#Android - Page 2
498 Stories
Google Could Soon Block Sideloaded Apps; Dealing a Blow to Android’s Freedom
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google is blocking sideloading via Play Integrity API. When you sideload an app that's using this Play Integrity feature, trying to launch the app will display a "Get this app from Play" screen with a Get app button that takes you to the App page on the Google Play Store
Android 15 Has A New Trick Up Its Sleeve That Thieves Won’t Like
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google has improved Android's Factory Reset Protection in Android 15. Thieves can no longer bypass the setup process and can't make the device run normally without first signing in via the original Google account that existed before the factory reset, essentially rendering the phone a paperweight.
This App Brings iOS 18’s AI Notification Summary Feature to Android Phones
Abubakar Mohammed
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Apple's upcoming iOS 18 has an AI notification summary feature that, well, sums up your pending notifications. The same feature is now available on Android via the Sum Up app, and it's extremely easy to set up on any Android device. All you need is a Gemini API key, which you can get for free, and then set up the app by granting permissions.
If you still prefer listening to music offline and are searching for the best music players on Android, we've got you covered. PowerAmp, Salt, and FiiO are great for audiophiles, whereas Namida, Frolomuse, Eon, Musicolet, and Retro music players are excellent for those who want a minimal music player.
We ran several tests to evaluate the performance difference between Tensor G4 and A17 Pro. Put simply, A17 Pro has a much more powerful CPU, GPU, and NPU. Google's Tensor G4 doesn't come close to Apple's flagship A17 Pro chipset.
In comparison to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the Tensor G4 has a weak CPU, GPU, and NPU. In our tests, the Tensor G4 performed poorly on Geekbench, AnTuTu, and 3DMark tests. You can check out the full benchmark numbers from our detailed article.
Anshuman Jain
The Pixel 9 series is expected to receive up to seven years of updates. However, the recent release of the Pixel 9 with a year-old Android version has sparked debate about its update schedule. The devices should get Android 21, but whether they'll receive Android 22 depends on Google's release schedule.
Google has launched its Pixel 9 series with the Tensor G4 chipset, but its performance is not desirable. The CPU underperforms on the Geekbench test, and on AnTuTu, it can't even beat Qualcomm's mid-range processor, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3. It packs the older GPU which is still weak despite a slight boost in clock speed. Overall, the Tensor G4, at the chipset level, is highly restrained from realizing its peak performance.
I Replaced My Pixel 6 Battery Myself, And It Wasn’t as Hard as I Thought
Abubakar Mohammed
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I woke up seeing my Pixel 6 battery become a spicy pillow, so I went on a hunt for a replacement battery. I found a spare unit after lots of effort, and the overall replacement process was surprisingly easy. The phone now feels snappier and lasts longer, and not to mention, I saved it from the landfills and contributed to the environment.
Emails have replaced Fax but the technology is not completely out of the picture. Many offices still use Fax machines and if you want to send fax using your Android phone, you can do so using apps like iFax, Simple Fax, Snap Fax and Tiny Fax.
Qualcomm has released another mid-tier chipset, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, and it ranks below the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3. It packs eight CPU cores, a new Adreno GPU that claims to deliver 40% better performance, and an upgraded NPU. The chipset is built on TSMC's 4nm process node.
Phone Link Brings Quick File Transfer Between Windows 11 and Android; Here’s How It Works
Arjun Sha
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Phone Link has gained the ability to transfer files between Windows PCs and Android devices. And it's much more hassle-free than Google's Quick Share tool. You can simply click on "Share" in the Windows context menu and choose "Phone Link" to transfer a file. Make sure you have installed and set up the Link to Windows app on your Android phone.
In the recent, Made By Google event, the company released the Pixel 9 series but typically they also talk about the new version of Android however this time, all the centre stage was taken by AI. Even the new phones came out running an year old version of Android which begs the question, why the company is moving in this directions and what it holds for the future of Android.
Sagnik Das Gupta
In order to mirror your Android phone's screen to a TV, the TV needs to feature in-built Chromecast, or you need to get an external Chromecast. Then, from your Android phone's quick access panel, tap on Screencast, give it the necessary permissions if you haven't already and select your TV from here to mirror onto it. You can also use the Google Home app to find and mirror your Android device to your TV.
Custom ROMs. What used to be the pinnacle of Android modding has been reduced to a few projects with dying enthusiasm in the Android community. There are two sides to the declining popularity of custom ROMs — the user side and the manufacturer side, which is further heightened by software and hardware reaching a saturation point. Are custom ROMs a dying breed or here to stay? Read more to find out.
There's no shortage of good video editing apps on Android and it's just a matter of which works the best for your needs. There are video editing apps for beginners like VN, Vita, and Splice, whereas there are apps for advanced users like PowerDirector and KineMaster. You cannot go wrong with any of them.
iOS 18 has a new accessibility feature called Vehicle Motion Cues, which, as the name suggests, tries easing motion sickness of users. If you're using an Android phone, however, there's an app called KineStop that helps you with the same. The app has been present on the Play Store since 2018 and is completely free with built-in themes for customization.
You can track an AirTag using your Android phone as well, and to do so, simply head over to Settings -> Safety and emergency -> Unknown tracker alerts -> Scan now -> select AirTag -> Play sound. Apple also offers a third-party app called Tracker Detect on the Play Store itself, which works similarly.
If you want to capture important notes or details while in a call with other person then this guide will be useful to you as we discuss how to record calls on different Android skins and dialers. Make sure that you take consent from the other person before starting or you are in a single party state if you do not wish to let the other person know that they are being recorded.
Most streaming apps require a subscription fee, which you may not want to pay, but there's no shortage of free streaming apps in 2024. Some of the best free streaming apps in 2024 are Tubi, Pluto TV, Roku, Freevee, Popcornflix, and Kanopy.
If you are having issues with apps or facing a full storage on your phone then it is time to clear storage for some, or in dire situation, for all apps on your device. In this guide, we have highlighted the steps to clear cache for all major Android brands in easy to understand format.
All you have to do is press your Xbox controller's Home button once to turn it on and then enter pairing mode by tapping on the dedicated button in the bumper. Once that's done, you will find the controller listed as "Xbox Wireless Controller" on your Android phone or iPhone's Bluetooth panel.
If you are an Android user, then you can now join FaceTime calls using a link, since there's no dedicated FaceTime app for Android. The process involves creating a FaceTime call link on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which can then be shared with Android users. Once they receive the link, they can enter their name to join the call and use basic features.
Do Not Disturb silences all upcoming notifications and calls and gives you peace of mind. The feature can be enabled from Quick Settings and can be customized in the Sound & vibration option in Settings. It also lets you set call and message exceptions and schedule Do Not Disturb.
In this post, we have gone through and explained the steps to setup and enable notifications for the Gmail app on Android. You can do so from the notification settings in the Settings of the app. From here you can allow the app to notify you every time you get an email instead of only alerting you from time to time.
If you want to record your voice or someone else's on Android, you can easily do so using the built-in voice recorder that came with your device or by downloading a third party app from the Play Store. Some of the best voice recorders are Google Recorder, Dolby On, WaveEditor, Fossify Voice Recorder, Otter, AudioLaband more.
There are a ton of Android Auto apps that you can use to make your life easier but finding the ones the make the most impact could be difficult. Here are a few apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, Waze, Police Scanner, and more that can enhance your Android Auto experience from top to bottom.
Scanning QR codes is one of the fundamental things and Android has a few really easy ways to do it. They include using Google Lens, Lock screen shortcuts, and using a third-party app. Besides, you can also use your phone's pre-installed camera application if it supports scanning QR codes.
The Notification history feature lets you access notifications that you may have accidentally dismissed. It works on all devices with Android 12 or later and can be accessed by tapping the No notifications text in the Notification space or by going to Settings > Notifications.
Google Lens is easily one of the best apps you can have on your Android or iOS smartphones for it's powerful and different use cases. There are many ways to access Google Lens on both Android and iOS, including from the Google app on iOS to the standalone app on Android, and from Google Photos and Google Chrome.
If you want to connect your PS4 controller to an Android or iOS device, simply long-press the Share and Home buttons on the controller. That will make controller enter pairing mode, thereby appearing on your phone's Bluetooth devices panel. Here, on Android, you will find it listed as "Wireless Controller", while on an iPhone, it shows up as "DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller".
We have evaluated Dimensity 7300 and Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 by benchmarking both the chipsets on multiple tests. Both processors deliver similar CPU performance, but Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 can't sustain its peak performance for a longer period. The GPU also offers identical performance, but again, the Adreno GPU's stability is on the lower side.
Dimensity 7050 is a year-old chipset, built on TSMC's 6nm process node. It packs eight CPU cores, but they are older ARM cores and only pack 2x Cortex-A78 cores. So the CPU performance is decent at best. The GPU is also on the lower-end side.
We have benchmarked both Dimensity 7300 and 7050 on multiple synthetic tests so you can choose between CMF Phone 1 and Realme Narzo 70 Pro with ease. The Dimensity 7300 SoC is better than the Dimensity 7050 in nearly all aspects. It delivers better CPU performance and the GPU is significantly more powerful on 7300.
The CMF Phone 1 comes with MediaTek's latest mid-range chipset, Dimensity 7300. It's built on TSMC's 4nm process node and packs older ARM CPU cores. The CPU performance is pretty good, especially in multi-threaded tasks. However, the GPU is its weakest link. To find all the benchmarks, go through our entire article.
We have compared the latest Dimensity 7300 SoC with the last-gen Dimensity 7200 chipset. In our benchmark tests, it has become clear that Dimensity 7300 is actually a downgrade over the older Dimensity 7200 chipset. The latest Dimensity 7300 chipset packs older ARM cores and its GPU is pretty weak. It only performs marginally better in 5G speed tests and AI performance.
You may want to block a number on Android for many reasons. Perhaps spammers are troubling you or you may want to block a personal contact. Most Android devices use Google dialer and you can block on the same by long-pressing a number > tapping Block and report spam. If your default dialer app is different, we've got you covered with individual guides on different dialers as well.
The Android Tablet market has been booming recently. From Samsung to Xiaomi, and OnePlus, some of the best Android tablets you can buy are the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, S9+, Xiaomi Pad 6, Xiaomi Pad SE, Lenovo Tab P12, and the Amazon Fire HD 10.
The built-in weather app on your Android device isn't much capable; however, there's no shortage of good third-party weather apps. Apps such as Windy.app, Weather Underground, and The Weather Channel provide deeper insights, whereas the rest can give you a quick glimpse at the forecast and conditions.
RTT (Real Time Texting) Calling, an accessibility feature for people with hearing or speech impairments. RTT allows instant messaging during a phone call, without needing to press "Send". It's similar to TTY mode but doesn't require specialized hardware. The feature must be enabled in settings and is supported by certain devices and carriers.
If you are using an Android device and are trying to close those Incognito tabs that have stacked up on your browser, Chrome lets you do it by swiping tabs left or right inside the tab overview or by going to 3-dots icon > Close all tabs. Firefox's interface is very similar to Chrome's, and you can follow those exact same steps to close tabs. Edge is slightly different in terms of UI, but the functionality remains the same.
TTY stands for teletypewriter. It is a calling related accessibility feature that lets you send texts over calls useful for those who have speech or hearing impairments. It is fast, responsive and does not have any delays unlike text messaging. You can find it under dialer settings on your Android phone and under Accessibility settings on iPhone.