Articles by Derrek Lee

Snapchat experienced a resurgence on Android.

What you need to know

Snapchat presented its first-quarter results with some interesting revelations.
The company reported more active users on Android than iOS.
Snapchat was rebuilt in 2019 for Android after users started leaving the platform for its sub-par app.

How the tides have turned. Android users once heavily criticized Snapchat for the poor performance of the app. The experience didn’t quite have the same quality as the iOS app, which caused owners of the best Android phones to leave the platform in swaths. Things changed when the company launched the rebuilt app in 2019, and Snap’s latest financial results show just how popular the app has become for Android users.

According to Snap, the first quarter of 2021 saw more daily active users accessing the app from Android than on iOS. Not only that, but the number of total daily active users increased 22% year-over-year to 280 million, which Snap and CEO Evan Spiegel contribute…

Your copied text will be easier to access on Gboard.

What you need to know

Google is testing a new way to access the clipboard in Gboard.
Copied text may be accessed through a side-scrolling list above the keyboard.
The update may be rolling out via a server-side update.

Gboard is easily one of the best keyboards for Android, thanks to its smart predictions, customizable layout, and easy to use emojis, especially with the Emoji Kitchen. That said, there are always ways that Google can improve the app, and the company is always making subtle changes to the app. One of the latest improvements just introduced an easier way to access items in your clipboard without needing to open the menu.

Spotted by Android Police, Google seems to be rolling out with a new update to Gboard with a new side-scrolling clipboard. This is different from the previous iteration that usually just suggests a recently copied clipboard item to be pasted into a text field. With this new implementation, the c…

Google Maps can help you be greener, too.

What you need to know

Google Maps will now let businesses list the items that they recycle.
Google also highlights the list feature in Maps so that users can keep track of eco-friendly places.
Users can also make edit suggestions for businesses to let others know about their eco-friendly practices.

Earth Day is upon us, and Google is pointing out ways that Maps can help everyone stay. Google Maps on Android Auto already helps eco-friendly drivers of select EVs to efficiently map their routes with charging stations along the way. Today, Google highlights more ways that Google Maps can help everyone keep clean and go green by recycling and reusing items.

Google Maps is rolling out a new feature that allows businesses to add additional eco-conscious information to their profiles using their Google My Business accounts. This means that from now on, it’ll be easier to find out where you can go to recycle materials like clothing, electronics,…

Get rewards for using the new Google Pay app.

Update, Apr 22 (2:45 pm ET): Spring Challenge has been extended

What you need to know

Google Pay is offering $30 cashback rewards for using the new app.
Users will gather stamps by performing various tasks within the new Google Pay app.
The challenge is available to Google Pay users in the United States.

When the new Google Pay launched late last year, Google was really hyping up its social features and one-stop-shop design for all your payment needs. Now that the app’s old version has been stripped of most features, Google is introducing ways to make the new app more appealing, and that brings us to the new Spring Challenge.

Beginning April 12, the Google Pay Spring Challenge will offer cashback rewards for completing various actions within the new app. When performing tasks like completing transactions, sending payments, and even answering fun quizzes, users will collect cute animal stamps within the app. Once five stamps are col…

Google Fi’s new plan may be for you if you can forego some features.

What you need to know

Google Fi has introduced a new Simply Unlimited data plan.
Subscribers on the new plan will still experience “unlimited” data without a few notable features.
The plan is available now for new and existing Google Fi subscribers.

Google Fi is one of the best MVNO carriers in the U.S., particularly when it comes to traveling outside of the U.S. That’s thanks to its lower cost and dependence on the T-Mobile 5G network and its ability to switch between cellular and WiFi on the fly. To celebrate the 6th anniversary of Google Fi, the carrier is introducing a new “unlimited” plan that forgoes some of its popular perks.

Google Fi’s new Simply Unlimited plan is available for users that want the perks of unlimited data but without some of the extras. That means no tethering or international roaming. Until now, Google Fi has offered two plans for customers, the Flexible plan for WiFi users that charg…

Don’t throw away your old Galaxy phone just yet.

What you need to know

Samsung has launched the beta of its Galaxy Upcycling at Home program.
The program will be available via the Samsung SmartThings app.
Users will be able to turn their old Galaxy smartphones into IoT devices.

Earth Day is here, and to celebrate its appreciation of our planet, Samsung has announced the beta of its Galaxy Upcycling at Home program in the U.S., UK, and Korea. First announced back at CES 2021, Galaxy Upcycling at Home allows anyone with an older Galaxy smartphone to repurpose their device using the SmartThings app instead of just tossing it. According to Jaeyeon Jung, VP & Head of the SmartThings team, this program can open up a world of possibilities for transforming one’s home into a smart home:

The program transforms Galaxy devices into SmartThings devices and demonstrates the power of our intelligent IoT platform to broaden the possibilities of what users can do with their old phones. …

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Huawei Mate X2 bring similar designs for different audiences.

What you need to know

MrMobile spent some time with the Huawei Mate X2 and gave his impressions on the foldable phone.
Fueling his impressions of the Mate X2 is how it compares to the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
You can watch Mr. Mobile’s video below on his thoughts on both Samsung and Huawei’s second-gen foldables.

One of the fears of buying an expensive, foldable smartphone is not only the practicality of certain form factors (which may still be for debate) but also the fragility of the devices. That’s something MrMobile had to learn the hard way once before with the Moto Razr 5G, and something he’s once again experiencing with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. This is what made him really consider what the Huawei Mate X2 is trying to accomplish and why it just might work.

Despite possibly being the best foldable phone in a market with so few, Galaxy Z Fold 2 owners have apparently reported cracking along t…

Chromebooks are getting some beneficial tools with this latest release.

What you need to know

Google is releasing a new update to Chromebooks that adds a few new features.
Chromebooks will soon gain a diagnostics tool and Live Captions.
Users will be able to send scanned documents straight to their Chromebooks.

Google is rolling out a new update today for the best Chromebooks to add several new features to the machines. One of the most significant additions to the update is Live Caption, which has already rolled out on the Chrome browser for other desktop OSes. The feature will now roll out to “most Chrome OS devices” soon and be available through the accessibility settings. For now, if you own machines with any other OS, we can show you how to enable Live Caption in Google Chrome for desktop.

More immediate features coming to Chromebooks include the updated Launcher, which now has a more useful Everything Button. Users can type in any type of queries such as weather, stocks, o…

The OnePlus Watch might finally be getting good.

What you need to know

The OnePlus Watch is being updated soon with several fixes and enhancements.
The update will bring enhanced notification support and better system stability.
OnePlus also plans to bring Always-On Display and a remote camera function.

The OnePlus Watch has not been received too well, and a lot of that has to do with the software experience. Many reviewers have even suggested that you’d be better off with any of the best Wear OS watches. Fortunately, OnePlus has apparently heard the criticisms and is rolling out an update soon that should hopefully help with the smartwatch’s software woes.

Hopefully, the update should improve notification support on the watch, which is something that many users have complained about. Notifications would either not sync properly, or many apps weren’t supported, so that should improve with the update, although it’s not clear to what extent. OnePlus states that notification app i…

Google Meet makes it easier to see more people.

What you need to know

Google Meet is rolling out with an updated design and new features.
Participants will have the ability to pin presentations or speaker tiles with more room to show everyone on the call.
Google is also rolling out low-light mode for the web application, a new data saver, and the ability to hide your own video from your view.

Google Meet has been a big focus since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic since many people transitioned to work-from-home lifestyles. Google has continuously rolled out updates to the video conferencing application, making it easier to manage while working from home. For instance, now you can use Google Meet’s virtual green room to check yourself before a call. The latest update adds some useful tools thanks to the power of AI and more efficient design tools to keep users engaged with everyone on the call.

In May, Google plans to update Meet’s layout to make sure more people are in view…