All Posts by Jerry Hildenbrand | Android Central

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All Posts by Jerry Hildenbrand

Can Samsung's DeX Station succeed where others have failed?

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 15 Apr 2017 5:52 pm
DeX in action
Will Samsung's market dominance make DeX a thing people actually use? Samsung is one of those companies that likes to try things. Because it will put things out there and keep working on them we have technology like AMOLED screens that don't suck and devices that have ginormous displays. Heck, Samsung even brought back the stylus and made it sexy. Even when its ideas get universally panned (T-...

Pokémon Go Legendary event may finally be coming in July

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 15 Apr 2017 2:30 pm
Raids, PvP and player trading said to be coming in a massive summer update. An interview with Niantic's Asian General Manager Yoshiji Kawashima and Asian General Marketing Manager Kenji Suka hints that the long-rumored Legendary events for Pokémon Go may happen in July 2017. In the interview with Japanese site K-Tai Watch Kawashima says that a huge event is planned for summer 2017 and the new...

Open up in this weekend's comments thread

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 15 Apr 2017 12:00 pm
Hooray for the weekend! Another week is in the can and the glorious release of Saturday is here. We love weekends around these parts and are betting that most of you feel the same way. It's a time to do whatever you like to do without worrying about a boss or the things he or she want you to do. Good times. They're also pretty chill times without a lot going on in the world of Googly techie...

Google updates AOSP bug tracker to use new in-house solution

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 14 Apr 2017 1:58 pm
Good news for the open source crowd. Google's Android developers head to the blog today to let us know it has migrated the AOSP issue tracking system to use its own Issue Tracker software. Issue Tracker is the tool Google uses internally while building and maintaining all the various stuff it does. It's also the public facing bug tracker for many of its other products, including the Android O...

This is how our Google Pixels are holding up [Roundtable]

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 14 Apr 2017 9:00 am
A six-month check-in to see how well the Pixel has fared from people who use it every day. Most of your Android Central staff uses a Google Pixel or Pixel XL on a daily basis. We need to be able to see what Google has going on with Android so it's something we use for our jobs, and we all agree it's a great phone in either size. In either case, it's a phone we carry around and do all the...

How to properly secure your Android phone

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 14 Apr 2017 7:49 am
Locked up phone
Know how to use the tools you're given to keep your phone and your data secure. Update, April 2017: In light of the recent round of celebrity phone hacks, we have refreshed this page with up-to-date information. Google, Apple, and Microsoft have great tools for managing your online security. Some implementations may be technically better than others, but you can be reasonably sure that your...

Most Secure Android Phone

Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 13 Apr 2017 3:00 pm
Update, April 2017: These are still our picks for the most secure Android phone. Best overall Google Pixel See at Google See at Verizon The Google Pixel is the most secure Android phone you can buy, and one of the most secure phones of any available today. Without disabling any security protections, the Pixel and Pixel XL are updated to keep you protected against known public security...

Best SD Cards For Chromebooks

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 13 Apr 2017 2:00 pm
Dell Chromebook 13
Expanding your Chromebook's storage. If you want to expand your Chromebook's storage, you can use an SD or microSD card and boom, you've got more space. Whether you use a full-size SD card, a microSD card or a half-height SD card depends on your particular model of Chromebook. Updated, April 2017: This post has been updated with the latest recommendations. Full-size SD cards MicroSD cards...

Two-factor authentication: What you need to know

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 13 Apr 2017 9:00 am
Two-factor authentication
You should use two-factor authentication on every account that offers it. Here's an explainer of what it is, and why you want it. Update, April 2017: In light of the recent round of celebrity phone hacks, we have refreshed this page with the most relevant information. You see a lot of talk on the internet about two-factor authentication (or 2FA as it's commonly called) but most times its just...

How to back up your Android phone or tablet: The ultimate guide

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 13 Apr 2017 7:00 am
Some things can't be replaced if we lose or damage our phone. There is an incredible amount of our lives on our phones. Settings to keep everything running, the music that keeps us going, our contacts and even photos of times and places and people we'll never be able to relive or revisit. Keeping all of this safe and backed up is important. The companies that make the products we use every...

Chrome's WebVR moves to Google Cardboard at the new WebVR Experiments site

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 12 Apr 2017 5:19 pm
Now almost every Android phone can experience VR on Chrome through Google's new WebVR Experiments site. Previously available for Google Daydream View headsets and the phones that power them, Google has followed up on the promise to expand the VR experience in Chrome, and in typical Google style they kicked off an entirely new website. At WebVR Experiments you'll find content for both Google...

Cricket Wireless vs. Boost Mobile: Battle of the subbrands

Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 12 Apr 2017 8:00 am
These two MVNOs are a little different from the rest and can offer something most other MVNOs can't: Unlimited LTE data. Boost Mobile and Cricket Wireless aren't like most MVNOs. Instead of buying service in bulk from another carrier and reselling it at a low price, they are actually owned by a bigger, more familiar name when it comes to cellular service: Boost Mobile is a part of Sprint and...

Android and SD cards: The Ultimate Guide

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 11 Apr 2017 1:00 pm
SD card
Everything you ever wanted to know about SD cards and your phone. Android has supported SD cards since the G1 started it all. The overall idea is simple enough — slap an SD card in your phone and expand the storage so you have room for more stuff. While this is mostly the case, there are a few things to know about, especially before you go out and buy one. We've rounded up everything you need...

The NVIDIA Shield TV is the best thing that ever happened to PC gaming

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 8 Apr 2017 6:10 pm
As if we needed another reason to get a Shield TV. The NVIDIA Shield TV is one of our favorite Android devices of all time. At least it's one of my favorite Android devices of all time. It's the best Android TV box, is well supported by the company that makes it, and has the oomph to push out FHD HDR video to any TV that supports it. Gamestream isn't new but it's a thing that didn't get...

Leaked images show the refurbished Note 7R and its 3200mAh battery

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 7 Apr 2017 4:34 pm
Samsung is bringing the Note 7 back from the dead with a smaller battery that is probably safe. First, Samsung said it wasn't going to be selling refurbished Galaxy Note 7 phones with newer, smaller batteries. Then it had a change of heart and decided to do just that, and even gave us some poetry about the situation. Applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities...

Everything you need to know about your SD card and Adoptable storage

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 7 Apr 2017 3:27 pm
Adoptable storage
What is Adoptable storage on Android? Android has had limited support for removable storage in one form or another since the beginning. Since Marshmallow, it supports what's called Adoptable storage. It's a feature that lets you turn your removable SD card into a more or less permanent (and no longer removable) part of the device. The idea is simple, really, and most of the confusion...

Best adult apps for Android

Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 6 Apr 2017 4:00 pm
The best adult Android apps
In an ocean of adult apps done poorly, these rise to the top. If you're reading this, chances are you have an awesome pocket computer running Android at your disposal. Today's Android phones and tablets can pretty much do anything, and that includes things of an adult nature. We want to help you find and see that content the best way possible. Updated, April 2017: This post has been updated...

Everything you need to know about Sprint's Unlimited Freedom plan

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 6 Apr 2017 2:25 pm
A complete breakdown of Sprint's Unlimited Freedom plan and everything else you can get when you sign up for service. In the United States, there are a lot of companies that can get you and your phone online, but most people use one of the four biggest: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Choosing between them can be difficult. Your first priority should be what service works best in the...

Everything you need to know about SD card speeds and your phone

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 6 Apr 2017 1:00 pm
When it comes to SD cards, our phones have a need for speed. An SD card is the only way to get extra storage space inside your phone. If you need an extra 256GB of storage that doesn't need any wires or anything plugged in, you have no other option. But you have to do it right to make the most of it. The single biggest decision to make when you're buying an SD card is the speed. The form...

Galaxy S8 DeX Station and other accessories now available to pre-order

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Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 5 Apr 2017 5:30 pm
Pre-orders are open now and you'll have your stuff the same day the phone arrives. If you're all lined up to get a brand new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ when it lands on the virtual shelves you can preorder everything you need to go along with it from Amazon. The DeX Station that lets you use your new S8 like a computer with a mouse, keyboard, and a monitor is $150 and ships April 20. USB ports,...

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