All posts tagged: Android

My 7 favorite Android widgets to make your phone or tablet more useful

My 7 favorite Android widgets to make your phone or tablet more useful

Published by skeptic

Kerry Wan/ZDNET I’m going to preface this piece by saying the choice of widgets is personal, and what might be useful to me might not be useful to you. Even so, there’s a widget for everyone, and depending on the apps you have installed on your Android device, you’ll more than likely find one or two in this article that help make your day a bit more efficient. Also: This might be the end of ChromeOS, but what’s next could be better So, what are widgets? Simply put, they are additions to your Android home screen that allow quick access to information from apps, the apps themselves, or services you depend on. With the right collection of widgets, you could create an at-a-glance home screen that keeps you up to date without opening a single app. I’ve searched through the widgets for phones and tablets, and I’m sharing those that I think will make your devices more useful. Before we get to the list, let’s explore how to get started with widgets. 1. Google Calendar Show the …

The Easiest Way to Mute Any Video File on iPhone and Android

The Easiest Way to Mute Any Video File on iPhone and Android

Published by skeptic

Key Takeaways You can easily mute any video on your Android or iPhone using the Google Photos app. The native Photos app on iPhone also lets you remove audio from a video with ease. Those using a Samsung Galaxy phone can use the native Gallery app’s video editor to mute any video quickly. You might want to mute a video because it has too much noise or you want to protect your privacy. The good news is that you don’t need to jump through complicated hoops or install third-party apps—no matter what phone you own. Mute a Video File Using Google Photos Google Photos is the default gallery app on most Android phones and is also available for iOS devices. In addition to storing and organizing your photos and videos, Google Photos offers a variety of useful editing tools, including the ability to mute videos easily. Here’s how to use it. Launch the Google Photos app on your phone. If you don’t already have the app, download it from the App Store or Play Store. …

HMD Fusion Review: A Cheap Modular Android Phone

HMD Fusion Review: A Cheap Modular Android Phone

Published by skeptic

I have probably tested close to 100 cheap phones over the last 9 years, and I’ve never really had to worry about bringing a backup in case things go awry. Budget phones are usually sluggish but work well enough. But I almost immediately regretted not bringing a spare smartphone when I took the HMD Fusion on a short trip to another state. The first sample of this Android phone kept freezing and restarting itself on the way to the airport. Then, further fueling my panic, it would boot up the home screen but my passcode wouldn’t work. “Passcode is incorrect.” What? Thankfully, a forced restart would set it back to normal. However, for the entirety of the weekend of my friend’s wedding in Kentucky, the Fusion would restart itself constantly. It also refused to launch Slack—though that may have been a blessing as work was off my mind that whole time. HMD said it could not replicate my issues, so the company sent me another unit. It’s been perfectly fine. It’s hard to suddenly shift …

Google Just Confirmed Android 16’s Release Date: Here’s When

Google Just Confirmed Android 16’s Release Date: Here’s When

Published by skeptic

Have you noticed how some devices get Android version updates sooner than others? If you’re not a fan of seeing other people get the patch before you, don’t fret. Google has confirmed when Android 16 will come out, and by the sounds of it, most compatible devices will get the update around the same time. Google Reveals When Android 16 Will Release Android Developers Blog On the Android Developers Blog, Google revealed its upcoming plans for 2025. There’s a lot of good information here if you’re an Android developer, but if you’re not, this paragraph holds some intriguing information: Next year, we’ll have a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4, both of which will include new developer APIs. The Q2 major release will be the only release in 2025 to include behavior changes that can affect apps. We’re planning the major release for Q2 rather than Q3 to better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner. The …

10 Best Mobile Games for iOS and Android

10 Best Mobile Games for iOS and Android

Published by skeptic

Don’t doomscroll more depressing news, use that phone to lift your mood instead. The best mobile games will bring a little joy to your day, whether you’re killing time on the commute or chilling on the couch. And these games are all addictive slices of gaming pleasure that we have been gorging on for years. As smartphone screens and processing power have grown, the lines between mobile gaming and just gaming have blurred, and you can find tons of great mobile games that have been ported or adapted from other systems (Minecraft, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Roblox, Stardew Valley, Grand Theft Auto, and the list goes on). But all of these titles are best enjoyed on other platforms. Our picks here are games that work especially well on your phone. Snag one of the best mobile controllers to level up your smartphone gaming. You may also be interested in subscription services like Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade. You can even play some Android games on your PC now. Power up with unlimited access to …

Is Your Android Phone Showing the Wrong Time? Here’s How to Fix It

Is Your Android Phone Showing the Wrong Time? Here’s How to Fix It

Published by skeptic

Key Takeaways Enabling the “Automatic date and time” setting allows your Android phone to synchronize its date and time settings via the internet, ensuring it remains accurate. Make sure your Android phone is set to the correct time zone so that it adjusts the clock during Daylight Saving Time (DST) transitions. You may have to consider installing Android updates or factory resetting the device if it continues to show the wrong date and time. You may sometimes notice your Android phone’s clock being off by a few minutes or even up to a full hour in extreme cases. While this might seem like a minor inconvenience, it can quickly disrupt your daily routine. Fortunately, you can try these fixes. 1 Turn Automatic Date Settings Off and On One of the easiest ways to fix the wrong date and time on your Android phone is to enable the “Automatic date and time” setting. If it’s already enabled, you can try turning it off and then back on. Here’s how to do it: Open the Settings app …

How to send RCS messages from your iPhone to your Android user friends

How to send RCS messages from your iPhone to your Android user friends

Published by skeptic

Adam Breeden/ZDNET Looking for a way to send rich text messages from your iPhone to your Android counterparts? With the launch of iOS 18, the long-awaited RCS messaging option is now a reality. Thanks to the new RCS support, your iPhone texts to Android users can include larger file attachments, higher-quality photos and videos, audio messages, read receipts, more types of emojis, and smoother group chats. Also: 6 reasons why iOS 18 makes the iPhone 16 a must-upgrade Promised by Apple last year and top among the desired new features in iOS 18, RCS (Rich Communications Service) is a messaging standard released by Google a few years ago. Designed to replace SMS messaging, RCS is a more modern standard that can handle richer content. Apple had long resisted the calls to enable RCS but finally gave in amid demand for greater interoperability between iPhone and Android. Until the release of iOS 18, Apple users could only send rich text messages to each other through iMessage. Any texts exchanged with Android users would be limited to …

How to Switch From iPhone to Android (2024)

How to Switch From iPhone to Android (2024)

Published by skeptic

Ignore the arguments about which is better, because iPhones and Android phones have far more in common than some folks will admit. Switching from an iPhone to an Android phone is pretty painless these days, and you can take all your stuff with you, including photos, messages, and other bits and pieces. With the upcoming iOS 18 update, iPhone owners will finally get RCS messaging, the upgrade from SMS that will hopefully fix many of the problems people currently face when texting between iPhone and Android. One extra reason to potentially explore a new phone operating system. This guide covers all you need to know about how to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone. What You Need to Get Started: Your old iPhone. Your SIM card (not required for eSIM activation). Your Wi-Fi details (home network and Wi-Fi password). Your Google account details (you can set up an Android phone without a Google account, but you need one to use Google services and get the best from it). A switching app (Google’s Switch …

Long awaited Samsung One UI 7 update could precede Android 7 launch

Long awaited Samsung One UI 7 update could precede Android 7 launch

Published by skeptic

With Android 15 expected by the end of the year, that arrival could be preceded by the launch of Samsung’s One UI 7.  Samsung is said to be ready to test its own version of the Google software upgrade, with a beta version tipped to be released by the end of July.  One UI is a bespoke software application exclusive to Samsung designed to run “on top” of the main Android operating system on the device. It adds to the user experience, with personalization such as design and interface functions, smart widgets, and much more.  The update on the launch of One UI 7 beta was provided by Ice Universe (via Android Police), advising of the imminent drop unless any unforeseen circumstances arise. The mooted release follows the timeline of the previous version, One UI 6, which was available in mid-August 2023 but as ever, the lure of a new beta comes with the risk of various bugs and minor issues to unravel. Android 15 due to be unveiled at headline Google event Once the …

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 Review: Refined Folds

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 Review: Refined Folds

Published by skeptic

The Fold6, despite the slightly larger 4,400-mAh battery cell, has considerably more screen to power, so my battery experience has been roughly the same. A full day with average use (maybe a bit extra) or heavier use (aka watching lots of Instagram reels) will likely require a top-up by the evening, especially if you use the 7.6-inch screen a lot. I have been able to take it to two days with minimal use. It’s also great having the option to expand your screen estate on a whim. Samsung Galaxy Flip6 main camera I’ve multitasked with split-screen apps and enjoyed the larger view in some apps that take advantage of the bigger screen. There’s still a crease in the middle, but that never gave me much issue. It does bug me that I have to rotate the phone to landscape view to get the much nicer two-pane view in Gmail (where I can see my email list on the left and email contents on the right). I know this isn’t Samsung’s fault, but there’s plenty of …