Droid Life: Opinionated Android news.

Buying an Unlocked Smartphone

Kellen April 26, 2016 141

I buy a lot of unlocked smartphones. In fact, as I type this, in front of me, there are eight smartphones on my desk and every single one of them is "unlocked." Why do I buy them, you ask? For a number reasons, all of which I mentioned in this lengthy piece...

Watch: 8 Minutes of Leaked Pokémon GO Beta Gameplay

Tim April 26, 2016 24

Pokémon GO, the highly anticipated augmented reality game from Niantic Labs, is reported to launch this summer, but beta gameplay footage has made its way online ahead of schedule. In this 8-minute long video, we see a beginning trainer capture his first ...

Google Introducing 6-Second “Bumper” Ads to YouTube, Like Cute Little Haikus of Video Ads

Kellen April 26, 2016 30

Because you watch a ton of "snackable" video on your smartphones, Google is introducing a new ad format for advertisers to use on YouTube that only lasts 6 seconds. These new ad styles are called "Bumper" ads and Google is hoping that advertisers will use them...

YouTube App Refreshes Home Screen, Updated Recommendation System

Tim April 26, 2016 15

Beginning today, users on Android and iOS will be treated to an updated Home screen experience when opening the YouTube app. While the overall layout does not appear to be changing drastically, users should notice larger video thumbnails while looking through...

Google Introduces Snap-And-Go MODE Watch Bands for Android Wear

Kellen April 26, 2016 28

Google introduced MODE watch bands for Android Wear today, as an attempt to make swapping watch bands easier than ever on not only your smartwatch, but your regular timepiece as well. MODE watch bands include a snap-and-go mechanism that allows you to swap...

Coming Soon: Pay for Netflix Subscription With Google Play Billing

Tim April 26, 2016 23

Listed as coming soon, users of Netflix will be able to pay for their subscription via Google Play billing, just as you would for Google Play Music or Google Play movie rentals. While this change will likely not affect current users, anyone who downloads...

BlackBerry Priv’s Marshmallow Update Exits Beta, Available to Carrier Variants Starting May 3

Tim April 26, 2016 8

Over the course of April, BlackBerry has been beta testing its Marshmallow update for the Priv. As of this morning, beta testing is complete, with BlackBerry announcing availability of the Marshmallow update for all Priv owners, with exception to those with a...

Withings Acquired by Nokia

Kellen April 26, 2016

This morning, Nokia announced that it had acquired Withings, maker of a variety of popular connected home and health accessories. You may know Withings for their smart WiFi scales, baby monitors, and "smart" watches, but they also make blood pressure monitors,...

Galaxy Z TriFold In US Samsung Stores Tomorrow, But You Can’t Buy It

Tim January 22, 2026

Galaxy Z TriFold launch is literally right around the corner, with units headed to select Samsung Experience Stores across...

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What’s Your Carrier’s Device Unlock Policy: T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T

Kellen January 21, 2026

One of the hottest topics of the moment for the US wireless industry is device unlock policies or SIM unlock policies. With...

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Verizon Wastes No Time Switching Device Unlock Policy to 365 Days

Kellen January 20, 2026

When the FCC cleared Verizon of its 60-day device unlock policy a week ago, we talked about how the government agency, which...

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Samsung Makes New Bixby Official in One UI 8.5 With Perplexity AI

Kellen January 20, 2026

The betas of One UI 8.5, as well as supposedly leaked screenshots, showed a potentially renewed investment in Bixby from...

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How to Claim the $20 Verizon Outage Credit

Kellen January 15, 2026

Verizon announced today that it would give all of its customers a $20 credit after experiencing a 10-hour outage yesterday....

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Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2 Just Released for Pixel Phones

Kellen January 14, 2026

Google has released Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2 for all of its still-supported Pixel phones, tablets, and foldables. After...

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Google Just Gave Gemini “Personal Intelligence”

Kellen January 14, 2026

Google's Gemini now has Personal Intelligence and can reason across your data, assuming you give it access. For AI as an...

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2026 January Pixel Update Available for Your Pixel Phone

Kellen January 12, 2026

We've entered 2026 and the first Google Pixel update of the year is here. For those with a still-supported Pixel phone or...

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

Kellen May 6, 2025 141

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 141

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 141

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 141

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 141

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 141

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 141

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 141

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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