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How to install Play Store and other Google apps on Windows Subsystem for Android
WSAGAScript is a tool that lets you easily patch the Windows Subsystem for Android to install the Google Play Store.
Windows Subsystem for Android is has been here for quite a while now. You can run it on any Windows 11 machine, though it comes preloaded with the Amazon Appstore instead of the Play Store. In case you're not happy with the mandatory Amazon Appstore integration, you should be happy to hear that the app sideloading process isn't difficult either. It is also possible to install a third-party Google Play Store client, but the lack of Google services in the Windows Subsystem for Android makes it a bit hard to use apps that are dependent on them, as we noted in our hands-on.
The ultimate guide to keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11
Want to get work done faster on your PC? These Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts can help you do things faster without reaching for your mouse.
Most users are familiar with using their laptop with a keyboard and mouse. After all, this is the most intuitive method for most people. The mouse makes it easy to know what you're pointing at, selecting, and clicking, so even first-timers don't take too long to get the hang of it. But for proficient users, the keyboard can be a much more powerful tool, and it allows you to get things done faster. That's why there are a ton of keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 that help with exactly that, and we've compiled a list of them to help you out.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 vs MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus: Neck and neck in every aspect
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus made its western debut recently, and how does it fare versus the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1?
MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset was the company's big return to flagship chipsets in the west, and it was a long time coming. The non-Plus version launched in devices like the OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition, a China-only exclusive. However, with the advent of the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro came an additional tier above — the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. The "Ultimate" moniker obviously implied at the time that it was the superior device, and so, we put both chipsets to the test.
Crucial MX500 SSD review: Good, but not class-leading mass storage for any PC
The Crucial MX500 isn't the absolute fastest SSD around, but it's reliable and available in up to 4TB so you really can store all the things.
There was a time when adding large quantities of storage to your PC would require using 3.5-inch hard drives. However, they're large, clunky, and slow, so it felt like you were dragging your files through a molasses swamp. But they got the job done.
Galaxy Z Flip 1 to 5: How Samsung's clamshell evolved to become the most mainstream foldable
Samsung Flip's journey to the mainstream market.
Whether it's the sales figures collected by research firms, Samsung's own marketing claims, or my own personal anecdotal experience from seeing what phones people use in multiple countries, it's clear the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 was a big hit, and perhaps the first foldable phone to achieve mainstream status instead of being a niche, enthusiast-only device.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the latest entry in Samsung's foldable line-up this year. It's still a book-like inner foldable with basically the same design language as last year's foldable, so it looks very similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It does, however, has a few changes that make it slightly better than its predecessor.
Why I don’t use the Always-On Display on my iPhone 14 Pro
While the idea looked great, Apple's Always-On Display on the iPhone 14 Pro has two major problems that make it a non-starter.
Despite the iPhone 15 series being the latest models in Apple's smartphone lineup, the iPhone 14 Pro paved the way for the current series with the introduction of a more versatile AMOLED display with a varied refresh rate, ushering in the Always-On Display (AOD) and also the much discussed Dynamic Island.
Android apps on ChromeOS: A complete guide
In this how-to guide, we discuss running Android apps on Chrome OS, and how you can resize them to fit your screen.
Chromebooks support Android apps, downloaded via the Google Play Store. This opens up a wide array of possibilities, with millions of productivity apps and games available. Whether you're looking for familiar social media apps or mobile games, Android apps offer something for everyone. Let's take a look at how to get started with Android apps on ChromeOS, along with some of the best apps to install.
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 have a Private Compute Core; here's what we know
The Google Pixel 6 series debuted the Private Compute Core, but what is it?
Android 12 brought with it a ton of new features, and one of the most mysterious is the Private Compute Core (PCC). It's essentially a place where sensitive data can be processed on-device, away from where everything else is happening. It powers Google Pixel 6 exclusive features such as Now Playing, Live Caption, and Smart Reply, but for a long time, there wasn't a lot of information about how it works. We were forced to guess and try to figure it out ourselves.
Amazfit GTR 4 review: A stylish watch with good battery life
The Amazfit GTR 4 is priced at $199, which makes it cheaper than a lot of other premium watches. Find out if it's good in our review.
For many shoppers, the choice between smartwatches comes down to two big players — Apple and Samsung. On one side, you have the Apple Watch and the Galaxy Watch making up more than half of the smartwatch market. And on the other side, there are brands like Amazfit. Granted, Amazfit hasn't had a flawless run in the past, but their last few smartwatches have been great, particularly for the price. The company's new Amazfit GTR 4 — which I've spent several days with — is no exception. It's a great alternative to some of the best smartwatches out there, and it is a great watch that puts this brand under the spotlight.
Fast Charging Explained: The slowest to the fastest Fast Charging technologies
Curious about fast charging? Here's everything you need to know about fast wired charging standards and how to pick the best charger!
Smartphones are getting smarter by the minute, and as a result, our smartphone usage is ballooning. This spike in smartphone usage has inspired companies to devise newer methods to improve battery backup. While making batteries bigger is the most obvious choice, the bulking it causes to a smartphone is also unavoidable. The next best alternative is to slash the torturous waiting periods for charging, allowing users to get several hours of usage from just a few minutes of charging. The demand for fast charging is mushrooming parallel to our smartphone needs. That is why almost all smartphone manufacturers are trying to compete by improvising on the existing charging technologies.
Material You's monet theme engine is the big highlight of Android 12, and here's how it works
Google's Material You isn't all that complicated to understand, though there isn't a lot of information in one place. Check it out here!
By far the biggest change in Android 12 is Material You, the latest version of Google’s Material design language. Material You, as Google describes, “seeks to create designs that are personal for every style, accessible for every need, alive and adaptive for every screen.” When developing Android 12, Google created a new theme engine code-named “monet” that generates a rich palette of pastel colors derived from the user’s wallpaper. These colors are then applied to various parts of the system and their values are made available through an API that the user’s applications can call, thus letting apps decide whether they also want to recolor their UI. Google has been going all-in on Material You, and the company has updated most of its apps to incorporate dynamic colors.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro: Different phones for different people
The OnePlus 10 Pro is the latest flagship from OnePlus, and the iPhone 13 Pro is one of the best phones of last year. We compare them both!
The OnePlus 10 Pro is the latest and greatest flagship smartphone from OnePlus, and it's one of the few top-end smartphone launches that we've had this year. In our review, we identified it as a fantastic phone in its own right, but it's hard to justify its purchase over something like the OnePlus 9 Pro. Nevertheless, it makes sense to then compare it to the iPhone 13 Pro, arguably the best smartphone available on the market right now.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Android and iOS both go for premium
Looking for a new phone and want the best? Look no further than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 Ultra aren't just Apple and Samsung's biggest and best slab smartphone offerings of 2022, they're also two of the biggest and best smartphones on the market, period.
AirPods Pro 2 vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Apple vs Samsung heats up in the audio space
Apple's new AirPods Pro 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro both hit the market recently -- which one is better?
Apple and Samsung are the two largest smartphone makers in the world, and in major markets like the U.S., Canada, and South Korea, they’re almost the two default smartphone options. So it’s natural for consumers and us in tech media to compare products from these two brands. The battle has now carried over the wireless earbuds space. Yes, both Apple and Samsung have been releasing wireless buds for years, but this is the first time the brands each released a top-tier set of earbuds within a month apart, in the form of the AirPods Pro 2 and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, respectively.
macOS Ventura review: Feature-packed, but not super impactful
I've been using macOS Ventura for several months. While it has some neat additions, they won't be useful for a lot of people, including me.
Apple released the first macOS Ventura developer beta back in June. Its initial reveal occurred during WWDC22, along with that of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9. Unlike the packed iPhone update, Ventura is a relatively minor bump that further streamlines the Mac. Ever since the notable Big Sur release, the company has been making smaller tweaks that move macOS closer towards perfection, so this isn't surprising.
Google Pixel 7 review: Pixel hardware finally gets great enough to match best-in-class software
The Google Pixel 7 finishes what the Pixel 6 started. It's a refined, intelligent smartphone that shows off Google's vision. Read our review!
Ever since its birth in 2016, the Google Pixel series has offered excellent software performance but subpar hardware. The original Pixel had a hilariously thick chin bezel that served no purpose (it didn't house any buttons or sensors); the second Pixel had display quality issues; the third Pixel had that hideous notch on the XL; the fourth Pixel replaced that notch with a bulky bezel housing a 3D facial scanning system that didn't always work; and the Pixel 5 neither used a flagship processor nor premium build materials. Winds of changes arrived with the Pixel 6, the first Pixel phone to offer beautiful hardware to match the industry-best software. But even then, there were still hardware quirks, including a display that didn't get bright enough and an in-display fingerprint scanner that was frustratingly slow.
Acer Chromebook Spin 513 Mediatek review: A real Chromebook surprise
The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is a really surprising Chromebook thanks to the MediaTek SoC under the hood, as well as its great design.
Some of the best Chromebooks I've ever used feature Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm chips. I argue that those chips are quite powerful for Chromebooks as is. But there's one player in the Chromebook market that many people (and even myself) often overlook: MediaTek. It's been part of the Chromebook story since 2016, and recently, it put its newest chips in some great Chromebook models. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is one of them.
Google Pixel Watch review: An overpriced beauty that's half Wear OS, half Fitbit
The Google Pixel Watch looks good, feels good, but costs a lot for what you get. It's half Fitbit, half Wear OS, but not great at either.
Google has been long rumored to be working on a Pixel Watch -- for years, in fact. It took a long time for it to eventually come to fruition, and with it comes a lot of Google's trademark software smarts. While the watch itself has been shrouded in controversy thanks to perceived large bezels, a high price tag, and a poor battery life, I've found that Google has still nailed the fundamentals of a decent smartwatch. It's very much a "first-gen" product, but that was to be expected.
Intel Arc A750 Limited Edition review: A beacon of hope for budget PC gamers
The Intel Arc A750 is under $300 and for the most part delivers on Intel's performance promises. See why in our full review.
Intel's assault on the GPU markets has two arms, and both are going for almost the same result. The Arc A770 is the range-topper and, for many, the most alluring. But it has a sibling that looks the same, performs almost the same, and costs a little less. And we're not talking like an RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti; the relationship is much closer than that. We're talking about the Intel Arc A750.