Droid Life: Opinionated Android news.

Google Assistant on Pixel 4 is Going to be Awesome and Fast, Motion Sense a Dud

Kellen October 2, 2019

I can't wait for the Pixel 4 to get here, so that we can stop musing about what Google will likely talk about when it makes its new phones official. There's only so much to gain from not experiencing something first hand and describing it from a leak. With...

Latest Instagram Beta Brings Dark Mode for All

Tim October 2, 2019

The latest beta build for Instagram on Android is bringing a Dark Mode for all to enjoy. Hooray for more Dark Mode! To get it up and running, you'll need the beta app (I'm on app version 114.0.0.13.120). So long as there is room, you can join the beta by...

3 Things Google Needs to Do With This Whole Dark Theme Thing

Kellen October 2, 2019

Android 10 is not necessarily the most feature-rich version of Android to date, but it finally brings home an option that Android users have begged for at an obnoxiously steady pace in recent years. Android 10 includes a system-level dark theme or dark mode,...

Incognito Mode Rolling Out for Google Maps, History Auto-Delete Comes to YouTube

Tim October 2, 2019

Google introduced new privacy features for select app users today, announcing that Incognito Mode is officially rolling out to all Google Maps users, YouTube is getting Auto-Delete, and Google Assistant can now help tidy up your Google account's history. As we...

Microsoft Just Announced a Dual-Screen, Folding Phone That Runs Android (Updated)

Kellen October 2, 2019

Microsoft hosted a hardware event this morning where they announced a bunch of Surface products, a line of devices that we wouldn't normal pay a ton of attention to. But before leaving the stage, they showed off a product some of us may consider buying in a...

SHIELD TV Update 8.0.1 Brings a Ton of Bug Fixes

Tim October 1, 2019

NVIDIA has posted the changelog for Experience Update 8.0.1 and it's massive. Headed to SHIELD TV owners this week, NVIDIA has a ton of bug fixes inside this update, including one for a WiFi issue that I've personally been experiencing. NVIDIA's history of...

Xbox Game Streaming App, for Project xCloud, Available for Download

Tim October 1, 2019

The necessary Xbox Game Streaming app for Android, the one that allows Microsoft's Project xCloud to work on your Android device, is now available for download. Sadly, downloading it doesn't really do anything, since Microsoft has yet to let anyone into its...

Google Voice Dark Theme is Here, Well, Rolling Out Slowly

Kellen October 1, 2019

Google says that the dark theme for Google Voice is now rolling out starting today and should reach all within 15 days. They made the announcement through their G Suite Updates blog, as a heads-up to G Suite customers, but these announcements also impact...

Google Decides That Google Assistant Can Stick Around a Bit Longer, Pushes Gemini Switch to 2026

Kellen December 19, 2025

You may have forgotten the timeline, but Google was pushing to force all off of Google Assistant and onto Gemini by the end...

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What’s New in Android 16 QPR3 Beta: At a Glance, Flashlight, Navigation Buttons, More

Kellen December 18, 2025

Google may have released Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 at the worst possible time of the day, but we're still going to dive into it...

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Android 16 QPR3 Beta Program Goes Live for Pixel Devices

Kellen December 17, 2025

Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 released. Google shipped Android 16 QPR2 to stable channels this month as the December Pixel update,...

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Verizon Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and Pixel 10 Devices Get New December Update (Updated)

Kellen December 17, 2025

All of Google's still-supported Pixel devices received a huge QPR2 update in early December with new features and tons of bug...

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Google Makes Controversial Pixel Search Bar Change

Kellen December 17, 2025

Within the past several days, a group of Pixel owners noticed a change to the way the Search bar at the bottom of their Pixel...

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Samsung December Updates Continue Roll Out to All These Devices

Kellen December 17, 2025

Samsung started sending December updates to a batch of devices earlier in the week, but they weren't quite done with 2025....

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Galaxy Z TriFold Sells Out Quick in South Korea, Even With High Price Tag

Tim December 12, 2025

We shouldn't be surprised, folks. Samsung launched the Galaxy Z TriFold this week in its home country of South Korea, with in...

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YouTube TV Will Offer 10 Genre-Specific Plans in 2026

Tim December 10, 2025

More choice and more flexibility. That's what everyone has been clamoring for lately. If you'll recall, YouTube TV used to be...

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Google’s Latest Ad Pokes at iPhone for Copying Its Features, iPhone 17 Rumors

Kellen May 6, 2025

The iPhone 17 won't arrive for months, likely after Google releases its Pixel 10 series. For the most part, all talk around...

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Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen October 11, 2023

Some of you have been lucky enough to receive your Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders a day early, thanks to Google's wildly...

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Pixel Watch 2 Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen October 11, 2023

The Pixel Watch 2 has been on my wrist for a full week and my list of notes has only grown. I've tested sleep tracking, put...

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Video: Galaxy Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5 Unboxing!

Tim July 27, 2023

Samsung was gracious enough to send us its latest foldables devices, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. Naturally,...

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Google Pixel 7a Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen May 10, 2023

Because the Google Pixel 7a is available today for you to run out and buy at $499, you may not want to wait around for our...

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VIDEO: Galaxy S23 Ultra Unboxing!

Tim February 3, 2023

Unboxing time, baby! We have the Galaxy S23 Ultra in-house, a bit before they're set to make their way to buyers later this...

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Pixel 7 Pro: First 10 Things to Do!

Tim October 13, 2022

Fancy new Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro just show up at your doorstep? Perfect, then this video is for you. As is tradition, we've...

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Pixel Watch: First 10 Things To Do!

Kellen October 13, 2022

The day that most of you will receive your Google Pixel Watch from pre-orders is here. It's time for you to slap Google's...

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