Articles by Andrew Myrick

Podcasts are the new radio.

Whether you’re doing laundry, driving home from work, or breaking a sweat at the gym, podcasts are great for filling up your time with the latest news, comedy shows, in-depth storytelling, and so much more. Podcasts are the new radio stations, and there are plenty of options to choose from, but how do you find them? These are easily our picks for the best podcast apps for Android.

The top 3 apps

1. PocketCasts
2. Spotify
3. Google Podcasts

More options

Podcast Addict
Castbox
Podbean App & Player
Stitcher Podcast Player
Amazon Music
AntennaPod
Sonnet

Ditch the radio with the best podcast apps for Android

It should come as no surprise that Pocket Casts is our favorite podcast app for Android. Even with changes to the platform that made the app free but introduced another subscription service, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Did you really think that Spotify wouldn’t be included? The app is already our favorite music streaming servic…

Making lives easier for developers, one group charter at a time

What you need to know

Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla have partnered to form the WECG.
The main goal of this new group is to make it easier for developers to create and update extensions.
With these changes, developers can easily port their extensions between different browsers instead of sticking with one.

For years, Google Chrome has led the way as the most popular browser, regardless of whether you were using one of the best Android phones or one of the best laptops. With a browser so large in popularity, it only makes sense for developers to flock to that platform to develop apps and extensions. However, in recent years we have seen the likes of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and even Apple’s Safari gets closer (or surpass) Chrome in terms of reliability, compatibility, and speed.

Today, the four companies announced a new partnership called the WebExtensions Community Group (WECG). This brings these fou…

This should have been available from the start

What you need to know

The Google TV Home app for Android has been updated with minor fixes.
Within the update, code was found referring to the addition of multi-profile support.
The update also suggests that better parental controls are on the way for kids profiles.

The Chromecast with Google TV may be one of the few options out there with Google’s new interface, but the company is working on bringing new features to the streaming dongle. Courtesy of the latest APK Insight from 9to5Google, code within the Google TV Home app for Android reveals references to providing the ability to add multiple profiles. Not only will you be able to switch between your own profile and others in the home, but you will also encounter personalized content recommendations.

With the current version of Google TV, you can add multiple accounts to one device. However, the content is still personalized for the “main” account. With this upcoming feature, it …

There are a lot of cheap tablets out there, but only a few are worthy of being called the best cheap Android tablets. The Android tablet market, on the whole, is a bit of a mess once you look outside of Amazon or Samsung, but there are some solid and viable options if you want to spend less than $300. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites, and while they vary in features and uses, all of the best cheap Android tablets are worthy of claiming the title of being your next couch tablet.

Best cheap Android tablet overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

It’s no surprise that Samsung offers the best cheap Android tablet, as the company provides options for every corner of the Android market. Even with newer tablets like the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, the Galaxy Tab A7 is no slouch and includes many features you will want.

Starting off with the design, this is a slim aluminum slab with glass on the front, which makes for quite a gorgeous form factor. With the Galaxy Tab A7, Samsung made the decisio…

A new way to keep track of your Digital Wellbeing

What you need to know

OneLab Studio has launched a new wallpaper app named WellPaper.
These live wallpapers change throughout the day, revealing how much you are using your phone.
The app is free to download and works with any Android device.

There is definitely no shortage of options for finding the best wallpaper apps on Android, but only a few of them are unique. Take SwirlWalls from Chris Lacy for example, as this allows you to set unique live wallpapers that move around as you interact with your device. But today, OnePlus is taking a different approach to wallpapers on your Android phone with the newly-released WellPaper.

Digital Wellbeing has been a battle Samsung, Google, Apple, and others have been fighting, and now OnePlus is joining the fray. With Wellpaper (via XDA Developers), you are provided with three different wallpaper options to choose from: Composition, Radial, and Glow.

Each of the colors in the wallpaper …

If you’ve ever played some of the best Android games on your phone and wish you could play them on your computer, you’re in luck. This is a unique Android emulator for Windows and macOS that allows you to play Android games on your PC with BlueStacks. You can log in with your Google account to download and play the same games across both the best Android phones and your computer.

How to install Bluestacks on your PC

Navigate to the Bluestacks website on your PC.
Click the Download Bluestacks 5 button. This will automatically detect your operating system and install the correct version of Bluestacks.

Open the Downloads folder on your computer.
Double-click the BlueStacks Installer to begin the installation process.
Once open, click the Install now button.
The installation process will take some time, but when completed, it will take you to the BlueStacks 5 Home Screen.
In order to get started, click the Play Store icon.
Click the Sign in button.
Sign into the Google account tha…

The largest Chromebook ever could be coming soon

What you need to know

New rumors suggest a 17-inch Chromebook is coming this August from ASUS.
The ASUS CX1700 could be priced as low as $299.
ASUS is said to include up to 8GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage.

Hot on the heels of the ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3 introduction, we’re hearing that ASUS is keeping its foot on the gas. According to a source speaking to Chrome Unboxed, ASUS is working on the world’s first 17-inch Chromebook. It’s not often that we see the boundaries pushed in the world of the best Chromebooks and Chrome OS, but if this rumor comes to fruition, we’ll be getting Chrome OS on bigger screens soon.

According to those rumors, this upcoming Chromebook will be called the CX1700 and will be powered by one of two processors. The CX1700 will use Intel chips, with ASUS still deciding between the Jasper Lake Celeron N5100 or the Pentium Silver N6000. There’s no surprise in the RAM department, as we will see a mi…

It’s about time that we see better optimization for a Microsoft app with Microsoft’s phone.

What you need to know

Microsoft’s latest update to the Xbox Game Pass app features improved support for the Surface Duo.
With Xbox Game Pass and the Surface Duo, you can use one screen for the game and another for controls.
The update is available now for owners of the Surface Duo.

While the global chip shortages and increased demand for the Xbox Series X continue to make it almost impossible to get one, Xbox Game Pass has skyrocketed in popularity. One device that will take better advantage of its dual screens with mobile gaming is the Microsoft Surface Duo.

Instead of trying to find the best controllers for Xbox Game Pass, the latest update to the Android app (via Panos Panay) brings improved compatibility when using the Surface Duo. Essentially, you’ll have the game itself on one of the screens, while the screen you’re physically holding will have all of the controls you’ll need.

Wit…

NVIDIA Shield TV Pro

For gamers

$200 at Amazon

Pros

Works best with Google’s ecosystem
Can expand storage with external options
Could be used as Plex Server
Better for gamers

Cons

Doesn’t include HDMI cable
No support for 4K/120Hz

The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is our favorite streaming device for a multitude of reasons. It works the best with Google’s ecosystem, includes the ability to expand the storage, and is better for those who want to game on their main TV.

Apple TV 4K (2021)

New hotness

From $179 at Amazon

Pros

Works best with Apple’s ecosystem
Upgraded remote is easier to use than its predecessor
Gigabit Ethernet jack
HDMI 2.1 for future 4K/120Hz support

Cons

Storage is not expandable
Limited gaming options available

Apple made a lot of right moves with the Apple TV 4K (2021) while finally upgrading the included remote. You’ll get 4K HDR support with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, and will eventually allow you to view content in 4K at 120Hz.

No…

From taking notes to creating task lists or projects, a good note-taking app can do it all.

Notes. Taking notes. Referring to them later. Forgetting that you wrote something down already. Dumping things out of your brain to clear up some space.

Note-taking apps are almost as bad as to-do apps in the sense that there are way too many options to choose from. Just type in “notes” in the Play Store search box and you’ll come across thousands of options to choose from. So we’ve drummed down the list, and have picked a few that are actually worthy of being called the best note-taking apps for Android.

The top 3 apps

1. Google Keep
2. Microsoft OneNote
3. Notion

More of the best note-taking apps

Evernote
Bundled Notes
Squid
Simplenote
Standard Notes

These are the best note-taking apps for Android

There’s really no other choice when you’re looking at the best note-taking apps for Android. Google Keep does everything you could want, and then some, while being completely free a…