Articles by Joe Maring

Thanks to the included microSD card slot, you can grab one of the best memory cards for the Amazon Fire tablet quickly to expand the storage. Whether you picked up one of the best Amazon Fire tablets for yourself or your kids, you’ve probably noticed that the internal storage doesn’t go very far. You can quickly fill it up with some games, a few apps, and media, which is a bit disappointing. So make sure to pair one of the best Android tablets with the best memory cards and bump up the storage.

Simply the best

SanDisk 64GB MicroSD Card

Staff Pick

A 64GB capacity is often the sweet spot for many folks when it comes to microSD cards. It has plenty of room for apps, music, and games without spending too much.

$13 at Amazon $14 at Walmart $13 at B&H Photo

Plenty of space

Silicon Power Superior 256GB MicroSD Card

Silicon Power may not be a household name for many, but the company makes some pretty great storage options, including microSD cards. This Silicon Power Superior …

Android 11 brings much-needed privacy and security features alongside exciting UI changes.

Android 11 continues to push Google’s vision of Android forward. With Android 11, Google is making a few tweaks to refine the platform instead of making wholesale changes. Privacy is a big focus with Android 11, with Google introducing one-time permissions and granular control over what sort of data you share.

There are new features to get excited about as well — the power button menu picked up a massive overhaul, the Conversations view does a great job highlighting your messages, and there are little tweaks throughout the interface that give it an added polish.

Android 11 is powering the best Android phones of 2021, and manufacturers are doing a better job rolling out the update to their 2020 phones. So here’s everything you need to know about all the new features in Android 11 and when your phone will receive the update.

Jump to:

Release date
Custom skins
Overview
Messaging featur…

Almost any phone can run popular free-to-play titles like Angry Birds or Subway Surfers, but for the more graphically demanding, you’ll need one of the best Android phones for games. Some of the best Android games are PC or console ports that — even in their downgraded state — run significantly better with more powerful CPUs, more RAM, and faster display Hz. These games also drain batteries faster and take up enough storage that you may need a microSD card slot to fit them all. Add in-game streaming services like Google Stadia and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Microsoft Project xCloud), and you have every reason to make sure your next phone is capable of handling it all in stride. We think the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best overall gaming phone, but if that doesn’t strike your fancy or is out of your price range, there are plenty of other options worth considering. Here are some of the best Android phones for gamers.

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung’s annual offering…

The Motorola One 5G Ace is one of Motorola’s most affordable 5G phone to date, if not the most affordable. It has a big display, ample performance, and a massive battery — all at a great and affordable retail price. If you recently picked up a One 5G Ace or plan on doing so, here are a few case recommendations so you can keep your new phone in tip-top shape for years to come!

Flex it

Caseology Parallax Lite

Staff Pick

Finished in matte black, this TPU case is totally flexible and offers sufficient protection via just a single layer and raised bezel. This is thanks to the inner defense pattern, which offers drop shock dispersion and air space technology, so you get far greater protection than the thin and lightweight case might suggest by looks alone.

$16 at Amazon

Rugged and clear

Poetic Guardian Series Case

Get ultra-rugged protection in a clear package with this case, including a hybrid shockproof bumper alongside a clear protective cover and a built-in screen …

Bluetooth headphones and earbuds are all the rage these days, and rightfully so. However, for some people, Bluetooth headsets are less bulky and focus on delivering a great hands-free phone call experience, so they might just be the better purchase. Especially if you’re now working from home, a headset is an easy way to stay on top of your work in a distracting environment. For us, the Plantronics Voyager Legend is one of the best Bluetooth headsets around, but there are plenty of other options on this list worth considering.

Best Overall: Plantronics Voyager Legend

Even though wireless earbuds are the new hot ticket item, there’s a surprising amount of Bluetooth headsets still kicking around in 2021. Among them all, we think the best pick for most people is the Plantronics Voyager Legend. The Voyager isn’t the most premium Bluetooth headset out there, but we think it offers the best overall experience and value.

Plantronics’ design for the Voyager Legend is simple and minimalis…

Are you an active individual looking for the best Android smartwatch? Whether you’re focused on powerful fitness and health-tracking tools or an eye-catching design, there are plenty of options. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is one of the best fitness smartwatches with built-in GPS, music storage, full waterproofing, and even NFC for Garmin Pay. It’s as fully featured of a smartwatch and fitness tracker that you’ll find, so it might be just what you’re looking for.

Best Overall: Garmin Vivoactive 4

Announced late last year, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 is one of the company’s newest smartwatches to hit the market. It’s got some significant improvements when compared to its predecessor, like new on-screen workouts, two size options, and music storage is now standard. Admittedly, these are some significant upgrades, but they come at a cost. If you can get past the hefty price tag, it’s a phenomenal fitness smartwatch that will track your every move.

Previously, the Vivoactive was only availa…

Not everybody needs to spend upwards of $1,000 on their phone, especially those on prepaid carriers looking to cut down on spending wherever possible. Luckily, the best phones under $100 deliver reliable performance and useful features that make them a great choice. We think the Nokia 1.3 is the best phone in this price range, but if that doesn’t strike your fancy, there are plenty of other options out there.

1. Nokia 1.3: Best Phone Under $100

HMD Global has a standout option in the entry-level segment in the Nokia 1.3. This particular device is one of the best Android Go phones and comes with lightweight versions of Google services out of the box. Android Go is a great choice in this category as it is designed to run on low-end hardware, and the lightweight OS combined with Google Go apps ensures you don’t see any slowdowns.

The hardware on offer with the Nokia 1.3 is pretty decent, considering it is an Android Go device. You get a 5.71-inch HD+ screen, Qualcomm’s 215 platform…

True wireless earbuds have come a long way in the few short years they’ve existed, and now with so many options with ANC, it can be tough to decipher which are the best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds. Early offerings like the first-gen AirPods were expensive and lacked many features, but as time went on, prices went down, and additional features have been implemented — one of which is noise cancelation. True wireless earbuds that can block out ambient sound are more common than ever before, and today, we’re highlighting six of our favorite ones — including the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds as our top overall pick. Here’s a power-packed list of the best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds you can buy right now.

Best Overall: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Bose has established a reputation for creating some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, and now, it’s brought that same level of prowess to the earbud space. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds have arrived, and t…

With Android 10, Google introduced dark mode as a native Android feature — except you could only turn it on and off manually. Thankfully, ever since the March 2020 feature drop for Pixel phones, Google added the ability to schedule dark mode on Pixel phones to match the sunset and sunrise. As one of the best Android phones, the Pixel 5 offers some great benefits with its high refresh rate display, but it also drains the battery of your phone faster. Using dark mode, while not a lot, can save you some percentage points of that battery — every little bit counts, right? So, if you have a Pixel, here’s how to use that scheduling feature for yourself.

How to set up dark mode scheduling on your Pixel phone

Open the Settings on your Android phone.
Tap Display.
Tap Dark theme.
Tap Schedule.

Tap Turns on from sunset to sunrise or Turns on at a custom time.

That’s all there is to it! You can still manually enable and disable dark mode whenever you want, but having this scheduli…

Could this be the Xperia we’ve been waiting for?

Sony is — and has been for a while — in a tough spot with its smartphone business. We still see regular releases from the company every year, but time and time again, its devices just fail to cultivate any sort of meaningful audience. In 2021, all eyes are set on the Sony Xperia 1 III, possibly being able to change that.

The Xperia 1 II was a great Android phone in more ways than one, but a lack of 5G and a steep price made it a difficult recommendation compared to its competitors. With the newly announced Xperia 1 III, Sony is upping its photography game with a never-before-seen dual focal length telephoto lens, along with louder stereo speakers and a 120Hz 4K display.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia 1 III.

Sony Xperia 1 III:

Price
Availability
Design
Specs
FAQ

Sony Xperia 1 III Price

The Xperia 1 II is a device that flew under a lot of people’s radar, but if there’s one thing about it that …