Posts From Brandon Russell

Brandon Russell
Brandon Russell

Brandon's love of technology can be traced back to his childhood, when he would obsessively watch Back to the Future. Since then he's followed the industry and its many innovations, from handheld consoles to powerful smartphones. He's still waiting on a hoverboard.

Spotify now lets you download music and podcasts to your Wear OS watch

Spotify now lets you download music and podcasts to your Wear OS watch

August 12, 2021
The future of Wear OS is set to take an unexpected turn later this year, with Google and Samsung set to collaborate on revamping the software. But before any of that happens, Spotify is showing its commitment to the platform with a welcome new feature. During the Google I/O 2021 presentation on Tuesday, Spotify’s Jessika Malmcrona...
Google Play is cracking down on misleading app names and icons

Google Play is cracking down on misleading app names and icons

July 28, 2021
Google has announced some important changes for developers who publish their apps in the Google Play Store, which are set to go into effect later this year. Once they are established, the search giant said it will crack down on apps that mislead users, either with their title or icon. One of the policy changes relates...
Google announces Android Enterprise Essentials, a mobile device management (MDM) service for small businesses

Google announces Android Enterprise Essentials, a mobile device management (MDM) service for small businesses

June 22, 2021
Google has announced a new program designed to simplify the process of managing work phones for small businesses that deploy Android devices. Android Enterprise Essentials is described by Google as a secure mobile management service built by the Android team. The goal is to make mobile device management (MDM) on a smaller scale less complicated, providing...
A new iPod touch will reportedly launch this fall with iPhone-like design

A new iPod touch will reportedly launch this fall with iPhone-like design

May 21, 2021
It’s been two years since Apple released a new iPod touch, but the company will allegedly change that this fall. The most recent iPod touch model hit the scene in May 2019, but has largely been out of the spotlight. The new report comes from MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, who cites Twitter user AppleLe257 as a...
Google now allows you to add password protection to ‘My Activity’ usage history

Google now allows you to add password protection to ‘My Activity’ usage history

May 21, 2021
It’s been a big week for Google, with the company unveiling Material You for Android 12 and much more at I/O 2021. A big part of the past few days has been focused on privacy, and the search giant is aiming to make your “My Activity” usage history more protected with the addition of extra...
Spotify announces offline music downloads for Apple Watch

Spotify announces offline music downloads for Apple Watch

May 21, 2021
Spotify has announced that Apple Watch owners who are subscribed to a premium plan can now download music and podcasts to play offline. A similar feature was announced for Google’s Wear OS at I/O 2021 earlier this week. With the new feature, Apple Watch owners can download playlists, albums, and podcasts right to their wrist. Apple...
Twitter reveals details for Ticketed Spaces as U.S. launch nears

Twitter reveals details for Ticketed Spaces as U.S. launch nears

May 21, 2021
Twitter is planning to introduce yet another way for users to earn money through the platform, giving us an early look at Ticketed Spaces. The feature builds on the platform’s Spaces feature, which recently became available for anyone with more than 600 followers. The Verge was the first to preview Twitter’s Ticketed Spaces, which will allow...
Belkin’s $100 dongle makes any speaker compatible with AirPlay 2

Belkin’s $100 dongle makes any speaker compatible with AirPlay 2

May 21, 2021
Belkin has announced a new dongle called Soundform Connect that will make any speaker system compatible with AirPlay 2. You can preorder the dongle beginning today for $99.99. By adding AirPlay 2 support to your speakers, you’ll be able to stream audio from iOS and macOS devices. If you own multiple AirPlay 2 compatible devices, including...
[Update: Confirmed] Xiaomi may be bringing back its popular Redmi Note 8

[Update: Confirmed] Xiaomi may be bringing back its popular Redmi Note 8

May 21, 2021
It’s been nearly two years since the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 series hit the scene, and even with a new Note 10 series out on the market, the company is reportedly looking to re-release the Note 8 this year. A Xiaomi phone with model number M1908C3JGG has appeared at the FCC. Leaker Kacper Skrzypek on Twitter...
OPPO Reno 6 series renders and specs leaked ahead of launch

OPPO Reno 6 series renders and specs leaked ahead of launch

May 21, 2021
OPPO is preparing the Reno 6 series for a launch at the end of May, and ahead of the announcement, details have been leaked. The new information includes some specs, along with renders that give us a good look at three different models. Evan Blass shared images of the Reno 6, Reno 6 Pro, and Reno...
Snap’s new Spectacles promise to bring augmented reality to life

Snap’s new Spectacles promise to bring augmented reality to life

May 20, 2021
Snap on Thursday introduced the next generation of Spectacles, and the company is claiming they will change the game of augmented reality. The glasses aren’t for sale, but they’re meant to demonstrate the kind of experiences that could one day be available to the masses. According to Snap, Spectacles feature dual waveguide displays and a 26.3-degree...
Google Messages gets a unified emoji, GIFs, and sticker menu

Google Messages gets a unified emoji, GIFs, and sticker menu

May 20, 2021
When you message friends and family, how much are you actually texting versus sending emoji, stickers, and GIFs? The way we communicate has evolved, and to accommodate our changing habits, Google is rolling out a unified emoji, GIFs, and sticker menu in Google Messages. 9to5Google uncovered the newly redesigned menu in Google Messages, which now places...