely nuts. My wireless connection drops out, message notifications interrupt my music, Gemini struggles with commands, and some apps I want aren’t even on the launcher.

I’ve always been a Samsung fangirl, so it’s not like I needed convincing to love its phones. But One UI 9 has given me a few more reasons to appreciate them. I love exploring my Galaxy’s settings, and One UI 9 has a few new features that could save me an extra 10 minutes a day to enjoy my evening walk instead of fiddling with my phone. Here are five One UI 9 features that got me excited about Samsung phones all over again.

Google Keep is where I dump everything I need to remember. Grocery items, article ideas, errands, and random thoughts all end up in different notes. Finding anything later is a whole other problem.

Driving is my stress-relief activity. I’m the kind of nerd who actually enjoys checking stats and reports, so naturally, I wanted to see what my driving looks like on paper.

I use Google Assistant when I’m driving, planning my day, or trying to remember something before it slips my mind. I can ask it to message someone, find an answer, or remind me about a task without breaking my flow.

I used to think Excel was just about putting data into rows and columns and doing a few calculations. But once you start using it regularly, you realize how much time you waste doing things manually that Excel can handle in seconds.

I almost switched to another navigation app because Google Maps was starting to feel a little too basic for my daily drives. I use it to get around Ahmedabad, find new places, and dodge traffic when I’m running late.

Hands up if you use Google Maps almost every day. Yep, same here. Between grocery runs, long drives with my husband, and picking up my daughter from school, I open it so often that I assumed I knew all the useful bits.

I switched to Android Auto, and after using it every day, I can see why I prefer it over Apple CarPlay. My husband is a die-hard CarPlay fan, but what I can do with Android Auto makes it hard for me to go back.