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OnePlus Now Supports Backups to Google Photos

I was really impressed with the OnePlus 12 when I tested it out earlier this year, and it looks like OnePlus is continuing to improve upon the solid foundation it has built. The latest version of OxygenOS 14, OnePlus’ Android 14 update, has added the option to integrate the OnePlus Photos app with Google Photos.

This allows photos to be more easily backed up to the cloud, though OnePlus hasn’t mentioned whether or not it will offer support for the ProXDR quality option available on higher-end OnePlus devices. OnePlus owners could already download the Google Photos app and complete a backup, but this will do it without requiring any additional apps to be downloaded. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there is any kind of two-way sync for albums, which would be nice.

To enable the new setting on OnePlus devices, you’ll first need to update to OxygenOS 14. That operating system is available on OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 11 devices, as well as on the OnePlus 10T and OnePlus 9. OxygenOS 14 is also available on some mid-range devices, like the OnePlus Nord 2T and Nord 3.

Once upgraded to the latest version, you can find the setting in the OnePlus Photos app. Open the built-in Photos app and select Settings > Backup with Google Photos, and then tap it to activate it. 9to5Google did report some issues with getting the backups working, most notably that they had to force quit the app an then reload it to make things work correctly after enabling the setting.

Every Android 15 Feature We Know About so Far

We’re expecting to finally hear more about Android 15 when Google I/O hits in May—but we already know a good bit about what the new operating system will entail, thanks to Google’s Android Developer Program, which has allowed developers to access Android 15 on select devices for the past couple of months.

Chief among the changes coming to Android 15 is the inclusion of some new improvements to the UI and UX. Each of the options noted below has either been highlighted by Google itself or showcased in a released build for Android 15.

New features coming with Android 15

Notification cooldown

Google will now let you control the amount of notifications that an app can send you. This should help cut down on spammy notifications from games and other social apps while also allowing you to still get your important notifications. Based on the settings seen in screenshots, you have a couple of different options you can use here, including applying the cooldown just to conversations or to all your notifications.

Partial screen sharing

Android 15 will also allow you to select specific windows that you want to record, allowing you more privacy when it comes to recording something to show off. This feature was first enabled on Pixel devices with Android 14 QPR 2, but it’ll become a widespread Android feature with Android 15.

Satellite connectivity

Google continues to lay the groundwork for better satellite connectivity, and Android 15 will allow you more options. Apps will now be able to use APIs that can detect when your device is connected to a satellite, which will help your phone tell which network you’re connected to more easily.

Universal toggle for keyboard vibrations

You’ll also now be able to toggle off all keyboard vibrations with a universal option in settings.

New camera controls

Google is changing how the camera controls look in Android 15. The look of the camera app is changing slightly, and new extensions will provide more control over low light enhancements as well as more precise control of the flash intensity.

High-quality webcam mode

Android 15 will now provide a higher quality mode for using your phone as a webcam. This feature was first made available in Android 14, but it provided low-quality footage. This new setting should hopefully alleviate those quality concerns. 

Better security for sensitive notifications

Many apps still rely on text messages to provide authentication codes. While it isn’t the safest option out there, Google is at least trying to make them a little safer by blocking third-party apps from being able to read your incoming text notifications when they may contain sensitive information like one-time passwords (OTP).

Better continuity on foldables

Android 15 will also provide more continuity features for foldable phones, allowing you to reopen apps more easily when you close your device.

Multi-accessory Bluetooth tile in Quick Settings

Using multiple Bluetooth accessories can be frustrating on Android devices, as you often need to go into the settings to work with them. In Android 15, though, you’ll soon be able to access all your Bluetooth devices from the Quick Settings tile, making it easier to work with multiple accessories.

Easier audio sharing with Auracast

Auracast is getting an update in Android 15, too. You’ll now be able to share and connect to nearby Auracast-supported devices without having to pair them up completely.

Toggleable taskbar for large-screen Android devices

Google is also updating its persistent taskbar on some larger-screen devices. It first introduced the taskbar in Android 12L, but it shrunk it down in Android 13. Now, you’ll be able to choose to make the taskbar permanent in Android 15, if you want it to be available all the time.

Updated cover screen support

Phones running Android 15 will also have better cover screen support, allowing apps to transfer data to the covers of flip phones like the Z Flip more consistently. 

Support for virtual MIDI 2.0

Google is also adding support for virtual MIDI 2.0 devices in Android 15. This is a huge improvement to the initial support for connecting MIDI 2.0 devices via USB, which Google introduced in Android 13. This will now allow users to control synthesizer apps as a virtual MIDI 2.0 device just as they would with a standard USB MIDI 2.0 device.

Health Connect updates

Android 15 will also get some new Health Connect updates, though Google hasn't specified exactly what will change or be improved just yet. All we know is it will support new data types across nutrition, fitness, and more.

Improved loudness control

With Android 15, Google is officially introducing support for the CTA-2075 loudness standard, which will help developers avoid having inconsistencies with loudness. This should help cut down on the amount of constant switching between volumes when moving between different types of content, both when using speakers and headphones.

New performance features

Google is revamping how the Android system provides access to the Android Dynamic Performance Framework (ADPF), which developers rely on for games and more intensive apps. This provides those apps with more direct access to the thermal and power systems on the device. With updated ADPF features, Android 15 will provide a new power efficiency mode, as well as reports for GPU and CPU work durations, and even the option to adjust the frequencies of the GPU and CPU to meet new workload demands. Google is also introducing new thermal headroom thresholds in Android 15, to help with possible thermal throttling.

Ability to archive apps in the Settings

A new archive option will be available in Android 15, providing more user control over how you handle archives for different apps. Google currently only lets you run archiving through the Google Play Store. However, this new setting will let you archive or unarchive apps within your phone’s settings directly.

Privacy changes

Google is also updating the privacy features in Android 15 by updating it to the latest version of the Privacy Sandbox, as well as adding in a new file integrity feature to help keep files working smoothly. Android 15 will also now detect when your screen is being recorded, to help cut down on malicious apps trying to capture your screens without your permission. You’ll also now have to authenticate your identity with biometrics or your passcode when changing the USB mode on your phone. This will help protect you from malicious computer commands.

Of course, there are likely to be more reveals of features that users haven’t spotted in Android 15 as we move closer to Google I/O and Android 15’s eventual release later this year.

Google Pixel Is Getting the iPhone’s Swipe-to-search

Google is making a big change to the Pixel Launcher, and it’s one of the new features of Android 15 I’m most excited about. In the latest Developer Preview for the new version of Android OS, Google has changed up how you trigger the search functionality in the Pixel Launcher, making it much easier to quickly find apps.

Launchers are one of the most important parts of your smartphone experience because they provide the main playground for where your home screen and apps are displayed. As such, having a good launcher can completely change how easily you use your phone. And the new functionality to Pixel Launcher, which is what many Pixel users have, enables the search function to open when swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

This might seem like a small change, but it’s actually one that will help make moving to Android much easier for iPhone users. Now, when using the Google Search bar at the bottom of the screen, you’ll be able to tap on it and search for an app right from your home screen. You’ll also be able to enable swipe up to start search, a new functionality similar to the swipe down to search feature that Apple includes in iOS.

Having used an iPhone as my daily driver for the past four years, one of the biggest hurdles I had to deal with when switching to Android for my Pixel 8 Pro review was the fact that I couldn’t swipe to search. Instead, I had to go in and find my apps manually, which was really annoying and time consuming. This functionality was available in some third-party launchers, like Nova Launcher, but the Pixel Launcher's base options didn't offer it.

By changing how you search in the Pixel Launcher, Google is making it easier than ever to find the apps that you want. It’s a small quality-of-life change that will drastically change how you interact with your phone, and one that will make the already great Pixel 8 Pro even better.

Aside from updating search, Android 15’s Developer Preview 2 will also add in a new sub-menu for the setting, and some speculate new settings may be added, since the only thing there right now is the swipe to search function.

It has only been a couple of months since Google officially revealed Android 15, and we expect to learn more about it and the upcoming Pixel 8a during Google I/O later this year.

What the Pixel 8a Could Look Like, According to Recent Leaks

The Pixel 8 Pro remains one of my favorite Android smartphones of the past year, and so far the Pixel 8a looks to follow in its footsteps. Now, new reports from Android Authority have revealed what we can likely expect to see from the upcoming affordable Google device, and it has raised some interesting questions about the entire lineup as a whole.

According to Android Authority’s sources, the Pixel 8a will sport the same Tensor G3 chip found in the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8, both of which were released last year. Google has also improved the display from the Pixel 7a, as the source claims the Pixel 8a will sport a 120Hz OLED panel with 1,400 nits of peak HDR brightness. That matches the specs already seen on the base Pixel 8, though the display will be slightly smaller at 6.1-inch compared to the 6.2-inch display found in the base Pixel 8.

This upgrade means that the Pixel 8a will look very similar to the Pixel 8, both in design and visual fidelity. It will also sport the same 2400 x 1080 resolution, though it will have a 128-pixel corner radius at native resolution compared to the Pixel 8’s 102-pixel. Of course, all of this is based off of information provided to Android Authority, and until Google officially announces the Pixel 8a’s specs, we won’t know for sure if what we’re looking at is true or not.


If you're in the market for a Pixel smartphone:


Android Authority’s sources also claim that the Pixel 8a will feature DisplayPort output support, another long-requested feature that first appeared in the main Pixel 8 series. The Pixel 8a will also reportedly feature the same camera setup as the Pixel 7a, though there’s nothing wrong with that camera setup, and Google does most of the heavy lifting for your photographs with its machine learning and built-in AI functionality.

While the Pixel 8a will feature Google’s Tensor G3, it will be slightly different than the one found in the base Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. The silicone die inside the chip is the same, sources claim, but the plastic package around the chip will differ, with the 8a using an integrated package on package setup (IPoP) instead of a Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging (FOPLP). This shouldn’t affect the performance or anything, ultimately, but we’ll see for sure once we have the device in hand.

Having spent so much time with the Pixel 8 lineup, I’m extremely interested to see how the Pixel 8a makes itself stand out from the base Pixel 8. Sure, it will be more affordable, but going forward, Google will need to figure out some way to make these two devices feel different, especially if they’re going to look similar and perform so similarly. It does make me wonder if the company is gearing up to drop the base Pixel in its lineup and instead push the A series with the Pro series, but we’ll see how things play out in the long run.

The reports also indicate that the Pixel 8a will be more widely available than previously A Series Pixels, with the electronic warranty label including new regions such as Finland, Hungary, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and more. Again, we'll have to wait for Google to officially reveal the Pixel 8a and its specs to confirm all of this, but it won't be very surprising to see all this information proven true in the coming months, perhaps even at Google I/O.

The Best Samsung Smartphone You Can Buy Right Now

Capturing nearly 20% of the global market, Samsung has become one of the leading makers of smartphones in the world, with the devices to back it up. The company continues to deliver quality devices and introduce new features, most recently with the well-received Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The new Galaxy is the company's flagship, but it has other models at lower prices that may be enough for your needs. Here are my picks for the best Samsung smartphones on the market in 2024.

Samsung Galaxy S24

Galaxy S24 smartphone
Credit: Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is excellent on the hardware front, with a 6.2-inch AMOLED display and a capable 50MP camera. but its software is more interesting, introducing the AI features included with Galaxy AI

There is an argument to be made for the more expensive models in the S24 lineup, but for most people, the Galaxy S24 is more than enough phone to get the job done. It features the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in pricier models, and the 8GB of RAM will be more than enough for most daily tasks.

The Galaxy S24 typically retails for $799.99, though you can sometimes find it on sale, especially on Amazon.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphone
Credit: Samsung

If you’re a fan of foldable phones and want the latest and greatest that Samsung has to offer, last year’s Z Fold 5 is what's on offer. This foldable device features a 7.6-inch screen when open, and a 6.2-inch display when it's folded closed.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available in both 256GB and 512GB storage variants, with a main 50MP photo camera. Being a foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn’t cheap; you’ll need to shell out as much as $1,919.99 if it isn’t on sale.

If you want the functionality of a foldable but a little smaller, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also worth considering.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone
Credit: Samsung

If you like the Galaxy S24, but want something a little bigger, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Samsung phone for you. Equipped with a 6.8-inch AMOLED display, the Galaxy Ultra S24 is the big daddy of Android smartphones. The included S-Pen can be used to take notes, and the Galaxy AI features allow you to translate phone calls in real time, circle to search for items in photos, and more.

The embedded Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can power intensive gaming (the 12GB of RAM helps). It should keep your games running smoothly, even when you’re multitasking.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra typically retails for $1,300, depending on model, but it can often be found with small discounts on sites like Amazon.

Samsung Galaxy A54

Samsung galaxy a54 smartphone
Credit: Samsung

Though those flagship phones are nice, Samsung also produces worthy mid-range and budget-friendly devices. If you want much of the appeal of a Samsung for less, then the Galaxy A54 is a good choice. This budget-friendly phone offers a fluid 6.4-inch AMOLED display, a 50MP main camera, and expandable storage with 6GB of RAM. The included 5,000mAh battery last you a day.

The Galaxy A54 typically retails for under $500, but you can often find it on sale for as low as $340, making it one of the most appealing and affordable Galaxy phones on the market—though unfortunately, it doesn’t come with access to any of the Galaxy AI features Samsung recently introduced.

Google Just Killed One of Its Best Phone Features

Google has a way of killing off some of its best features and apps. In fact, there’s an entire website dedicated to the apps killed by the tech giant. Now, Google is also taking one of the best features of its phone app to the chopping block—the ability to search for nearby businesses.

Google first announced this upcoming change back in February, stating that “we’ve found a very small number of people use this feature, and the vast majority of users go to Google Search or Maps when seeking business-related phone numbers.” Now, though, it has finally pulled the plug: 9to5Google reports that the feature has officially vanished from the Google phone app.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and say that Nearby Places was my favorite Google feature ever. It was pretty useful, though, when it worked. That’s the real kicker here, which is that the feature was often broken on devices, with it even disabled on a lot of newer devices. Having existed since the Pixel 2 shipped, the Nearby Searches feature was a long-standing reason to use Google’s phone app.

But now that it is gone, you’ll have to turn to Google Maps to find the businesses and other information you need to contact folks. This, of course, makes a lot more sense for Google, which relies heavily on the money that it can make off advertisements pushed across its various products. You can’t put advertisements in the phone app that people use every day, so it's no surprise that the feature hasn’t seen a lot of love in recent years—something that the folks at ArsTechnica were quick to point out in their report.

Whether or not that fact played a part in Google’s decision to kill off the feature doesn’t matter, though. All that matters is that it is dead and gone. And it isn’t the only feature that Google has killed off recently, either. Google Assistant saw a huge swath of features pulled from it earlier this year, including some really handy ones that a lot of people used, like the ability to set and use media, music, and radio alarms. You'll now have to rely on routines for that functionality. Google also removed the option to send an email, video, or audio message using Google Assistant, as well as options for playing and controlling audiobooks on Google Play Books.

Your Older Samsung Device Is Getting AI Features Very Soon

Samsung has officially confirmed that a slew of Galaxy devices from 2023 should get Galaxy AI, the company’s new suite of AI tools, by the end of the month. 

Samsung previously announced eventual plans to release One UI 6.1, which includes all the new AI features, to the Galaxy S23 and other Galaxy devices last month. However, the company followed up with a post on its Korean website that confirms it should be on track to be released by the end of March. Now we finally have even more confirmation, as Samsung enthusiasts have shared screenshots of pop-ups explaining when the new update will be available.

According to screenshots shared by X user @tarunvats33, One UI 6.1 will begin arriving on March 28 in China. Other screenshots show that Samsung Italy has also confirmed the arrival of One UI 6.1 on March 28, though no confirmation of whether it will be released elsewhere has been revealed just yet.

It is possible we could see a worldwide release. However, with large updates like this, companies have been known to release them as part of a rollout, so it could take several days for the update to hit Samsung phones in other parts of the world.

The news that Samsung is bringing Galaxy AI to some of its older Galaxy devices is obviously very exciting, especially for those who didn’t upgrade to the new Galaxy S24 Ultra or any of the other S24 lineup. Alongside Galaxy AI, One UI 6.1 will also bring other updates to last year’s Galaxy devices, though the AI features are certainly going to be the highlight for many users.

Here’s a look at all the phones that Samsung previously confirmed will get One UI 6.1:

  • Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, S23 Ultra

  • Galaxy S23 FE

  • Galaxy Z Fold 5

  • Galaxy Z Flip 5

  • Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra

Samsung has not mentioned any plans to hold back any AI features from any of these older devices, which sets it apart from some of its competitors. Google has played hardball with its AI features on the Pixel 8 lineup, even revealing that the regular Pixel 8 won’t get Gemini Nano and most of the upcoming AI features due to “hardware limitations.” 

What those limitations are is unclear, as both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro run the same chipset. On the other side of things, though, Samsung appears to have no issues making the newer AI features work on older tech, as all of the phones and tablets on the list above are running different hardware than the Galaxy S24, where Galaxy AI debuted.

The features coming with Galaxy AI include things like translation tools, new photo-editing tools, and Google’s Circle to Search feature. It is disappointing that we don’t have a firm release date just yet, but at least owners of older Galaxy devices can expect to see those AI features coming to their devices sooner rather than later.

How to Connect Any Video Game Controller to Your Android phone

Today's smartphones are powerful enough that you can really think of them as fully functional computers that fit into a pocket. And just like computers, you phone can also serve as a gaming system. And while most games will support touch controls, some games work better when you have a controller—and it's easy to pair one with your Android phone.

Most Android smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 series, can easily connect to Xbox, PlayStation, and Bluetooth controllers. There are also mobile game controllers that connect to your phone directly over USB-C, like the Backbone One.

How to connect a DualShock 4 controller to your Android phone

TO pair a DualShock 4 controller, first put the controller into pairing mode by holding the Share button (the button to the left of the touchpad) for three seconds. The light bar on the top of the controller should start to blink. Next, go to your Android phone's settings, choose Connected Devices and select Pair New Device. You should then see a list of available devices. Find DualShock 4 Wireless Controller on the list, and tap its name to connect. After it's paired, it'll show as Connected under the Other Devices section in your Bluetooth settings.

How to connect a DualSense controller to your Android phone

If you have a DualSense or DualSense Edge controller, press and hold the Create button (the button on the left of the touchpad, with the lines pointing outwards) for three seconds unit the controller's light bar starts to blink. Next, on your Android phone, go to Settings, then Connected Devices, and select Pair New Device. Wait until the name DualSense Wireless Controller appears and tap the name to pair it.

How to connect an Xbox controller to your Android phone

Connecting an Xbox controller to your Android phone is easy. First, enable the pairing mode on the controller by pressing and hold the pair button near the controller's charging port (the button should have three curved lines) for a few seconds until your controller's Xbox logo blinks. Next, go to your phone's Settings, then Connected Devices, and choose Pair New Device. Your Xbox controller should appear on the list of available devices. Tap the controller name to pair it.

How to connect a Switch Joy-Con controller to your Android phone

You can also pair a Joy-Con controller to your Android phone. To do so, remove a Joy-Con controller from your Switch and hit the Sync button (the black button near four LED lights located on the connecting edge of the controller). The Joy-Con's lights will move back and forth once it's in pairing mode. Head to your phone's Settings app and choose the Connected Devices option. Next, tap Pair New Device and in a few seconds, your Joy-Con controller should appear on the available devices list. Tap the name of the controller to pair it.

How to connect the Switch Pro controller to your Android phone

If you want to use Nintendo's Switch Pro Controller, the steps are similar to pairing a Joy-Con. Press and hold the Sync button, which is the round black button near the USB-C port. The LEDs on the controller will move back and forth when it's in pairing mode. On your Android phone, go to Settings and head to Connected Devices. Tap Pair New Device and wait for your Switch Pro controller to appear, then tap the controller name to pair it.

How to connect a controller to your Android phone via USB-C

Some mobile gaming controllers can attach directly to your Android phone using a USB-C connector, such as the Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2. You don't have to keep these controllers charged, as they use your phone's battery for power. To set up one of these, extend the controller and connect your Android phone to the left side of the controller, camera-end first. Next, connect the right side of the controller, plugging its USB-C connector into your phone's charging port. The controller should start working right away.

The Google Pixel 6a Is $80 Off Right Now

I bought my Google Pixel 6a in late 2022 and I've yet to experience any issues or feel the urge to upgrade. The Pixel 6a has been a very well-regarded budget phone over the years, but it has never been as cheap as it is right now. Woot is currently selling the unlocked 128GB Google Pixel 6a for $269.99 (originally $349) after an $80 discount.

If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship. (Heads up, though: Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S.) The deal goes on until March 22 at 2:59 a.m. ET or until the phones sell out.

The same Pixel 6a is still $349 at Google and $318.99 at Amazon, with the lowest prices right at the $300 mark. When it came out in the summer of 2022, the phone was $449 and was praised mainly for its great value. It's a phone with a high-end design, an amazing battery of almost 13 hours (which still lasts me all day 2 years later), an OLED screen, and a solid camera (12.2MP and 8MP) for a mid-range price. All these features still hold true at almost half the price. You'd be hard-pressed to find better value for your money for a budget phone than the Pixel 6a. It was also PCMag's Editors' Choice winner of 2022.

If you have a little more room in your budget, the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are also discounted right now, starting at $479.99. The Pixel 6a, 7, and 7 Pro are all covered by Google's ongoing security updates and Pixel feature updates for years to come.

The Samsung Galaxy A55 Isn't Coming to the U.S.

One of Samsung’s most promising new budget-friendly smartphones, the newly revealed Galaxy A55, isn’t coming to the U.S.

Samsung confirmed that the A55—one of the first in Samsung’s A-series lineup to feature Knox Vault, the company’s on-device security system—won’t be making an appearance in the U.S. when talking to CNET this week, stating, “we will not be carrying the Galaxy A55 5G at this time.” It’s a really sad bit of news, especially since this is the first time that I can remember that Samsung hasn’t featured one of its A5x devices in the U.S. The more affordable but less powerful Galaxy A35 is expected to reach the U.S. at release, though.

This move has spurred some interesting speculation in the smartphone market, especially given that the Galaxy A54 did so well for Samsung in the U.S. In fact, I actually recommended the A54 to a couple of close family members who love Samsung phones but needed a more affordable option from the Galaxy S23 last year, and they’ve been extremely happy with the device.

So why isn’t Samsung bringing the A55 to the U.S.? Well, that’s where a lot of the speculation comes in. Some folks believe it might be because Samsung wants to continue pushing the Galaxy S23 and S23+, both of which are now discounted thanks to the release of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Ultra earlier this year. Others believe it could be tied to the A55’s possible competition with the Galaxy S23 FE, which offers closer-to-flagship performance but at a discounted price.

Given the upgrades to the A55 this year, both of these theories likely play a part. Regardless, the result is that Samsung is holding back one of its best budget-friendly phones yet from U.S. consumers. If you were hoping to upgrade to the newer budget device and are looking for alternatives, then the Galaxy S23 FE is a solid option—though it typically costs $599.99 at most retailers.

If you aren’t married to using a Samsung phone, though, the OnePlus 12R is another solid budget-friendly device, which retails for $100 cheaper than the S23 FE. It also sports last year’s flagship specs, making it a great buy for $499.99. Hopefully, we’ll see a U.S. release of the A55 at some point—but even if we don’t, at least there are still plenty of other great budget-friendly phones out there.

Samsung Brings Knox Security Vault to New Galaxy A-Series Phones

Samsung recently announced its two newest A-series phones, the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35. These new devices are the latest in the company’s budget-friendly lineup, and they come with some really enticing features, the most important of which might be the introduction of Samsung’s acclaimed Knox Vault security system. 

This is the first time that the company has brought its flagship security functionality to its more affordable phones, and it signals a huge move to improve user safety and privacy, even on its cheaper devices.

What is Knox Vault?

Knox Vault is just one part of Samsung Knox, which encompasses all of the features of the company’s multi-layer security platform. Knox Vault, specifically, helps protect users' data by protecting some of the most critical data on the device, including lock screen credentials like pin codes, passwords, and patterns. 

The vault also protects device encryption keys and helps keep on-device data safe by encrypting it. This means that only the user with the correct lock screen credentials will be able to access the data, helping secure it even if the device is lost or stolen.

Knox also helps protect data that you’ve uploaded to the Samsung cloud by encrypting it with end-to-end encryption. And it allows the usage of passkeys and other important security functionality directly on the device. Some of these features, like end-to-end encryption in Samsung Cloud, were set to arrive in early 2024, so it should kick in soon. 

Because the Knox Vault processor is separated from the standard processor on your device, it's much more resistant to attacks and exploits that might affect the on-device processor that your phone relies on.

Samsung says that bringing Knox Vault to more than just its flagship devices should help strengthen the program even more, especially as its A-series phones have become some of the most popular budget-friendly Android phones on the market.

Samsung continues to improve on Knox, too, and having more devices to build off of will undoubtedly help the massive tech company come up with new ways to protect its users. If either the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Samsung 24 are a bit too pricey for you to justify, but you still want to experience the new features Samsung has to offer, then both the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 can offer a solid and affordable way to take advantage of Samsung’s Android ecosystem, including its top-notch security.

Samsung has yet to reveal official pricing for either of these new budget-friendly devices. However, they're expected to be in line with pricing seen on the company's previous affordable models.

The Pixel 8 Can’t Access Google’s Latest AI Tools for Some Reason

On paper, the Pixel 8 might seem like a sure hit for Google. It sports the same chip as the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro, but is cheaper and has a screen size that's more manageable for some. Unfortunately, in a strange twist that makes absolutely no sense, though, Google says it won't utilize its latest AI models on the cheaper Pixel 8.

The move caught a lot of people off guard and was only made public after Terence Zhang, a member of the Geminin-on-Android team, said that "Nano will not be coming to the Pixel 8" during a Q&A session at Mobile World Congress 2024. The news was spotted by Mishaal Rahman and shared on X (formerly Twitter).

There are, obviously, quite a few red flags here. For starters, Google has been pushing Gemini harder than I've ever seen it push anything else it has produced. While the opinions on the Google-powered AI model vary, there's no arguing that Gemini can be promising at times. One of the most promising factors, though, was that Google was bringing a version of its fancy AI model to its Pixel 8 lineup.

But now, it seems the flames of excitement around all that might have been fanned a bit too much by the tech giant, as it is now citing "hardware limitations" that will keep it from bringing Nano, the mobile-focused version of Gemini, to the Pixel 8. It's an excuse that makes absolutely no sense, especially since the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are running the exact same chipset.

In fact, the only difference between the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 as far as hardware goes is the display size, which shouldn't affect AI, the cameras, which, again, shouldn't affect AI, and the RAM allotment. The Pixel 8 comes with 8GB, while the Pixel 8 Pro has 12GB. Sure, that might hurt the processing time of the AI a little, but losing 4GB of RAM shouldn't cut the phone off entirely from the AI model. In fact, the base version of the Galaxy S24 lineup also has 8GB of RAM and runs Gemini Nano features just fine.

If there's any other kind of hardware difference, Google has never made it known, and it's odd given how much Google has advertised its Pixel 8 devices as being built for AI.

Sure, there are arguments to be made about how Google might have outlined things during its initial Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro announcements. However, the company never clearly stated anywhere that the two devices would offer different AI capabilities. That's something that probably would have been nice for Pixel 8 buyers to know back in October when the phone hit store shelves.

As it stands, it feels like Google could be creating some kind of false limitations to try to make its more "professional" level phone stand out a bit more, but that's purely speculation on my part. Whatever the reason, it's not a good look for the Pixel 8, especially if Google keeps pushing its AI products and one of its flagship devices isn't able to even take advantage of those features.

My big question now, though, is where this leaves the Pixel 8. Google promised seven years of support for the smartphone, but if it's already pairing down new AI features after less than six months, that seven years of support isn't looking as promising. Hopefully, this will be something the tech giant rectifies going forward. For now, though, Pixel 8 owners can probably expect to get snubbed when it comes to some new AI features.

The Pixel 7 Just Got 'Circle to Search'

In a blog post this week, Google revealed all the upcoming features Pixel phone and watch users can expect to see in the March Pixel Feature Drop, which will be available to download on March 11. The biggest news for Pixel 7 owners is the arrival of the company's nifty new "Circle to Search" feature on those 7 devices.

Once they've installed the feature drop, Pixel 7 owners will be able to long-press the Pixel home button or navigation bar and then circle or scribble on an image, text, or video to get more information about whatever is within the circle. It's pretty cool.

Call Screen is coming to all Pixel devices

Another big addition to all Pixel phones is a better Call Screen feature. This system, intended to cut down on spam calls, is already one of the standout features of the Pixel 8 Pro, and the rest of the lineup is poised to follow suit. All Pixel users will soon be able to use Google Assistant to respond in various ways to a call, including asking for callers to be placed on hold. It will even allow you to receive a chip when a caller is unresponsive.

Upload larger videos and photos to Instagram

Google is also now allowing Pixel phones to record and upload 10-bit HDR videos directly to Instagram Reels, and you'll also be able to upload your Ultra HDR photos directly to your Instagram feed. Samsung recently introduced this option on its latest Galaxy devices, so it's nice to see the Pixel phones getting it too.

Call Screen improvements on Pixel phones
Credit: Google

Upgrades for the original Pixel Watch

This month's Pixel Feature Drop will also show some love to owners of the original Pixel Watch. Starting this week, Pixel Watch owners will be able to take advantage of additional workout tracking features first released on the Pixel Watch 2. The Pixel Watch will also get Heart Zone Training and the ability to auto-pause or auto-start and auto-stop a workout. These devices will also have access to the Fitbit Relax app, as well as the ability to search for public transit directions directly in Google Maps on your wrist.

Other features coming in the March Pixel Feature Drop will allow you to choose exactly what you want to share when screen sharing on the PIxel Tablet, Pixel Fold, or Pixel 5a with 5G and newer phones. Google is also introducing markups in Google Docs that will allow you to add handwritten notes made with a stylus or your finger, and the Pixel Tablet will get a new Gboard voice toolbar, freeing up some screen space.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Is 24% Off Right Now

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, one of the best smartwatches for Samsung or Android users, is on sale for $251.58 (originally $329.99) at Amazon, which is its best price ever, according to my favorite price-checking tools. (If you're more of an Apple fan, the Apple Watch Series 8 and Series 7 are also discounted.)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 was launched last summer with top-notch specs and features. Since its release, it's been compared to the Pixel Galaxy 2 as a competitor for Android users. But with its current discount, it would be very hard to justify getting the Pixel Watch 2 over the Galaxy Watch 6, with almost a $100 difference in price.

The screen is one of the first things that stands out about the Galaxy Watch 6. It has a 1.3-inch, 2,000-nit bright AMOLED display with a digital bezel for quick scrolling through menus. This model's battery lasts for up to 22 hours, which is notably less than the up to 50 hours offered by the previous generation.

With an Android smartwatch, you'll be getting all the latest Wear OS features. Some features specific to the Galaxy Watch 6 are an accelerometer to measure your speed, GPS tracking, a heart rate monitor, a blood oxygen monitor, a temperature sensor, and others. The Galaxy Watch 6 also allows you to make or receive phone calls from your Android phone as long as you're within Bluetooth distance (or anywhere if you decide to get the LTE version).

PCMag thinks the Galaxy Watch 6 is "excellent," and called it the best Android-compatible smartwatch at the time of its release.

How to Choose Between the OnePlus Watch 2 and the Pixel Watch 2

There are several great Android smartwatches on the market, and I've spent a lot of time with many of them, putting them through their paces and trying them out in everyday life. Two of the best options, the Google Pixel Watch 2 and the soon-to-be-released OnePlus Watch 2, both offer similar specs in similar packages, which can make it tricky to decide between them. After regularly using both devices, I'm confident in saying that neither device wholly shines brighter than the other, but depending on what you're looking for—like a longer battery life or a more polished user experience—one is likely to emerge as the better choice.

Specs

Let's get this out of the way right away. The specs on the OnePlus Watch 2, and Pixel Watch 2 both look great on paper. They both offer 32GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM, and both come equipped with Wear OS 4. From there, though, the similarities start to show. Let's take a closer look at each one below.

OnePlus Watch 2 specs:

  • Size: 47mm x 46.6mm x 12.1mm

  • Weight: 49g without strap

  • Display: 1.43-inch AMOLED panel at 60Hz, 1,000 nit brightness, 466 x 466 resolution

  • Case: Stainless steel

  • Chipset: Dual Engine Architecture SnapdragonTM W5 + BES2700

  • Storage: 32GB

  • RAM: 2GB

  • Sensors: Acceleration, Gyroscope, Optical Heart Rate, Optical Pulse Oximeter, Geomagnetic, Light, Barometer, Dual-frequency L1 + L5, Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS

  • LTE: No

  • Battery size: 500mAh

  • Protection: 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H, 2.5D sapphire crystal glass

  • OS: Wear OS 4 + RTOS

  • Compatible Phones: Android 8.0 and up, GMS 23.45.23 or later

Pixel Watch 2 specs:

  • Size: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm

  • Weight: 31g without strap

  • Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED panel at 60Hz, 1,000 nit brightness, 384x384 resolution

  • Case: Aluminum

  • Chipset: Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 + Cortex M33 MCU

  • Storage: 32GB

  • Ram: 2GB

  • Sensors: Accelerometer, altimeter, ambient light, cEDA, compass, ECG, gyroscope, magnetometer, optical heart rate, skin temperature, SpO2

  • LTE: Yes

  • Battery Size: 306mAh

  • Protection: Gorilla Glass 5; 5ATM; IP68

  • OS: Wear OS 4

  • Compatible Phones: Android 8.0 or up

Both have solid specs, great displays, and plenty of sensors to go around. Of course, the Pixel Watch 2 does come with more health-based features, as Google started leaning into its Fitbit components here. It also provides slightly more accurate sensor data than the OnePlus Watch 2, so if you care about the most accurate sensors, that is something to keep in mind.

Design

Pixel Watch 2 next to OnePlus Watch 2
Pixel Watch 2 (left), OnePlus Watch 2 (right) Credit: Joshua Hawkins

The OnePlus Watch 2 takes on a more traditional sports watch appearance, with a flat display, while the Pixel Watch 2 has the unique and beautiful bubbly pebble-like display that helps make it stand out from other smartwatches on the market.

The OnePlus Watch 2 is also bigger and heavier than the Pixel Watch 2, which means smaller wrists will likely find the Pixel Watch 2 more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The Pixel Watch 2 is made of an aluminum case, which is more lightweight, but has been known to be less durable than the stainless steel found on the original Pixel Watch. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Watch 2 features a full stainless steel design that has even been rated for MIL-STD-810H standards, making it statistically more durable than the Pixel Watch 2.

Ultimately, deciding on the design is all about figuring out which will be the most comfortable. Personally, I prefer the larger watch design of the OnePlus Watch 2, and the bigger display means it is easier to get around the watch and look through my various notifications. For smaller wrists, though, the Pixel Watch 2 will still be one of the best Android smartwatch options, especially if you want to keep that pure Google experience going on.

Battery life

OnePlus Watch 2 on blue and black background
Credit: OnePlus

Now let's talk about the elephant in the room: battery life. It's no secret that the Pixel Watch 2 has some of the worst battery life that you'll find in a smartwatch. Yes, it is better than the battery life found in the original Pixel Watch, but it is still a far cry from the longstanding battery life of the Galaxy Watch 6 or several other options on the market right now. When using Always-on-Display, the Pixel Watch 2 typically reaches around 24 hours of battery life.

That isn't great, especially for a smartwatch that you might want to use for tracking your sleep and other health parameters. The OnePlus Watch 2, on the other hand, is rated to last up to 100 hours on a single charge. That's a massive difference, and even in my testing, I was able to use the OnePlus Watch 2 in Smart Mode (which OnePlus recommends) with Always-on-Display for almost four days without having to worry about charging it.

This provided me with more usage options, as I didn't need to worry about keeping my charger nearby or throwing my watch on the charger in between errands. So, if battery life is what matters most, the OnePlus Watch 2 is going to be your best option here.

Charging speeds on the OnePlus Watch 2 are also extremely impressive, especially when using one of the company's OnePlus power bricks—I was able to charge my watch up from 9 percent to 100 percent in less than 30 minutes. The Pixel Watch 2 charges relatively fast, too, and both watches use pin-connected proprietary chargers.

Performance

Pixel Watch 2 on surface of table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

So the OnePlus Watch 2 is going to offer the best battery life, but things get a little cloudier when looking at performance. Sure, Wear OS 4 is a bit smoother on the Pixel Watch 2. But both the smartwatches utilize similar chipset designs, with the OnePlus Watch 2 sporting a Snapdragon W5 for most of its heavy lifting and a BES 2700 MCU for the rest of its power-saving features.

The Pixel Watch 2, on the other hand, comes with a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 for most of its heavy lifting and the Cortex M33 MCU to help with other processing features. The result is a really smooth Wear OS experience, exactly something you'd expect from the company behind Android and Wear OS.

However, daily usage with these two devices results in similar performance most of the time. I did notice some lag in different apps when using the OnePlus Watch 2, but it was never anything that got in the way of what I was doing. Otherwise, both smartwatches deliver snappy feedback to your touches, and they're both really easy to navigate and work with.

One key difference between the two is that the OnePlus Watch 2 relies on RTOS for many of its basic applications and notifications. This can be frustrating, as it does make things a bit needlessly complicated. But once you get the hang of things, it isn't that bad. The Pixel Watch 2 is pure Wear OS 4, though, so it doesn't have to switch between operating systems, which can make it feel a bit smoother, especially since it has more polish overall.

But which is better?

Those looking for a cheaper but larger and still premium experience will find the $299 price tag of the OnePlus Watch 2 extremely appealing. It's a great smartwatch that showcases the dedication OnePlus has made to bettering its devices, and it stands strong as a contender for one of the best smartwatches on the market right now.

On the other hand, the Pixel Watch 2 is only $50 more expensive (most times, it can be found on sale for the same price) and offers more polish and a more unique design for $349.99. If you want a smaller, more polished Android smartwatch, then the Pixel Watch 2 is the way to go.

The battery also plays an important part in this decision, and since both devices will perform similarly, those looking for a longer-lasting battery should seriously consider the OnePlus Watch 2 and its 100+ hours of battery life.

All the New Features Coming Soon to Your Android Devices

Your Android devices will soon get a handful of new features in the coming weeks, Google has announced. These features include the ability to quick-reply via Android Auto, easier access to the Gemini AI, handwritten feedback in Google Docs, and more. Read on for the full list of features coming soon.

New Android features coming soon

Wear OS is getting transit directions

Google Maps transit directions are coming to Wear OS smartwatches, which means that you won't need to take your phone out to navigate, and can instead glance down at your wrist to make sure you're heading the right direction.

A woman looking at her smartwatch, which has transit directions on-screen. These directions are from Google Maps.
Credit: Google

Add handwritten notes to Google Docs

The Google Docs interface is easier to use on computers than it is on phones, but Google is introducing a change that'll make things a little more mobile-friendly. When you're editing a Google Doc on your Android phone, you'll be able to add handwritten annotations and feedback with your finger or a stylus.

Android Auto text replies

Improvements to Android Auto will enable it to summarize text conversations and suggest replies so you can respond more quickly on the road while minimizing distractions. Google says it'll use AI to show you better reply suggestions, such as a button to share your ETA from Google Maps when someone asks how far away you are.

Gemini in Google Messages

Google's Gemini AI will be integrated within Google Messages. You'll be able to use the AI to generate ideas for events, draft your messages, or have a conversation with Gemini right in the Google Messages app.

All your health data in one place

The Fitbit app on Android has been redesigned and it can now show your health data from other fitness apps and wearables. Google says data from AllTrails and MyFitnessPal apps, and the Oura Ring wearable, can be viewed in the Fitbit app.

Casting controls for Spotify

Spotify Connect allows you to stream audio from Spotify to other devices in your house. The latest Android update will add Spotify Connect devices to the output switcher, making it easy to cast audio using Spotify.

Improved accessibility features

Google is adding two great accessibility features to Android—an improved screen reader in Google Lens and image captions in Lookout. Android's screen reader will be able to read out Google Maps ratings, opening and closing hours, and directions to any place that your camera points at in Google Lens. Android will also read out AI-generated captions for images on your phone and on the internet.

Other recent new features

In case you missed it, these other features have recently come to Android devices:

  • Highlight videos in Google Photos: Google Photos allows you to key in a few prompts, such as a location and a year or a month, and it'll automatically create a highlight video using all the photos and videos that match your filters.

  • Shared lists in Google Maps: You can use Google Maps to make plans with friends. You can create a shared list with multiple people and add places to visit, along with notes to explain your choices.

  • Quick-reply to emails: Gmail recently began allowing you to reply to emails from your Wear OS smartwatch.

  • Back up protected photos: Google Photos' Locked Folder can now be backed up to the cloud, allowing you to access your password-protected photos from any device.

Everything We Know (so Far) About Samsung’s Galaxy Ring

If you followed Samsung's last major event, Unpacked 2024, you may have seen an interesting and unexpected teaser. Following the company's news about the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung briefly unveiled the Galaxy Ring, a new wearable designed to be worn, well, as a ring.

And just as my interest was piqued, the company ended the entire show. It clearly had no plans to actually say anything about the Galaxy Ring—only to alert the world to its existence. Now, however, less than two months after Unpacked, the company is offering a more detailed look at its upcoming wearable.

Samsung chose Mobile World Congress 2024 as its next venue to discuss the Galaxy Ring. The main benefit of the ring, as with other smart rings, is a lack of distraction: There's no display to check in on or fiddle with, nor any device-specific notifications. It's merely a data collector, operating quietly on your finger throughout your day and night.

As you might expect from a smart wearable, the sensors in the Galaxy Ring can track your heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep, including movements during sleep and how long it takes to fall asleep. This data is compiled into what Samsung is calling "My Vitality Score," based on a University of Georgia model, which will inform you about how "productive you can be." (Think twice before your company offers you a Galaxy Ring "for free.")

The ring can also inform new "Booster Cards" within the health app, which aim to give you insights about your health and how you can improve in certain areas. In addition, it comes with period and fertility tracking, powered by Samsung's existing partnership with Natural Cycles. This data, your vitality score, as well as the rest of the ring's accrued measurements, will be located in the Samsung Health app.

According to The Verge's hands-on experience, the Galaxy Ring comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from "5 to 13," labeled S through XL on the inside. At this time, the prototypes come in three colors: platinum silver, ceramic black, and gold, which The Verge's Allison Johnson said was comparable to her wedding ring.

Samsung doesn't want you to think the Galaxy Ring is a replacement for the smartwatch, however. As Wired reports, the company claims sleep tracking is improved when users wear both a Galaxy Ring and a Galaxy Watch to bed. Sure, it's pretty convenient for the company to sell two devices instead of one, but it will be interesting to see how well Galaxy Ring pairs with other Samsung and Android devices. (As you might expect from a Samsung device, the Galaxy Ring is Android-only.)

That's all we really know for now. Samsung won't share specific specs, including what sensors the Galaxy Ring has or how long the battery lasts. It's shaping up to be an interesting device, but until the final version hits the market later this year, we won't know how it stacks up to competitors like Oura.

How to Create AI and Emoji Wallpapers on Your Google Pixel

We all spend a lot of time looking at our phones, which means a lot of time looking at the wallpaper backdrop on the lock screen and the home screens—so it makes sense to have something eye-catching that you like looking at as your background of choice. Photos of pets, loved ones, and favorite places are of course popular wallpaper choices, and there's no shortage of wallpaper galleries on the web for you to browse through. But if you want to mix things up even more on your Google Pixel, you can create your own.

As long as you've got a Google Pixel phone running Android 14, you have access to a couple of useful wallpaper features: AI wallpaper and emoji wallpaper. Either of them can create a new backdrop for you in minutes.

It looks likely that these tools will eventually come to Samsung phones and other Android handsets. Nothing has been confirmed at this time, but it's something to look out for if you don't have a Google Pixel.

How to create AI wallpaper

Long press on a blank area of the home screen, then pick Wallpaper and style from the pop-up menu (or go to Wallpaper and style from Settings). You'll see a preview of the backgrounds you currently have set up for your home screens and lock screen, and you can tap More wallpapers to see options for changing them.

If you're ready to start handing over the job of wallpaper creation to Google's artificial intelligence engines, tap AI wallpaper. You'll be asked to choose a theme to get started: Your options here include Night, Terrain, Painting, Imaginary, and Texture, so choose the one that most closely matches what you want to create.

AI wallpaper
Choose a theme to get started. Credit: Lifehacker

You can't just type out any prompt you'd like to generate a wallpaper image. Instead, you need to adapt the prompt that's already there on screen: Tap any of the underlined words to pick a different word from a list. If you're not sure exactly what you want, tap Inspire me to generate a wallpaper based on a randomized prompt.

For example, the default imaginary wallpaper prompt is: "A surreal castle made of silk in shades of coral and tan." You can change "castle," "silk," and "coral and tan" in that sentence—the word "castle" can be switched to alternatives such as "bridge" or "lighthouse," but you're not able to type in any word you like. When you're ready, tap Create wallpaper to see what appears.

AI wallpaper
You can adapt the prompt provided. Credit: Lifehacker

You can swipe left and right to see the different variations that have been generated, and up at the top you'll see thumbs up and thumbs down icons that give feedback to Google's AI image generator. You can repeat the process until you find something suitable, and switch themes using the drop-down menu at the top.

When you've got something you like, tap on the tick icon in the top right corner. As with any new wallpaper, when you tap Set wallpaper on the next screen, you get the option of applying it to your lock screen, to your home screens, or both.

How to create emoji wallpaper

You follow the same route to get to the emoji wallpaper generator as you do for the AI wallpaper generator: Either choose Wallpaper and style from the main Settings screen, or long press on a blank part of one of the home screens and choose Wallpaper and style. The previews of the current lock screen and home screen wallpapers are shown, and you can tap on More wallpapers to make changes.

Emoji wallpaper
Pick the emojis you want to use. Credit: Lifehacker

Select Emoji workshop to start playing around with the feature: The next screen will show emoji wallpapers you've previously created, if there are any, so you can always get back to them again if needed. To start a new one, tap on the large + (plus) icon underneath the Create emoji wallpaper heading.

Your first task is to choose some emojis to base the wallpaper on: You'll see some suggestions already in place for you under the Emoji heading, but you can tap Edit emoji to change them, or Inspire me to get a new, randomized selection. You're allowed up to 14 emojis, but wallpapers can also be created from just a single one.

Emoji wallpaper
You get a choice of patterns and colors. Credit: Lifehacker

Tap on Patterns, and you're able to adjust the layout of your wallpaper. There are a variety of different layout options to pick from—including Stacks, Sprinkle, and Mosaic—and you can see how each one looks by tapping on it. Use the slider underneath to adjust the size of the emojis you've picked.

Lastly, the Colors tab lets you (as you might have guessed) set the color scheme for your wallpaper masterpiece. You are limited in terms of the color combinations you can pick from, but there are quite a few different options, which you can see by swiping left and right on the dialog box.

When you're happy, tap on the tick icon in the top right corner of the screen to see a preview. Select Set wallpaper, and as usual you'll be able to apply the backdrop to the lock screen, to the home screens, or both (for a consistent feel). The new wallpaper is also added to the Emoji workshop page we saw earlier.

The Only Way You Can Get the New Nothing Phone 2a

Last year's Nothing Phone 2 was an overall positive improvement on the Nothing Phone, the company's first flagship mobile device. The rear LEDs are a little brighter; the hole punch camera is centered; the display is slightly more vibrant; and, perhaps most importantly, the battery life is better.

And when compared to other flagships, the Phone 2 feels like a value. It starts at $599 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (as of this writing, you can even get one for $50 off). Boost the RAM and storage to 12BG and 512GB, respectively, and the price tops out at $799, or the cost of the base iPhone 15—provided you pay full price (with those specs, the Nothing Phone 2 will cost you $679 on sale right now). Of course, the devices cuts some corners to reach that price: The display is 1080p, lower than that offered with other phones; the cameras aren't super impressive (as Marques Brownlee highlights in this YouTube review), and it's not as water and dust resistant as other phones in its class.

However, that's not stopping Nothing from working on a midrange smartphone to complement the Phone 2. The company plans to call it Nothing Phone 2a, evoking Google's midrange line of Pixel devices. Now, to be fair, the company hasn't explicitly labeled the Phone 2a a midrange device, but in the announcement video, Nothing implies the 2a will be cheaper than the Nothing Phone 2, and will take advantage of efficiencies in manufacturing to pass savings to the end user.

Unfortunately, at this time, we don't know anything else about the phone itself. Nothing is keeping the 2a's specs pretty close to the vest. What is known is when the company will launch the device: on March 5, during an event that will take place at 6:30 a.m. ET. The company also has a separate event scheduled during Mobile World Congress later this month. Initial reports assumed the event would be about Nothing Phone 3, but now it seems more likely they'll highlight the Phone 2a.

You won't be able to just buy a Nothing Phone 2a...yet

We also know that people in the U.S. won't be able to simply buy the phone, like they would the Phone 2. Instead, Nothing is making the phone available for developers through the Glyph Developer Kit. The intention is for devs to buy a Phone 2a through this program in order to test their apps using Nothing's glyph system, and optimize those apps for the LEDs on the back of the phone.

Nothing hasn't released any additional information about the program, so it's not clear whether you need to be a registered developer in order to order the Phone 2a, or when (of if) the phone will be some direct-to-consumers. However, as The Verge notes, Nothing's first phone had a similar "Beta Membership" program, charging customers $299 to try out Phone 1.


Check out the Nothing Phone 2:

How to Hide Old Photos of an Ex on Your Android

If you've broken up with your partner, you may find yourself wishing that your phone wouldn't keep reminding you they exist. Photo galleries in most modern phones automatically create all kinds of interesting collages and slideshows, which is great when the memories in question are happy, but can be triggering after a painful breakup. I've written before about getting rid of your ex's photos from your iPhone, and this guide will help people who use Android phones do the same.

It should be noted that various Android phone manufacturers use their own versions of the photo gallery app. The steps to hide or remove your ex's photos from those apps may vary, so I'm focusing on an app included on most Android phones sold in the U.S.—Google Photos. It's the preferred photo backup service for most people who use Android. Unfortunately it doesn't allow you to automatically delete all photos of any one person, but it has some neat workarounds that let you hide your ex's photos quickly.

Hide a specific person from Google Photos

To hide all photos of someone from your camera reel, open Google Photos and tap the profile icon in the top right corner. Go to Photos settings > Preferences > Memories > Hide people and pets. This will reveal a grid of all the different people and pets identified in your photos. Select all the people (or pets) you want to hide, and you will no longer see their images in memories or other highlights created by Google Photos.

Hide photos taken on a specific date from Google Photos

Google Photos also creates memories based on specific dates in a calendar year. This can lead to suggestions you watch slideshows of your anniversary with an ex-partner, birthday parties, or other moments that were significant in your life. You can stop Google Photos from creating these memories too. Go to Profile icon > Photos settings > Preferences > Memories > Hide dates. Add the dates you want to exclude and Google Photos will leave out any photos from those days when it creates memories.

Archive all photos of a specific person

If you're sure you don't want to view any pictures of your ex, but don't want to delete those photos outright, use Google Photos' Archive feature. This will move those photos to a separate folder and prevent them from being added into any new memories the service creates. To do this, open Google Photos and press and hold any image of your ex. Keep scrolling and selecting all the photos you don't want to see, until you've found them all. When you're done, swipe right on the bottom toolbar and select Archive.

Delete your ex's photos altogether

This is the nuclear option, but in Google Photos, it requires a lot more manual work than in Photos on iPhone. You'll need to select all pictures of your ex manually and choose the Delete option from the bottom toolbar to get rid of these photos for good. They'll still be in the Bin folder, which you can access by going to the Library tab in Google Photos and selecting Bin. Removed photos are permanently deleted after 60 days.

Google Made Some Improvements to 'Family Link' Parental Controls

Par : Jason Keil

As children's online safety and lack of internet supervision continue to be a hot-button issue, Google recently announced it has updated its parental controls app Family Link, which allows parents to manage and monitor their children's activity running the Chrome or Android operating systems. In addition to announcing a donation of $20 million to organizations focused on the well-being and safety of children, including Highlights for Kids and Sesame Workshop, Google shared these new updates to help caregivers guide children toward appropriate content for their age and monitor how their children spend their time online.

Here are the updates:

  • Family Link is now easier to find. When logged into your Google Account, just search for "parental controls." An information box listing the accounts you supervise and a link to each of their settings will appear. 

  • You can now share passwords securely with your family members. Suppose you are a caregiver sharing access to a website with a single account or helping your son or daughter with homework. You now have the option to easily share the username and password for a specific website or service with Google Password Manager.

  • Easily control SafeSearch settings. The search-filtering feature is on by default for users under 18 but is now directly available on the Search results page. 

  • YouTube now has default features aimed at teens' wellbeing. Google announced last November that recommendations of problematic content, such as videos that compare physical features or idealize body types, would decrease on YouTube, the popular video-sharing platform owned by the company. Additionally, the "Take a Break" and "Bedtime" reminders will be more prominent and appear more frequently.

You can learn more about these new Safe Search features and other initiatives here.

How to Turn Off Google Assistant on Your Android

Google Assistant is a useful part of the Android ecosystem, in theory. It helps you set reminders, make calls, and even identify a song for you. But at the same time, it’s one more thing vying for your attention. If you end up accidentally triggering Google Assistant now and then, or you just don’t feel the use for it anymore, there’s a way to disable it on your Android smartphone, and on Google’s smart speakers (though you can’t fully disable the assistant on the latter, as it’s the primary way of interacting with the speaker). 

How to turn off Google Assistant on an Android smartphone

Steps for disabling Google Assistant on Android
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

It starts in the Google app on your Android smartphone. Tap your Profile Picture from the top-right corner and choose the Settings option. Alternatively, you can use Google Assistant itself to get here (ironic!) by saying, “OK Google, open Google Assistant settings.”

A Popular Settings section will show up at the top; scroll a bit lower, to find the All Settings section, which lists all settings options alphabetically. In this section, choose the General option. Finally, tap the toggle next to Google Assistant to disable this feature. 

How to disable "Hey Google" voice commands for Google Assistant on Android 

Toggle for disabling the Hey Google voice command for Google Assistant on Android
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Maybe you think that Google Assistant is quite useful after all, you just don’t like that it randomly triggers itself when you haven’t intentionally uttered the “Hey Google” or “OK Google” commands. 

In that case, you can disable only the voice commands functionality, and continue using Google Assistant from the app. To do this, again go to the Google app, tap your Profile icon from the top-right corner, and choose Settings. Then, go to Google Assistant > Hey Google & Voice Match and disable the Hey Google feature. 

How to turn off Google Assistant on Google Home or Nest smart speakers 

You can’t altogether turn off Google Assistant on Google Home or Nest smart speakers, but you can disable the microphone, so that the speaker is not listening to you, or for the "Hey Google" trigger phrase. You will find a Microphone button at the back of the Google Home or Google Next speakers. On the Google Home Mini and Google Nest Mini, this button is found near the power cord. 

Push the button and the device will be muted instantly, and the Google Assistant will stop functioning. When you want Google Assistant back, simply press the Microphone button again.

The Galaxy S24 Has Problems

The Galaxy S24 lineup received a lot of praise following its initial launch, but the honeymoon period appears to be at an end. It seems the S24 phones have a series of issues that users continue to highlight, despite not popping up in most reviews. If your Galaxy has problems with its cameras, displays, or connecting to Android Auto, you're not alone.

The S24's display can be disappointing

Galaxy phones are usually known for their high quality, vivid displays. It's part of what fans like about using these devices. However, with the S24, some users have noticed their displays aren't up to the usual Samsung standards. For more context, check out this Reddit post, which describes how the S24 changes the way the display looks in different situations. When scrolling through an app, things look great, but when returning to the home screen or pulling down the notification shader, everything gets washed out and dull.

Other comments echoed similar issues with their S24 displays, including some with screenshots showing off the problem. You can see here the difference between one user's Galaxy S21 and their S24, both running YouTube. In the photos, the S21 looks as you'd expect, with dark blacks and vivid colors; by comparison, the S24's blacks look gray, and the colors are more dull overall. One comment put it well, saying the S24 looks like an LCD, rather than the OLED Galaxy phones have been famous for for years.

According to a screenshot from one internet commenter, Samsung is aware of the issue and is working on a fix. However, Samsung Spain later said the display's washed-out appearance is intentional. To me, it seems like Samsung support doesn't know what's going on either, and we'll have to see whether there's actually a fix in the works to make Vivid mode more consistent. Until then, you could try switching your display to Natural mode, but that would just make the entire experience dull.

Switching between cameras on the S24 isn't smooth

The issues with the S24 aren't isolated to the display. On some Galaxy S24 devices, zooming between the 1x zoom lens and the 5x zoom lens is noticeably choppy. It's supposed to be a seamless transition, so that you don't even notice the phone switching between lenses, but on affected devices, the focus change is blatant.

You can see that clearly from this post on X: The user zooms in on a box of desserts, but once they hit 5x, the focus shifts abruptly. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not supposed to happen. As it turns out, it's a hardware defect that affects the first S24 devices Samsung produced. Subsequent S24s don't have this flaw, and can switch between lenses without trouble. To add to the problems, portrait shots as well as 5x and 10x photos may have a grainy appearance.

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The S24 is having trouble with some cars' Android Auto interfaces

In addition to the aforementioned issues, the S24 seems to struggle with Android Auto interfaces. According to a UK support page, the Galaxy S24 is having trouble connecting to Android Auto in certain Volkswagen, Skoda, and SEAT cars. Samsung says this is likely an issue on the car side of things, not with the S24 itself, but the company does walk users through troubleshooting steps to getting things working. These steps are pretty basic, including trying a new USB cable, updating the S24, updating Android Auto, or looking through Android Auto settings for anything that might interfere with the connection.

Luckily, this one sounds like something car manufacturers can fix with a software patch. If your car is affected, keep an eye out for incoming updates. As for the other problems, I'll be keeping an eye on whether Samsung comes out with anything more definitive.

The OnePlus 12R Is Solid, but It’s No ‘Flagship Killer’

At $500, roughly $300 cheaper than the flagship OnePlus 12, the OnePlus 12R looks like another great option for those looking to get a faster, better-performing Android device at a cheaper price point.

Having been billed as a flagship killer, I put the OnePlus 12R to the test to see just how well it stood up against other flagships, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Pixel 8 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the very flagships that it claims to kill.

Design and display

OnePlus 12R faces up, rests on a table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

Right off the bat, the design and display of the OnePlus 12R are both wonderful. The phone comes in two styles: a frosted glass back that's a dark gray; or the smoother, cool blue glass back that I got to test out. The iron gray design looks more like the same design we saw on the back of the 12 that I tested, which I really liked because it did a good job of fending off fingerprints.

On the Cool Blue, though, the lack of frosted glass means that the back is extremely shiny. While pretty, fingerprints and smudges stick to it like glue. Sure, they can easily be wiped off, but if you end up picking up the Cool Blue, you'll definitely want to add a case or something to it just to help fend off those fingerprints and grime.

The display is equally as pretty as the back, though, and it comes with OnePlus' 120Hz ProXDR display, which offers a silky smooth touchscreen experience and vivid colors in all environments. It also sports Aqua Touch, a feature that the OnePlus 12 also came with. This means your phone is still usable even when it's wet, and I put that to the test out in the rain one day, and was still able to open apps, make a phone call, and even swipe around on TikTok.

With a peak brightness of 4500 nits, too, the HDR10+ and HDR Vivid enabled 6.78-inch display is a marvel to look at and use. Games look fantastic on it, and I tested it with Genshim Impact and Asphalt 8 with no issues. We'll talk a bit more about how those games performed further down, but they looked absolutely stunning on the OnePlus 12R's large display.

Of course, the overall design of the 12R is very reminiscent of the OnePlus 12, which means the display curves around the sides of the phone with a slight edge. It's still not my favorite design ever, but it never feels bad in the hands, either. Side-by-side, it's almost impossible to tell these two devices apart.

Specs

OnePlus 12R rests against a wall
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

While the OnePlus 12R takes a lot of cues from the newest OnePlus flagship, it also cuts some of the internal pieces to make room for that price cut. The processor here is an older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so it's running a bit older hardware than the newer flagship models. The Gen 2 is still really good, though, and you shouldn't have much issue running anything on it. Here's how the 12R stacks up overall:

  • SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

  • RAM: 8GB / 16GB

  • Storage: 128GB / 256 GB

  • OS: OxygenOS/Android 14

  • Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED ProXDR panel, 2780 x 1264, 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate

  • Battery: 5,500 mAh

  • Charging: 80W SUPERVOOC wired charging

  • Audio: Dolby Atmos

  • Rear Camera: 50MP Sony IMX890 primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide camera, 2MP macro lens

  • Front Camera: 16MP

None of this is particularly exciting, but it should be more than enough to get you through the day and provide hours of gaming and entertainment power. That said, the lower-quality camera is disappointing, to say the least, and the lack of wireless charging definitely feels like a missed opportunity to keep up with other budget-friendly devices.

There's no removable storage option or headphone jack, so those hoping that OnePlus would add it on will be disappointed.

Performance

OnePlus 12R facing up on a table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

As far as budget-friendly phones go, the specs on the OnePlus 12R aren't anything to scoff at, especially for just $500. But how does that all translate to performance? As I noted above, I tested the OnePlus 12R using two pretty intensive games, Genshin Impact and Asphalt 8. Both games ran as smoothly as I expected on the device, which isn't surprising since this same chipset was found in flagship devices just last year. There were a few more hitches here and there than I noticed on the OnePlus itself, but for a $500 phone, the performance was really solid.

Movement through apps felt good, too, and I never noticed any big hiccups in performance while using the OnePlus 12R. Like I said, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still a really good chipset. Benchmarks in GeekBench 6 showed a score of 1559 for single-core and 5059 for multi-core when running in regular mode, and in high-performance, the OnePlus 12R scored 2043 in single-core and 5557 in multi-core. It actually performed better in benchmarks than I saw from the OnePlus 12, which was somewhat surprising.

For those not familiar with benchmarks, these tests essentially run the phone through a multitude of different actions meant to mimic the things you do in your day-to-day life. The higher the score, the better the phone's systems performed. They aren't a true indication of how the phone will handle day-to-day usage, but they can give you a good starting place for comparisons.

The OnePlus 12R also features the newly updated dual cryo-velocity cooling system that the regular 12 does, which was a nice surprise, as it helped keep the phone cool throughout most of my testing. The only time that it did get even slightly warm was during a four-hour session of Genshin, but as I noted above, that game is extremely intensive, so I'm not surprised I felt some heat in the back of the phone. Overall, there's nothing to worry about when it comes to heat distribution here.

But what about the battery life? Because the OnePlus 12R actually has a bigger battery than the OnePlus 12, you might expect it to get better battery life. The reality is that the older processor in the 12R doesn't have as many tweaks and optimizations the newer processors do, which means that extra battery capacity is basically a wash. However, battery life was still really good, especially for a more budget-conscious phone. I was able to use it extensively throughout the day and still had around 25 to 30 percent when I got home at night. On the days when I didn't use it as much, I was able to go a day and a half without having to charge it.

Camera

Back of OnePlus 12R facing up
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

The camera is usually a big sticking point for more budget-friendly phones, and that's the same here on the OnePlus 12R. There's no Hasselblad partnership on the OnePlus 12R, and the 64MP telephoto lens has been replaced with a 2MP macro lens. I've personally never seen much usage out of low-resolution macro lenses, and the same can be said about the lens in the OnePlus 12R.

Overall, camera performance is exactly what you would expect from a pared-down version of the OnePlus 12's camera array. The 50MP sensor still delivers solid photos—though, as I mentioned before, OnePlus delivers far less saturation in its photos than the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Low-light images weren't great; they often turned out overly bright from the camera's compensation systems and were often grainy. The Pixel 8 Pro still continues to deliver some of the better low-light photos that we've seen in a smartphone this release season, and that's just always going to be hard to beat because of Google's heavy-handed AI systems.

For a $500 budget-friendly phone, though, the photos are more than adequate, so long as you aren't expecting it to always keep up with the higher-performing sensors found in more expensive smartphones.

Is it really a flagship killer?

bottom half of OnePlus 12R homescreen
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

Despite how much the OnePlus 12R does right, I have to say I'm not really willing to call it a flagship killer. This smartphone is really solid for the price tag, but OnePlus has made some big concessions to get us there.

One of the biggest, and the most egregious, in my opinion, is the shorter support time that the OnePlus 12R gets compared to the more expensive OnePlus 12: OnePlus only guarantees three years of software updates and four years of security updates on the 12R, compared to the four that come on the standard OnePlus 12. Other budget-friendly phones like the Galaxy S23 FE still offer four years, so it is weird to see OnePlus cut back on that as part of its "price-cutting" technique.

Overall, though, the OnePlus 12R is still a really solid device. If you've been looking for something a bit off the beaten path, but still want to save some money, the OnePlus 12R is a great choice that delivers on OnePlus's promise to "Never Settle," at least in most of the ways that matter.

The OnePlus 12R is available for preorder now. You can purchase it starting at $499.99 for the 8GB/128GB variant or $599.99 for the 16GB/256GB option. You can also get $100 off by trading in any phone, with up to $450 in credits available depending on the device.

You Can Finally Add Extensions to Microsoft Edge on Android

Browser extensions are great: While the companies that make browsers, like Google and Microsoft, pack as many features as they see fit into their apps, they can't add every feature users want or need. Third-party developers, on the other hand, can pour all their resources into one feature or function, and by installing their extension, you effectively add a useful new tool to your web-browsing experience.

This works great on desktop, but on Android, it's another story. Traditionally, Android browsers have skirted support for extensions, as Chromium (the platform powering many popular browsers) only natively supports extensions on desktop. The developers behind the web browser Vivaldi, for example, told Android Police that adding extension support to their Android browser would cost the company a lot. Presumably, that applies to other developers as well, which is why for the most part, Android users need to hop on desktop to access extensions.

But Microsoft seems to think the expense will be worth it in the end. As spotted by Twitter user Leopeva64, Edge is currently testing extension support in the Canary version of its Android app. This is the version of Edge that Microsoft uses to test new features before they roll them out to the public. You can see from the screenshots that, one the Extensions flag is enabled, you find a new "Extensions" option in the Edge menu, where you can add support extensions.

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How to use extensions in Microsoft Edge for Android

While this feature isn't available on the public version of Edge for Android, anyone can try it out for themselves from the Edge Canary app. To get started, download Microsoft Edge Canary from the Play Store. Once opened, type edge://flags in the address bar, then hit enter. Here, you'll be able to browse all the feature flags (experimental features) in Edge Canary, including Extensions, which you'll find under #edge-extensions-android.

Switch this flag to Enabled. Once you do, you can access the new Extensions option by tapping Edge Canary's three-dot menu. According to Leopeva64's post, the three extensions available now are Dark Reader, uBlock Origin, and Global Speed. While hopefully more are added as this feature continues to be tested, at least you're off to a great start. If nothing else, browsing the web with uBlock Origin on Android is a huge plus.

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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Launch Comes With $200 Amazon Gift Cards

Samsung officially released the Galaxy S24 lineup today, including the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which our sister site PCMag called the best Android phone you can buy right now. If you're eager to get your hands on one of them but missed out on the generous preorder offers, you can still get a nice bonus from Amazon in the form of a gift worth up to $200.

The current deals aren't quite as good as the preorder deals. If you managed to order one of the three Galaxy S24 phones from Amazon before today, you got a free upgrade to 512GB of storage from the standard 256GB.

However, you can still take advantage of the same gift card deals from Amazon, which were the best gift card offers from any third-party seller. Here is what you will get:

  • Galaxy S24 Ultra $1299.99: $200 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "5VLIOOUV9RRI"

  • Galaxy S24+ $999.99: $150 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "8TZNQTU3BVOV"

  • Galaxy S24 $799.99: $50 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "ZY75VXDFCFWM"

Click the redeem button below the price to get the Amazon gift card.
Credit: Daniel Oropeza Amazon screenshot

To get the gift card with your purchase, make sure to click the white "redeem" button below the price, or enter one of the coupon codes listed above at checkout. Otherwise, you won't get the gift card, which would be unfortunate.

These codes will work for any variation of the S24, no matter the color or storage size. These are the best deals you can get for any of the Galaxy phones at the moment, and will only be available through Feb. 11. Once you make the order, you'll receive an email from Amazon with the gift card code.

If you're not sure which of the three S24 Galaxy phones is the best one for you, check out this side-by-side comparison from PCMag.

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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Might Make Me Ditch My iPhone

From the Pixel 8 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at the end of last year, to the OnePlus 12 this January, it's been a great time to be in the market for a new smartphone. And despite stiff competition, one phone has managed to stand out above the rest, at least as far as how it blends performance, style, and features: the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It's a strong enough contender that I'd be willing to ditch my iPhone and make the jump to Android.

Design and display

Bridgerton playing on Galaxy S24 Ultra
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

One of the first things you used to notice about a Samsung were its curved "infinity edges." These edges are gone now. I didn't mind them on the OnePlus 12, but I've never been the biggest fan of the design, so I applaud the S24 Ultra's return to a flat panel—for no other reason that it makes the phone look absolutely gorgeous.

Samsung has also taken the titanium plunge this year, bringing the lighter metal to the body of the S24 Ultra. It leaves the phone feeling light despite its large size, and the overall look of the device is sleek. The back does tend to attract fingerprints, but that's something many smartphones struggle with these days.

Beyond the display's form, its function is pretty darn impressive too. Samsung has delivered a beautiful AMOLED 6.8-inch display, with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate of 1-120Hz. Samsung has also upped the display brightness to a peak of 2,600 nits, making it brighter than last year's S23 Ultra, though not quite as bright as the OnePlus 12's 4,500-nit peak. Still, that's more than bright enough to view the display in bright sunlight, and I never experienced any issues seeing what I was doing on the screen, or even watching videos while outside or under bright lights.

Overall, the design and display blend together to create something that feels good in the hand and delivers consistent visuals, no matter what you're doing or the viewing conditions.

Specs

Galaxy S24 Ultra laying on table, face up
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

How do the specs of the Galaxy S24 Ultra stack up against the other flagship devices released over the past six months? Here's a look at the complete specs:

  • SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

  • RAM: 12GB

  • Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (No expandable storage)

  • OS: Android 14 with OneUI

  • Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED at 3,120 x 1,440 pixels, with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

  • Battery: 5,000 mAh

  • Charging: 45W wired, 15W wireless

  • Rear Camera: 200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)

  • Front Camera: 12-megapixel

Battery and performance

Galaxy S24 Ultra face-up on table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is running on a version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. This one has been optimized for Samsung devices, and it feels snappy whether I'm playing games, browsing the internet, or just moving between apps like Discord, Messages, and my email. The onboard AI (more on that in a bit) is responsive, including instant translations, one of the flashy AI features Samsung has brought to the Galaxy S24 series.

As benchmarks go, my own tests in Geekbench 6 revealed the S24 Ultra performs on par with other flagship devices, scoring 2139 in single-core and 7092 in multi-core. For those not familiar with benchmarks, these systems essentially simulate a series of real-world activities to see how fast the phone can process them. The higher the score, the faster it processed those tasks.

For some additional context, the S24 Ultra performed faster than the OnePlus 12 did when using its high-performance mode, despite the two running similar Qualcomm chips. The iPhone 15 Pro Max still scored slightly higher, especially in multi-core, than the S24 Ultra, but I personally experienced smoother gameplay on the S24 Ultra when playing intensive apps like Genshin Impact.

The S24 Ultra has ray tracing capabilities, which generates more realistic lighting in games. While shadows do pop a bit more in some games, this isn't something that's going to sell more phones in the long run. Like ray tracing on computers and gaming consoles, it's a nifty feature, but not quite a game changer just yet.

All that performance typically comes at a cost to battery, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra's 5,000mAh battery is more than up to the task. Throughout my time testing, I was often able to use the phone for over a day without charging it. However, if I spent an unusual amount of time watching videos, listening to music, or playing games while out and about, I found it helpful to carry an extra charger around to top things off so I didn't run out of charge before I got back home. For most typical usage, you shouldn't have any issue getting two days out of the device; if you watch a lot of TikTok or YouTube, or play a ton of games—or dig into the AI features a lot—you'll probably max out at a day to a day-and-a-half.

Camera

Galaxy S24 face-down on table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

Samsung has always delivered solid camera systems, though they tend to be a bit more saturated in color than some of the other options out there (like the Pixel 8 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max). Provided you like that more saturated look, the S24 Ultra delivers a pleasing camera experience.

One thing that people are likely to be interested in is Samsung's move from a 10-megapixel sensor with 10x zoom to a 50-megapixel sensor with 5x zoom. The change is a good one, and ultimately you aren't going to see a huge difference between the photos taken with the S23 Ultra's 10-megapixel sensor and the 50-megapixel sensor at 5x zoom. There are definitely some improvements to the overall detail captured in the photos, but it isn't something everyday users are going to notice. The S24 Ultra still delivers smoother and more detailed zoom photos than any other smartphone on the market right now, and that 50-megapixel sensor is putting in a good bit of work to make that happen.

Low-light photos provide plenty of detail, though I did notice they aren't as bright as those taken by the Pixel 8 Pro or the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This isn't a big issue for me personally, as I feel those two devices often brighten the photos a bit too much; for me, the S24 Ultra is certainly winning in that regard.

The new AI features that let you magically erase and edit photos work well, though I will say I noticed a few more hiccups with Samsung's AI eraser feature than I have with Google's comparable Magic Eraser on the Pixel.

But what about the AI features?

It's becoming more and more common for smartphone to push AI features, and Samsung's latest is no different. The S24 Ultra ships with a ton of new AI features of varying impact, including the new Circle to Search, which lets you circle items on the screen to trigger an intelligent Google search.

Another new AI feature is Live Translate, which takes advantage of real-time translations during voice calls. It's a great feature you'll get a lot of use out of, provided you talk with people who speak other languages. The feature is processed natively on the device, which is great for convenience and security. You won't need an internet connection to use it, and your data isn't going through some Samsung or Google server.

If you're talking in person, you can make use of the new Interpreter option, which builds off Live Translate to transcribe conversations in-person in real-time. Again, it works well and operates on-device as well. The translation function also expands to the keyboard, so you can type messages then translate them in real-time.

AI also powers summarizations in the Samsung Notes app, and helps you create custom emojis from photos. Samsung has also added Magic Compose—a feature already on Google phones—to help you create and edit your messages. Then there are the aforementioned AI photo editing features, which include one-tap prompts to edit photos, remove unwanted items, and more. The prompts are cool in theory, as they allow you to completely change how a photo looks by adjusting entire elements of it at once (for example, removing all shadows), but in practice, this is pretty hit or miss in my experience. Like anything AI, it doesn't always play out the way you want it to, and requires some finagling to get it to the right spot.

There are also new video editing effects, including Instant Slow-mo, which creates a slow-motion video without jarring stutters or frame drops. Samsung has also included a transcription assist feature in its recorder app, so you can start transcribing your recorded conversations right on your phone.

While all of these features are cool, and certainly add some nice qualities to the phone, many of them are also available on Google-made phones like the Pixel 8.

The bottom line

Put all of that together, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra is easily Samsung's strongest phone to date, blending great features with some of the best performance I've seen on a smartphone. It doesn't have many exclusive AI features, but what's there is generally impressive. If you can stomach the high price, it's a great Android phone that will serve you for years to come. It might even be enough to get me to make the switch from Apple.


The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is currently available to preorder and costs $1,299.99 for 256GB, $1,419.99 for 512GB, and 1,659.99 for 1TB. For thee best deal, you can preorder it on Amazon using the code "FEA7SP3UFDJN" and get a $200 Amazon gift card.

What's New in the January Pixel Features Drop

Google's first Feature Drop of 2024 is officially here. The company started rolling out new features for its Pixel smartphones yesterday, Jan. 24, and will continue to roll out features in the coming weeks. There are some interesting new options included in this new drop:

You can now take your temperature with your Pixel 8 Pro

With this latest Pixel Feature Drop, Google is activating a Pixel 8 Pro feature that can scan your forehead to give you an "accurate" body temperature measurement. (It's unclear how accurate this tool is at this time: It's still a smartphone, after all.) Google says you can save the reading to your Fitbit profile if you're someone who likes to keep your health data all in one place.

Circle to Search is nearly here

Google took the feature drop to give Circle to Search an official release date: Jan. 31. This interesting new feature lets you search anything on-screen by circling, tapping, or scribbling on it. To activate Circle to Search, you hold down your Pixel home button or navigation bar and gesture away. The search field pops up over what you're doing, so you don't actually need to leave your app to search.

Magic Compose in Google Messages

If you have a Pixel 6 or newer, you can now try out Magic Compose in Google Messages, which uses AI to rewrite a message you drafted in the app. You can use the tool to rewrite the text in a different tone (more formal for a message to your boss, or more chill for a text to your friend, for example).

While Pixel 6 and newer can all use this feature, the feature is fully processed on-device on Pixel 8 Pro through Gemini Nano. That means you don't need to send your data to Google's servers for AI processing.

Photomoji let you react to messages with your favorite photos

I don't know how well Photomoji as a name is going to catch on, but it is a fun feature. With it, you can turn the subject of any photo into a reaction, in place of an emoji. It's similar to Apple's sticker reactions: You choose a photo, allow Google's AI to cut out the subject, then turn into a reaction that sits on top of the message in question. All Photomoji are saved to a drawer so you can access them again later.

Quick Share is here

Quick Share is Google's revamped version of Nearby Share. Quick Share allows you to share files from your Pixel to other Android, ChromeOS, and Windows devices when in close proximity. Following the Feature Drop, you'll see a new Quick Share icon in the share sheet. When you tap it, you'll see all the devices near you that you can share content to through Quick Share, even offline.

You can control in Settings whether everyone can see your device in Quick Share, or just your contacts.

Audio Switch is now available on Pixel Watch

Audio Switch is what makes it easy to connect Pixel Buds Pro from one paired device to another, without needing to dive into Bluetooth settings to make the switch. Google added that functionality to Pixel Watch, so you can switch from your wearable to your Pixel 5a or newer, or Pixel Tablet.

There's a new Pixel 8 color

Okay, this one's not really a feature, but Google does seem pretty excited about it. The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are now available in mint green. If you've been thinking about picking up a Pixel, and you happen to love this particular shade of green, well, there ya go.


You can buy a mint green Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro from Google's official store:

The OnePlus 12 Is a Slick Flagship Phone That’s Off the Beaten Path

OnePlus has made a name for itself thanks to its branding as a flagship killer, offering affordable flagship phones that often compare to the top end options like the Galaxy S24 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, past OnePlus devices have always fallen a little short of the flagships that they claim to compare to, whether it's missing features or differences in how the hardware performs.

Over the past few weeks, I've spent an extreme amount of time putting its latest device, the OnePlus 12, to the test. As the newest flagship device in OnePlus' arsenal, it has a lot to live up to. Not only does it have to stand up against the other flagships releasing this year, but it also needs to deliver a better experience than OnePlus has delivered in the past, especially if it wants to be the long-lasting smartphone that OnePlus is marketing it to be.

This time around, OnePlus does everything it can to stand tall against the top mainstream options on the market, and it does so with flying colors. Here are my thoughts after a few weeks with the latest OnePlus flagship.

Design and display

Bridgerton plays on a OnePlus 12
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

Right off the bat, let's talk about one of the most divisive things in the smartphone market: design. Looking at it, it's almost impossible to tell that the OnePlus 12 isn't the OnePlus 11. Both devices share a similar design, including their screens with their curved edges and the massive camera bump on the back sporting a Hasselblad logo. That isn't a bad thing, though. The OnePlus 11 was a slick-looking phone, and the 12 continues that slick look—but it also comes with a textured casing on the back, which is great at helping repel smudges and fingerprints.

Speaking of screens, the display on the OnePlus 12 is absolutely gorgeous. Its adaptive refresh rate made playing games and watching videos super smooth, and all around it delivered great brightness indoors and outside in bright lights. It really is a display that feels right at home among other flagships on the market, and the built-in face and fingerprint recognition sensors in the display both work great, though the face recognition did run a little slow sometimes. All in all, the design is really clean, and while I'm not the biggest fan of curved edges on smartphones (something that has become a mainstay in Android phones over the past several years), I'm more than willing to put up with that minor dislike for a phone that delivers as much as the OnePlus 12 does.

OnePlus has also moved the alert slider from the right side to the left, which makes it a bit easier to manage. It's more akin to where you'd find the new Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and this is just something that feels good for a button like this, especially as someone who has spent a good few years in Apple's ecosystem.

The design of the OnePlus 12 also feels really dense, and because of the large camera bump, it definitely feels more top-heavy than some other phones. That weight still feels good in your hand, though, and while it isn't my favorite camera bump ever, I do really like how slick this phone looks in hand.

Specs

OnePlus 12 facing up on a table
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

Which brings us to the next part of the conversation: specs. The OnePlus 12 is an absolute beast when it comes to specs, and while OnePlus has taken some compromises in the past (like the lack of wireless charging in the OnePlus 11) there are far fewer compromises here. You can expect a top-of-the-line camera system, a top-end processor, and even support for 50W wireless charging thanks to its AirVOOC wireless charging system.

As a side note, OnePlus did send over one of its 50W wireless chargers as well, and while I didn't have it for the entire time I was using the device, the tests I ran with it did deliver fantastic recharge times, bringing my battery up to 100% from 51% in less than 15 minutes.

As far as actual specs go, though, here's what you're looking at in the OnePlus 12:

  • SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform

  • RAM: 12GB/16GB LPDDR5X

  • Storage: 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0

  • OS: OxygenOS/Android 14

  • Display: 6.82-inch 2K OLED with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

  • Battery: 5,400 mAh (Dual-cell 2,700 mAh, non-removable)

  • Charging: 80W SuperVOOC (wired) and 50W AirVOOC (wireless) support

  • Audio: Dolby Atmos Support

  • Rear Camera: 50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 64MP 3x telephoto

  • Front Camera: 32MP selfie

Performance

As you can see from the specs list above, you're looking at some really great flagship hardware here, and that pays off well in performance. Using the device in my day-to-day, I never experienced any kind of lag or drops in how slick the interface and device felt. Everything was easy to use, and the gestures never gave me any issues when I was moving between apps, multitasking, or even running multiple heavy apps like games.

I never noticed any significant hitches or frame drops when playing intensive games like Genshin Impact, which is notably rough on smartphones. Sure, it wasn't buttery smooth all the time, but that's to be expected in games that are as intensive as Genshin. That said, the Geekbench 6 benchmarks revealed some interesting numbers, with the device's CPU scoring 2246 in single-core and 6,836 in multicore when using High-Performance mode.

But what do these numbers actually mean? Well, the entire point of Geekbench 6 is to simulate the daily tasks of a smartphone and then measure how well it handles those tasks. It measures all of that by giving the device a score, which you can use to see how devices stack up against each other. The higher the number, the better the phone performs. Of course, benchmarks don't fully account for your day-to-day usage, and are just one way we can measure how well a phone performs.

The OnePlus 12's scores when the phone was not in High-Performance mode were much lower, sitting at 949 for single-core and 4994 for multi-core, but that mode was still more than enough for everyday use without a lot of gaming and high-intensity apps. The GPU scored 14,166 when in High-Performance mode, and overall, the benchmarks are on par with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though a little lower. If performance is important to you, though, the OnePlus 12 won't disappoint.

One downfall to all the new and higher performing hardware phones use now is that it often generates more heat in the system. I've seen this in newer phones that have suffered from overheating, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, OnePlus has introduced a new dual cryo-velocity cooling system that is absolutely fantastic. It essentially uses a vapor cooled chamber within the phone to help fend off excess heat, providing a cooler device even when you're putting it through the paces. The back of the device never felt overly warm during my usage, and when it comes to battery life, I was able to use the OnePlus 12 extensively throughout the day and still end the day with over 40% battery left. Mind you, using it more normally without the extra stress testing, I could easily get two days out of this device before I had to worry much about recharging it.

Camera

OnePlus 12 camera bump
Credit: Joshua Hawkins

OnePlus has always made a big deal about its cameras, especially because of its Hasselblad partnership. The cameras here include a 50MP Sony sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide Sony sensor, and a 64MP OV64B telephoto camera.

All of the sensors in this 4th Gen Hasselblad system are designed to produce professional-grade portraits, and while testing it, I didn't see any big issues with the camera. It takes great-looking photos, though they are definitely less saturated than those taken by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This isn't a bad thing, especially if you like more true-to-life coloring, but I can't help but prefer the look of the photos taken by other smartphones like the 15 Pro Max.

In low-light, performance is good enough, though I will say it doesn't take nearly as good of photos as the Pixel 8 Pro in low light, but Google's background AI systems could have something to do with that, too.

The mundane things

It's easy to get caught up in all the cool tech and features that smartphones offer these days, but what about the everyday tasks? Well, the OnePlus 12 delivers excellent quality when taking phone calls, and I didn't have any issues using it on both AT&T and Google Fi networks. The messaging system is exactly what you'd expect from an Android device in this day and age, and battery life was consistently great when I was testing it, so I think that's something that many will appreciate, especially at a flagship comparable price of $799.99.

Overall, I'm really happy with the OnePlus 12. It's probably the best phone that the company has released so far, and the nicest thing is, it doesn't rely on a lot of AI features to make it a worthwhile purchase.


You can pre-order the OnePlus 12 on OnePlus' site now. It starts at $799.99 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version, and $899.99 for 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage (although the company currently has it on sale for $799.99, as well).

The Folding Motorola Razr+ Is $450 Off Right Now

Does the word "Razr" make you instantly nostalgic for the flip phones of the early aughts, like it does for me? If so, good news: 20 years later, you can get an all-new version of Motorola's latest Razr, the Razr+, for $549.99 (originally $999.99). This deal, from Woot, works out to a whopping 45% discount and is the lowest price I have seen for this phone.

If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship. (Heads up, though: Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S.)

The Razr was my first phone, and getting a flip phone during the height of The Matrix movies felt like a fashion statement (the commercials were very Matrix-inspired). But Motorola has continued and come a long way since the original Moto Razr V3, all while keeping the flip phone aesthetic that the Razr is so well known for. And the good news is that the Razr+ isn't just for looks: This unlocked device (8GB RAM, 256GB, 32 MP camera) garnered "excellent" reviews from the likes of PCMag when it came out in 2023.

The Razr+ has three screens: one visible while it’s closed and two when you flip it open. The two screens that show when the phone is open function as one long screen (like a traditional smartphone). The outside display screen (when the phone is closed) is, in my opinion, a big selling point: You can almost do anything with the outside screen that you can when you have the phone open. The outside screen is very customizable, too, making it an alternate way to use your phone quickly if you don’t want to open it.

Flip phones are definitely not as cool as they were once in the early 2000's, but there seems to be a comeback with Samsung releasing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 last August. If you're ready to get back in on the flip phone craze all these years later, the Razr+ is a great choice, and this is the best time to get it at a bargain.

Make Your Android Phone (Slightly) Faster by Deleting Your Browser's Cookies and Cache

Your Android web browser wants to be as fast as possible. That's why it's constantly saving little bits of data every time you visit a new website: That way, when you return to that site, it can pull it up faster and use that data for useful site features, like saving login info. That's the main role of storing cookies and other data in the cache. However this data can build up, and, overtime, do the opposite of what it's supposed to: slow down your system. This goes for any browser you use on Android, whether it's Chrome, Samsung Internet, or Firefox, to name a few. Clearing your browser's cache and cookies regularly is a good idea, simply because most of the time, the files and info stored in them can be junk and not all that useful to you.

Below, you'll find how to clear your cache and cookies on the three major Android web browsers mentioned above. If you use another browser, the steps should be similar.

How to clear cache and cookies on Google Chrome

To clear your cache and cookies on Google Chrome for Android, go to Settings by tapping on the three dots in the top right corner; scroll down to Privacy and Security. You should see an option for Clear browsing data.

Of the browsing data options, there's a Basic and Advanced setting. Both options let you choose the time range from the Last 15 minutes to All time. The Basic settings will let you clear browsing data such as Browsing history, Cookies and site data, and Cached images and files. The Advanced settings add more options such as Saved passwords, Autofill form data, and Site settings.

Choose what data you want to clear, then tap Clear data at the bottom.

How to clear cache and cookies on Mozilla Firefox

To clear your data on Firefox for Android, go to Settings via the three dots icon. Here, scroll down to Delete browsing data. You'll then be given a list of items you can choose to delete including Open tabs, Browsing history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Site permissions and, finally, Downloads.

While you can't choose the date range like on Chrome, Firefox does make it straightforward to delete your data in a few quick steps.

How to clear cache and cookies on Samsung Internet

To clear your cache on Samsung Internet, you'll first need to go to Settings for the app, which can be found in the three-line menu on the bottom right; go down to Personal browsing data, then choose Delete browsing data.

In the Delete browsing data menu, you can find a checklist of items you can delete, including Browsing history, Form and search history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Passwords, and Autofill forms. Select the ones you want to delete, then hit the blue Delete data button at the bottom.

Today Is the Last Day to Get the Best Samsung Galaxy S24 Preorder Deal

Samsung announced the new lineup of Galaxy S24s in mid-January, with a big emphasis on AI features. All three phones—the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra—are now available for preorder, with a release date of Jan. 31.

As of this writing, that's tomorrow. While many retailers are trying to lure you in with deals to order the new Galaxy phones, from gift cards to storage upgrades, the best preorder deals come from Samsung and Amazon—and today is your last day to take advantage of them.

Preorder the Galaxy S24 on Amazon to get up to a $200 gift card

Amazon, like Best Buy and Samsung, will upgrade you to 512GB of storage for the same price as the 256GB. Although they don't offer trade-in deals, they do offer the best deals on gift cards. Here's what you can get for each phone:

  • Galaxy S24 Ultra $1299.99: $200 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "FEA7SP3UFDJN"

  • Galaxy S24+ $999.99: $150 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "MJ93PYFCJHOJ"

  • Galaxy S24 $799.99: $50 Amazon eGift Card. Use code "TTYSDPOR7WPL"

You must click the "redeem" button under the price to get the Amazon eGift card, or use the promo code at checkout.

Preorder the Galaxy S24 from Samsung for the best trade-in deals

If you have phones, tablets, or watches that you can use for trade-in, Samsung will give you the highest trade-in credit available from a reputable store. The trade-in credit goes directly towards the cost of the phone. (Students can get an additional 15% off on the Samsungs.) Here's a full breakdown for each phone:

  • Galaxy S24 Ultra $1299.99: Up to $750 trade-in and $150 Samsung credit ($120 instant savings towards the phone and $30 for accessories from the Samsung store).

  • Galaxy S24+ $999.99: Up to $650 trade-in and $125 Samsung credit ($120 instant savings towards the phone and $5 for accessories from the Samsung store).

  • Galaxy S24 $799.99: Up to $550 trade-in and $75 Samsung credit ($60 instant savings towards the phone and $15 for accessories from the Samsung store).

The best phone in the lineup, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, is one of Samsung's best ever, and has been surprising even iPhone users. In his review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Lifehacker tech reviewer Joshua Hawkins called it, "a strong enough contender that I'd be willing to ditch my iPhone and make the jump to Android." If you're in the market for a new phone or have been thinking about leaving the Apple ecosystem, now is the time to act, and take advantage of these preorder deals.

You’ll Soon Be Able to Google Search by Drawing a Circle

Samsung announced many interesting products and features at its latest Galaxy Unpacked event (including the Galaxy S24 series) but one of the more impressive developments isn't actually unique to the Galaxy brand itself. The feature, Circle to Search, was developed in partnership with Google, which means it'll live on Google phones, too.

What is Circle to Search?

In a nutshell, Circle to Search is a new way to search for anything without switching apps. To activate the feature, long press on the home button or navigation bar (if you have gesture navigation enabled). Then, when you see something on your screen that you want to look up, draw a circle around it with your finger, and your phone will return search results. For example, you could use Circle to Search to find an article of clothing you might have seen in a YouTube video, or get more info about a dish in a recipe you're browsing online.

You don't have to just circle the item you're looking to search, either: You can also highlight it, scribble over it, or tap on it. As part of Google's AI upgrades to search, you can search with text and pictures you've circled at the same time using multi-search. Google says that the Circle to Search gesture works on images, text, and videos. Basically, you're able to find anything and everything using this feature.

These results appear inside the app you're currently using, so you don't need to interrupt what you're doing to search. When you're done, you can simply swipe the results away to get back to your previous task.

When does Circle to Search launch?

Circle to Search is set to launch globally on Jan. 31 for select premium Android smartphones like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and the newly announced Galaxy S24 series. The feature will be coming to more Android devices at a later date.

The Google Pixel 8 Is $230 Off Right Now

The Google Pixel 8 came out in the late fall of 2023 sporting some impressive features, a powerful camera, and generally setting a new bar for what to expect from a mid-range phone. Right now, you can get the unlocked 128GB Google Pixel 8 for $469.99 (originally $699.99) on Woot for cheaper than it was on Black Friday. This is the lowest price it has been, according to my favorite price comparison tools. For reference, the Pixel 8 dropped to $539.99 earlier this month, which was the then-record low price.

The sale goes on until April 1 at 1 a.m. or until the phones sell out. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship. (Heads up, though: Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S.)

The Pixel 8 has a ton of cool features, like AI-enabled photo editing, audio editing, and live translation. Some of my favorite features include the “Audio Magic Eraser,” which gets rid of distracting sounds in videos, and the “Best Take” feature, which lets you pick the best face from a series of photos. And if you happen to be caught in the rain, its IP68 rating will give you water and dust resistance. You’ll also get the newest Google-made chip, the Google Tensor G3, and seven years of guaranteed software support, meaning the phone will be getting updates until 2030. Unfortunately, though, it is missing some of the latest AI features, which Google says is because of hardware limitations.

The biggest downside of this deal is passing up the Pixel 8 Pro, which is a better phone, albeit a more expensive one. (We summarized the differences between the two phones previously, if you're unfamiliar.) If you can live without the better camera and the extra fancy features, the Pixel 8 is a great choice at its current price.

With the New Galaxy S24, Samsung Is Going All-in on AI

Samsung officially announced the new Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra today, Jan. 17 at Unpacked 2024. New phone announcements are always intriguing, and these devices add some fresh features to the Galaxy lineup.

Galaxy AI

galaxy s24 series with Galaxy AI ad
Credit: Samsung

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Samsung is all about AI with the S24 series. Specifically, Samsung is referring to their tech as "Galaxy AI."

Live Translate was one of Samsung's focuses with Galaxy AI: The feature works during phone calls to translate both text and voice using on-device AI. If you're chatting in-person, Samsung wants you using Interpreter, which splits your Galaxy's screen in half—one part translating your side of the conversation, while the other translates your friend.

Chat Assist is a new feature that, like ChatGPT and other chat assistants before it, can attempt to edit the tone of your messages to match the intended audience. Android Auto will use Galaxy AI to summarize incoming messages and suggest responses. Note Assist in Samsung Notes will summarize notes and create templates, while Transcript Assist can transcribe, summarize, and translate your voice notes.

I'm most interested to try "Circle to Search:" Long press your Galaxy's home button, then write on any part of the screen to search that element with Google. While many AI features range in usefulness, I could see this one catching on.

Powering some of this text and visual AI processing is a new partnership between Samsung and Google. The S24 lineup will be the first smartphones to use Google’s new Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 on Vertex AI, powered by Google Cloud, as well as Gemini Nano’s on-device processing, which no doubt fuels many of the features Samsung is announcing today.

Galaxy S24 specs

gaming on an s24
Credit: Samsung

Samsung's phones are always powerhouses, and this year is no exception. The entire S24 lineup uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset. Samsung particularly touts the improved NPU (neural processing unit) for AI processing.

All new phones come with displays with an adaptive refresh rate of 1–120Hz, and can reach 2,600 nits of peak brightness. On the Ultra, the display is made using Corning Gorilla Armor—Samsung claims it reduces reflections and is more durable to scratches.

  • Galaxy S24: 6.2-inch display

  • Galaxy S24+: 6.7-inch display

  • Galaxy S24 Ultra: 6.8-inch "flatter" display

The Ultra has a 1.9x larger vapor chamber than before, which should help keep temperatures cooler during more demanding tasks, like gaming. The Ultra also uses a titanium frame, like the iPhone 15 Pro.

While some of Samsung's new AI processes occur only on-device, others require internet access. You can use Advanced Intelligence settings to block this info leak if you want to make your Galaxy S24 experience more private.

Galaxy S24 cameras

friends using s24s
Credit: Samsung

Again, it's all about AI this year, and photography is no exception. All of the new Galaxy S24 phones use have a "ProVisual Engine," which is the catch-all for Samsung's AI photography tools.

Unsurprisingly, there are AI editing tools, as well, similar to the AI features seen on Google's Pixel phones. The S24 will suggest edits for your photos, such as erasing irrelevant subjects, re-composing the shot, and remastering the image. If you do decide to alter your image, you can fill in the blanks with generative AI, and can even artificially add slo-mo to a video by generating new frames. We'll have to see how well Samsung's AI does here: It's certainly a hit-or-miss feature.

One good step is that Samsung will generate a watermark whenever you edit a photo with AI, so it won't be misinterpreted as an original image.

But it's not just about the software for Samsung. The company added a new 5x optical zoom lens to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, part of its "Quad Tele System," which uses the 50MP sensor to allow zoom from 2x, 3x, 5x, and 10x. There's also a new enhanced digital zoom to lets you get up to 100x zoom with "crystal clear results," if Samsung is to be believed.

All S24 devices have updated Nightography tools for Space Zoom. The Ultra has a larger pixel size (1.4 μm) and upgraded OIS, which should help eliminate shake.

S24 colors

Samsung s24s in a line
Credit: Samsung

Like other companies, Samsung offers different color options for the different S24 tiers.

The S24 and S24+ come in Onyx, Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow, as well as Samsung.com-exclusive colors including Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange.

The S24 Ultra, on the other hand comes in Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Yellow. If you buy on Samsung.com, you'll have the option to choose Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, and Titanium Orange.

Environment and sustainability

samsung phones in video discussing sustainability
Credit: Samsung

Like all tech companies these days, Samsung has a focus on sustainability and the environment in its announcement. These phones are made with recycled cobalt and rare earth elements. The S24 Ultra's battery is made with a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt, while the speakers have 100% recycled rare earth elements and a minimum of 40% recycled steel.

The entire lineup is the first in the S series to use recycled steel and thermoplastic polyurethane, and the boxes each comes in are made with 100% recycled paper material.

S24 support

holding s24
Credit: Samsung

Samsung is following Google in offering much longer software support than in previous phones. While the S23 has four years of OneUI support and five years of security updates, the S24 lineup gets seven years of support in both categories.

When is the Galaxy S24 available?

The Galaxy S24 series will be available starting Jan. 31, 2024, with preorders starting today, Jan. 17 through Jan. 30. If you preorder through Samsung, you can get a free storage upgrade, so you can go from 512GB to 1TB on the Ultra for the same base cost. You'll also receive a $100 Samsung Credit.

How much does the Galaxy S24 cost?

Samsung is keeping prices mostly in line with other OEMs, although perhaps leaning on the more expensive side. The Galaxy S24 starts at $799.99, with 128GB and 256GB options. The Galaxy S24+ starts at $999.99 with 256GB and 512GB options. Finally, the Galaxy S24 Ultra starts at $1,299.99, with options for 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

Samsung is currently offering Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss for 20% off with the purchase of a Galaxy S24 device.


Preorder a new S24 device through Samsung:

CES 2024: ASUS’s Latest Gaming Phone Is Thinner and Lighter Than Ever Before

During CES 2024, ASUS debuted quite a few things, including new PC components designed to make building a PC even easier. Perhaps one of the most exciting announcements, though, was the reveal of its ROG Phone 8 series, which will blend lighter, slimmer designs with the powerful gaming potential of the ROG lineup.

The ROG Phone 8 series will launch with a regular and Pro edition, allowing gamers to decide exactly which level they want to buy into. Both devices will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 at 3.3Ghz, and up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. The two devices will offer options for 12GB of RAM as well, and will launch with Android 14 and ROG UI.

The ROG Phone 8 will max out at 256GB of storage space, while the ROG Phone 8 Pro will top out at 512GB. Each one will feature a 6.78-inch FHD+ Samsung Flexible AMOLED display at 2400 x 1080 pixels. These displays will top out at 1,600 nits of maximum brightness, with support for HDR10, a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, and a minimum refresh rate of 1Hz.

ROG Phone 8, Phone 8 Pro, and Phone 8 Pro Edition
Credit: ASUS

These new gaming-centric phones will also offer support for quick charge 5.0 and PD charging and will have a maximum battery capacity of 5,500 mAh, which should provide quite a bit of juice, even when you're gaming.

This is also the first time that ASUS is including a 3X telephoto lens in the ROG Phone, and it will come with built-in OIS to help deliver sharp results in your images. The main 50MP camera will utilize a Sony image sensor, and the ROG Phone 8 will also sport a 13 MP ultra-wide camera. Finally, a 32 MP ultra-wide selfie camera should be more than capable of delivering high-quality selfies right on the device.

ASUS will also launch a Pro Edition, which comes with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and both the high-end models of the ROG Phone will include LED dot-matrix displays on their backs. Pricing for the different models will vary, though the cheapest will start at $1,099.99, while the more expensive Pro Edition will top out at $1,499.99.

The ROG Phone 8 series is also sprinkling in some AI functionality, such as AI-generated wallpapers, as well as AI features that can help capture text and gameplay more efficiently. As usual, the ROG Phone 8 is very much centered around providing a great mobile gaming platform for you to work off of, though ASUS has peppered in some additional features like that new telephoto lens to help it compete against more mainstream smartphones like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Pixel 8 Pro.

You Can Use Samsung Modes to Customize Your Galaxy Phone

We all use our phones in different ways at different times, and you don't necessarily want your device operating in exactly the same way around the clock—while you sleep, while you work, while you travel.

If you've got a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet, then there's a built-in feature that acknowledges this, called Modes. The idea is that you set up multiple modes for multiple scenarios—so you might have one for the office, one for when you're at the gym, and so on.

Modes can help you use your Galaxy phone in a smarter and more efficient way—these modes don't take long to set up, but you may well end up relying on them every day.

Getting started with Modes

You can find Modes on your Galaxy device by heading to Settings, and then tapping Modes and Routines. Routines are extensions of Modes, and are groups of actions (like muting the volume or changing the display brightness) that you can perform together when certain triggers are activated.

On the Modes tab, you'll see Samsung has already created six modes for you, which are a handy way of understanding what they're all about. Tap the Sleep mode, for example, to see what it does: It'll turn on Do Not Disturb, and activate the display's grayscale mode, so your phone is less of a distraction as you get ready for bed. Just tap Turn on at the top to activate the sleep mode.

Samsung Modes
Sleep is one of the preset modes provided by Samsung. Credit: Lifehacker

Some of the other preset modes require a bit of configuration before they're ready to go. Select Relax and then Start, and you'll be asked how you want to set up this mode for when you're chilling—and that includes whether or not you want the mode to turn on automatically at a certain time or when you reach a certain place.

All of your modes can be configured in this way, to be turned on automatically or manually as you prefer. It can make sense for some modes: Having a work mode enable itself when you get to the office, without you having to remember to do it each time, for example. If you don't want automatic activation, just tap Skip.

Samsung Modes
Modes can be enabled automatically or manually. Credit: Lifehacker

You'll continue to be asked questions as you set up the mode, and to add specifics where needed—so if you want the volume lowering, perhaps, you'll be asked how low you want it to go. When you've worked your way through all of the steps, the mode is ready to go and to be used alongside the others in the list.

You can also get at Modes from the Quick Settings panel (swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers to see it). If you want to tidy up your list of modes and find that you're not using some of them, open up a mode from the list, tap the three dots up in the top right corner, then choose Delete.

Creating your own Modes

Besides the six modes that Samsung starts you off with—which can be tweaked as required—you can also create new ones from scratch by tapping Add mode at the end of the list. You'll need to give your new mode a name, a color, and an icon, to help distinguish it from the other modes on your phone.

The new mode is added to your list with nothing set for it, so you can work your way through the various options. At the top are the settings we've already mentioned for enabling the mode automatically, and for disabling the mode—modes can stay in effect until you turn them off, or until a specific amount of time has elapsed.

Samsung Modes
You can assign your own modes a color and an icon. Credit: Lifehacker

Farther down, the other mode options are split into three groups: First there's the group of settings related to distractions (so this is Do Not Disturb and any restrictions on app usage you want to apply), then there are all the other settings (from enabling dark mode to adjusting the volume), and finally you've got lock screen and home screen options—modes can actually trigger wallpaper changes, if you want them to.

We won't cover every single option, but one example is the Play music option under the Other actions heading. Select this, and you're able to pick a music app to handle the playback—it'll simply carry on from where it left off, so it might be useful as part of a mode that you want to trigger in the morning as you get up.

Samsung Modes
Do Not Disturb and app usage settings can be configured. Credit: Lifehacker

Right at the end of the Other actions list, there's an Add action option. This gives you access to a host of additional actions, so you can do everything from disabling Bluetooth to changing the performance profile that's enabled. You can even get your phone to beep or buzz whenever a certain mode is enabled (under Effects).

You'll soon get a feel for how Modes work, and all of the different possibilities. Whether you only make use of a select one or two, or you set up a bunch of them to turn on and off throughout the day, they can be genuinely helpful in getting your Galaxy phone or tablet working the way you need it to.

Everything Included in the Latest Pixel Security Update

If you bought a Pixel phone in the last couple years, you have a new security update to install. Google rolled out the January security patch Wednesday, Jan. 3, to supported Pixel smartphones, as well as the Pixel Tablet, including some useful bug fixes and important security patches.

What's in this latest Pixel update?

First off, bug fixes. The January security patch squashes four bugs you may have encountered in the previous version of Android 14:

Camera

  • Fix for users facing Camera crashes in certain conditions 

User Interface

  • Fix for users facing flashing black screen when playing video in certain conditions

  • Fix for users unable to exit Setup Wizard in certain conditions

  • Fix for Wallpaper on home screen showing black in certain conditions

In addition, this update patches 11 security vulnerabilities within Android: five flaws within framework (the platform which apps are built on), five within system (Android OS), and one within Google Play system updates.

Which devices are compatible?

Below, you can find the full list of Pixel devices compatible with the January security update, which essentially includes all Pixel devices Google currently supports:

  • Pixel 5a (5G)

  • Pixel 6

  • Pixel 6 Pro

  • Pixel 6a

  • Pixel 7

  • Pixel 7 Pro

  • Pixel 7a

  • Pixel Tablet

  • Pixel Fold

  • Pixel 8

  • Pixel 8 Pro

How to install the January security patch on your Pixel

If you have a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, you can simply prompt Google Assistant to, "Update my phone now." When you see the notification to update, open it, then tap the update button.

Alternatively, head to Settings > System > System Update, then follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest patch.

What Is the OnePlus R Series Phone, and Is It Really a ‘Flagship Killer’?

Back in 2021, OnePlus extended its smartphone offerings, debuting a new R series of devices titled similarly to its mainline flagships. But these R series devices have never released globally, so for many users, they've remained an enigma. Dubbed "flagship killers" by OnePlus itself, the R series devices will see their first global release in 2024. But what exactly are these devices? Are they even worth considering? Here's what you need to know.

The R series explained

The easiest way to explain the R series of OnePlus devices is to point towards another similar option from a different manufacturer. If you've followed Android devices at all, then you're probably at least somewhat familiar with Google's Pixel A series smartphones. These devices build off the new tech seen in the tech giant's flagship devices, but cut out some features and things to help keep the cost more inline with budget-friendly devices.

The OnePlus R series is exactly the same, offering some of the same features that the mainline OnePlus flagships offer, but at a lower price because it uses older hardware, or is missing some of the big named features found in the top-end OnePlus phones. It's a novel way to close the distance found between flagship and more budget-friendly devices, and both Google and OnePlus seem to have found a lot of success in offering these types of devices.

Looking at past R series releases, we see that the OnePlus 11R, which released in February of 2023, offered a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, whereas the flagship OnePlus 11 sported the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Other specs in the phones were similar, too, with the 11R sporting a 6.74-inch 1240 x 2772 resolution display at 120Hz, while the mainline OnePlus 11 came with a 6.7-inch 2K display at 120Hz, as well as support for HDR10/10+ and Dolby Vision.

That means the 11R was very similar to the 11, but it offered slightly lower/older specs in some places to help cut down on the price and make it even more affordable.

Are they really flagship killers?

This is a good question, and to answer it honestly, you have to look at the R series devices as more than just a budget-friendly or mid-range smartphone lineup. Instead, it's probably best to think of these as high-end devices from the previous year. That is to say, they build off the design changes made with the newest devices, but often feature a slightly older chipset, which somewhat lowers their performance . So, while they might not be as powerful as a newest top-end flagship device, they come very close, and will offer more than enough power for most people, while saving them money.

Based on that definition, it's very easy to consider smartphones like the OnePlus R series as flagship killers, as they essentially remove the need to purchase a flagship device. Of course, the smartphone industry is much more complex than that, and no matter how good the device is, there are always going to be users that flock to the latest and greatest from top flagship manufacturers like Samsung.

The first global R Series release

All of that brings us to January 2024, when OnePlus will make the first global R series release with the OnePlus 12R. Not much is known about this upcoming device, but there is a lot of speculation about what it will include. Based on previous device specs from other R series devices, the OnePlus 12R will likely sport the still new, but slightly older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and will feature some of the other specs and hardware features found in the new OnePlus 12, while cutting back on others.

I don't want to dig too much into the speculation here, of course, but the global release of this R series device will make it quite an enticing choice for users that are planning to upgrade their phone next year, as you'll have another premium option to choose from that won't require you to pay the higher price of a flagship. In that sense, OnePlus has a really great chance to take the global market by storm with its self-proclaimed "flagship killers," and honestly, I'm intrigued to see how that goes for the company.

Bonne surprise : Microsoft sort une app gratuite pour utiliser ChatGPT-4 sur Android !

Microsoft Copilot est disponible sur le Play Store pour les smartphones Android. C’est une façon de disposer de l’IA GPT-4 gratuitement et d’exploiter l’ensemble des IA normalement payantes d’OpenAI.

Firefox for Android Finally Has Support for Extensions Again

For many of us, extensions are an essential part of the web browsing experience. If you use Firefox on your Mac or PC, you might not dare opening a URL without having uBlock Origin or Dark Reader installed.

However, Firefox on mobile has always been a different story. While Mozilla's "add-ons" are readily available on the desktop version of the browser, Android and iOS users have had to go without. That wasn't always the case on Android. Mozilla removed extension support back in 2020, and users have been asking for them back ever since (and rightfully so). Finally, that's changing—at least on the Android side of things.

Extensions are back on Firefox for Android

Mozilla announced last week that not only would Firefox for Android start supporting extensions, it would do so with support for over 450 add-ons. Many of these extensions are tried and true utilities that Firefox desktop users have enjoyed for years. uBlock Origin, for example, works out of the gate, so you can block ads and other intrusive elements while browsing with Firefox on both your smartphone and PC, as does the Dark Reader, an extension for giving all web pages a dark theme—even when they don't have it themselves.

Mozilla also recommended three extensions in its announcement to get you started: Midnight Lizard, which adds customized color schemes for websites; Dark Background and Light Text, which, unsurprisingly, makes all sites have a dark background with light text; and Worldwide Radio, which lets you tune into radio stations all over the globe.

You can find a full list of Android-supported Firefox extensions from Mozilla's add-ons site here. If you're overwhelmed by the literal hundreds of options to choose from, Mozilla has a section of 22 recommended extensions you might find useful. You might also like the trending section, to see what extensions Firefox for Android users are installing, from Automatic AdSkipper to Reddit Annoyances.

When (and How) to Set Up 'Repair Mode' on Your Android

When you send your Android phone in for repair, you want to give the specialists involved as much access as they need to run diagnostics and figure out what the problem is. At the same time, you don't want them flicking through your photos and videos, or posting to any of your social media accounts.

That's where a dedicated repair mode comes in: If you have an eligible handset, this mode creates a new partition on your phone, separate from the one where you're logged into your apps, and where all your personal files and data are stored. The phone can still be used and inspected, but it's in a "factory fresh" state. You can find it on select Pixel phones (where it's actually called Repair Mode), and select Samsung phones (where it's called Maintenance Mode).

It doesn't take long to enable repair mode. The usual precautions still apply, though: Even when you're turning repair mode on, you should still back up everything on your Android device in advance, just in case a full reset is required to get the gadget working again. We'd also recommend taking out your SIM card.

The repair modes we're covering here are suitable no matter where you are getting your phone fixed, whether that's the official Google or Samsung channels, your local Best Buy, or anywhere else you choose to trust with your phone.

Pixel's "Repair Mode"

To use Repair Mode on your Pixel, it needs to be running the Android 14 update issued in December 2023, or a later version of the operating system. You also need at least 2GB of storage space left on the phone (select Storage from Settings if you need to check).

To turn Repair Mode on, head to Settings, then tap System and Repair mode. You'll be given some information about how it works, then you can tap Enter repair mode to launch it. You'll need to confirm your phone's security PIN, pattern, or password to keep your data safe. After a reboot, your Pixel phone is ready to be handed over or sent off.

Pixel Repair Mode
Credit: Lifehacker

Once your phone is (hopefully) repaired and returned back to you, you can head back to System and Repair mode to go back to normal, or you can tap the notification at the top of the screen. You'll need your PIN, password, or pattern to exit repair mode, which stops anyone else from disabling the mode without your permission.

Any saved data or settings changes made during Repair Mode are wiped as you exit it, though any Android system updates that have been applied will stay in place. If you need to go into Repair Mode again, you'll need to restart the process from the beginning.

Samsung's "Maintenance Mode"

Samsung's Maintenance Mode is very similar to the Repair Mode on the Pixel, but has been around a lot longer. It works on all recent flagship Samsung Galaxy handsets running Android 13, going back to the Galaxy S10 series (that includes the Flip and Fold foldable phones, too).

On your Samsung phone, open up Settings, then tap on Battery and device care. Pick Maintenance Mode and you'll be reminded that it's wise to create a backup of your data first. You'll also get the option to create a temporary, 30-day backup in the cloud if you don't already have one in place.

Samsung Maintenance Mode
Credit: Lifehacker

When you're happy to proceed, tap Turn on to enable the feature. By default, the phone will make a system log that the repair technicians can analyze, and I'd recommend you don't turn that off before tapping Restart. Your handset then boots up in Maintenance Mode, and it's ready to be repaired.

To quit Maintenance Mode, you need to tap the notification at the top of the screen, then choose Exit. Your phone's normal unlock method (like a PIN or fingerprint) will then be required, to make sure it's really you taking the action. If you don't already have a screen lock in place, you'll be prompted to create one before your phone is rebooted into the Maintenance Mode.

Change These Seven Settings on Your New Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

If you've taken the plunge on a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 then you're no doubt eager to take advantage of the benefits of a foldable phone over a traditional handset: The new device you've got in your pocket operates like a standard phone, but can also open out its main screen to a mini-tablet size, making it much more versatile.

It also means different settings and options are required that you won't find on other phones—settings that control how the software interface responds to the dual screen setup (and the fact that one screen can be folded in half). These are some key settings that matter on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and what you can do with them.

Extend flex mode

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

Flex mode is where you have your Galaxy Z Fold 5 partially folded over in a landscape orientation, almost like a tiny laptop, and the display splits accordingly. One app that takes advantage of this is YouTube, which puts your videos on the top half of the display, and playback controls on the bottom.

For apps that don't have a special flex mode configuration, you can get a touchpad on the lower half of the display, plus shortcuts to split-screen mode and other settings. To make sure this layout also appears, head to Settings, then pick Advanced features, Labs, and Flex mode panel. The next screen lets you enable or disable flex mode, and bring up the touchpad in flex mode for apps that don't specifically support it.

Always show the multi window menu

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

Part of the appeal of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is you can run apps side by side on the main screen, or even in one quarter of the screen space. This can be managed in a variety of ways, including via the multi window menu—the small horizontal line that shows up at the top of apps when you have more than one app on screen at once.

For even more convenience, you can display this menu even with only one app on screen. For a start, it makes it easier to add a second window if you need to, or shrink down the current one. To make sure this menu is always at your disposal, open Settings, choose Advanced features, then enable Show multi window menu with 1 window.

Enable multi window for all apps

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

I've already mentioned the flexibility that multiple windows can offer you on the main screen, but not every app has been designed to show up on half of the screen or a pop-up window. You can still force apps to be used in this way by opening Settings, then picking Advanced features and Labs, and enabling Multi window for all apps. (Just be prepared for results of varying quality.)

Switch apps between displays

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

By default, if you're using an app on the main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and then close the phone, the same app won't then show up on the smaller cover display on the outside of the device.

You can change this if you want, though: From Settings, pick Display, and then Continue apps on cover screen. You can then pick specific apps that will flow from the main screen to the cover screen, or set them all to behave like this. If you're going in the other direction—using an app on the outer display and then opening up the phone—the app will always jump to the larger screen automatically. There's no way to change this behavior.

Keep your home screens in sync

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

Out of the box, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will keep the home screens for the inner display and the outer display separate, so changes you make (in terms of widgets or shortcuts) will be kept separate, depending on the screen you're using.

You can get a more consistent and seamless experience by mirroring the home screens across these two displays. Launch Settings, then choose Home screen and select Cover screen mirroring to turn it on. The cover screen is of course smaller than the main display, so you'll have to swipe across to see everything. (The main display home screen won't be squashed to fit.)

Tweak the taskbar

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a Windows-style taskbar on its main display to make it easier to jump between apps and to bring them up alongside each other. If you pick Display and then Taskbar from Settings, you can toggle this taskbar on or off, as well as choose how many recent apps (two, three or four) are shown on it.

Force apps to go full screen

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 settings
Credit: Lifehacker

In a perfect world, every Android app would be optimized to run on a large, 1812 x 2176 pixel display like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has. But we don't live in a perfect world. As a result, certain apps may look a little odd on the main display, with black bars down the sides.

To force apps to fill the available space, choose Display from Settings, and then Full screen apps. From here you can select installed apps, and force them to run full screen. If an app doesn't look right, you can also limit it to a more standard 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio.


You can pick up a Galaxy Z Fold 5 for 22% off on Amazon as of this article:

How to Clear the Cache on an Android Smartphone

Given enough time, all gadgets slow down—smartphones included. Your Android might start slowing down randomly, and there are times when even a reboot won’t really fix things. You don't necessarily have to shell out hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a new phone, though. Your old one might just need a clean out.

When nothing else seems to be speeding your Android phone back up, you should try some cache maintenance. As you use your Android phone, the apps (and especially Chrome) start saving temporary files it thinks you’ll need. These are used to speed up page loads and to keep older files in memory. That’s great when you have a fast flagship with loads of extra memory to spare. But if your Android phone is a bit older, you’ll be surprised how much lighter things become once you let go of some of that cache.

In fact, it’s a good idea to do this regularly—even every couple of weeks. It might seem a bit counterintuitive, as the cache is supposed to keep your phone faster, but lightening the digital load is often the way to go for older devices.

How to clear the cache for any app on an Android smartphone

Sometimes it’s a third-party app gone rogue that’s hogging all that cache memory. Android’s Settings app will make it easy to find such a culprit. Go to Storage > Apps to see a list of all installed apps. From the Menu, switch to the Sort by Size option, and you’ll see the apps that are most hogging up the storage. The exact steps to find the Apps section might be different depending on your Android smartphone, but you can search for Storage or Apps to get there. 

Go through the apps, and choose an app to clear the cache. Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are all major offenders of the cache system. In the app screen, tap the Clear Cache button to see the cache data instantly disappear. Now, go back to the list, and do this again, and again, at least for the top 10 apps that are taking up most of the cache.

How to clear the cache in Chrome 

The biggest cache hog on your smartphone is likely Chrome, and if you've never cleared the cache, you might notice quite the difference before and after. If you don’t use Chrome, do this for your default browser. The changes will be the same. 

Open the Chrome browser, tap Menu and go to History > Clear Browsing Data. First, switch to the All Time option at the top and make sure you’ve checked the Cached images and files option below. Then, tap the Clear Data button to clear the cache.

Keep doing this regularly for Chrome and the rest of your apps on Android. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you should do the same there as well

Every New Feature in the Google Pixel December Drop

With their annual Pixel hardware launch in the rearview mirror, Google is now turning their attention to the software side of things. First up: a new Pixel Feature Drop. This isn't something out of the blue, though: A Pixel Feature Drop happens every few months, and adds some cool new features to compatible Pixel phones.

For the December 2023 drop, there are a couple of new features coming exclusively to the Pixel 8 Pro (sorry Pixel 8 users) like Gemini Nano, Video Boost, Night Sight Video, and more.

Gemini Nano on Pixel 8 Pro

Google introduced a new AI model on Wednesday called Gemini that can run on devices from data centers to mobile devices. Lucky for Pixel 8 Pro users, Gemini Nano, the smallest and most efficient form of Gemini, is coming in the December drop.

Gemini Nano on Pixel 8 Pro powers the new Summarize feature in the Recorder app. With it, you'll be able to quickly get a summary of your recordings without a network connection since all the processing is done on-device. In addition, Gemini Nano powers Smart Reply in Gboard: The on-device AI model suggests responses by using conversational awareness, so hopefully the suggested replies are more useful than ever.

You can try the new Gemini Nano-powered Smart Reply in WhatsApp to start, with more apps will be supported in the new year.

Video Boost and Night Sight Video on Pixel 8 Pro

During their hardware event in October, Google showed off Video Boost as a powerful Pixel 8 Pro exclusive. The feature uploads your videos to the cloud, then processes the video using Google's computational photography models to adjust the lighting, color, stabilization and graininess. After your video has been processed, Google says your video should be more "true to life."

Video Boost also enables another new feature called Night Sight Video, which uses AI to apply noise reduction to your videos recorded at night or in low-light situations.

Another camera feature coming to both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 is Night Sight in Time Lapse. Once you set your phone on a sturdy surface, like a rock or tripod, you'll be able to record time-lapse videos in low light. This is perfect for shooting the night sky or a vibrant cityscape at nighttime.

Photography improvements

This drop introduces a series of photography improvements for your Pixel. Google is adding a new AI model to help improve Portrait light in Google Photos, which can remove harsh shadows so that Portrait photos look their best. In addition, Photo Unblur has also been improved to sharpen images of dogs and cats, in addition to refocusing people's faces.

If you have a Pixel Fold, you can now enable Dual Screen Preview, which displays a camera preview on the outer screen when taking a photo. You can also use your Pixel as a webcam, now. Just connect your Pixel 6 or newer (or Pixel Fold) via a USB cable to your computer and choose the webcam option under USB Preferences.

If you're someone who scans documents on your Pixel, then the new Clean feature will be useful. "Clean" can remove any smudges, stains and creases from your scanned documents, so they're both more presentable and legible.

Repair Mode

If you need to send in your Pixel phone in for repair, check out the new Repair Mode. When you enable it, Repair Mode will protect your apps and personal data in a secure environment. The only way in is by entering the secure code you set. (Google, of course, recommends you take care to make this code strong.) After you exit the Repair Mode, access to your phone, and its data, will return to normal.

Smarter replies in Call Screen

One of the best features on Pixel phones is Call Screen: This feature can answer calls on your behalf, and display a transcription of the call, so you can decide whether or not you want to take it. Now, it's even better with the December Feature Drop. Call Screen will now give contextual replies, such as confirming or cancelling an appointment when a doctor's office calls, in addition to weeding out spam callers. Call Screen also works on Pixel Watch, so you can see who's calling before picking up your phone.

Speaking of the Pixel Watch, you'll now be able to unlock your phone using your watch when they're connected. So long as you're wearing your Pixel Watch, you won't have to use fingerprint or face unlock on your phone every time you wake it up.

Smaller features

Google also added some smaller features that improve quality of life while using your Pixel devices. For example, we now have Clearing Calling support for video calls on Pixel Tablet, weather in the Clock app, and Google Password Manager can now identify which accounts support passkeys. Additionally, if you have a first-gen Pixel Watch, you'll see features like syncing Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Modes, new watch face designs like Adventure and Analog Arcs, and updated complication styles such as arcs and redesigned bulbs.

Which Pixel phones will be getting the December Feature Drop?

The December Feature Drop is rolling out to Pixel devices today, including Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8, Pixel Fold, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a 5G, and Pixel Tablet. Not all features from the December Feature Drop will be coming to all Pixel devices.

The Newest Google Pixel Phones Just Hit Their Lowest Prices Yet

Yes, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were just released this October, but that's not stopping them from joining in on the holiday deals. The unlocked 256GB Pixel 8 just hit a new low price at Best Buy, currently at $531 (originally $759), which is lower than it was during Black Friday, according to Honey's price history. This current deal puts it even cheaper than the 128GB version at the moment, making the 256GB version a no-brainer. Meanwhile, the 128GB unlocked Google Pixel 8 Pro is back down to its Black Friday price at $799 (originally $999), according to Camelcamelcamel's price history.

Choosing between the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro

If you can't decide between the two phones, our guide that breaks down the main differences will help you decide. Ultimately, it comes down to your budget and whether you must have the best camera and latest features. The current deal at Best Buy may make it a little easier to choose the Pixel 8 over the Pro, given it has twice the internal memory.

You will still get the newest Google-made chip, Android 14, and 7 years of guaranteed software support (meaning you'll be getting updates until 2030). You'll also get the same new AI features, like the “Audio Magic Eraser,” which gets rid of distracting sounds in videos you shoot, and the “Best Take,” which lets you pick the best face from a series of photos. (No more ruined pictures because you blinked.) Like the Pro, the Pixel 8 is also IP68-rated, meaning it is water and dust-resistant. You will also be able to use Google’s new Titan M2 security chip, which supports face unlock and in-display fingerprint unlock.

Unless the camera quality is a big deal to you, the Pixel 8 will likely be the best choice for most people.

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