Cell Phones

Google gives you a number of reasons why you should spend less on a phone with a quality choice in the Pixel 7a.

Every year Google holds a conference aimed at its developer community. Every year a preview of the latest version of its Android mobile operating system is shown and sometimes there are some surprise appearances —like the public debut of Google Glass at I/O 2012. This year, a wicked fast and new-look Android was revealed (it’s “L” for now, with no sweet-themed name attached), Android Auto was announced for connected cars, Google Fit confirmed the rumours Google is interested in your health, Android Wear showed off awesome new smartwatches from LG and Samsung while Android TV is another crack at conquering your living room. Basically, the theme was Android everywhere. Here’s what you need to know from Google I/O 2014.

There’s a dead zone in my home. If you’re not outside on the back deck or by the front door you won’t get a cell phone signal – doesn’t matter the phone or the service. With the prospect of another winter shivering outside to talk on the cell, I was anxious to check out the Wilson DT Desktop Signal Booster.    

Motorola has already unveiled its reimagined Razr smartphone, but CES 2020 offered the opportunity to see how cool a newer flip might be.

Google confirmed what many suspected when it officially announced its latest new products, including two Pixel 4 phones, plus a new Pixelbook and Nest Mini.

Samsung new products at its Unpacked event, headlined by the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4, plus all-new earbuds and smartwatches.

LG looks to stand out with the G7, which sports a familiar look, but strives to offer something new in how you use the phone.

What is all the fuss about Spritz? If you were using a Spritz-enabled app, you would already have read to the end of this post and could tell us. But given that Spritz-enabled tech isn’t out there yet (it’s coming soon, though), here’s the scoop. Spritz is new speed reading technology that’s based on the theory that much of our time spent reading is wasted as our eyes move side to side. Display a word in one place, flash one word at a time and suddenly reading becomes much more efficient. Not only that, but by displaying just one word at a time, reading is suddenly possible on compact displays, like a smartphone or smartwatch. Being able to quickly (and painlessly) read e-mail, reports or even books on your Gear2 or Gear Neo suddenly makes the idea of wearable technology even more appealing.

If a big phone with a big screen and a better stylus is what you’re looking for, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 may be just the right size.

LG has proven that it can manufacture a really good smartphone, much like it already did with devices like the Nexus 5 and G3. Last year’s G3 made considerable improvements on the software side of things, improving the user experience in tangible ways, yet it still didn’t go far enough in standing out from the crowded Android pack. The G4 deviates little from an overall design standpoint, but offers an excellent camera upgrade and simpler software for a compelling contender.