Smartphone cameras are pretty great, but sometimes, you'd like to actually pull out that DSLR or mirrorless you own and take it out with some friends for a photoshoot all across town. You'd also like to keep track of where your posse's been that day, but the problem is your kit isn't equipped with a GPS. Well, if you're not aware already, you can link up your phone's location data to your snaps with the help of a couple Google services.
Read MoreDear Samsung, please let me exclude screenshots from Google Photos backups
After years of using mostly stock-Android phones, I bought a Galaxy S10e for myself a few months ago, and I've used it almost every day since that point. While the software experience isn't perfect, Samsung does usually provide options to disable functionality I don't care for. However, there's one software quirk that can't easily be fixed: screenshots are constantly backed up to my Google Photos library.
Read MoreHow to back up your Android phone before a factory reset
Even though most of your phone's data probably lives in the cloud, there could still be some locally-stored photos, videos, contacts, calendars, and other important files not backed up. In this post, we'll go over how to check that everything on your phone is properly backed up, so you can wipe it without thinking twice that you lost something.
Read MoreHow to back up your SMS text messages on Android
Much of the world has moved on from SMS, but it's still one of the most popular methods of sending messages in the US. It's an unfortunate requirement here for many, and it probably will be until RCS gets off the ground. And if you're the data-hoarding type, then you might want to keep those SMS messages around for later reference — either in cold storage or an easily accessed format. But even bringing them with you from device to device isn't actually that hard, and we're glad to walk you through the different ways to do it.
Read MorePopular
The best cheap summer backup phones: Relax with a phone you can afford to lose
I love flagship phones, but I'm always a little concerned when I take one with me, say, kayaking, or to a concert. Summertime is full of such potentially phone-ruining events, so if you're worried about the safety of your thousand-dollar pocket computer, consider grabbing one of these cheapo alternatives as a backup.
Read More[Update: Live for some] Google Photos will finally tell you which photos weren't backed up, like the good ol' days
There was a point a year or more ago where Google Photos had a neat indicator on top of each media item that showed whether or not it was backed up. Thanks to it, you could always tell at a glance which photo or video had been uploaded and which ones were still pending. That indicator disappeared completely, but the Photos team has finally realized the extent of its mistake by removing it, so it's bringing the functionality back.
Read MoreChrome OS Dev adds support for backing up and restoring Linux containers
The recent addition of Linux app support to Chromebooks has made the laptops much more useful, especially in the eyes of developers. However, if you needed to wipe or upgrade your Chromebook, there wasn't an easy way to keep your Linux data. Previous code commits hinted at the ability to back up and restore the Linux container, and now that functionality has arrived in the Dev Channel.
Read MoreGoogle Photos v4.5 may restore backup while charging and prepares helpful hints for backup conditions [APK Teardown]
An update to Google Photos began rolling out late last night. There appears to be nothing noteworthy on the surface, but a teardown has turned up a couple interesting details that point to upcoming changes. We will be getting some new informative boxes that can explain why backups aren't running, plus we may finally get back the much loved option to only perform backups while charging.
Read MoreOnePlus Switch adds support for iPhone data transfer [APK Download]
Changing to a new phone can be a hassle; it's especially annoying for those of us who have to do it often. Thankfully, many OEMs include a proprietary data transfer app to help you through the process. OnePlus has the Switch app, and it's just been updated with support for moving from an iPhone.
Read MoreAndroid Pie cloud backups now encrypted with user's lock screen password
Google automatically backs up some of your phone's data, like SMS messages (Nexus/Pixel only) and call history, to the cloud. That way, if you need to wipe your device or it gets lost/stolen, you're not completely out of luck. Android Pie includes changes to how these backups are stored, so not even Google can read your data.
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