Articles by Andrew Myrick

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Fire Powerhouse

$25 at Amazon

Pros

4K video playback
Slightly more RAM
Comes with Alexa Voice Remote

Cons

More expensive

Although it’s a little more expensive, the Fire TV Stick 4K has the best specs of any Fire TV Stick and brings with it the ability to stream in 4K.

Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls)

Non-4K greatness

$23 at Amazon

Pros

Same storage and processor as 4K version
Less expensive
Comes with Alexa Voice Remote including TV controls

Cons

No 4K video playback
No support for Dolby Vision

If you could care less about 4K video playback or support for Dolby Vision, the Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen 2021) is less expensive and performs just as well as its counterpart.

In the battle for claiming the role of best streaming device for your home, the Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen 2021) vs. Fire TV Stick 4K are pretty similar. Both serve their roles, depending on what you are trying to achieve …

We expect the new Samsung Galaxy A52 will take home the crown for best cheap Android phone of the year. It’s the successor to the ultra-popular Galaxy A51 from last year that was actually Samsung’s best-selling phone over the course of the year. And why wouldn’t you want to keep one of the best Samsung phones protected with the best Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A52 5G cases? Here are some of our favorites to add pops of color to your device, while keeping it protected for years to come.

Our favorite case

Caseology Nano Pop

Staff Pick

Are you looking for a case that “pops” with your new Galaxy A52? Caseology’s new Nano Pop case fits the bill quite nicely, with its two-tone color scheme providing enough contrast to help your phone stand out. The case is compatible with most screen protectors and only adds 0.14-inches of thickness, keeping your A52 slim and lightweight.

From $16 at Amazon From $18 at Walmart

The next best

Spigen Liquid Crystal

Clear cases are some of the most…

Make your Android app experience a good one.

Our phones are pocket-sized supercomputers with professional-grade cameras and batteries for days, but what would be the point without the best Android apps to take advantage of it? Millions upon millions of Android apps transform our phones from shiny glass slabs into productivity powerhouses. Over the last year, these are the apps that have seized the day and made our lives easier, faster, and better. So now that you have one of best Android phones of the year make sure you download all of the best Android apps.

The Best Assistant apps

Who needs a personal assistant when you have services like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa available wherever you go? These types of apps aim to help alleviate the stresses and pressures of your day-to-day life to make things easier. From automation to smart home products and everything in between, these apps allow you to get work done with some help.

With you everywhere

Google Assistant…

Another necessary, but welcome, update

What you need to know

A new update is rolling out to the OnePlus Watch today.
The update adds a special ‘Spotify music mode’ along with four new watch faces.
OnePlus is also providing a few optimizations to improve sleep detection and vibration intensity.

If you were hoping that the OnePlus Watch was going to end up as one of the best Android smartwatches, you’re in luck. Another update is rolling out to the Watch, bringing with it a dedicated Spotify ‘music mode’ to let you sync Spotify playlists, along with four new watch faces. But perhaps even more importantly, the update includes improved optimizations for sleep tracking.

Along with the new watch faces and sleep optimization, OnePlus also makes it possible to view navigation directions right from your wrist. This is one of those quality-of-life features that makes it easier to know where you need to go instead of just grabbing your OnePlus 9 Pro or other Android phones.

The entire ch…

Tinker with and customize your favorite foldable phone.

Samsung’s all-new foldable phone is landing on doorsteps, and whether you already own the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or are planning to get one, there are a few things to try out first. We’re not talking about going through the setup process or downloading the best Android apps.

Instead, we’re taking a look at some of the first features and settings that you should tinker with. These range from customizing all four screens to getting rid of Bixby and so much more.

Jump to:

1. Customize all the screens
2. Extend your battery life
3. Multitask away
4. Apps on the big screen
5. Dive into the Labs
6. Make your phone feel faster
7. Switch up the keyboard
8. Ditch Bixby
9. Turn your Fold 3 into a portable charger
10. Use the good camera for selfies
11. Fix broken notifications
12. Accessorize your Z Fold 3

1. Customize all the screens

The very first thing that you’ll want to do (after signing in and downloading the best Android apps)…

Tinker with and customize your favorite foldable phone.

Samsung’s all-new foldable phone is landing on doorsteps, and whether you already own the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or are planning to get one, there are a few things to try out first. We’re not talking about going through the setup process or downloading the best Android apps.

Instead, we’re taking a look at some of the first features and settings that you should tinker with. These range from customizing all four screens to getting rid of Bixby and so much more.

Jump to:

1. Customize all the screens
2. Extend your battery life
3. Multitask away
4. Apps on the big screen
5. Dive into the Labs
6. Make your phone feel faster
7. Switch up the keyboard
8. Ditch Bixby
9. Turn your Fold 3 into a portable charger
10. Use the good camera for selfies
11. Fix broken notifications
12. Accessorize your Z Fold 3

1. Customize all the screens

The very first thing that you’ll want to do (after signing in and downloading the best Android apps)…

When it comes to big screens, you’ll want to keep them scratch-free, which is why you’ll want to use the best Galaxy S21 Ultra screen protectors. The phone measures in at a whopping 6.8 inches, which means there’s a lot of real estate that could get scratched. Luckily, there are already quite a few great options if you’re looking for the best Galaxy S21 Ultra screen protectors to match up with your new phone.

Worth it

amFilm 3D Curved Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Staff pick

The amFilm 3D Tempered Glass Screen Protector requires a few more steps for installation. It also uses a UV Gel application, as this is the best way for you to keep the screen protected while using the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. You’ll just need to re-scan your fingerprints after the installation is complete.

$40 at Amazon
$40 at Walmart

Ultra-thin

Whitestone Dome Premium Film (3+2 pack)

Whitestone Dome is primarily known for its tempered glass screen protectors. But the company also offe…

TiVo is updating the Stream 4K now, while NVIDIA awaits Android 12

What you need to know

The TiVo Stream 4K could be receiving its Android 10 update soon.
References to Android 10 appeared via the Stream 4K’s Google Play Console listing.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA has confirmed the Shield TV will not be updated.

An updated listing in the Google Play Console suggests that Android 10 could be coming soon to TiVo’s streaming dongle (via 9to5Google And while many of us are awaiting the official release of Android 12, there are plenty of Android TV devices out there that are still running Android 9. So the possibility of an upgrade will be great because those devices include some of the best streaming devices such as the TiVo Stream 4K and NVIDIA Shield TV.

The @TiVo Stream 4K is set to received #AndroidTV 10 pretty soon according to the Google Play Console ;)Also, AT&T TV has been replaced by DIRECTV STREAM in the Play Console. pic.twitter.com/k5D3hOq7ZA— Android TV Guide (@AndroidTV_…

Check out what makes the Pixel 5a tick

What you need to know

A new teardown shows off the innards of the Pixel 5a.
With the cutout for the NFC antenna, it’s possible that Google could have added wireless charging.
The Pixel 5a received a 5/10 repairability score, with the screen being the easiest component to replace.

it’s absolutely fascinating to see teardowns of new smartphones, and this time, we’re greeted with one of the newly-released Google Pixel 5a. Thanks toPBKreviews on YouTube, we get a look at how the Pixel 5a was assembled, along with all of the different water proofing measures that were taken.

When attempting to remove the display, there is quite a bit of water-resistant adhesive in place. As the teardown continues, we can see that Google included this adhesive wherever it was necessary. Additional water-resistant methods were added courtesy of mesh filters placed around the speakers and microphones.

After popping off the display and detaching the ribbon cable, …

We’re one step closer to the final release of Android 12

What you need to know

Google has released Android 12 Beta 4.1.
The release carries build number SPB4.210715.014 and is rolling out today.
This is likely the final beta version before the Release Candidate (RC) version is made available.

We’re inching closer and closer to the final release of Android 12. Today, Google released Android 12 Beta 4.1, the fourth incremental beta release that we’ve seen this year.

With every previous beta release, Google has pushed these “point” updates with bug fixes, but Beta 4.1 aims to fix some rather frustrating issues. Included in this release, Beta 4.1 now fixes a boot loop issue that plagued users, along with allowing you to connect your Android 12 device to a VPN. Also included is a fix for users who rely on the heads-up functionality, where notifications were not showing up immediately.

Here’s the full changelog for anyone who wants to see everything that Google has fixed with this r…