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Weekend poll: Which video streaming service do you consider the most essential?
There can only be one
Streaming services are a dime a dozen these days. It seems like every media company under the sun has decided to become your home for movies and shows. From major studios to indie startups, there's no limit to the number of platforms that want your attention — and your hard-earned dollar. But with prices steadily rising and ads slowly but surely arriving, one has to wonder: if you could only live with a single video streaming service, which would you pick?
Weekend poll: Do you use a hi-fi music streaming service?
Or are you sticking with standard quality?
Although it seems like the market has largely settled on a couple of flagship options, there's no shortage of ways to stream your favorite songs these days. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music — these are just a handful of the apps you can download from the Play Store right now before diving into curated playlists and new releases. If you really want to get the most out of your music library, though, you'll need higher-quality audio. You can always turn to local playback, but if you'd rather stick to streaming, plenty of existing plans deliver precisely that.
Weekend poll: If updates were guaranteed forever, how long would you keep the same phone?
Stick with your early adopter lifestyle or settle in for half a decade?
It's no secret these days that phones are expensive. You might be excited about devices like the Galaxy S22 series finally hitting store shelves, but these days, it's going to cost you a pretty penny. Not all of us need to upgrade every year — or even every three years — but declining software updates often push us to finally take the plunge.
This week saw the surprise release of Chrome OS Flex, the spiritual successor to CloudReady that seems set to breathe some life into any old computer gathering dust in the basement. For the most part, it works just like any other device running Chrome, though there's a handful of key differences that might make it a dealbreaker for some users. Android app support is chief among them, lacking any way to natively run apps from the Play Store on your Chrome OS Flex device.
Weekend poll: Do you prefer gestures or buttons for navigation on Android?
Rocking it old school or keeping on the cutting edge?
These days, nearly any phone you buy will come with a pretty similar navigation system. From Google's latest Pixels to any budget device from Motorola — not to mention the ever-popular iPhone lineup — you'll be swiping up, back, left, and right to get to your home screen and recent apps. It took a long time to get here, with Android 9 Pie using a controversial two-button gesture system that tried to split the difference.
Weekend poll: Are you happy with your Google Pixel 6?
Or do you have a serious case of buyer's remorse?
It's no secret that Google's latest smartphones have had a rough first few months — even by the standard of Pixel phones. From sluggish fingerprint sensors and refresh rate issues to delayed updates and reduced cell reception, keeping track of the problems at hand might seem like a full-time job. But the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are also some of the best-selling devices ever launched by Google, which begs the question: did these early bugs even matter at all?
Over the last week, we've heard plenty about Google's next Chromecast device. Code-named "Boreal," it seemed like some sort of refresh for Chromecast with Google TV would make perfect sense. The current model is more than a year old now, and it's not without its share of flaws. A high-end "Ultra" model for enthusiasts seemed like a no-brainer — until we learned Boreal is actually a low-end 1080p model designed to compete with the likes of Roku and Amazon.
Somehow, phone manufacturers continue to find ways to increase display size year after year, even when it seemed impossible for the trend to continue. While we might decry the loss of smaller smartphones, market trends don't lie — buyers love what extra screen real estate can provide. Android has plenty of extra features to take advantage of large displays, with picture-in-picture one of its most handy.
Weekend poll: Do you regularly use RCS for messaging?
Is Google's latest attempt good enough for you?
The struggle between blue and green bubbles continues to wage in the world of smartphones, with Google dealing a fresh blow late last week. With RCS live and ready on any Android device — as long as you download a specific app from the Play Store — the company wants its biggest rival to bring compatibility to iPhone users everywhere. It would certainly expand the reach and scope of RCS, especially in North America, but it begs the question: how many people are already using it?
You promised to take more photos and stop doomscrolling in 2022, but we're not convinced
The results from our New Year's poll are in
We're more than a week into 2022, which means we've all had plenty of time to come up with our respective resolutions — or maybe screw it up in the process. Last week, I asked our readers their smartphone goals for the New Year, gathering plenty of responses as we all look to curtail some of our mobile bad habits or use our devices to their fullest potential.
Weekend poll: What's the longest you've ever held onto a smartphone?
Are you buying every year or waiting as long as you can?
When you head out to buy a new phone — be it from a carrier, a retailer, or online from the comfort of your living room — you probably have a lot on your mind. You need to consider display sizes, camera quality, storage and RAM allotments, and so much more. While it might not take top priority in the moment, software update reliability is just as essential as those hardware specs. After all, you don't want to get stuck on an outdated or broken build of Android.
Weekend poll: What's your New Year's smartphone resolution?
Kick off 2022 with some new mobile habits
Well, folks, we did it. Another year in the bag, one that I think we can all agree was chill and featured absolutely no conflict whatsoever. 2022 is coming fast and hot, with CES kicking off this week to give us a preview of all of the new gadgets you'll be buying over the next twelve months. Instead of focusing on what's to come, let's think about the tech you already own. What's your New Year's smartphone resolution for 2022?
Weekend poll: Do you use a tablet?
From budget slates to laptop replacements, there's something for everyone
Tablets have never really caught on in the mainstream the way laptops and smartphones did, but that doesn't mean they're not immensely popular. The modern concept of a tablet — which kicked off with the launch of the iPad — turned ten this year, making it the perfect time to revisit an old question. Are you still using a tablet, and if so, what kind?
With the holiday season in full swing, many of us are spending a little more time at home. Gathering the family for a movie night is a tradition as old as time — well, as old as movies, anyway — and that goes double for when you have relatives over during this time of year. You probably have a pretty sweet home theater system set up in your home just for these occasions, but behind your Dolby Atmos speakers and 4K OLED display is something much simpler: a streaming device.
2021 is drawing to a close, and it's time for our readers to make their voices heard. Our staff-curated Android Police Most Wanted Editors Choice Awards are coming up, but before we bestow those honors, it's time for you to confer yours. After days of nominations, ten of our readers' top-voted phones will be put to the vote, but only one will receive the 2021 Android Police Readers' Choice Awards.
Weekend poll: Would you buy a dedicated Android gaming handheld?
Gaming on the go, no phone required
Although we're slowly making our way to the end of another long year, the biggest story in tech this week looked ahead to the far-flung future of 2022. As Qualcomm announced its lineup of processors and other products set to power all of next year's upcoming flagships, one area of focus, in particular, caught our eye: gaming. The company is taking mobile games more seriously than ever before, and it all starts with a new chipset and a partnership with Razer.
Weekend poll: How has your 5G experience been so far?
Revolution, evolutionary, or more of the status quo
It's been a few years since the first handful of 5G-capable devices hit the market. Companies like Samsung developed exclusive high-end versions of its existing flagships, supplementing its new networking tech with huge displays and beefy batteries. These days, nearly every new smartphone sold at retail supports 5G, and it's a lot easier to find a signal in most major US cities.
Weekend poll: What are you buying on Black Friday this year?
Phones, Chromebooks, wearables — the sales are endless
Although you've probably already been inundated with commercials and mailers, the holiday shopping season hasn't officially kicked off just yet. With US residents celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, Black Friday is set to follow the very next day — along with the usual slew of big sales and frustrated shoppers. By now, most retailers have announced their markdowns, with some getting a headstart on deals this past week. The only question that remains is, what will you be buying?
Weekend poll: Do you use a screen protector on your phone?
Glass, plastic, or nothing — the choice is yours
When you're buying a new smartphone, shopping for cases often goes hand-in-hand. After all, even budget devices cost a pretty penny these days, and a $15 piece of plastic can go a long way in protecting your investment. For some, screen protectors are another essential day-one buy — but not everyone relies on them.
Weekend poll: How did you buy your last phone?
Carriers, retail stores, or online — the choice is yours
This year's smartphone season was a little quieter than usual, with OnePlus skipping its routine T-series upgrade and LG out of the game altogether. We still managed to get some interesting new releases, of course. Two folding phones from Samsung and the Pixel 6 series from Google tempted phone nerds everywhere, with plenty of users heading out to buy a brand-new device.