ZDNet
Finally, an App That Lets You Read the Fine Print Without Pretending You're Not Squinting
A free Android app turns tiny text into a readable feast, proving that middle age doesn't have to mean squinting at everything.
2026-08-18
ZDNet
ZDNet
Stop Paying for Smartphone Storage You Don't Need: A Guide to Not Throwing Money at Tech Giants
Smartphone storage upgrades are a scam? Learn how to calculate the real cost per gigabyte and stop paying for space you don't need.
2026-08-16
ZDNet
Google Pixel 11 Pro's HiLight Brings Back the Notification LED, Because Apparently We Missed Blinking Lights
Google's Pixel 11 Pro brings back the notification LED with HiLight, but it's currently only for calls and Gemini - so don't toss your old phone yet.
2026-08-14
ZDNet
Free App Dicio Steps In to Save Android Users From Google's Assistant Demise
Google Assistant is getting the boot, but open-source Dicio is here to keep your voice commands private - minus the Android Auto support, because Google said so.
2026-08-12
ZDNet
Tried Android's First Alternative App Store So You Don't Have To: It's a Bit of a Mess
Aptoide, Android's first alternative app store on Google Play, is a confusing, limited mess - and you should probably verify every app before installing.
2026-08-08
TechCrunch
Wacom's MovinkPad 11: A Fun, Midpriced Gateway to Digital Doodling
Wacom's MovinkPad 11 offers a fun, midpriced entry into digital art - even if your masterpiece ends up looking like a potato.
2026-08-06
ZDNet
I Read My Phone's Diary So You Don't Have To: 3 Dumpstate Diagnostics Worth Digging For
Discover how to read your Android's dumpstate log - the tech equivalent of a physical - and find three key diagnostics to keep your phone running smoothly.
2026-08-01
Ars Technica
Google to Developers in Sanctioned Nations: You're on Your Own, Sort Of
Google's new developer verification will leave devs in sanctioned nations in a weird limbo: no verification, no enforcement, and no international distribution.
2026-07-22
ZDNet
Google Messages Finally Lets You Spruce Up Chats So You Don't Embarrass Yourself Again
Stop sending cringe texts to the wrong person: Google Messages themes let you color-code your chats so your half-asleep brain can tell Mom from your boss.
2026-07-06
ZDNet
How I Turned an Old Android Phone Into My Home Internet Backup: 3 Methods, One of Which Involves Not Using Wi-Fi
When the UK's record heat melts your internet, an old Android phone can save the day - if you're willing to play with cables, settings, and third-party firmware.
2026-06-27
ZDNet
How I Turned My Old Android Phone Into a Streaming Stick for Free - And Felt Very Clever Doing It
A tech journalist repurposes an old Android phone into a DIY streaming stick using free launchers and casting apps, proving that one person's drawer clutter is another's makeshift Roku.
ZDNet
13 Google Photos Settings I Always Change on Every New Device (And Why You Should Too, Unless You Like Chaos)
A decade-long Google Photos user shares 13 essential settings to tweak on every new device, from backup accounts to AI features, because nobody wants 12,000 toddler photos in the wrong Gmail account.
2026-06-12
ZDNet
9 Google Messages Settings to Tweak Before Your Phone Betrays Your Privacy
A guide to taming Google Messages' many settings for a cleaner, more private texting experience.
2026-06-03
ZDNet
Android's 30-Day File Purgatory: Why You Shouldn't Leave Your Digital Ghosts Hanging Around
Android's 30-day recycle bin auto-delete is a security risk; here's how to manually purge sensitive files before they become someone else's discovery.
2026-05-20
The Verge
Wear OS 7 Promises to Keep You Informed About Your Packages While Your Watch Slowly Dies
Google's Wear OS 7 brings Live Updates, AI task tracking, and widget upgrades to your wrist - plus a cautiously promising 10% battery life improvement.
2026-05-11
TechCrunch
Finally, Texts Between Android and iPhone Users Can Be End-to-End Encrypted, Because the Future Took Long Enough
After years of green bubble stigma and regulatory arm-twisting, Apple finally lets Android and iPhone users send encrypted texts, because nothing says progress like a lock icon.
2026-05-06
TechCrunch
Chrome on Android Now Lets You Lie to Websites About Where You Are (Slightly)
Chrome on Android now lets you tell websites you're 'somewhere around here' instead of 'here, exactly, please send targeted ads.'
2026-05-05
ZDNet
Samsung Finally Kills Its Own Messages App, Tells Users to Use Google's Like Everyone Else
Samsung finally kills its 16-year-old Messages app, forcing users to Google's version by July - here's how to back up your ancient texts before they vanish into the cloud.
ZDNet
Android Phone Feeling Sluggish? Two Developer Settings Promise a Jolt of Speed (No Snake Oil Required)
Tweak two hidden Android settings to speed up your phone without installing sketchy "optimizer" apps that are probably just malware in a fancy hat.
2026-04-28
ZDNet
Android Finally Lets You Stop Apps From Gobbling Your Precious Data
A step-by-step guide to enabling Data Saver mode on Android phones to prevent background data usage and avoid exceeding data limits.
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