Articles by Andrew Myrick

We’re still waiting for Google to officially announce its “Chromebook Plus” initiative, but Lenovo won’t be left out of the fun.
…

Flagship phones are great. Paying full price for them isn’t. Refurbished phones let you get a flagship device for a fraction of the cost — and these are our favorites.
…

The Cyber Monday Chromebook deals are underway, and we’re checking through the best stores to find the hottest picks.

Much focus was on the Pixel 6 and its massive camera upgrades over previous iterations. However, there’s much more going on outside of its enhanced camera as Google introduced one of the best Android phones. Thanks to the power offered by the new Google Tensor chip, the company has introduced incredible features such as Live Translate and much more. This includes the all-new Google Assistant voice typing functionality that has been teased ever since Google I/O 2019. With the Pixel 6 (and 6 Pro) combined with Tensor, we can now use Assistant to send messages and even include emojis.

How to turn on Assistant voice typing

Before you can start to insert emojis using your voice with Google Assistant, you’ll first need to be equipped with a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. It’s unclear whether this feature is strictly limited to the Tensor chip or if Google will bring it to more devices in the future. However, the Pixel 6 is the only Android phone to include this feature for the time being.

Pr…

Trying to find the best cheap headphones is already a tough task with the number of options out there, and it gets more difficult when trying to find the best earbuds at an affordable price point. A headset — earphones or earbuds (or even a single earbud) with a microphone and controls — is a different beast than a set of earbuds or headphones without a mic. For starters, not every set will work with Android when you need to answer calls and adjust the volume. Plus, when products are cheap, there are thousands of choices to wade through. So we chose the best ones.

Foam fit

KLIM Fusion Earbuds

Staff Pick

They handle calls just fine, fit better than average, and aren’t terrible to wear. Best of all, they sound awesome. The Fusion Earbuds also include memory foam ear-tips so that you’ll get the best fit possible without having to worry about ear fatigue. Plus, KLIM offers a 5-year warranty if anything goes awry with your amazing earbuds.

$20 at Amazon

For the gym

JLab Meta…

If you’re looking for the best game controllers to use with Android emulators, then you might be a bit frustrated because of the sheer number of options available. Android emulators are the best way to play those classic games that aren’t found on the next-gen consoles, and make it so you can play games from wherever you are. Regardless of what games you’re playing, we’ve rounded up the best controllers for you to consider.

Best game controller to use with Android emulators overall: GameSir X2

Chances are that you aren’t limiting yourself to just one type of game when it comes to emulation on Android. That’s why it’s essential to have one of the best game controllers for Android emulators that are as versatile as you are. The GameSir X2 fits the bill quite nicely with its compatibility with all of the best cloud gaming services, along with a plug-and-play design.

Instead of having a fixed-in-place USB-C port, the GameSir X2’s USB-C connection pivots. Plus, the design is such tha…

Although there’s an all-new PET film and IPX8 water resistance on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, you can never be too careful. Samsung even upgraded the Cover Screen, bringing its 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. So if you want to make sure both displays are protected forever, we’ve rounded up the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 screen protectors.

The ultimate option

Whitestone Dome Glass for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Sponsored pick

Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 already has a screen protector installed from the factory, the Dome Glass from Whitestone offers the best tempered glass screen protector for your Cover Screen. This kit includes two screen protectors and an installation kit, which uses the UV curing light to make sure your screen protector remains bubble-free.

$50 at Amazon

No compromises

Olixar Screen Protector (2-pack)

Staff Pick

This two-pack of screen protectors from Olixar offers great protection for the inner display of your Galaxy Z Fold 3. There’s an oleophobic coating a…

Chrome OS already makes using desktop peripherals dead simple, and we’ve rounded up the best Chromebook external monitors for any situation. Chromebooks are perfect on-the-go computers for many people, but sometimes you just want to sit down, relax, and do your thing with a big display. That’s why almost every laptop, regardless of the software running on it, has some port to send video out to an external display. Our top recommendation is the incredible 4K LG 24UD58, but we’ve also rounded up other great options with lower resolutions and price points that will match up perfectly with one of the best Chromebooks.

Best overall: LG 24UD58-B 4K UHD

The LG 24UD58 may not look as pretty as other options, but LG has gone out of its way to give users a great experience. This monitor sports a 4K UHD resolution, which is excellent for those who want to get work done and let off steam with a game. Of course, Chromebooks aren’t the best for gaming, but if you’re going to use your monitor w…

The big leak that we’ve been waiting for

What you need to know

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro product pages have been accidentally published.
This confirms many of the new features that are coming to the devices.
Features coming include ‘Magic Eraser’, camera-based translation, and more.

Google recently announced that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launch event will be held on October 19. But that hasn’t stopped the leaks from appearing anyways, as we’ve seen with the leaked Pixel 6 Pro assembly video and a series of images provided by Evan Blass (@evleaks).

Blass is at it again, at least kind of, as the latest leak shows us pretty much everything there is to know about the upcoming Google phones. It seems that someone over at Carphone Warehouse (based in the U.K.) didn’t get the memo, and has published the landing pages for both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Pretty much all of the images line up with what Blass revealed early in the week, showing off both phones, the U.K. charger, a…

Amazon’s latest

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

$55 at Amazon
$55 at Best Buy

Pros

Amazon’s best Fire TV Stick ever
Includes Wi-Fi 6 support
Updated Voice Remote provides more controls than previously
Plugs right into your TV set
Supports HDMI ARC output

Cons

Limited to Amazon Alexa for smart home controls
No expandable storage

It took Amazon three years, but the Fire TV Stick 4K Max provides many of the upgrades we have been waiting for compared to the Fire TV Stick 4K.

Best from NVIDIA

NVIDIA Shield TV

$150 at Amazon
$150 at Best Buy
$150 at Walmart

Pros

Android TV and Google Assistant integration
Can be used with Amazon Alexa
Expandable storage (via microSD)
AI Upscaling is great
The best Android TV experience

Cons

Almost 3x more expensive
Not ideal if you don’t want to run cables

If you want the best Android TV streaming device with the benefit of a compact form-factor, it doesn’t get much better than the NVIDIA Shield TV.

Amazon’s introduction o…