Articles by Joe Maring

Like most of Samsung’s top-tier smartphones, the Galaxy S10 has aged quite well. So even if you buy one (new or refurbished) today, the 2019 flagship will most likely serve you well for the next year or two, provided you get one of the best Galaxy S10 cases to protect its gorgeous glass and aluminum body from getting damaged. In fact, we also suggest taking a look at the best Galaxy S10 screen protectors, as they’ll help in keeping that 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen safe.

Reliable everyday protection

Spigen Tough Armor case

Staff Pick

Featuring a dual-layer construction, Spigen’s Tough Armor case comes with a soft TPU shell and a hard polycarbonate exterior. It uses “Air Cushion” technology and conforms to the MIL-STD-810G standard, giving your Galaxy S10 maximum protection from hard falls and other kinds of damage.

$16 at Amazon

Slim yet durable

Otterbox Commuter Series case

Otterbox’s Commuter Series case sports a sleek yet rugged design that allows it to slip in…

Android on the big screen.

We might have some bias by saying this on a website called “Android Central,” but when you think about it, Android really is one of the most versatile operating systems in existence. We most commonly think of it as what powers smartphones like the Galaxy S21 and Pixel 5, but it also extends to tablets, smartwatches, car infotainment systems, and even televisions.

That last point is what we’re talking about today — Android TV. This version of Android powers smart televisions and streaming boxes, and it’s been doing that since 2014.

Other platforms like Roku and Amazon’s Fire TV have overshadowed Android TV’s popularity, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth considering. In fact, Android TV has quite a lot to offer if you’re a fan of Google services and are looking for a way to bring more smarts into your living room.

Android TV fact sheet

What is Android TV?
Google Assistant on Android TV
Android TV & Chromecast
Android TV boxes & dongles
An…

Ready for a new messaging app? You’ve come to the right place.

Messaging apps are a dime-a-dozen these days, but when it comes to the big leagues, three options stand out above the rest. WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal have all seen varying levels of success over the years. However, after the recent Facebook outage, which brought WhatsApp to its knees and caused millions to flock to Telegram — you may be wondering whether you should switch too.

WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal are all seen as some of the best Android messaging apps currently available, but depending on where your needs lie, one is likely a better fit over the rest. So today, we’re going to help you sift through everything and make the best decision possible.

Whether you’re an existing WhatsApp user looking for a new home or are just getting started in the world of third-party messaging services, here’s everything you need to know about Telegram vs. Signal vs. WhatsApp.

Jump to:

Availability
Encryption
Privacy
…

No longer want to use WhatsApp? Deleting your account is easy.

There are all sorts of reasons you may want to delete your WhatsApp account. Maybe you decided it falls short compared to Telegram or Signal, or you’re leery of how WhatsApp shares your data with Facebook. More likely, you were hit by the recent six-hour Facebook outage — the second such outage this year — and decided enough is enough.

Whatever your reasons, deleting your WhatsApp account is a decision that should not be made lightly, as doing so will permanently erase all of your data. Even if you choose to reactivate your account in the future, your deleted data will still be gone and unable to be recovered.

So before you decide, choose which app will replace it. That way, you can save your chat history to the replacement app before you delete WhatsApp, making the transition less final. For example, we have guides on how to transfer your WhatsApp messages to Telegram or transfer them to Signal.

With that out of …

From cloud storage to free Play credits and hotel deals, this is Google One.

Google One made its debut in May 2018 as a rebranding for paid Google Drive storage. However, Google One’s a lot more than a fresh coat of paint. With new storage plans and extra member benefits, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your cloud storage game.

With Google getting rid of the ability to upload unlimited high-quality photos to Google Photos in June 2021, you may need to use Google One to pick up additional storage to continue using Photos.

Here’s everything you need to know about Google One!

Jump to:

What is Google One?
Plans and pricing
Features
Family storage
Extras

Google One is now the place for buying paid Google Drive storage

If you want to buy more cloud storage for your Google Drive account, that’s now handled through Google One. Google provides 15GB of storage for free to all users, and that’s shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Should you exceed that…

When trying to figure out the best phone for kids, there are many factors to consider. Deciding what age your child should get a phone is entirely up to you, but when it’s time, you want to make sure you’re getting something worthwhile. As a parent or guardian, the most important features to look for include security, ease of use, and of course, budget. Lucky for you, there are tons of great handsets that your kid, and wallet, will equally love. We think the Pixel 4a is the best all-around choice, but if it’s not catching your fancy, there are plenty of other stellar phones on this list.

Best overall: Google Pixel 4a

Buying a phone for your kid is a balancing act of getting something they’ll want to use and having excellent security, all without spending a fortune. In our eyes, the Pixel 4a best fits that bill.

The value proposition offered by the 4a is phenomenal due to the fantastic camera, good battery life, and regular security updates. Plus, there’s no breaking the bank to …

Evolving into a well-rounded wearable.

In 2020, Fitbit announced several updates to existing products and even launched new hardware. One of the most interesting new wearables was the Fitbit Sense, and that means we’re diving into our official Fitbit Sense review. It’s hard to believe that the Fitbit Ionic — Fitbit’s first actual smartwatch — was released over three years ago. Fitbit’s come a long way in that short amount of time, finding new ways to refine its hardware design, FitbitOS operating system, and create a compelling narrative as to why you should have a Fitbit watch on your wrist instead of a Galaxy Watch, something with Wear OS, or an Apple Watch if you’re an iPhone owner.

By late 2020, Fitbit’s vision for the future of smartwatches culminated in the release of the Fitbit Sense. It does all of the usual Fitbit things like activity tracking, sleep monitoring, etc., but it comes with a bunch of extra sensors that are designed to help give you a more granular understa…

Philips Hue smart lights are some of the coolest on the market, and they’re definitely some of the most popular, but they can be quite expensive, especially once you get into colored bulbs. So if you’re looking for a less expensive option, or just something other than what’s popular (maybe something without a hub?), then check out these other best Philips Hue alternatives.

Best alternative

Philips WiZ Connected A19 Bulb

Staff Pick

You might be surprised to know that Philips Hue isn’t the only smart bulb brand from the company. Unlike Hue bulbs, Philips WiZ Connected bulbs require no hub, connecting directly to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth via the WiZ app. Despite being less expensive, these bulbs aren’t any less capable. They can be dimmed and color-tuned to your liking. These bulbs shine in millions of colors thanks to the powerful WiZ Connected app and support your favorite virtual assistant.

$33 at Amazon (3-pack white-only) $13 at Best Buy $25 at Best Buy (2-Pack white and color)

A…

Best for most

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

From $522 at Amazon
From $530 at Best Buy

Pros

Smooth 120Hz refresh rate
Large display that’s still easy-to-use
Snapdragon 865+ processor
Lots of RAM and storage
More affordable price

Cons

LCD only
Smaller battery

The Galaxy Tab S7 is a premium tablet with specs and performance that hold up a year later. It offers a crisp and smooth LCD panel, blazing-fast performance, and all the RAM and storage you could ask for. Combine all of that with the free S Pen included in the box, and you end up with a pretty solid deal.

Upgrade pick

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

From $675 at Amazon
From $730 at Best Buy

Pros

AMOLED screen is jaw-dropping
120Hz rate is as smooth as can be
Excellent canvas for drawing or productivity
Qualcomm’s latest processor
Ample specs across the board

Cons

Size can be a bit awkward
Very expensive

The larger, more visually stunning Tab S7+ shares a lot of DNA with the baseline model, including its processor a…

Whatever your fitness goals are, living a healthier lifestyle is easier when you have something to track your activity throughout the day automatically. Fitbits are great tools for this, but with so many to choose from, which one should you buy and why? We think the Fitbit Versa 3 is the best Fitbit you can buy, offering a great blend of features, specs, and design at a price your wallet will love.

Best Fitbit overall: Fitbit Versa 3

Fitbit makes many fantastic fitness wearables, but if you ask us, the best one you can buy right now is the Fitbit Versa 3.

Combining the best bits of a smartwatch and fitness tracker into one, the Versa 3 is lightweight and slim enough to fit onto even the smallest of wrists and not look obnoxiously big the way competing watches can. In addition, it has a gorgeous AMOLED display on the hardware side of things, a battery that lasts over six days on a single charge, and it’s waterproof up to 50 meters. Compared to the Versa 2, Versa 3 has a much-impr…