Articles by Joe Maring

Get the lowdown on Mint Mobile’s coverage, pricing, phones, and more.

The wireless carrier space is a neverending battle between T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. However, underneath the four big dogs is a collection of smaller brands tapping into their networks to deliver excellent wireless coverage at a fraction of the price.

One such company is Mint Mobile (formally known as Mint SIM), and if you’ve been searching for a new way to buy phone service that can help you save a heap of money, it may be worth a look.

Here’s everything you need to know!

Start by reading our review
Let’s talk pricing
Mint Mobile has great coverage
Hotspot access is free
Comparing Mint to other carriers
So, what phones does Mint sell?
You can also BYOP

Buy in bulk

Mint Mobile

From $15/month at Mint Mobile

A unique take on affordable wireless service

Buying things in bulk usually results in a lower price over the long-term, and Mint Mobile brings that mentality to the wireless space. Y…

Google will always need an in-person, human element.

What you need to know

Wired recently interviewed Google CEO Sundar Pichai, covering a wide range of topics.
Pichai talked about Google’s response to the pandemic, contact tracing, etc.
Once all is said and done, Pichai doesn’t see Google becoming a 100% remote company.

We talk a lot about Google here on AC, and as with any company we often discuss, it’s important to have a better understanding of the people behind it. Sundar Pichai is the CEO of both Google and parent company Alphabet, meaning he’s got quite a lot on his place.

The folks at Wired recently conducted an interview with Pichai, asking a variety of questions that mostly revolved around where the company stands in a world with an ongoing global pandemic.

The topic of “work from home” is one we’ve seen a lot given everything that’s happened, and this is something Google’s also had to adapt to. Commenting on Google’s response to this, Pichai says:

Once we realiz…

Here’s the lowdown on Samsung’s newest Note.

Every year, there are certain phones we just can’t help but get excited about — one of which is the Galaxy Note. From the first Note that debuted in 2011 up to last year’s Note 10, Samsung’s stylus-equipped flagships are regularly some of the most interesting to hit the market.

Samsung revamped its naming convention this year with the Galaxy S lineup, going from the S10 to the S20. We’re expecting something similar for the Note lineup, meaning 2020 will see the launch of the Galaxy Note 20.

From the latest specs, leaked renders, pricing rumors, and more, here’s everything you need to know!

We’re expecting at least two models
Get ready for a familiar design
Specs? Here’s what we know
There won’t be a physical launch event
Let’s discuss pricing
Don’t overlook the Note 10

Today’s Note

Galaxy Note 10+

From $950 at Samsung
$900 at Best Buy

Plenty of specs and features for years to come

While we are excited to see what Samsu…

With headphone jacks now a relic of the past, chances are your next headphones/earbuds will connect to your phone wirelessly instead of with an ancient cable. A lot of you have probably already moved on to Bluetooth gear by now, but for those that haven’t, getting used to Bluetooth and all of its quirks can be a bit confusing at first. If you just bought a pair of Bluetooth headphones but can’t figure out how to get them paired with your phone, here’s what you need to know.

Products used in this guide

Pure Android: Google Pixel 3a ($350 at Best Buy)
Block out the chaos: TaoTronics ANC Headphones ($50 at Amazon)

How to turn on Bluetooth on your phone

Before you can pair anything with your phone, you need to make sure that its Bluetooth connection is turned on. That may sound like a daunting task if you’ve never messed with your Bluetooth settings, but thankfully, doing so is quite easy.

Swipe down from the top of your screen to see your notification panel.
Swipe down again to …

Fifth time’s the charm?

If there’s one way we could describe the Pixel 4, it would be “frustrating.” Google made a lot of smart moves with the phone, notably its phenomenal cameras and ultra-fast face unlock, but inexcusably bad battery life held it back from being an easy recommendation. The larger Pixel 4 XL is undoubtedly the better of the two phones, but its battery is still just OK and raises the already high price by an extra $100.

Using the Pixel 4 is a wonderful thing, but there’s no getting around the compromises required to use it as a daily driver. With that in mind, it’s no surprise we’re anxious to see what Google does with its successor.

All the Pixel 5 needs to do in order to be a great phone is to give us the same Pixel 4 experience, use a reasonably-sized battery, and add an ultra-wide camera.

Is that what’s happening? Read on to find out everything we know so far about the Google Pixel 5!

Let’s talk about the design
We’ll get three rear cameras
Get ready for s…

Having a chat with the AC forums.

We’re still a ways off from the Pixel 5 being announced, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from already leaking juicy details about the phone. Most recently, it was reported that the Pixel 5 may ditch the Motion Sense gestures introduced on the Pixel 4.

In case you forgot, Motion Sense allows you to control certain aspects of the Pixel 4 by waving your hand over it — such as snoozing an alarm, dismissing a phone call, or controlling your music playback. It’s an interesting idea and backed by impressive radar technology, but the execution of the whole thing has left a lot to be desired.

Some of our AC forum members shared their thoughts about a Motion Sense-less Pixel 5, saying:

Mike Dee
05-17-2020 07:27 AM

“

Makes sense to me, no pun intended
Reply

eric002
05-17-2020 07:31 AM

…

If you want to go all-in with smart home gadgets, smart locks are absolutely worth investing in. Not only do they keep your home safe and secure, but they can be also be controlled remotely and allow you to give other family members or friends access to them easily. Here are the best ones that can be controlled using Google Assistant!

Google Assistant’s best friend

Nest x Yale Smart Lock

Staff pick

This smart lock can be controlled from anywhere through Google Assistant, and ties in beautifully with other Nest products with automated features like disabling your Nest Secure alarm when you come home. It can unlock automatically with your phone and has a backup number pad.

$280 at Best Buy

Budget choice

August Smart Lock (3rd Gen)

August’s third-generation smart lock is a real treat. It unlocks automatically with your phone and has a deadbolt thumb turn on the front so you can still use it manually from inside. Just keep in mind you’ll also need to pick up the August Connec…

Let’s see if your favorite apps work with the Pixel 4.

The Pixel 4 is an important phone for the Android landscape. The 90Hz display, dual rear cameras, and wireless charging are all perfectly cool, but the thing that really makes it stand out is Google’s all-new face unlock system.

We’ve seen other Android phones offer face unlock in the past, but the Pixel 4 is the first one that’s secure enough to be useful beyond the lock screen — meaning you can use face unlock on the Pixel 4 to authorize purchases and log in to apps — such as mobile banking apps and password managers.

If you pick up your Pixel 4 and realize that face unlock doesn’t work with your favorite apps, however, you’re not doing anything wrong. Developers need to support Google’s BiometricPrompt API in order for it to work, and the adoption of it has been slow.

Apps that currently work with the Pixel 4’s face unlock

1Password
Ally Mobile
American Express
Bank of America
Barclays US
Betterment
BMO Digital Banki…

YouTube Music is here — and it’s packing the biggest music library in the world.

YouTube is one of the most-viewed websites on the planet, and by far the most popular video platform today, so it’s no surprise that millions upon millions of users turn to it every day for music. It’s the default platform for music videos — especially viral music videos like ME! and Old Town Road — and it’s also a place to find just about any song, remix, mashup, or fan cover you could ever want. Whether you’re looking for lyrics to a song before karaoke night, music to sleep to, or a new remix to play at your next party, YouTube has what you’re looking for.

With YouTube Music, YouTube is ready to dominate the streaming market with a music app built upon its video empire. YouTube Music has an app with a truly unique interface, an unparalleled content library, and more than a few kinks to work out, but YouTube Music is here to stay and here to compete.

Music reimagined

YouTube Music

Free o…

Chatting with the AC forums.

When we talk about phones, we talk about the ones that are the latest and greatest. When the Galaxy S20 or Pixel 4 is out, no one really cares to go back and think about the S10 or Pixel 3.

Some people do frequently upgrade their phone and are always jumping over to whatever is the hottest device on the market, but for others, buying a phone is a long-term commitment.

Recently, one of our AC forum members posted that they’re still rocking a Samsung Galaxy S7 and are wondering if they should finally upgrade. Here’s how some of that conversation went.

v1ru5879
05-12-2020 09:47 AM

“

I’ve had my s7 second hand for a few years now and has been the best phone I’ve had so far. Unfortunately I think the battery is kicking the bucket. 2 hours n 7 mins and I’m at 51% this morning 😕. What’s a good upgrade via swappa or something else second hand $200 price range. Or should I …