Articles by Ara Wagoner

How is the Pixel 6 both the best camera and the worst camera at the same time? Bias and Google still fine-tuning.

I’ve been using my Google Pixel 6 for two weeks now, and while writing its review for Android Central, the section that honestly felt the easiest to write for me was the camera section. The main sensor kicked out great photos day or night, and the videos I took were wonderful. While white levels missed every so often, it was always within the range for the highlights/shadows toggles to fix.

In short, the Pixel 6’s main sensor photos were great. Once those words were written, though, the urge to change or hedge them gnawed at me for days. Once the rest of the reviews for the Google Pixel 6 series came in, that gnawing turned into a heavy stone. A lot of reviewers weren’t fans of that new 50MP sensor at all, but just as many found the Pixel 6 to be a great camera that only needed some minor fine-tuning.

Source: Danny Winget

Our own Nicholas Sutrich said in his 6 P…

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a foldable phone with many promises. S Pen support makes it a natural choice for creators on the go who want to sketch out ideas wherever the muse strikes them. The improved durability and water resistance mean that you don’t quite have to baby the Fold 3 the way you did the Fold 2 (just don’t take it to the beach or the desert). Of course, you can bolster that protection with a great case, and these are the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases we’ve been able to find so far.

Protect everything

Spigen Tough Armor Designed for Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G

Staff Pick

Most Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases leave the phone’s hinge totally exposed, but Spigen has a couple with that extra bit of protection. The Tough Armor’s version should still sit flat on a desk in tablet mode (unlike the Slim Armor Pro), and it offers a nice lip around the outer screen and the camera.

$50 at Amazon

Get the Note experience

Samsung S Pen Folio Cover

While the Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports th…

The holiday of candy, costumes, crazily scaring people — and best of all, PUMPKINS!!! is upon us — and you should be celebrating! Not all of us get to dress up to the nines and beg for candy anymore, but that doesn’t mean your phone can’t get a cute costume, too! There are lots of ways to theme dress up a phone without getting tacky cases, and that’s why we’re bringing you a variety of sweet and simple wallpapers that remind us that not only is Halloween here, but it’s for more than just horror shows. Here are the sweetest and spookiest Halloween wallpapers for your Android phone to dress up with.

Get festive, not garish

WallCandy

WallCandy isn’t as sweet as the name suggests; some of the best wallpapers in here are wonderfully macabre, like this grinning grim reaper taking a new spin on a classic phrase.

Free (w/ ads) at Google Play

Ominous times

Supermoon over the Washington Monument

Normally, I’d try to select something more ominous from the vast astrophotography se…

I was beginning to think this would never happen.

What you need to know

As Adobe MAX 2021, Adobe has announced through a partnership with Google that Photoshop and Illustrator to the web.
As more of Adobe Creative Cloud comes to the web, a more capable version of Photoshop comes to your browser with an incoming beta.
You need an Adobe Creative Cloud account and subscription to use these services.

When I migrated from Windows to Chromebooks half a decade ago, the only program I had to well and truly kiss goodbye was Photoshop. While a few highly stripped-down Photoshop Express apps are available through Google Play, none of them were all that handy for actual Photoshop tasks beyond adjusting levels and adding a few basic filters to photos. Full Photoshop arrived on iPads years ago — and is still regularly updated — but despite early attempts to bring Photoshop to Chromebooks for schools, no real progress had been made for bringing Photoshop to Chrome OS and non-Windows/Apple …

What the heck took you so long, Google?

The Google Pixel 6 has captivated my attention since August when Google finally gave in after months of leaks and confirmed its flashy design and the Google Tensor chipset that would be powering it. After years of stagnation, it looked like Google was finally ready to get up off the bench and actually compete with Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus. However, I had to tamp down my enthusiasm and remind myself of Google’s track record so far.

See, for as long as we’ve had Pixel phones, there’s always been a fatal flaw. The Pixel 1 and 2 had huge bezels, the Pixel 2 XL had screen issues, the Pixel 3 had serious software bugs, and the camera had gotten stale. The Pixel 4’s battery was horrifically bad, and the Pixel 5 went mid-range, giving us the same basic internals as a $500 phone for $700 (and was discontinued when the $450 Pixel 5a launched with the same guts). I panicked over what the Pixel 6’s flaw might be, but after a week with the phone, I’m t…

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the biggest and most powerful Galaxys ever and the first to work with the S Pen, traditionally reserved for the Note line. Given its size and heft, you need to protect your investment with a secure case that adds grip and style. The best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases are right here, whether you’re after a clear case to show off the Ultra’s design or a durable tank to keep it safe and secure.

Colorful and durable

Caseology Nano Pop

Staff Pick

After two years of the Nano Pop being exclusive to iPhones, it’s finally coming to Samsung devices with the S21 series. The Blueberry Navy with its yellow accents is striking and classic, and the impact-absorbing pattern embedded in the back gives you slim protection. I wish the Ultra also had the Violet shade the smaller S21s have, but these colors are still fun.

From $16 at Amazon $17 at Walmart

Ready to work hard

ArmadilloTek Vanguard Series for S21 Ultra

The S21 Ultra is made for productivity, so it should …

The Google Pixel 6 Pro is here with astounding camera upgrades, instant dictation/translation thanks to Google Tensor, and a curved 6.7-inch screen with a variable refresh rate. As anyone who’s ever owned a curved-screen phone knows, protecting the sides of that phone is crucial to keep the phone intact and alive, and so here are the best Pixel 6 Pro cases for keeping your shiny new flagship safe.

Slim but secure

Spigen Liquid Air Armor Designed for Google Pixel 6 Pro

If you don’t want to bulk up your super-sized Pixel 6 Pro, what you want is something slim but still thick enough to provide some impact protection and especially add grip. The Liquid Air Armor has great textures both across the back and on the sides, which is why I recommend it over its classic Rugged Armor sibling.

$16 at Amazon

Terrific two-tone

Caseology Parallax Protective Case Compatible with Google Pixel 6 Pro

While the Caseology Parallax isn’t packing quite as colorful a lineup as it has for previous …

A good keyboard is essential, which is why you deserve only the best Chromebook keyboard for typing and the best Chromebook keyboard replacements when something goes wrong. Chrome OS plays well with most keyboards on the market, and whether you’re looking for a travel-friendly keyboard to replace your Chromebook’s sticking keys, need a wireless keyboard to use in bed, or you’re a student looking for the perfect match, we’ve got a keyboard for everyone. The number of keyboards with Chrome OS function keys is still relatively small, but all keyboards can still work with Chromebooks, with F1-12 standing in for the function keys.

Made for Google

Logitech K580 Wireless Keyboard, Chrome OS Edition

Staff Pick

You can swap between two devices quickly on this slim keyboard, which has Chrome OS function keys up top, as well as a number pad with page up/down, home, and end keys. The connection is strong, and the key travel is a good depth for a long-lasting keyboard.

$42 at Amazon $45 at…

The Flex 5i is a dark mirror reflection without the homicidal tendencies.

Lenovo makes some of the best Chromebooks around, from the compact companion Lenovo Chromebook Duet to the ruggedly handsome ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook. However, the Chromebook that has sold like hotcakes for almost a year and a half now is the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5.

This year we’ve seen a few iterations of the Flex 5 hit the market — and we’re still waiting for one more to arrive — but the one that I was absolutely positive would rule 2021 (and 2022) was its direct successor: the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i. It brought new processors, higher storage configurations, and the Abyss Blue color that I absolutely fell in love with on the ThinkPad C13. It seemed like the minor upgrade to turn greatness into perfection.

Unfortunately, as good as the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i is, right now, you’re better off buying the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5, especially as it continues to get huge discounts regularly.

At…

“Why does this phone exist?” To prove Pixels can actually do battery right.

The Google Pixel line has suffered from fatal flaws in previous generations, but the one that crops up time and time again is short battery life. The Pixel 4 was essentially killed by its own small battery, and the Pixel 3 was barely any better. Last year’s Pixel 5 had a good enough battery to get through a good day, and that was a banner achievement for Google after years of battery woes.

Last year’s Pixel 4a 5G was in the same boat: it could get through the day with its battery, but it was too expensive to compete with the mid-range phones and too underpowered to fight with some of the best Android phones in the $500-$700 range last year — like the Pixel 5 once it got down to $600. Performance was fine, but it just didn’t fit anywhere in the United States market.

This year’s Pixel 5a is only available in the United States and Japan, so Google had to ensure that it could properly compete on both fea…