Android Intelligence

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Not your average Android news — a diverse mix of advice, insight, and analysis with veteran Android journalist JR Raphael.

News Analysis

Android's consistency crisis

The sense of cohesiveness Google fought to achieve in Android is fading fast, but it isn't too late to save it — if Google actually wants to.

Tip

Give Google Docs some powerful new shortcuts

If you use Google Docs and care about productivity, this time-saving upgrade is something you won't want to miss.

News Analysis

Galaxy reality check: 4 big reasons to avoid Samsung's Android phones

Samsung's Galaxy phones may have the best-known brand within Android, but they come with some underemphasized downsides every serious user should consider.

How-To

5 new Chrome OS features you should find right now

Got a Chromebook? These advanced, mostly out-of-sight options will grant your computer new powers and change the way you work (for real!).

News Analysis

The game-changing Google trend to watch in 2021

A whole new side of Google is taking shape right in front of our eyes, but you really have to step back and look carefully to see it.

How-To

6 smart steps to get your Android phone in tip-top shape for 2021

These simple bits of maintenance will clean up your phone and give you a maximally efficient, secure foundation for the new year.

How-To

2020's most important Chrome OS advice and analysis

Calling all Chromebook owners: Your holiday reading list awaits you.

How-To

20 Android tips you shouldn't miss from 2020

Make the most of the upcoming holiday break with these standout tips for your favorite Android phone.

News Analysis

Google just quietly set the stage for a Chrome OS explosion

A subtle-seeming Google purchase paves the way for a dramatic expansion of Chrome OS's reach — and a dramatic reimagining of what a Chromebook even is.

News Analysis

The bit of Googley brilliance Android needs to borrow from Chrome OS

One of Android's worst lingering pain points could be improved immensely with a little help from a familiar Google cousin.

News Analysis

The (subtle) second coming of Google+

Google may have given up on its official social service, but it never really left the underlying ambitions behind.

How-To

10 ways Google Assistant devices can help with working from home

Whether you're using an Assistant-enabled speaker or a screen-packin' Smart Display, having a virtual genie at your desk can bring a serious boost to your home-working productivity.

How-To

How to create your own custom Chrome address bar actions

Save time and zip around your browser like a pro with this massively improved (and immediately available!) take on Google's new Chrome Actions system.

News Analysis

Why Android apps on Windows will be an uphill battle

Microsoft supposedly has a plan for a new kind of Android-Windows marriage — but it isn't quite as simple as it seems on the surface.

How-To

Gmail encryption: Everything you need to know

This easy-to-follow guide will help you understand what's going on with Gmail encryption and what you can do to maximize your messaging privacy.

How-To

Android's secret voice control superpowers

Take your hands-free productivity to the next level with this out-of-the-way system for advanced Android text editing and device control.

Feature

11 promise-filled Android features that quietly faded away

So many years, so many lofty Android concepts that went from front and center to gone and forgotten. Could any of these be ripe for a comeback?

News Analysis

Why Google making its own Pixel chips could matter for you

Google's homemade processors could start appearing in Pixel products in a matter of months — and that could make a meaningful difference in the devices' evolution.