Articles by Joe Maring

Multiple camera sensors are worthless when they’re this bad.

Out of all the different kinds of smartphones we see throughout a given year, the niche of budget phones is always one of the most fascinating to watch. $1,000 flagships might be more fun to talk about and drool over, but the challenge that arises when crafting something that costs $300 or $400 is vastly more interesting.

It’s a challenge that countless companies try their hand at throughout the year, and as time goes on, they get better and better at it. Specs become more powerful, trends from high-end flagships are borrowed, and all of that happens while prices stay low.

In the quest to create the best cheap Android phones in 2020, there was one common denominator we saw throughout them — multiple rear camera sensors. Flagships like the Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8 Pro tout three, four, or even more rear cameras, and this resulted in the vast majority of cheaper options trying to do the same. The idea of getting three ca…

Google’s latest flagship is here (and green).

Following last year’s controversial Pixel 4, Google is ready to right some wrongs with the all-new Pixel 5. The Pixel 4 introduced new ideas like a telephoto camera, face unlock system, and unique gestures, but it did so at the expense of battery life. This time around, Google’s trying something a bit different.

Rather than be concerned about having the highest-end processor or five cameras, Google designed the Pixel 5 to be a meat and potatoes Android phone that does everything you need it to do, has all of the core features you could ask for and comes in at a much lower price than the latest flagships from Samsung and Apple.

Whether you want to learn more about its price, release date, specs, or anything else, here’s everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 5!

Buy the Pixel 5

Google Pixel 5

$700 at Amazon
$700 at Best Buy
$699 at B&H

The newest Pixel has arrived

Google packed a lot into the Pixel 5, including a…

2020 gave us a lot of great smartphone values, but among everything, the Google Pixel 4a stands out as the best of the best. It’s a phone we’re happy to recommend at its full retail price of $349, but for a very limited time, you can pick it up at the lowest price we’ve ever seen.

If you buy the Pixel 4a from B&H on December 23, you’ll get an instant $30 coupon that brings the phone down to $319. That’s a killer offer on its own, but B&H goes the extra mile by also including a free TPU clear case that normally retails for $20.

Factor in free standard shipping, and it’s a deal you simply can’t miss for one of the best Android phones of 2020.

Can’t miss this

Google Pixel 4a | $30 off at B&H

$319 at B&H

The best deal we’ve seen yet

The Pixel 4a is one of the best smartphone values we’ve seen all year, and for a limited time at B&H, you can pick it up for the lowest price yet. A $30 instant discount brings the 4a down to just $319, and on top of that, you a…

If you want to get your hands on the best Android phone in 2020, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is for you. It’s a device that delivers all of the high-end specs and features you could ask for in a flagship smartphone, all while coming in at a lower price than a lot of its competition. That said, if you’re in the market for something more affordable with different software, or a more unique design, there are plenty of other options to consider.

Top 6 Android phones at a glance

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE — Best Overall: A fully-fledged flagship smartphone for less money than you’d expect.
OnePlus 8 Pro — Best Premium: Offers an even better design, higher-quality cameras, and faster wireless charging.
Google Pixel 4a — Best Value: If you like getting good bang-for-your-buck.
Moto G Power — Best on a Budget: All-around great Android experience for an even better price.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra — Best Ultra Premium: Ultra-premium features and specs with a price to match
Google Pix…

Chatting with the AC forums.

I think it’s safe to say that Google had a pretty strong year for its Pixel series. The Pixel 4a stands out as one of the very best deals the market has to offer, the 4a 5G is a great budget option for under $500, and the Pixel 5 is one of our top picks for the best Android phone of 2020.

All three phones deliver a ton of value for their respective price points, but when it comes to the lowest-end Pixel 4a and most expensive Pixel 5, how do the two compare? There are some obvious compromises the 4a had to make in order to hit its $349 retail price, but does the Pixel 5 offer enough upgrades to justify costing twice as much?

Some of our AC forum members recently got to talking about the phones, saying:

ElronTheElder
12-18-2020 04:55 PM

“

Have two pixel’s 5 and 4a.

5 has more ram and 5g bands….next gen chipset

4a SOC handles it’s hardware better.
5 has the SOC …

Get rid of unwanted apps in the blink of an eye.

As the owner of a smartphone, whether it’s the best Android phone ever or something more affordable, there are a few basics tasks you should know how to do — such as making phone calls, sending texts, checking your email, etc.

The longer you have your phone, the more likely it is that it’ll fill up with a variety of apps. There’s that game your kid told you to download, the app for the airline you flew once over a year ago, countless social networks you don’t really use. You get the idea. Apps are great, but it is possible to have too many of them.

Whether your phone is starting to run out of storage or you just don’t like how cluttered things are looking, here are two easy ways to uninstall/delete those pesky applications.

How to delete apps from the app drawer

The easiest way to uninstall apps from your phone is by heading into the app drawer. The whole process takes just a few seconds, and for getting rid of apps, you know yo…

Can’t go wrong either way.

The holiday season is in full swing, and whether you’re doing last-minute shopping for someone else or just want to treat yourself to something nice, there are still plenty of deals to keep your wallet at ease. Most recently, Samsung kicked off big savings for its Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds Plus earbuds.

These are two of the best wireless earbuds you can buy in 2020, and if you head to Samsung’s online store right now, you can save up to $60. These savings won’t be around forever, so make sure to act fast if you’re interested!

Lovely beans

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

From $120 at Samsung

Weird shape, amazing sound

The Galaxy Buds Live are unlike any other earbuds you’ve ever used, and that’s a good thing. It all starts with the bean-like design, which allows the Buds Live to be surprisingly comfortable and gives them a one-size-fits-all shape. They also sound fantastic, come with active noise cancellation, and are backed by long battery life.
…

Who needs $1000 flagships at this point?

For many years, you had two main choices when it came to buying a smartphone: either go all-out with an expensive flagship or settle for something more affordable. Handsets like the Moto G have proven to be really great options for people that want to spend as little as possible, but if you’ve ever found yourself wanting a higher-end experience without being able to shell out $1000 or more, options have traditionally been pretty limited.

We’ve seen some brands try to break the status quo — namely OnePlus — but even its last couple of releases have morphed into the pricey smartphones it was once trying to fight against. Thankfully, one of the few silver linings of 2020 saw more companies than ever before put real time and effort into creating high-end flagships that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Yes, we’re talking about the awesome rise of value flagships.

This was the year of the Chromebook
Samsung rediscovered the joy of flat disp…

You can get a lot of phone for a modest price these days, and to prove it, we’ve rounded up a list of the best Android phones under $300 for your consideration. Motorola has been a leading name in mid-range options for years, and that holds true with its excellent Moto G Power. For an extremely competitive price, you get capable specs with a big display and simple software that anyone can figure out. Plus, it has a massive battery and convenient USB-C charging.

Best Overall Android Phone under $300: Moto G Power

Motorola launched a few different Moto G phones for 2020, but the one that stands out as the best pick for most people is the Moto G Power. This is a phone that nails all the basics, has a very affordable price, and a cool trick up its sleeve — battery life.

A 5,000 mAh battery is crammed inside of the Moto G Power, meaning you can get between two and three days of use out of the phone before needing to charge it up. In a world where a lot of $1,000 flagships need to b…

Get those spicy questions ready!

It’s hard to believe, but 2020 is finally coming to a close. This year sure has been something else, so why not end it on a high note? The final Android Central Podcast of 2020 is coming soon, and rather than doing a normal show to send off the year, we wanted to do something a bit more fun.

As such, the next episode of the Android Central Podcast will be a Q&A! Whether you want to get our hot takes on our favorite phones of the year, finally want us to settle which Android interface is best, or just need to know what we think about pineapple on pizza (it’s delicious, by the way), this is your opportunity to ask.

Whatever your question may be, all you have to do is leave it in the comments below. We’ll sift through everything that comes in, pick our favorites, and try to answer as many as possible. You all get to decide what we’ll be talking about, so get creative and have fun!

We’ll be recording the next Android Central Podcast on Thursday, D…