Gemini Live preps big upgrades with ‘Thinking Mode’ and ‘Experimental Features’
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Galaxy S26 Ultra color lineup looks pretty boring, and didn’t even copy iPhone orange
New leaks have revealed the likely lineup for Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra colors, and it sounds pretty tame.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Auto 16.0 update rolling out more widely with new media player redesign [Gallery]
Google is rolling out a redesign to the media player on Android Auto alongside the latest widely available updates.
Expand Expanding CloseThe mundane absurdity of telling Gemini about your life
I wasn’t an early adopter of chatbots. The messaging metaphor didn’t appeal to me as someone who saw chatting as something you only do with other people.
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OnePlus update starts bricking phones when you try to install older software
OnePlus has implemented new anti-rollback methods in OxygenOS, forcing users to stay on the latest software versions with no way to go back.
Expand Expanding Close‘Gemini in Chrome’ browser integration is starting to arrive for Chromebooks
A few months after it landed on other platforms, “Gemini in Chrome” is finally starting to appear on ChromeOS.
Expand Expanding CloseGemini app ‘plus’ menu switches to list with NotebookLM addition
After coming to the web in December, NotebookLM integration is now available in the Gemini app on Android with a redesigned plus list.
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Today’s Android app deals and freebies: AntVentor, Ninja Village, Oh!Edo Towns, more
Your afternoon lineup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to roll, including titles like AntVentor: Puzzle adventure, Ninja Village, Oh!Edo Towns, and more. We also have Samsung’s latest 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor at $300 off, this 44mm Galaxy Watch 8 at a sizable $160 off, and some of the best prices yet on the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite at $280. Hit the jump for today’s apps.
Read MoreRealme teases new phone with 10,001 mAh battery following questionable Oppo merger
Realme has started showing off the Realme P4 Power, a new smartphone with an absolutely massive 10,001 mAh battery that’s due to launch later this month, and also be the first device coming out of the company following a merge with Oppo.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Phone ‘Keep portrait mode’ call setting returns to beta [U]
To address how Phone by Google recently gained a landscape calling screen, the dialer app is now offering a setting to “Keep portrait mode on calls.”
Expand Expanding CloseVerizon carriers start switching to 365-day device unlock policy, up from 60 days
After the FCC lifted a restriction on how soon carriers need to unlock devices, Verizon has extended its device unlock policy to a whopping 365 days.
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Deals: Galaxy Watch 8 $160 off, Tab S10 Lite down at $280, Samsung Ark curved monitor $1,500 off, M8 Smart Monitor, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break awaits below starting with a chance to score the 44mm Galaxy Watch 8 at a sizable $160 off as well as Samsung’s 2025 Galaxy Tab S10 Lite from $280. On the monitor side of things we have Samsung’s stunning 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd-gen 4K at a massive $1,500 off joined by its 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor starting down at $400 today ($300 off). Those offers join a $160 price drop on the latest Bose QuietComfort Headphones and even more down below.
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Pocket Casts for Wear OS update adds watch speaker playback
Google introduced watch speaker playback with Wear OS 5.1, and the latest update to Pocket Casts adds support.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube has reportedly disabled and started removing specialized captions [U]
YouTube videos have long supported the custom SRV3 caption format, which creators have been using in pretty creative ways. Apparently, that format has been disabled, and some are reporting that uploaded caption files are being deleted from videos.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung deleted its Bixby reboot reveal, but confirmed when it will arrive
Samsung announced its big Bixby reboot earlier today, but has since deleted the post entirely.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle just killed the last of Stadia
Google has taken the Stadia Controller conversion tool offline, killing the final remnant of the cloud gaming platform.
Expand Expanding CloseNova Launcher has a new lease on life, and that probably means ads are coming
Nova Launcher, one of the most popular third-party Android launchers, was thought to be all but dead, but now has new ownership and the promise of future support. The catch is obvious.
Expand Expanding CloseSony is giving control of its TV business to TCL with new ‘strategic partnership’
One of the most beloved names in the TV business is throwing in the towel, as Sony has announced a new partnership with TCL that will see the latter steering the ship.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Clock 8.5 rolling out ‘swipe to dismiss’ for alarms
Version 8.5 of Google Clock for Android was released last week and it’s rolling out the ability to dismiss alarms by swiping.
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How to take pictures of the Northern Lights with Google Pixel and other Android phones
The Northern Lights have been visible in huge portions of the Northern Hemisphere due to stronger geomagnetic storms. Here’s how to take a picture of the Northern Lights using a Google Pixel smartphone or other Android devices.
Expand Expanding CloseWhat’s new in Android’s January 2026 Google System Updates [U]
The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Sideload 018: Is 2026 actually the year of the foldable?
Welcome to The Sideload episode 18, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes Derrek Lee, managing editor at Android Central, to the show to discuss his recent editorial comparing larger foldables to their clamshell counterparts. With the Razr Fold and Galaxy Z TriFold already on deck for 2026, what do clamshell phones need to regain some luster? Derrek and Will also talk through their tech-centric resolutions for 2026, from getting in shape to decluttering and saving some cash.
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Xiaomi’s new magnetic battery bank is razor-thin, but it’s probably not Qi2
Xiaomi just launched a new magnetic wireless battery bank that charges at 15W, but there’s nothing that says it’s Qi2 certified.
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Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Undergrave, Red Ronin, The Last Game, more
Your afternoon lineup of the best Android game and app deals awaits below, including titles like Undergrave, Red Ronin, The Last Game, Little Big Workshop, Z Dawn, and more. Just be sure to scope out these affordable Galaxy phones starting at $170 today as well as Samsung’s 32-inch 4K 240Hz Odyssey OLED G8 monitor at over $520 off, and its Switch 2-ready 512GB P9 Express microSD card down at $80. All of the apps await after the jump.
Read MorePixel 10’s Magic Cue feature seems to be preparing Google Tasks & Wallet integration
New findings reveal that, months after launch, Google might be expanding on the Pixel 10’s Magic Cue feature by adding support for information from Tasks and Wallet.
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