Articles by Namerah Saud Fatmi

Google brought a really cool gesture to Pixel 5 devices on Android 12 where users can tap the back of their phones to do certain tasks. It’s called Quick Tap, and you can customize it to do actions like take a screenshot or open a select app of your choosing. If you have a compatible Pixel and want to use this gesture, here’s how to customize it to your liking.

How to customize back tap gestures on a Google Pixel phone

Open Settings on your Pixel.
Tap System.
Select Gestures to locate the relevant options.

Once you’re in the gestures settings, tap Quick Tap .
Make sure the Use Quick Tap toggle is switched on.
Select the custom action of your choice from the list.

While scrolling through the Quick Tap settings, you’ll notice that there’s an option to require stronger taps. This can be useful if you keep triggering the gesture by accident.

Tap away

Now that you’ve discovered what your Pixel 5 can do, have some fun with it. Oftentimes, gestures end up being more gimmicky than…

Video calling platforms like Google Duo and Google Meet have become a fundamental part of the new normal. There are many tips and tricks that you can use to enhance your Meet and Duo user experience. One really helpful tip is to turn on captions so that you don’t miss anything that was said or those with hearing impediments. Google Duo users can only enable captions for audio or video messages whereas Google Meet users can turn them on for real-time audio and video meetings. If you use these platforms on your Android phone and wondered how to enable captions in Google Duo and Google Meet on your Android phone, we’ll teach you how in this guide.

Products used in this guide

The high-quality video calling platform: Google Duo (Free at Google Play Store)

The professional video communication service: Google Meet (Free at Google Play Store)

How to turn on captions on Google Duo on your Android phone

Open Google Duo on your Android phone.
Tap the three dots on the upper right corner t…

Finnish phone maker Nokia has only just released the Nokia G10 and G20 budget duo into the wild. If you bought yourself one of the G-series devices, the first thing to do is cover it up. Next, you should buy the best phone cases and screen protectors for your Nokia G10 and G20 to stay in prime condition. After all, with three surefire major updates, you’ll want to keep your Nokia phone in tip-top shape throughout the years. Take note that both phones have exactly the same display, so they’ll fit into some of the best Nokia G10 and G20 screen protectors. Here are some of our favorites.

Protect and preserve

Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Staff Pick

This Supershieldz Tempered glass offers rounded corners for maximum protection. With this on, your Nokia G10 and G20 will be scratch-proof and free of fingerprints without interfering with the display output or touch response.

$7 at Amazon $8 at Walmart

Hardcore protection

CaptainShld Tempered Glass Screen Protec…

Tronsmart delivers great audio without bothering too much about looks.

Tronsmart isn’t the first name that pops in your head when you think of true wireless earbuds. You may have heard of Tronsmart’s Bluetooth speakers or quick-charge accessories, but not as much about earbuds. With these new Tronsmart Apollo earbuds, you’ll want to start paying attention.

The under $100 segment of the wireless earbud market is heavily competitive and full of great choices. Now Tronsmart has thrown its hat in the ring with the upper mid-range Apollo Air+ true wireless earbuds. In a very calculated bet, Tronsmart has offered almost everything you could want from a great pair of earbuds, except for an enticing exterior.

Tronsmart Apollo Air+ True Wireless Earbuds review:

Price and availability
What I like
What I don’t like
The competition
Should you buy?

Tronsmart Apollo Air+ True Wireless Earbuds

…

The Moto G100, also known as the Moto Edge S, is fresh out of the oven and if you’ve snagged yourself a unit, your first order of business should be to get a case for it. Getting a new Android phone is very exciting and it’s easy to get carried away by the glamour of the phone’s design and features. Don’t risk anything, buy the best case for your Moto G100. These are some of our favorites.

Say no to shocks

CASEVASN Hybrid Defender Crystal Cover

This clear cover from CASEVASN allows you to show off your Moto G100 in its birthday suit while maintaining durability. Vulnerable parts like the corners and camera bump are encased in a shockproof border.

$10 at Amazon

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows

CoverOn Soft TPU Sunflower Case

This Moto G100 case is transparent but with a twist. Splash some additional color on the back of your phone to complement its own shade with the CoverOn Soft TPU Sunflower Case.

$9 at Walmart

For the mystics

YZKJSZ Flexible Light Silicone C…

Motorola’s 2021 budget launch, the Moto G30, is a splendid package deal in the looks department and the internal specs area. You get a buttery smooth 90Hz refresh rate on the 6.5-inch LCD along with a Snapdragon 662 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery, a 64MP main camera, and Android 11 out of the box. The phone may feature a water repellent design, but you still need a case to protect the Moto G30 from scratches and bumps. If you’re going to cover up your phone, you better do it with style. So get one of the best Moto G30 cases right here.

A classy case

Binceen Premium Soft Leather Cover

Staff Pick

Treat yourself to this premium delight of a phone case. The Binceen Premium Soft Leather Cover will give your Moto G30 a classy glow-up.

$16 at Amazon

Show some skin

Osophter Clear Reinforced Corners TPU Cover

Flash some of your Moto G30’s sexy bod with this see-through case from Osophter. Protecting your phone from scratches and bumps doesn’t mean you need to hide it away under…

Keeping your phone’s screen unlocked 24/7 is unsafe, and it consumes a fair amount of battery life. You can change the timeout length on your Android phone to put it to sleep automatically after a set amount of inactive time. This way, you can keep prying eyes off your private data and make your phone last a little longer. Let’s get to it!

How to change your screen timeout length on an Android phone

The screen timeout settings on almost every Android phone can be found under the display settings. This includes older versions such as Android 9 and 10, the current Android 11, and the latest Android 12, which is still in beta.

Open Settings on your Android phone.
Look for Display and tap it.
Tap Screen timeout and choose your desired length.

There are plenty of preset options for you to choose from in the screen timeout settings. The time lengths range from 5 seconds all the way up to 30 minutes. You can choose an amount of time that matches your average usage. We recommend eith…

Whether your phone sports an LCD or an AMOLED panel, everyone has a personal preference for how bright or how dim they like to keep their Android phone screen. If you don’t want to leave the brightness settings on auto adjustment, change them manually. Adjusting the brightness level on your Android phone is easy peasy lemon squeezy. Let’s get started!

How to adjust brightness on an Android phone: First turn off auto-brightness

Before you select your preferred level of brightness, you’ll need to turn off the auto-brightness function to avoid losing your choice of settings. This can be done from Quick Settings or through the display settings. For this guide, we have used a phone running Android 11.

Turn off auto-brightness through Quick Settings:

Swipe downwards to draw open the Quick Settings menu.
Tap Auto brightness to turn it off.

Turn off auto-brightness through display settings:

Open main settings and enter Display settings.
Tap Brightness level option.
Toggle Automati…

A Quick Response code, more commonly known as a QR code, is a fast and easy way to share different types of information by scanning the code with a device. Your Android phone can get so much functionality out of this feature. You can share your WiFi password with others, or share your Google Pay QR code with friends and family to transfer funds easily. Google added the ability to scan QR codes through Google Lens from Android 8 onwards, so you no longer need third-party apps to read such codes with your Android phone.

How to read a QR code with your Android phone’s camera

To scan a QR code with your Android phone, you need to locate and open up Google Lens. If you’ve got Android 8, 9, or 10, it can be found within the Google Assistant. However, if you’ve got Android 11, it will be situated in the Google search bar on the home screen or in the Google app. Some phones also have it inside the camera app, but not all of them.

Find the Google Lens logo in the Google Assistant, or the …

Whether you’re making an all-day road trip or just your normal half-hour commute, the car is the perfect place to top off your shiny, new Android phone. After all, your phone should be stationary in a car mount for Android Auto or stowed away, so you’re not tempted to use it while driving. Car chargers come in many styles and shapes, but with the advent of USB-C Power Delivery charging, we now have a widely used standard that can be used for charging a phone or even laptops off the same port. Here are the best car chargers to replenish your battery on the road.

Futureproof charging

Anker 49.5W PowerDrive Speed+ 2 Car Adapter

Staff Pick

This charger features a 30W USB-C Power Delivery port that can charge your Chromebook decently or charge most phones at top speed and a USB-A port to charge older phones and accessories. Anker’s build quality also means this charger might outlive your car.

$35 at Best Buy

Go wireless

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2

Who wants to plug in and…