Chris Thomas
Editorial writer
Contributing since February, 2022
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195articles
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19Features
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116Guides
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60Deals
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About Chris Thomas
Chris has written for various online tech and consumer goods outlets over the past several years, including Android Police since early 2022. Forward-focusing industry pieces, comparisons of cutting-edge recent releases, and rundowns of the most cost-effective accessories make up his favorite things to write.
His focus lies on straightforward, helpful industry explainers and buying guides that make it easy for the average electronics user to make informed decisions on worthwhile purchases. Connecting the real, everyday user with the gadgets and features they need should always be the biggest goal of any tech blogger and reviewer.
How long have you been interested in technology?
My first foray into electronics included fixing and destroying early PCs in my dad’s basement while testing the overclocking capabilities of an Intel 486 CPU. Since then, I've melted considerably fewer processors while pushing increasingly powerful gaming hardware to its limits.
What was your first phone and what do you remember about it?
I was actually an early adopter of wireless Internet connectivity. Roughly two decades ago, I was sending and receiving emails via a 3G UMTS connection on a Samsung SPH-A620 flip phone. I even tethered said flip phone to my desktop PC to connect to Asheron's Call servers when my parents grounded me from Internet use for various reasons. Good times!
My first modern flagship smartphone was the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact. It's been years since the market's seen a truly compact device built around high-level hardware, and, much to my dismay, we'll almost certainly never see such a thing again.
Latest Articles
If you’ve been meaning to add additional security to your residence or business, one of the best gadgets you can invest in is a smart lock. Like many smart home devices, smart locks are relatively simple to use, are often packed with awesome features, and require little in the way of installation. You can even purchase some locks that can be placed over your door’s existing deadbolt assembly.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ vs. Galaxy Tab A8: An overdue upgrade
Bigger, faster, stronger, lighter
The Tab A series, offering the least expensive and lowest-performing Samsung tablets, comes in a few variants but offers an interface and app management experience similar to its far more expensive relatives.
It's taken a few years, but Wear OS smartwatches can now compete with the best wearables in the business — including the Apple Watch. The software has gone through multiple levels of refinement. It offers intuitive features that aid fitness, provide notifications, and enhance everyday usability, making it the perfect companion for today's best Android phones.
Best smart home security cameras in 2024
Keep an eye on your home or the pets within it from anywhere with a well-placed camera
Gone are the days of needing specialized networking and tons of tech know-how to configure a home security system. Thanks to the advancement of smart home technology, you can easily invest in a competent smart security system or opt for a standalone camera to simplify things and save money.
I want to live in a world where small phones can coexist with behemoths
The death of the compact flagship
I wouldn't say my hands are alarmingly small, but you won't find me playing piano at Carnegie Hall, and I've never managed complex guitar chords. And you'll never catch me using any near-7-inch high-end phablets like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. My thumb simply cannot reach the notification bar without dislocating.
Best smart thermostats in 2024
Control your home temperature with ease with these smart thermostats and sensors
Smart thermostats are more popular and effective than ever. Buying and installing one might seem like a complex undertaking on the surface, but it's worth it for one of the most useful smart devices you can add to a home.
Will 2024's Android flagships actually last seven years?
As Android heavy-hitters promise longer software support, how gracefully can we expect our hardware to age?
The days of groundbreaking changes to slab smartphones are largely behind us, with modern flagships only seeing iterative upgrades each year. And while we've seen some important efficiency gains recently, systems-on-a-chip and other critical hardware don't jump in performance year-on-year.
8 best gadgets we reviewed in February
A Goldilocks smartphone and e-reader take center stage among our favorite devices from this past month
February's crop of tech releases and reviews didn't see any big-name flagship phones or insanely hyped new devices, but a handful of fun and useful gadgets caught our eye nonetheless. With a handful of these geared directly toward having fun, and some shaking up their respective midrange markets, we had an especially good time digging deep into these great phones, e-readers, and audio accessories.
Best keyboards for Chromebooks in 2024
The best wired and wireless keyboards, including the top models with Chrome-specific key layouts
The best Chromebooks aren't exactly performance monsters suitable for gaming (though if you attach a monitor they'll handle indies and some less demanding titles), they're incredible, portable productivity solutions. That said, to truly unlock their potential, you'll need to pair them with a proper keyboard, particularly if you're going to be doing a lot of writing or editing.
We’re all at the mercy of batteries. It’s a 21st-century problem that, thankfully, does have a few solutions. Chief among them on the go are car chargers. Whether you drive to work daily using your Google Pixel 8 as a media player or take the occasional leisurely scenic drive guided by your Galaxy S24’s GPS, you want your phone battery to remain fully charged. Whether it's an emergency or you just need to search for nearby restaurants, your phone can be a lifesaver.
When the Google Pixel 7 Pro launched, it posed a unique problem — it was the first of its lineup to feature a curved screen. That doesn’t sound like an issue, you say? Well, it means a standard screen protector wouldn’t work well with the curvature, so third-party manufacturers had to pivot and release a new design that fits nicely over the display and doesn’t interfere with the fingerprint reader. Of course, it’s a challenge they’ve faced before, so users didn’t have to go without protection for their new Pixel 7 Pros.
'9H hardness' is meaningless for glass screen protectors
Why you shouldn't care about the industry's favorite buzzword
The overwhelming majority of glass screen protectors proudly boast of their 9H hardness rating, but that means almost nothing. Concerningly, even some manufacturers claim that this number refers to the Mohs mineral scale. That's completely false, and you shouldn't base your screen protector selection on 9H hardness. Here's what's really going on.
Does the Asus ROG Phone 8 have UWB?
Sadly, you can't use your gaming phone to start your car
The Asus ROG Phone 8 — and its LED-laden 8 Pro sibling — packs impressive hardware, eye-catching design, excellent software, and numerous gaming-focused features. It has the processing power, tools, and advanced protocols we'd expect from such a great gaming phone, including tons of RAM, a competent interface, and gesture-supporting AirTriggers that act like console shoulder buttons.
Which Google Pixel 8 color should you buy?
The four color options for the Google Pixel 8 offer something for everyone
You can argue whether Google's design aesthetic is truly iconic, but it's definitely recognizable at this point. The 2023-released Google Pixel 8 leans into the Big G's marshmallow-like theme more than ever, and comes in a small range of colors that might not exactly pop, but do stand out from the competition. And, in January 2024, a new contender arose, adding another soft, fun colorway that might leave you considering a clear version of one of the Pixel 8's many great cases.
Best smart home security systems in 2024
The most reliable and comprehensive smart home security systems available
Smart home technology can be fun and convenient, but it can also save lives, property, and a lifetime of memories. These days, powerful security cameras, dependable Wi-Fi networking, and straight-to-consumer home security systems are more reliable, available, and affordable than ever. Coupled with constantly refined smart home devices, now's a better time than ever to protect your loved ones and belongings from emergencies.
Best Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 screen protectors in 2024
Broken screens turn tablets into paperweights; let's keep that from happening
Samsung's Galaxy Tab A8 isn't a powerful flagship tablet, but it is one of the best cheap Android tablets, thanks to the big screen and good battery life. A lot of people only want a large screen to watch movies and casually browse the web, and the Tab A8 is more than capable of that despite the low price. It's not immune to scratches and scrapes, so you'll want to protect it.
Best Google Pixel 8 Pro wallet cases in 2024
Convenient, durable wallet cases from the most reputable brands
The Google Pixel 8 Pro sets an impressive standard when it comes to features, design, and processing power. While the phone itself is actually quite durable, it's also pretty expensive, so you'll want to do everything in your power to keep it safe from everyday wear and tear.
Today, voice communication is practically an afterthought when deciding on the right flagship device for you. In its place, camera quality has risen to become of the biggest factors in buying a phone. Manufacturers go to great lengths to stuff advanced sensors into seemingly impossibly-sized handsets, and back them up with not just competent, but novel and even cutting-edge imaging algorithms and software features.
In some ways, the Android tablet market's in a great place right now. If you're looking for a 10-inch+ tablet and willing to spend several hundred dollars, there's a slew of high-end Android slates to choose from. Even just a few hundred bucks can land you a surprisingly great midrange tablet with impressive specs and a quality display. And software developers on both the operating system and app sides constantly work to improve the big-screen Android experience.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. Galaxy S22: Upgraded internals
What two years of advancements do to the Galaxy
We loved the Galaxy S22 on release, and it's still a great smartphone that performs day-to-day functions admirably. But two generations later, the smallest of Samsung's S series offerings improves significantly on some of the few downsides of its older relative. The 2024 model boasts excellent battery life, blazing-fast hardware, and a refined design that should stand the test of time over its 7-year Android lifespan. And while we wouldn't really recommend buying a brand new Galaxy S22 right now, if you have one and don't have any problems (or can find one at a large discount), it remains a serviceable flagship-class phone.