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There's a reason Google has become one of the most important companies on the internet: its core products like Gmail and search are great—when was the last time you looked something up with anything other than Google? And then there's Android, which under Google's stewardship has become the largest computing platform on Earth with devices ranging in price from dirt cheap to obscenely expensive. But Google doesn't always make the right call. In fact, it has royally screwed up on numerous occasions. Here are five of the worst Google missteps, as chosen by the AP staff in a spirited Slack debate.
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Wyze has made its name in the US by offering competent smart home hardware for startlingly little money—$20 for a camera, $50 for a smart thermostat, and so on. The $250 Wyze Robot Vacuum is by far its most expensive product, but it's still cheap compared to the competition. This device sports full 3D mapping, scheduling, and it's got an app that isn't terrible. Most importantly, it does a very good job cleaning, assuming you don't mind a little noise. Unfortunately, you can't control this device with Google Assistant, but that's one of the few drawbacks.
Google Duplex is finally available in every US state — except for Louisiana
Kentucky was added to the list almost two years after the initial rollout
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At Google I/O last year, we got our first glimpse of Duplex, an AI that can place phone calls for you to secure dining reservations. Google rolled Duplex out in an extremely limited test late last year. Now, Duplex is coming to Pixel phones in 43 states, and non-Pixel phones will have access soon.
The best video doorbells for Android phones and smart displays
See who's at the door while social distancing
I'm not sure about you, but there's nothing that sends a chill down my spine like someone ringing the doorbell. It's a necessary evil in our modern lives, but the modern world has also alleviated some of the stress—cloud-connected smart video doorbells are pretty much a revelation if you've never experienced one. You'll know every time someone is at the door, be able to check for packages without getting up from your couch, and avoid pesky door-to-door solicitors (when we have those again). Arlo, Nest, and Ring all have compelling options, but there's one we think is the best choice for most people, especially if you're using an Android phone and a Google-powered smart display like the Nest Hub.
Samsung Galaxy S21+ review, one month later: Peak Samsung design
There's a case to be made for this one
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For the last several years, Samsung's flagship Galaxy S phones have been split into three variants: a kitchen sink smartphone at the high-end, an entry-level device, and that phone in the middle you probably don't think about. This cycle, I've spent some time with Samsung's middle child, the Galaxy S21+, and I came away impressed. It's not as capable as the S21 Ultra, of course, but the form factor, build-quality, and features carve out a niche in the saturated smartphone market. I'd even go so far as to say the Galaxy S21+ is worth the $1,000 asking price for some people. When it inevitably goes on sale, though, the S21+ is a no-brainer.
Google's one-handed mode is live in Android 12 DP2 (video)
Just a swipe down, and you can reach the top of the screen
Google launched the first Android 12 preview a few weeks back, but many of the most interesting features were hidden behind flags. With a little tinkering, it was possible to unlock Google's new One-handed mode, but there's no modding required in the just-released DP2. Just head into the gesture settings and flip on One-handed mode to get started.
Google's got a new smart display, and trust me, it is new. The second-generation Nest Hub looks virtually identical to the original product, launched in 2018 as the Home Hub. This new device still lacks a camera, but it does have a Soli radar sensor for sleep tracking. Yes, the new Google smart display will watch you sleep, but the company stresses that it designed "Sleep Sensing" with privacy in mind. It also costs less than the first-gen display did at launch.
Moto G Power (2021) review, one month later: Gee, I wish this had some Power
Cheap phones don't have to be boring, but this one is
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You could argue that Motorola made budget phones worth buying when it launched the original Moto G in 2013. That device was a marvel at the time—for under $200, you could get a smartphone that didn't suck. Suddenly, everyone was making $200-300 phones that also mostly didn't suck. Today, the mid-range space is much more crowded, and Moto has sometimes failed to make a splash with the annual Moto G revamp. This year there are three new G-series phones, including the Moto G Power. Arguably, this is the device with the widest appeal. There's no stylus included, but it's got more muscle than the G Play, and it has a big honkin' battery.This device clocks in at a slightly lower price than last year's G Power; it starts at $199.99 with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It's recognizable as a Moto G with its competent plastic housing and clean version of Android. However, Motorola seems to have cut some corners to keep the price down. The new G Power has less RAM and storage than last year's phone, and while the display is a bit larger, the resolution dropped from 1080p to 720p. Despite having fewer pixels to render, the G Power still feels more sluggish than it should. Motorola is also launching this phone with Android 10, and it only guarantees one major OS update. The 2021 G Power isn't a throw-away, but it's not particularly good, either.
Nest Thermostat (2020) review, three months later: The smart home gateway
You can't argue with the $130 price tag
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Nest kicked off the era of smart thermostats in 2011, and since then, there have been improved thermostats, new products, and a Google acquisition. Through all that, Nest's thermostats have remained at the premium end of the market. The company's previous "budget" thermostat was still $180 at launch. The new Nest Thermostat, however, is undeniably a budget device. There's the price, of course, at a mere $130. The hardware also looks much cheaper in real life, but that's not totally unsurprising given the price.
We talked to the guy whose Pixel saved him from hours of suffering in an overturned vehicle
Car crash detection to the rescue
Google bundles a lot of clever software features with its Pixel phones, including Call Screen, Adaptive Sound, and car crash detection. One Missouri man is particularly thankful for that last feature. Late last year, Chuck Walker found himself injured and trapped in an overturned Bobcat loader. According to the story he shared on Reddit this week, his Pixel 4 XL managed to detect the accident and ring emergency services, thus saving him from a very lengthy and unpleasant stay.
Chris Lacy's new SwirlWalls app offers dozens of mesmerizing live wallpapers
It'll cost you $5, though
Veteran Android developer Chris Lacy is back with a new app, a live wallpaper called SwirlWalls. As the name implies, it contains numerous swirly whirly animated wallpapers for your phone, and the animation reacts to swiping and scrolling on your screen. It's all very bright and busy, and if that's your aesthetic, SwirlWalls can be yours for $5.
Phones just keep getting bigger, and there's no sign things will change anytime soon. As such, one-handed modes are a common add-on from Samsung, Motorola, and other OEMs, but Google hasn't implemented its own version until now. Android 12 has a one-handed mode as rumored, and it's reportedly fully functional. However, it's not exposed in the settings in the first preview build.
Android 12 developer preview has a hidden (and broken) scrolling screenshot feature
Better late than never, Google
The first Android 12 preview is out. Yay! But it doesn't have scrolling screenshots. Boo! Well, don't boo too loudly — it looks like scrolling screenshots are there, but the feature isn't enabled in the current build. Maybe next time?
Plex thinks you'll pay to stream old Atari games that you definitely cannot find for free on the internet
But it can also stream your totally legit, not pirated classic game ROMs
Plex started as a way to organize and stream your media library, but it has since expanded to include live TV, ad-supported streaming video, and Tidal music, among other things. Now, Plex is dipping its toe into gaming. The new Plex Arcade service lets you stream a collection of classic Atari games to your devices. More interestingly, you can also stream your collection of classic game ROMs. However, Plex Arcade won't be free—it's $5 per month for regular users and $3 per month for Plex Pass subscribers.
Motorola refreshes Moto G line, introduces new budget phones priced as low as $170
Plus, Moto's cheapest 5G phone yet
The original Moto G pioneered the mid-range phone space, and subsequent released have offered at least respectable value. After a few stumbles, we quite liked last year's Moto G Power and G Stylus. A new generation of budget Moto phones launch this very month, and three of them are Moto G phones. There are new, more powerful versions of the G Power and G Stylus, as well as a G Play priced at just $170. If you want to step up from the G, Motorola also has the new Motorola One 5G Ace, which is its cheapest 5G phone yet at $400.
The unbelievable month-long saga of getting my $2000 Galaxy Z Fold2 fixed
...and by "fixed" I mean "lost and reluctantly replaced"
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I have strong feelings on foldables—I think they're the future, but I also think you should absolutely not buy one right now. As cool as foldables phones like the Galaxy Z Fold2 might be, the technology is still very new. These phones are expensive and prone to more hardware issues than traditional flat phones. Because I am a giant nerd with questionable decision-making skills, I bought a Galaxy Z Fold2 for $2,000 shortly after release in spite of all this. It was great! Until it needed a repair. It's been a month now, and I still don't have the phone back, thanks to the combined incompetence of UPS and Samsung.
Hands-on: The latest Pixel Feature Drop makes old Pixels feel new again
Ryne was wrong—turns out we can count the features after all
Google announced a new set of "Pixel Drop" features yesterday, adding a long list of capabilities to its existing devices. Well, sort of. As usual, Google's definition of what counts as a "new" feature is suspect. Many of the features in this latest update have been available on newer members of the Pixel family, and others are just tweaks to the previous functionality. Let's dissect this update and see what's new and what's worth getting excited about.
Fitbit Sense review, one month later: Making a comeback
Fitbit rights a lot of wrongs with the first major update
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In the era before modern smartwatches, Fitbit's name became synonymous with wearable fitness trackers. Full-fledged smartwatches have become the norm as consumers have demanded more and more from wearables, and Fitbit stepped in with the Ionic and Versa smartwatches a few years ago. I had high hopes that Fitbit would continue to improve and provide Android users a viable alternative to the increasingly frustrating Wear OS experience, but the Sense has some of the same shortcomings and bugs I remember from the Ionic. The Sense also has its own raft of new glitches that I find equally annoying. At the same time, Fitbit promises this watch can do so many things! It'll take your temperature, measure your blood oxygen, track workouts, and on and on. None of it feels quite done, though, and this is not a cheap watch.The higher $329 asking price probably has a lot to do with the plethora of sensors, each of which provides a bit more data. However, some of them don't seem very accurate or convenient to use, and Fitbit is adding all this hardware before it's even worked out some basic flaws in its software. There's enough wrong that the Sense is not worth the asking price, and it won't be unless Fitbit can squash the bugs and deliver on promised improvements.
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Google has announced a new streaming dongle, and it comes with perhaps the best evidence yet that time is cyclical: the new Chromecast runs "Google TV." No, not that Google TV—a new thing that's based on Android but designed for TVs. No, not that Android TV. I know, it's confusing. What's not confusing is that the dongle is essentially a better version of the Chromecast Ultra. It streams 4K video, has a remote, and there are some new features in Google TV. Granted, the new Google TV isn't perfect, but at $50, it's hard to complain.
Phones have gotten boring in the last few years, but things are getting weird again, and thank goodness. I have been doing this long enough to remember the last time phones got weird—I've reviewed phones with spring-loaded keyboards, tablet docks, curved bodies, and all manner of multi-screen configurations. After settling on the flat glass slab form factor, OEMs are finally starting to take more risks. No phone better exemplifies this trend than the LG Wing. While LG has been pushing dual-screen accessories for a while, the Wing is the first modern LG phone that integrates a second screen in the handset. The configuration is, well... it swivels.