About Karandeep Singh
Karandeep has been with Android Police as a freelance writer since 2019, covering reviews for India, buyer’s guides for the US, and handy tutorials for everyone. He cares more about the impact of technology on people’s everyday lives than the superfluous features companies keep adding each year, which is central to his reviews and product recommendations.
In his previous life, he worked with Android Headlines to cover everything Android. He also wrote and edited for a handful of publications in India during his writing journey, which started in 2014. Ever since his first Symbian phone that had the iconic Ovi store to download apps, he has stuck to Android phones and is currently using a OnePlus Open. In his free time, he’s usually busy clearing his ever-growing backlog of movies and TV shows or tracking down an eatery he hasn’t been to yet. Chats about food go to Twitter DM and everything tech to karandeep (at) androidpolice (dot) com.
Latest Articles
It’s time to bring Android’s Quick Share to macOS
Why should Windows users have all the fun?
While pairing an iPhone with your Mac would be the only custom in an ideal world, there are a lot of us who like using our favorite Android phones with Mac computers. A big downside of this pairing is that transferring files between Android and macOS is not at all an easy task, and you often need to jump through several hoops to send any kind of file. The existing solutions aren’t elegant as they either require a wired connection or a wireless setup that isn’t as seamless as AirDrop. Google has recently shown some active interest in bringing Quick Share to devices outside its ecosystem, and it’s about time macOS joined the list as well.
Synology BeeStation review: A great first NAS
Looking for a straightforward NAS for your home? This is it!
Synology has a strong hold over the conventional network storage space, where it offers tons of excellent NAS models across price ranges; I still rely on the good-old DiskStation DS920+ for my everyday use. But for someone new to the world of network-attached storage (NAS), there are a lot of network and hardware settings to figure out — so much so that it can easily deter people from investing in one.
I want Google One to have more storage tiers, not fewer
There’s no sane reason for jumping a whole 10x from 200GB to 2TB
The Google One subscription delivers excellent value for all your storage needs. You not only get the cloud space you pay for, but Google also bundles some handy Google Photos editing features and a safety tool that monitors the dark web for your personal details. Google One is a feature-packed service with many perks that go up well against Apple iCloud+. However, it doesn’t come without issues. Its real problem isn’t the feature list, but the storage options themselves.
5 remarkable phones you're missing out on in the US
Fly down to other countries to get hold of these phones, or you know, import ‘em
The smartphone market in the US is cornered by Apple and a handful of brands that represent the Android fraternity. Most of the best Android smartphones we recommend are made by Samsung, Google, and OnePlus. While there are some other brands like Motorola active in certain price segments, none of them have been able to command the flagship market as this trio has. But there exists a whole world of smartphones outside of North America with so many lucrative options that it's hard to pick our favorites. So, we’re sharing a list of some of the finest smartphones from international markets that we think you’re missing out on in the US instead.
Synology vs. QNAP: Which NAS is right for you?
Sometimes the smallest things make all the difference
The network-attached storage (NAS) space is dominated by a handful of brands, including Synology and QNAP. The two companies have countless NAS models available, everything from one-bay consumer NAS to enterprise towers with numerous bays and advanced features. In this guide, we're going to run you through some of the similarities and differences between Synology and QNAP NAS, as well as a few pointers to help you pick the right NAS for you.
The OnePlus 12R is the ultimate mid-ranger, but there's a catch
OnePlus understood the assignment and gave us an *almost* perfect mid-range phone
You can think of OnePlus’ R series as what the A series is to the Google Pixels and SE to the Apple iPhones. OnePlus has been making them for quite a few years, but they’ve remained exclusive to a handful of Asian markets, so far. This year brought along a pleasant surprise as the OnePlus 12R made it to the US and other international markets, and it once again feels like OnePlus is back to flagship killing. That’s evident from our review of the OnePlus 12R — it punches well above its weight, especially if you factor in its tempting price.
What if Google acquired WhatsApp instead of Facebook?
Imagining WhatsApp as a Google app (if it survived)
When Meta (formerly Facebook) took over WhatsApp a decade ago, it brought its own character to the app, both positive and negative. Among the tech titans, Google also has a certain reputation, especially when messaging services are in question. To put it mildly, let’s just say that a goldfish could easily score big for staying focused on one thing for longer than Google.
Google TV offers access to multiple streaming services in one location. Google Chromecast provides instant access to the Google TV hub when plugged into the television, giving you access to more streaming content. There's also a streaming app called Google TV. If you recently purchased or plan to get a Google TV or Android TV, this guide helps you set up your television for a fun evening of streaming.
Sure, you can use a smartphone to take control of your smart home, but a smart speaker is a much easier way to go about things. Not to mention, they often function as a smart home hub, especially if there are multiple people in your household. Adjusting the lights, locking the door, and setting the thermostat is much easier when you don't have to reach for your phone to talk to Alexa or Google Assistant. All you need to do is use your voice.
Apple Vision Pro brings into focus Google's failure with AR
But Google might be cooking something in the wake of Apple’s efforts in VR
As with everything else it makes, Apple has drawn a lot of attention towards its new VR headset, the Vision Pro, which is being portrayed as the next big thing to happen since the iPhone. The hype is so much that it feels like Apple has invented an all-new category of devices from scratch — which couldn’t be further from reality. Other companies including Meta and HTC already make highly sophisticated VR headsets while Google once famously had and then abandoned its AR glasses.
Wi-FI 6, also known as IEEE 802.11ax, hit the market in 2022. It has been a game-changer for wireless networking and is still going strong with newly released Wi-Fi 6 devices still hitting the market. Though the first Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers are now here, Wi-Fi 6 is still a great buy. This high-efficiency Wi-Fi version delivers ample bandwidth, with firmware that is designed to optimize channel use and minimize collisions and interference. And the updated version, Wi-Fi 6E, utilizes the 6 GHz frequency band to offer incredible tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) networking with gigabit speeds.
How to use Synology Drive as a Google Drive alternative
Synology Drive has got what it takes to replace Google Drive, given you're okay with the upfront cost
Google Drive is great for storing files in the cloud, accessing them when needed, and collaborating with a team. However, the internet isn't always reliable and can cause issues when accessing files. In such cases, you need an offline solution, and Synology may have the best options. Synology has awesome NAS enclosures. Its accompanying software, Synology Drive, packs goodies similar to Google Drive while adding an extra layer of privacy.
Roku’s extensive streaming device and smart TV selection offer a myriad of ways to enjoy popular apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. The company isn’t the be-all-end-all of streaming hardware, though. There are devices and smart TVs from numerous brands, including Sony, Google, Hisense, Nvidia, and many others. You can also stream entertainment apps through next-gen game consoles like the Xbox Series X/S.
Google Assistant needs personality, and 'Gemini' is the solution
Renaming Assistant to Gemini can prove to be a momentous change for Google’s voice bot
Google is laser-focused on its AI efforts right now. It already has a large language model (LLM) called Gemini with multimodal capabilities and a user-facing chatbot in the form of Bard to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. And Bard is consistently getting better by the day, as it recently got support for image generation as well. With Google's changing priorities, Assistant took a back seat, leading to a fantastic voice bot, unfortunately, slowly losing both its features and reliability.
7 best WhatsApp features added in the last decade
Believe it or not, WhatsApp got better with Meta
It’s been ten full years since Meta (then Facebook) acquired WhatsApp. While it was a controversial takeover back then, considering Facebook’s iffy stance on user privacy, it isn’t like WhatsApp crumbled after that point. Quite the contrary, WhatsApp flourished as a messaging app, found billions of takers across the globe, and actually got better at what it’s supposed to do: keeping people connected. In fact, most WhatsApp features that we can’t live without today were introduced by Meta — and you’d be surprised by a few of them. Here are the top features WhatsApp added in the last decade that have completely changed the way we use the app.
TerraMaster enclosures are renowned for offering unprecedented features at reasonable price points. That’s one big reason they are a preferred choice among many home users and small businesses for their data storage needs and why they made it to our favorite NAS enclosures list. Even compared to other brands like Synology, Asustor, and QNAP, you will often find that TerraMaster products get you more features per dollar, be it a desktop NAS, a rackmount unit, or a DAS.
OxygenOS 14 is the least interesting thing about the OnePlus 12
Nailing the fundamentals is crucial, but you can't forget to offer eye-popping features
There is no doubt that OnePlus has a winner on its hands with the OnePlus 12. Unlike previous years, this is a true-blue flagship, with the company also addressing the few grievances from previous generations like the exclusion of wireless charging and a proper IP rating (albeit not IP68). Our review gave the OnePlus 12 a 9/10, a reflection of all the improvements that make it an easy recommendation for Android users sick of Samsung or Google.
Synology’s new BeeStation aims to be a no-fuss NAS for home users
It makes setting up and using your network storage device super easy
Synology makes some of the best network-attached storage (NAS) devices, but they often require quite a lot of technical know-how to set up and operate. That’s a hurdle for home users and freelancers who want something uncomplicated for basic stuff like safekeeping family photos or frequently accessing work files. Synology has worked out a solution for such users in the form of the BeeStation, which is much less involved than a typical NAS.
What is the Rabbit R1? The AI phone without apps explained
And why is the internet going crazy for it?
CES is home to some of the whackiest tech out there, but the one product that caught our attention above all others this year is the Rabbit R1. It is a smartphone, technically, but unlike any other smartphone you might’ve ever used. It’s at the very forefront of innovation, embracing AI at a level no smartphone maker has thought of today. The Rabbit R1 doesn’t have apps like the phone in your pocket right now, but relies on a generative AI-based voice bot that gets things done for you — and people are quite keen to know more about this novel approach to smartphones. But how exactly does this bright orange puck-shaped phone work, and is its underlying concept even practical?
Upcoming Gmail feature wants you to speak to Google's AI
How soon you can try out the feature is still up in the air
Gmail already offers a bunch of AI-based features that help you quickly draft your emails. While in-line suggestions have been around for a long time, Gmail recently got the ability to draft emails on your behalf using AI with simple prompts, as you can do with ChatGPT and Bard. This feature is part of a limited experiment, but Google is adding a new way to get Gmail to draft your emails by simply asking it on the Android app.