What's Android's most underrated feature?
There are a lot of little hidden tricks that can be used to improve your Android experience. For me, I love pushing animations up to .5, which makes things feel speedier. I'm also a big fan of the FPS counter hidden in the dev settings, which makes it easy to ensure I'm getting the frame rates advertised. But what about you? Which are your favorite underrated features on Android?
MattSholtz
Verizon's Q1 2025 earnings report revealed a 289,000 subscriber drop
Verizon's Q1 earnings report is out, and things aren't looking so hot. The company lost almost 300,000 subscribers during the quarter, one of its biggest drops in many years. This explains the company's current push promising a price-lock guarantee, but just like T-Mobile is recently learning after hiking prices on its "locked" plans, earning those customers back may not be so easy. I can't say I believe any carrier that promises zero price increases, because it never holds true, and yet these promises keep getting made after breaking the last. The consumer's vitriol has been earned, and now Verizon is learning the cost. Too bad, so sad.
MattSholtz
What are your favorite open-source apps?
Just about every platform offers free and open-source apps, but Android certainly caters to this audience with an app store dedicated to open-source apps, known as F-Droid. Of course, F-Droid isn't the only place to get your open-source apps; many are available directly on the Play Store, like Krita, Thunderbird, and VLC. But out of all of the open-source apps we have to choose from, which would you say are your favorites? For me, I'm enjoying Fennec, which removes the proprietary and telemetry bits from Firefox, while still supporting Firefox Sync (I like to keep Fennec and Floorp synced across desktop and mobile).
MattSholtz
Have you bought anything during Amazon's Book Sale?
Amazon is currently running a book sale that includes physical books, digital books, and audiobooks, and this being Amazon, you can also expect to catch a few Kindle or Fire Tablet sales to boot. Heck, even some of Amazon's subscriptions will be discounted during the sale, an easy way to snag a Prime subscription that comes with access to a free e-book or two every month. So, are you taking advantage of Amazon's Book Sale, and if so, what's in your cart?
MattSholtz
Do you prefer flagships or mid-range phones?
In 2025, I personally feel like all of the exciting designs are in the mid-range. Affordable flips, gaming phones that punch above their weight, or just straight-up bonkers designs like the Minimal Phone. The mid-range is simply pushing out much more interesting designs, and I can't ignore it. I want my phones to be fun, like the good old days. But what about you? Do you prefer the mid-range right now, or are you still impressed with what flagships are bringing to the table?
MattSholtz
Does your Pixel suffer from delayed notifications?
After installing the April 2025 update on their Pixel, some users are reporting delayed notifications. So far, it only appears to be a handful of users; the issue does not appear to be widespread. Still, buggy Pixel updates from Google are nothing new, but they usually get sorted quickly. Still, this is a bug that's been seen before, so its return isn't all that welcome. So, does your Pixel suffer from delayed notifications after installing the April 2025 update, or is everything smooth sailing?
MattSholtz
This tiny dongle may solve your Android Auto woes
Not all cars support wireless connectivity with your phone for Android Auto, which means many Android Auto users have to use a wire to connect their device. This is why there is a large market for dongles, and the new Ottocast Mini looks to be one of the most discreet of all. Not only is this a good way to cover up a port with a short dongle that stays out of the way, but this dongle also makes it easy to connect your phone wirelessly for Android Auto, allowing you to leave the USB cable at home.
MattSholtz
Do you believe T-Mobile when it says it won't raise prices?
After recently raising the prices on plans that were supposed to be price-locked, T-Mobile is in the news again, promising it won't raise the prices on its latest plans for five years. Why would anyone believe them? How many times have carriers promised something that doesn't hold true? Remember unlimited data plans? Those are still a thing, and it's still not true; the plans are all limited. So T-Mobile can continue to make its promises, but I can tell you I won't be believing anything the company has to say. What about you? Do you believe T-Mobile will somehow resist the urge to raise prices on its plans for five whole years?
MattSholtz
Have you seen this color e-reader that folds like a book?
Readmoo's Mooink V was revealed at Touch Taiwan, an e-reader packing an 8-inch Gallery 3 color e-paper screen that can fold in half. Utilizing magnesium and aluminum for the body to keep weight down, this e-reader was designed to offer an experience close to a real book, from its weight to folding like a real book. So, did you see the announcement, or is this your first time learning of the world's first folding color e-reader?
MattSholtz
Do you want Gemini on Android Auto?
Google is set to remove Assistant from all surfaces by the end of 2025, including Android Auto, which means Gemini is coming to Android Auto whether anyone wants it or not. So, do you want Gemini on Android Auto, or would you prefer that Google stops shoving AI into everything?
MattSholtz
A new version of Material Design will be revealed at I/O 2025
Apparently, Google is prepping a new version of Material Design that will be revealed at Google I/O 2025. So far, all we know is that some minor theme changes will be included, or are at least hinted at, though there could be bigger changes revealed at I/O. Personally, I'd rather see Google offer consistency across its Android applications when it comes to Material Design and following its guidelines, though I suppose a fresh look could be nice.Are you excited to see what Google has in store for Material Design at I/O this year?
ICYMI: Android 16's final beta is now available
Android 16 is shaking up Google's typical release cycle, with the stable release slated for early this summer. So it's no surprise that the final beta build landed this week, on April 17. The newest beta version doesn't seem to introduce any major visual changes or flashy user-facing features, but it's sure to squash some bugs and make the experience more stable overall.Follow the link to the right to learn more about Android 16 Beta 4. The full Android 16 release is expected before the end of the second quarter of the year — which means it should be available sometime in May or June.
https://www.androidpolice.com/android-16-beta-4-released/
TaylorKerns
What's your favorite Chromecast feature?
I'm a big believer in convenience features, the kind of stuff you don't expect to find, but once found, are instantly convinced of their genius. The Ethernet port built into the charging brick of the Google Chromecast was and is one of my favorite discoveries in electronics products. Why wouldn't everyone include an Ethernet port in every charging brick of connected devices? Yet Google remains alone, or at the very least, it is sharing rarefied air.What about you? What's your favorite Chromecast feature?
MattSholtz
You can earn Kindle Rewards for your book purchases on Amazon
Did you know that when you buy books on Amazon, whether physical or digital, your account earns rewards? Yep, it's true, for every dollar you spend, you earn 3 points, and for every 300 points, you can get yourself a $3 credit on a new book. What's really nice is that Amazon is finally leaning into this program, showcasing how many points you have earned next to the buy button on any book listing. You can also see how many points book purchases will earn you. It's a convenient way to spend and earn your Kindle Rewards, which is a nice little bonus if you happen to buy a lot of books and e-books from Amazon.
MattSholtz
Have you tried making AI videos with Veo 2 in Gemini yet?
I can tell you I'm dying to try out video generation in Gemini, but despite the fact that the feature already launched, it's rolling out like molasses, so I still don't have access. I'm super curious to see just how much borderline IP theft happens when it's asked to create videos of famous movies and video games. Should be interesting indeed.So, are you one of the lucky ones to have gained access to Veo 2 in Gemini Advanced? If so, have you tried it? What do you think?
MattSholtz
ICYMI: It looks like Wear OS is going to make it easier to talk to Google Assistant
Quick access to Google Assistant is one of Wear OS's biggest perks, and soon, that access could get even quicker. According to an APK teardown from Android Authority, code in a recent version of the Google app makes reference to a raise-to-talk feature on Wear OS. The teardown doesn't explain exactly what that means, but it seems likely it'll let users talk to Google Assistant (and eventually, Gemini) simply by raising their watch and speaking, skipping the "Hey Google" hotword altogether. Apple's got a similar feature on Apple Watch called Raise to Speak.Hit the link to the right to read more.
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-wear-os-raise-to-talk-leak/
TaylorKerns
Did you know Android devices will now automatically restart after 3 days?
It appears Google will start having Android phones restart after three days of inactivity, which kicks the device into a Before First Unlock (BFU) state, which is more secure than a phone lying around booted into the system. But I'm wondering what constitutes "inactivity," as I could see this new restart feature interrupting devices repurposed as servers or cameras. As long as Google accounts for such things as activity, we should be fine, though I'm still not sure I want Google in control of when the hardware I pay for and own is restarted in the first place.So, have you heard about this feature, and what exactly do you think of it now that you know it's a thing?
MattSholtz
Do you plan to use Gemini's new Google Photos commands?
A Google Photos app has been added to Gemini, and with this, users can call up commands through Gemini to control Google Photos. You can ask Gemini to do things like "show me recent selfies," and Gemini will pull up those selfies. Now that Gemini is replacing Assistant, new features like this are likely to drop until that happens. So, do you plan to use Gemini's new Google Photos prompts, or were you never an Assistant fan to begin with?
MattSholtz
Are you sad to see Skype go?
Skype is nearing its end date, which is May 5th (coincidentally, Cinco de Mayo, so make sure to spill a little margarita on the ground on behalf of Skype), and that'll be the last we see of the video telecommunication app. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives for anyone looking to jump to something new. So, are you sad to see Skype go, or had it lived long past its prime?
MattSholtz
Have you considered using a NAS at home?
I've been debating the idea for years, but I still use local wired storage with my TV boxes. Upgrading to a NAS would be a time-saver, and I wouldn't have to sync hard drives anymore. I could just put everything on one NAS and connect to that from all of my devices. One of these days, I'm sure I'll take the plunge. But this got me wondering how many around here are already running a NAS at home. So, hands up, who here has ascended to the superiority of storing their content in one place that's always accessible online?
MattSholtz
