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Whoop 4.0 review: This fitness tracker skipped leg day
Whoop is great for runners and swimmers, but if your workout regimen includes weightlifting, it's not worth the price
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It doesn't need to be the start of January for you to work on new fitness goals. Although your local gym is currently raking in the profits, getting out of the house and pushing yourself harder than ever before doesn't require a New Year's Resolution. All it takes is a plan and a little bit of drive — and thankfully, modern fitness trackers are more than capable of delivering both.
Weekend poll: What's your most anticipated phone launch of 2023?
A foldable, a Pixel, or Nothing in between?
It's not even March yet, but we're already in the midst of all sorts of exciting new smartphones. It didn't take long for 2023 to kick off with a bang, with back-to-back releases from Samsung and OnePlus hitting store shelves this week. The Galaxy S23 Ultra completely blew us away with its excellent performance and build quality — full reviews of the smaller two phones coming this week — while the OnePlus 11 served as a bit of a comeback story for a brand in desperate need of one. But forget all that — we're focused on what's coming next, because this year is starting to look pretty exciting.
Android Auto is stalling out for some Samsung Galaxy S23 owners
Some very familiar-sounding problems for a very familiar-looking phone
Samsung's latest set of flagship smartphones is set to hit store shelves this week, and so far, they're sounding like a big — if boring — success. While our reviews of the two smaller phones are forthcoming, the Galaxy S23 Ultra impressed us with its speedy performance, 200MP sensor, and long-lasting battery life built to get you well beyond a full day's worth of use. Unfortunately, no smartphone launch can arrive without a hitch or two, and it looks like a familiar Android Auto bug to Samsung fans is once again rearing its ugly head.
Weekend poll: Are you going to try the Android 14 previews this year?
Or would you rather wait for a stable experience?
While smartphone manufacturers are in the middle of launching all sorts of new hardware, Google isn't slowing down Android development. This week, we got our first glimpse of Android 14, the next version of our favorite mobile operating system set to launch later this year. Developer previews aren't quite as feature-packed as the beta program scheduled to arrive in April, but it's an exciting time nonetheless. Really, the only question is whether you're jumping in right now, waiting for the first official beta, or if you're bidding your time until a stable upgrade arrives later this year.
The Pixel 4a is the latest victim of Google's frustrating upgrade windows
Missed Android 14 by this much
After a decade of iPhone owners enjoying years upon years of updates, Android manufacturers are finally starting to catch up. Samsung's current upgrade policy — four OS upgrades, five years of security patches — is so popular, OnePlus implemented similar rules starting with its latest smartphone. Google, to its credit, has offered five years of patches since the arrival of the Pixel 6, but only three years of "guaranteed" OS upgrades. With the arrival of Android 14's first developer preview, we're seeing another smartphone fall victim to poor upgrade support.
Google Translate is adding contextual translations for words with multiple meanings
To the delight of lazy high school students everywhere
If there's one space where the power of AI can really show its stuff, its translations. Enabling conversations between two parties speaking completely different languages is notoriously difficult, and while Google has made some strides in this space, it's certainly not finished improving its service. At today's AI-focused event in Paris, the company announced some improved contextual tools coming to Google Translate that could help speakers avoid all sorts of common mistakes in the future.
Weekend poll: Did you preorder a Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra?
Another year, another set of high-end smartphones
We’re just a month into 2023, but the smartphone market is already starting to heat back up. With just a couple of days to go until OnePlus unveils its latest flagship phone for a worldwide launch, Samsung is set to start shipping Galaxy S23 units later this week. Between carrier deals and trade-in offers on the company’s own website, there’s all sorts of methods to save some cash on any of these three devices. The only question that remains is which phone — if any — you preordered.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, two days in: The start of something familiar
My first 48 hours with Samsung's latest supersized smartphone
Following months of leaks and rumors, the Galaxy S23 series made its grand debut earlier this week. While my colleagues at Android Police managed to get some early hands-on time with all three of Samsung's latest phones, I flew to San Francisco to watch the event unfold live and in-person. After, I headed over to explore the company's Galaxy Experience pop-up, where I was handed my very own Galaxy S23 Ultra. Though you'll have to wait a little longer for our full review, here's everything I've noticed during my first 48 hours.
Weekend poll: Will you tune into Samsung's Galaxy S23 event this week?
Samsung's first in-person event in three years is set to go live on Wednesday
After months of rumors, leaks, and the occasional early unboxing, Samsung's Galaxy S23 reveal event is just a few short days away. This week, the company will host its latest Unpacked in San Francisco, marking its first in-person launch in three years. While we have a pretty good idea of what all three phones in the S23 lineup will offer fans, there's always the chance for a last-second surprise. With all of the anticipation and excitement surrounding the first big smartphone launch of the year, we want to know: are you tuning in?
Smartphone shoppers said 'no thank you' to last year's boring, expensive lineup
Even the holidays couldn't save a disappointing year
It's no secret that the smartphone world is in a bit of a slump these days. Despite a rebound in 2021 after a pandemic-fueled nosedive, sales disappointed manufacturers across the globe again last year, albeit with higher prices helping to make up a difference in revenue. Anyone who hoped the holidays would help save 2022 for the industry is, unfortunately, out of luck, as last quarter saw the sharpest decline for sales in smartphone history.
Waze is nearly ready for Android Auto's latest redesign
Beta users can check out the app's dashboard-friendly UI right now
After a months-long delay, Android Auto's new redesign finally hit the road a few weeks ago. After a short beta period, Google announced its new dashboard look — previously codenamed Coolwalk — for in-car displays was ready for primetime. Unfortunately, it has yet to rollout to everyone weeks after an announcement, but there could be a silver lining in those sluggish server-side updates. If you're a dedicated Waze user, your favorite navigation app might be ready before the Android Auto redesign even reaches your car.
I have an admission to make. Since my college days, one of my worst habits has been constantly misplacing my keys and my wallet. It's not that I leave them in places where they could get stolen, but instead, I'm always forgetting to grab them when I head out of the house. Thankfully, Buffalo's cold, harsh winters allow me to leave my car keys and wallet in my coat pocket, while a smart lock has made worrying about house keys a thing of the past.
OnePlus could raise the bar with an even more outlandish concept phone at Mobile World Congress
After showcasing disappearing cameras, what's up next for the company?
It's easy to feel bored by smartphones these days. Despite how great Android phones are these days — and new devices from Samsung, Google, and others just around the corner — leaks and early reveals seem to indicate another generation of incremental improvements. If you're looking for something exciting, OnePlus might have just what you're looking for. With Mobile World Congress just a few weeks away, the company is rumored to have a new concept phone set for an unveiling in Barcelona.
Samsung needs to make some concessions if it wants to win over Note holdouts
The Ultra series is missing the superphone magic of the originals, and fans have noticed
With the Galaxy S23 series just around the corner, millions of current smartphone owners are likely considering their upgrade options right now. For some, the path is inevitable, swapping out one of our favorite Android phones for a new generation. But for a more dedicated audience — one that Samsung is actively courting — the S23 Ultra represents more missed opportunities. And if the company wants to pry older devices away from its previous devotees, it'll need to find the space to compromise on its future releases.
Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2.1 arrives with some crucial fixes for 5G and Bluetooth
No need for testers to wait until February
There's nothing like kicking off your weekend with a brand-new Android beta. Not even two weeks after Google rolled out Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 to those who love to live on the cutting edge, the company has returned with a couple of crucial fixes that can't wait for next month. If your Pixel is currently enrolled in the beta program, QPR2 Beta 2.1 is headed to your device right now.
Samsung Galaxy S23 phones could run this exclusive souped-up version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Gotta go fast
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Samsung's Galaxy S23 series is two weeks away from an official unveil, but with leaks ranging from high-res renders to in-depth spec leaks, the sense of mystery is all but gone. While it's been long assumed the S23 would use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — perhaps throughout most, if not all, of the world — a new rumor suggests a crucial detail. On the heels of the Samsung and Qualcomm partnership announced last year, we might be looking at a customized processor built exclusively for these three phones.
Fullscreen YouTube is glitching all over for some Google Pixel 7 users
Swipe up to freeze your device
Compared to the Pixel 6 launch two years ago, Google's latest series of flagship phones have been relatively bug-free. That's not to say the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are flawless, of course — just this month alone, we've seen delayed patches and Bluetooth issues causing drivers to miss out on music, turn-by-turn navigation, and more. Now, it seems like another pressing software bug is rearing its ugly head, this one causing problems with fullscreen playback on YouTube's various apps.
Weekend poll: What's the maximum amount you would pay for a smartphone?
Are you setting a budget or is the sky the limit?
Last week, a tweet from YouTuber Marques Brownlee went viral, suggesting that smartphone makers should focus less on budget devices and more on providing updates to their existing flagships. I'm not going to dive too deep into my disagreements with the tweet — you can hear that on this week's Android Police podcast — but I do think it's curious to suggest people jump for more expensive devices. Devices are more expensive than ever, and prices only seem to be going up.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is just drowning in leaks, and we've got all the pics
Someone throw Samsung a lifejacket
After months of rumors, Samsung finally announced its next Unpacked event this week, where the company will take to the stage to formally unveil the Galaxy S23 series. Of course, with near-daily leaks, it seems like there's not much left to the imagination. From a refined design to improved specs, it seems like we know nearly everything there is to know about Samsung's next phones. Today, we're getting yet more looks at all three models in their various colors, including a peak at the S23 Ultra's embedded S Pen.
Samsung's budget-friendly Galaxy A14 5G is already available for purchase
A refined design and an improved display for just $200
While we're all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Galaxy S23 series in just a few weeks, Samsung isn't waiting around to kick off its phone launches for 2023. As announced at CES last week, the Galaxy A14 5G is the company's latest ultra-affordable smartphone, one that looks to be as impressive and capable as its predecessor. It's hitting store shelves today, providing an impressive option for budget-conscious shoppers as we head into a new year.