All posts tagged: android

I switched back to wired Android Auto and stopped worrying about connection drops entirely

I switched back to wired Android Auto and stopped worrying about connection drops entirely

Published by skeptic

A few months ago, I was genuinely excited to switch to a wireless Android Auto dongle. My experience with a wired connection hadn’t been great. Yes, it was cheaper and more practical, but dealing with cables every single time got annoying. So going wireless felt like the obvious upgrade, and at first, it really did feel like one. But that excitement didn’t last very long. After a few weeks of regular use, the charm started to fade. What once felt convenient slowly turned into something I just had to tolerate. Small issues began creeping in, and over time, they became too frequent to ignore. Related These 4 quick Android Auto games make every wait bearable Waiting at a charger or drive-in? These quick Android Auto games make time fly effortlessly. The honeymoon ended faster than I expected A connection so fragile, even a knee can break it Shimul Sood / MakeUseOf For the first few days, it actually felt like a great upgrade. I would plug in the USB device, my phone would connect over …

Your Android TV has a one-click speed boost hiding in plain sight

Your Android TV has a one-click speed boost hiding in plain sight

Published by skeptic

Your Android TV probably felt lighting fast when you first got it. Apps opened instantly, navigation felt smooth, and switching menus barely took a second. But then, somewhere along the way, things changed. The home screen started lagging, apps started taking forever to launch, and even basic navigation became sluggish. It’s not that your Android TV has become old or less powerful over time. In most cases, it’s the old cache data on your TV that usually hinders performance. The good news is that clearing it and restoring your TV’s speed takes less than a minute. Related I found 5 Google TV features hiding in plain sight that completely changed how I use the platform The default experience leaves out some of its best features. Why your Android TV slows down over time It starts small, then adds up Image Credit: Pankil ShahCredit: Pankil Shah/MakeUseOf Every app you use on your Android TV stores temporary files known as cache data. Streaming apps are especially guilty here because they constantly save thumbnails, previews, and playback data in …

Murena /e/OS Tablet Review: Privacy for a Price

Murena /e/OS Tablet Review: Privacy for a Price

Published by skeptic

Inside the Volla is an Octa-core, MediaTek Helio G99 chip—which, while not the fastest mobile chip around, was plenty speedy enough for web browsing and watching 4K video. The only place I would see this chip as a limiting factor is in gaming. For that, you’d probably want something more powerful. Along with the processor you get 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of built-in storage space. There are no additional configuration options, and disappointingly there’s no microSD card slot to expand the storage. There is a sim card slot, though, and I was able to use the tablet on T-Mobile’s network without any issues. The version of /e/OS that ships with the Volla is based on Android 14, which is a little behind at this point, but is at least the release which saw Google finally add a few features that make it easier for developers to build apps for large screens. Any apps taking advantage of these features should work just fine on /e/OS. For its part, Murena has not added any …

Android phone slow? I changed 2 developer settings for an instant speed boost

Android phone slow? I changed 2 developer settings for an instant speed boost

Published by skeptic

Jack Wallen\ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Even lower-end Android phones can gain a performance boost. Enable developer options to access hidden settings. You’ll only need to change two settings to gain the improved speed. My Pixel 9 Pro runs quite well, and it has since I first purchased it. However, I’ve used several phones over the years that struggled to keep up with my fingers, eyes, and brain. That can be very frustrating, especially if your phone is your only way of being online. When your phone slows down, you might be tempted to head to the Google Play Store and install one of the many available “optimizers” apps. I would strongly encourage you not to do that, because those apps rarely do anything good, and the worst-case scenario is that the optimizer you just installed is loaded with malware. So, what do you do?  Also: I enabled Data Saver mode on my Android phone to avoid overcharges – and it’s a big relief Fortunately, there are …

I spent hours customizing Android to feel like Pixel and realized I should have just bought one

I spent hours customizing Android to feel like Pixel and realized I should have just bought one

Published by skeptic

I have used Google phones in the past (before they were called Pixel). Out of the lot, I loved my Google Nexus 5, which LG developed. However, in recent years, Samsung has taken over my primary phone charging, with an iPhone as my secondary phone. Right now, although I own a Galaxy S26 Ultra, I use the Galaxy S24 Ultra, because, in my opinion, it is the best-looking Ultra phone from Samsung for now, and is a hardware beast even today. But the One UI interface is a bit too colorful for me, and I wanted the clean, minimalist vibe of the Google Pixel. What followed were hours of UI tweaks, third-party app installations, and de-bloating of unnecessary stuff from my phone. But after the dust settled, I realized that faking the Google experience wasn’t worth it, and I should’ve bought a Pixel instead. Related I Will Switch to Pixel If Google Copies This Samsung Feature It’s hard to beat a good routine. The illusion of “Stock Android” customization A process of grinding Credit: Sagar Naresh/MUO …

Android Auto is finally getting home screen widgets after nearly a decade

Android Auto is finally getting home screen widgets after nearly a decade

Published by skeptic

Summary It looks like true home screen widgets are finally coming to Android Auto. This gives drivers more control over the home screen, complete with a phone-like widget picker and previews. There’s no word yet on a possible release date for the feature. Android Auto is finally getting home screen widgets — perhaps one of the most obvious missing features since the platform’s public release 11 years ago. The feature has been brewing in developer builds for a while, and recent builds show it’s coming along nicely. Related Your Android Auto is hiding a feature most drivers never find — here’s what it does This underrated feature can reinvent how your infotainment screen looks. Quiet improvements News that home screen widgets would be coming to Android Auto first started circulating about six months ago, when the feature was spotted in a developer build. At the time, it was still referred to by a code name — “Earth.” Thanks to a new build, we now know that the feature appears much more mature (via Android Authority). …

iOS 26.5 Brings End-to-End Encryption to iPhone-Android RCS Messages

iOS 26.5 Brings End-to-End Encryption to iPhone-Android RCS Messages

Published by skeptic

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices is coming in iOS 26.5, Apple confirmed today. The feature is listed in Apple’s iOS 26.5 release notes. Apple says end-to-end encrypted ‌RCS‌ messaging remains in beta even though it is being released in iOS 26.5. The feature is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time, and for conversations to be encrypted, both the receiver and the sender must use a carrier that supports the latest version of ‌RCS‌. End-to-end encryption is on by default, and there is a toggle for it in the Messages section of the Settings app. Encrypted messages are denoted with a small lock symbol. Testing of E2EE for ‌RCS‌ began in iOS 26.4, but Apple did not launch the feature in the iOS 26.4 update. It returned in the iOS 26.5 beta, and has been available throughout the beta testing process. E2EE means that messages sent between devices cannot be intercepted and read by a third party. As of now, ‌RCS‌‌ messages sent between Android and …

I stopped using Google Maps on Android Auto and switched to an app that actually works

I stopped using Google Maps on Android Auto and switched to an app that actually works

Published by skeptic

For years, Google Maps has been the default navigation app for most of us, including me. For my commute, I would connect to Android Auto, fire up Google Maps, feed in the location, and off I went. I trusted it the way someone trusts a friend who never admits they are wrong. I used to think the faster route suggestion from Google Maps actually saved time, but in my case, it just didn’t. While sometimes I was able to ditch a few signals, most of the time, Google Maps led me into the worst traffic. Yes, Google Maps has added a ton of features recently, but it isn’t the best navigation app out there. After some research and a tip from my driver in Kuala Lumpur, I tried Waze and never looked back. Related I had no idea how much Google Maps was tracking me until I found these settings Create a boundary and protect your data Why should you care about Waze? In short, it is not just another map app Credit: Shimul Sood / …

I enabled Data Saver mode on my Android phone to avoid overcharges – and it’s a big relief

I enabled Data Saver mode on my Android phone to avoid overcharges – and it’s a big relief

Published by skeptic

Jack Wallen / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways If you have limited mobile data, pay attention. This feature could save you money. You control whether apps can use data in the background. For some people, the idea of saving and controlling data usage on a phone isn’t really an issue. If you don’t happen to have an unlimited data plan, it’s a different story. I’ve been in situations before when my phone warns me that I’ve exceeded 2GB of data (I can’t remember how much data my plan gives me). When that happens, I tend to put the brakes on. When those instances happen, I’m glad Android makes it easy for me to take control of data use. In conjunction with stopping Android apps from running in the background, you’ll have more control than you ever thought you could enjoy. Also: How to easily encrypt your files on an Android phone – for free If that sounds like something you could use, read on, and I’ll …

Android has three great features turned off by default — here’s how to enable them

Android has three great features turned off by default — here’s how to enable them

Published by skeptic

Android ships with a ton of features already enabled by default that you didn’t ask for, like an adaptive battery that can throttle your background apps, pre-installed Google apps that sync in the background, and default usage and diagnostics sharing, which you’ll only notice if you go looking in the Privacy Dashboard. But what about the opposite issue, like features that are genuinely useful and ready for use that just aren’t enabled from the start? I went looking for some of those and found three that made me wonder why they weren’t already an active part of my Android system. Theft Detection Lock It’s on any device with Android 10 or newer Theft Detection Lock uses on-device AI systems along with your phone’s motion sensors, Wi-Fi connection status, and Bluetooth to detect when someone has grabbed your phone and run off with it. If the system’s algorithm senses this snatch-and-run pattern, it locks the screen immediately so the thief has no time to start rifling through your banking apps or Google account. The feature rolled …