Articles by Jeramy Johnson

While there is no shortage of standout features on the Samsung Galaxy S21, one of the things that stands out the most about the device from an aesthetic perspective, and that is literally in your face all the time, is its gorgeous screen. Presumably, you’ve decided to pick up a great case to protect the phone from accidental drops or falls, but have you thought about how you’re going to keep the front of the phone free of scratches, nicks, and cracks? Then, take a look at this roundup of the best Samsung Galaxy S21 screen protectors so that your smartphone stays stunning for years to come.

Durable and dependable

ZAGG Invisible Shield GlassFusion+ Screen Protector

Staff Pick

The GlassFusion+ is a hybrid glass solution that covers the screen of your Samsung Galaxy S21 with military strength protection that is nearly unbreakable. It looks and feels like the glass on your screen and delivers clear viewing and fingerprint sensor sensitivity.

$36 at Amazon $40 at Best Buy

Eas…

I’ve been using gesture navigation on my smartphones since the iPhone X came out. So I was thrilled when some Android OEMs like Samsung and OnePlus started adding their own interpretations before introducing it at an OS level in Android 9 and later perfected with Android 10. If you have an older Samsung Galaxy phone and haven’t enabled gesture navigation or weren’t aware of all the customizations and settings you can tweak, you’re in for some fun surprises! In the steps below, we’ll show you how to change navigation gestures on Galaxy phones.

How to enable gesture navigation on your Samsung Galaxy phone

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Display.
Scroll down and tap on Navigation bar.
Tap on Swipe gestures.

Now you’ll be able to do a half swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the multitasker or swipe left or right along the bottom of the screen to switch apps.

If you want to customize your gesture settings further, do the following:

Under Full screen gestures, tap the M…

The right phone at the right time.

What you need to know

We polled our readers to ask if they thought the extended wait for the Google Pixel 5a was worth it.
Over half said that the budget-friendly flagship was exactly what they had hoped for, regardless of timing.
Fewer than 20% were disappointed by its design, features, and arrival date.

A few weeks ago, Google dropped the Pixel 5a on us, and I, for one, was thrilled to see such a complete smartphone at such an accessible price point. The Pixel 5a looks nearly identical to its immediate predecessor, the Pixel 4a 5G, but it improves on that device with a slightly larger screen, a much bigger battery, an IP67 water-resistance — a first for a Pixel a-series phone.

Even though the Pixel 5a is an iterative update, it’s still an incredible value and is sure to be considered one of the best affordable Android phones of 2021. Like the 4a last year, the 5a was unveiled in mid-August, which is later than most expected it to arrive. S…

Ring security cameras are a great way to make your home smarter and a bit safer, and if you want them to operate at their full potential, you’ll want to pick up some of these best accessories for Ring cameras and video doorbells. All Ring Cams and doorbells have mounting kits, but you can do a lot better. Mount your devices higher or more securely, stock up on batteries and chargers to keep your cameras running for longer, and pair your security system with some nifty smart home tools. Take a look at all of these great accessories available for the various Ring camera models!

Power of the sun

Wasserstein Solar Panel Compatible with Ring Spotlight Cam Battery

Staff Pick

While there is a version of the Ring Spotlight camera that comes with its own solar panel, this is an excellent upgrade for those that started with a battery-powered version. The panel connects to the battery inside your Ring camera, so even if it’s a gloomy day, your camera will have enough juice to keep going. …

Even if you’ve never considered a smart video camera to watch over your property, you might be eyeballing a smart video doorbell. Guess what? Those have cameras too, and the vast majority of them, especially the most popular ones like Ring, store all of your video footage in the cloud. If you’re uncomfortable with this arrangement, or if you just want to know what your options are for the best smart video doorbells that store locally, then we’ve got you covered. Out of all of the smart video doorbells on this list, we like the Eufy Video Doorbell best because of its top-quality construction, excellent video capabilities, built-in eMMC storage, high-end encryption, and included doorbell chime.

Best overall: Eufy Video Doorbell

Eufy is easily the most well-known brand name on this list. Still, just in case it’s flown under your radar: The company is one of Anker’s sub-brands and is known for making high-quality connected home devices like smart cameras and lighting, robot vacuums,…

We’ve rounded up the best Samsung Galaxy S21+ cases because we know how important it is to keep your prized and expensive new smartphone safe and protected for its entire lifetime. Some of these cases offer maximum protection, while others showcase that incredible Samsung style. Consider the form factor, color, and thickness that works best for you when looking for a case from this list.

Exclusive to the Plus

Samsung Kvadrat Cover

Staff Pick

Samsung has been on a sustainability kick in 2021, and this lovely textured case is part of that initiative. Made entirely out of recycled PET bottles, the case not only keeps new materials out of the product stream, but it can be composted as well! The texture makes it easy and comfortable to hold while still providing protection. You can pick one up in violet or a stunning silvery gray.

From $33 at Amazon $35 at Samsung

A pleasure to hold

Caseology Parallax Case

It’s not often that you find one of the best-looking, most-protec…

Google Maps is an amazing service that we’re lucky to have, but sometimes people want to stop Google from storing their location data. Despite its obvious utility, the fact that Google Maps collects so much personal information makes many people nervous. If you want to know how you can take control of your location data, we’ve got you covered.

Jump to:

How to stop Google Maps from storing your location
How to use Your Data in Maps
How to stop Google Maps from storing your location on the web

How to stop Google Maps from storing your location

There are a few different ways that you can take control of your digital privacy and stop Google from storing your Maps location data. We’ll show you all the different ways you can do so from within the Google Maps app.

Turn on Incognito mode

If you want to limit your map search, browsing, and location history temporarily, consider enabling Incognito mode. Here’s how to do that.

Open the Google Maps app.
Tap on your avatar icon in…

Smartphone customers are feeling boxed out.

What you need to know

Over the weekend, we polled AC readers to see how they felt about the new trend of smartphone companies not including phone chargers in the box.
Over three-quarters of respondents said that they expect a charger in the box with a new phone.
Fewer than a quarter said they didn’t need or want a new charger, while less than 10% said that they didn’t care either way.

Ever since Apple and Samsung began removing chargers from the packaging of their high-end smartphones, technology pundits and regular people alike have had mixed opinions on the subject. Those market leaders (as well as the other companies who have begun to follow them) tout the saturation of chargers in the home and on the market as a major reason why they’ve decided to exclude the charging bricks. In addition, they say that removing them reduces packaging and shipping costs, which then theoretically get passed to the consumer (though this too is up for …

OnePlus’s stunt unfolded exactly as intended.

Before Samsung’s highly-anticipated Unpacked event early last week, the mischievous social media team at OnePlus dropped a teaser on Twitter that almost derailed the media machine promoting the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 smartphones. It was a simple, short video that appeared to show a OnePlus foldable phone, with a galaxy of stars on the displays, followed by the numbers 8.11.21 (the date of Samsung’s Unpacked event).

8.11 10am EThttps://t.co/mmPi4jlrhx pic.twitter.com/U6lPdrFnjf— OnePlus➕ (@OnePlus_USA) August 10, 2021

Speculation ran rampant in the hours leading up to Samsung’s unveiling: Could OnePlus actually be dropping a foldable phone during Samsung’s event?! After playing with the idea on social media and various blogs, most of the tech world concluded that OnePlus was trolling everyone. However, they couldn’t agree on why, or what product or service the company might be announcing.

On the 11th, that speculat…

SmartThings Edge is more than Groovy.

What you need to know

Yesterday, Samsung announced a new hub architecture for its smart home platform called SmartThings Edge.
The update brings enhancements to speed, security, and reliability.
SmartThings Edge continues Samsung’s exit from its legacy Groovy developer platform.

As part of an ongoing effort to update and upgrade its internet of things (IoT) services, Samsung has announced a brand-new hub architecture for its SmartThings platform called SmartThings Edge. Samsung says this new hub architecture will make SmartThings more reliable, faster, and more secure.

SmartThings is one of the most popular smart home platforms with a vast ecosystem of products like motion sensors and smart bulbs that can integrate with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-powered devices. Samsung has been making it easier for its customers to add old and new devices to their SmartThings network, and the Edge project will make those networks run faster, more s…