Andrew Romero is a North Carolina-based journalist specializing in Android and Google news, reviews, and in-depth analysis. With a keen eye for detail honed from his previous career as a CNC machinist, Andrew possesses a unique appreciation for hardware and the intricate engineering behind the technology we use daily.
He brings this passion to his coverage, offering insightful perspectives on the latest devices, software updates, and the evolving Google ecosystem. When he’s not diving into the world of tech, Andrew can be found tackling the trails on his mountain bike, enjoying the natural beauty of his home state of North Carolina alongside his wife.
Andrew is active on Twitter – @chaosromero – but can also be found on Threads – @organizedchaos50.
Emails are open at andrew@9to5mac.com
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge is an outlier among the company’s most recent lineup. It wasn’t released with the familiar party of three that users are used to seeing. Instead, The S25 Edge is a standalone release with some mysterious characteristics, like a lighter weight, obviously thinner body, and a price tag that apparently falls right around what the Galaxy S25+ costs.
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One UI 7 is finally starting to appear on more devices than the Galaxy S25. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the next device to receive the beta version, and it’s available to download now.
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One UI 7 still hasn’t made it’s way to most devices, even though Samsung is actively proclaiming that the software is soon to roll out to users. Still, it seems the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has gotten access to One UI 7 before publicly available, and new photos showcase what the OS will bring to Samsung’s most premium tablet.
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1Password is one of the most comprehensive password managers available to users, housing some of the best features available, like Passkey compatibility. The latest add from 1Password is a new location-based suggestion feature called “nearby items.”
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Google’s presence at MWC 2025 in Barcelona has not gone unnoticed. The company made a few announcements on future projects and while there, Google has collected two MWC awards from GLOMO, including one for the Pixel 9 Pro.
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The YouTube app for TV — not to be confused with YouTube TV — is reportedly looking to take on a redesign in order to make more paid content available to users. This move would put the app in line to compete with other paid content providers like Amazon Prime Video or Disney+.
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It takes some effort on every Galaxy device to tune notifications so that we don’t become bombarded with alerts at all waking moments. One UI 7 provides an avenue for that, as well as other advanced options to ensure you’re seeing the alerts you actually care about and none you don’t. This quick guide will take you through those settings.
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Google TV is heavily leaning towards offering a more catered experience. This was evident at CES 2025, where the company showed off new features that bring the OS to life a little more. In a recent survey hosted by the company, Google TV detailed the possible addition of Gemini Live, giving a little insight into what can be expected.
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Manufacturers are making improvements in battery capacity at a higher rate than we’ve seen in the past few years, with many considering the switch to silicon-carbon. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 doesn’t seem to be a part of that trend, with a small improvement in battery capacity that isn’t enough to get excited about.
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The Nothing Phone (3a) series has gone official, and with it, Nothing promises an extended 6 years of updates, the longest it has offered to date. This promise is slightly different than we’ve been seeing from other brands, though, as the company only promises 3 years of Android upgrades over that 6-year span.
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Samsung’s Good Lock brings further functionality to Galaxy devices through optional UI functions. The Good Lock app itself is getting an update, and so are the modules within.
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Security is a top priority for password apps and one way to ensure that is to allow users to wipe their own password databases if needed. Google Password Manager for Android may add a “Delete all data” option so users can purge sensitive data in certain situations.
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The Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro are on display at MWC in Barcelona, offering a detailed look at the mid-range devices. This comes a day before the company actually plans to announce the phones to the public.
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The Galaxy Tab FE series has largely been a success, with the S9 FE becoming one of the best affordable Android tablets on the market. Samsung is planning on offering two models, again, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and FE+. Recent leaks have uncovered details surrounding both, showcasing some promising specs.
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The smartphone market would have you believe that tri-fold devices, whether released or in concept, are supposed to be massive. Some new entrants would have you believe the exact opposite. Infinix’s new Zero Series Mini Tri-fold concept unfolds to be the size of a regular phone.
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In partnership with Google, the Metro Transit Authority took to tying several Google Pixel phones to subway cars in New York in order to track data. The experiment was part of the MTA’s need to automate and expand track-safety inspections and repair, and tying a few Pixels to a train car seemed the best place to start.
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It’s becoming much more common for Samsung to offer these boosted trade-in deals for devices, but the key is waiting until these deals are live, considering they’re actually very good. Right now, Samsung is making it possible to grab the Galaxy Watch Ultra for as little as $250.
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After teasers showcasing Xiaomi’s upcoming phone cropped up, it was clear the company was set on creating a device that took photography all too seriously. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is exactly that, and it carries a camera bump that would make mirrorless cameras cry.
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A new firmware update is appearing for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for some users in Europe. The update comes as the second since the earbuds’ release.
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The Galaxy S25 series has been a surprisingly exciting addition to Samsung’s similar yet barely different lineup of phones, and Now Brief is a big part of that. The function acts as a way for you to catch up on the day, with pertinent information summarized in one place. There’s just one problem — it’s incredibly bland.
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Digital keys are slowly replacing physical ones as more manufacturers add compatibility, but that’s somewhat of a process. Motorola has announced that BMW has added Digital Key access for two of its devices, including the Razr+.
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A common way for users to invite each other to play games is through the platform they’re playing on. Now, Xbox is allowing players to invite each other using a shareable link, which anyone can click on and open.
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One UI 7 still feels so far away for Galaxy users who aren’t using the newest flagship from Samsung. Before One UI 7 gets a full launch for anything but the Galaxy S25, it looks like Samsung is preparing to release yet another One UI 7 beta, this time for the Galaxy ZZ Fold 6 and Flip 6.
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AI is becoming an integral part of how we interact with our devices, and it only truly becomes useful if the vast majority of phones can take advantage of those models. The Dimensity 7400 series from MediaTek offers a better dedicated NPU and heavy improvements to gaming at its level.
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