Author

Andrew Romero

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

Connect with Andrew Romero

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Bing chat image creator boosts

Bing’s AI Image Creator is faster with ‘boosts’ earned by committing to Microsoft’s ecosystem

Andrew Romero Mar 24 2023 - 11:01 am PT

With the integration of Bing’s AI-driven chat and the Image Creator from Microsoft, getting AI to draw unique and complex images is a lot easier, thanks to the conversational nature it provides. However, users looking to create tons of images will soon find that Microsoft throttles image processing speed past a certain threshold, forcing you to earn “boosts” for faster image creation in Bing.

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Check who can see your Android phone’s location

Andrew Romero Mar 23 2023 - 12:18 pm PT

check see location android turn off

In recent Android versions, safety and privacy have been forefront in the majority of changes made, though are still ways that others can see your Android device’s location without acting in a malicious way. This guide will bring you through several location-sharing features and how to configure or disable them entirely, letting you take control of who can see your Android phone’s location.

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GeForce Now RTX 4080 Bulgaria map

GeForce Now hits 11 RTX 4080 regions with the addition of Bulgaria

Andrew Romero Mar 23 2023 - 9:37 am PT

It’s been almost three months since GeForce Now introduced the newest RTX 4080 tier. Since that expansion was announced, the cloud gaming overhaul has now reached a total of 11 regions worldwide.

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Galaxy S23 always on display

Galaxy S23 always-on display: How to change clock style, color, and even add pictures

Andrew Romero Mar 22 2023 - 12:31 pm PT

Always-on display has become a staple of devices with OLED screens due to the limited resources it takes up, all while providing vital information when the phone isn’t active. Unlike a lot of other devices, the Galaxy S23 allows users to customize the AOD and its elements. Here’s how to customize the Galaxy S23’s always-on display.

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galaxy s23 series

Best Galaxy S23 cases you can get right now

Andrew Romero Mar 22 2023 - 10:25 am PT

The Galaxy S23 series is a physically gorgeous lineup of phones. Both the S23 and S23+ take on a rounded and modern design, while the S23 Ultra is big and boxy – just how we like it. Before pre-orders ship out, we suggest taking a look at some of the best cases you can get right now.

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Jabra Elite 3

Jabra

Jabra’s Elite 4 earbuds balance quality and affordability, packs multipoint and Fast Pair

Andrew Romero Mar 21 2023 - 10:39 am PT

Jabra is building off of the success of the Elite 3 earbuds, which found themselves at the top of our list in terms of pricing and features within. Now, the Jabra Elite 4 earbuds are set to expand on that with the same reliability and improved sound.

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Bing Chat Image Creator

Microsoft is bringing Image Creator to the new Bing to generate images from text prompts

Andrew Romero Mar 21 2023 - 9:34 am PT

With the success of Microsoft’s new AI-powered Bing, the company is integrating a secondary tool called the Bing Image Creator powered by the DALL-E model.

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watch 5 fall detection

Does the Galaxy Watch 5 have fall detection? How to enable the safety feature

Andrew Romero Mar 21 2023 - 8:51 am PT

Recently, we saw fall detection finally come to Google’s Pixel Watch after five months on the market. Its competitor, the Galaxy Watch 5 series, has had fall detection since its launch, though it isn’t enabled by default. Here’s how to enable fall detection on the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro.

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How to enable and use ‘Find my Phone’ on Fitbit Sense 2

Andrew Romero Mar 20 2023 - 11:35 am PT

find fitbit sense 2

Find my Phone is a fantastic tool in your arsenal, though it’s worthless if it isn’t enabled on your devices. The Fitbit Sense 2 is one such device that doesn’t have the feature turned on by default. Here’s how to turn on and enable Find my Phone on your Fitbit Sense 2.

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How to turn off VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling on your Pixel 6 or Galaxy S22

Andrew Romero Mar 17 2023 - 1:54 pm PT

turn off wi-fi calling

It was recently discovered that the Pixel 6 series and certain Galaxy S22 devices running Exynos modems are vulnerable to a malicious attack. To combat this, users can turn off Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE. Here’s how to turn off Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE on your Pixel 6 or Galaxy S22.

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Here’s how YouTube TV’s new price compares to other streaming options

Andrew Romero Mar 17 2023 - 10:30 am PT

YouTube TV compared

This week, YouTube TV is experiencing another price hike up to $72.99/month. While the service has its strong points, there are other streaming apps out there. So how does YouTube TV’s pricing stack up to its competitors? This guide will take you through YouTube TV’s new pricing and the pricing of other potential primary streaming services.

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android reading mode

Android’s new Reading Mode: How to install and use the simple text feature

Andrew Romero Mar 16 2023 - 1:05 pm PT

Simplified reading for apps and websites has become more and more popular, as it offers a simple reading experience free of extra elements like ads and formatting, depending on where you’re finding your content. Android’s latest feature simplifies any website page and presents it in a focused manner. Here’s how to use Android’s Reading Mode.

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Sony
audio

Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds take on a new shape in latest leaks

Andrew Romero Mar 16 2023 - 8:18 am PT

Sony WF-1000XM5

It has been a long wait for the newest top-shelf Sony wireless earbuds to finally make their way to the public eye. The latest leaks showcase newly designed Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds that we can only assume pack some of the high-end audio we’ve come to expect from the WF line.

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Review: Deebot X1 Omni delivers a truly hands-off robot vacuum + mop experience

Andrew Romero Mar 15 2023 - 1:00 pm PT

deebot x1 omni

Most robot vacuums claim to be mostly self-sufficient with the promise of taking over home cleaning without all the maintenance, though that often isn’t the case when emptying dust bins and filling water reservoirs is the majority of time spent using it. The Deebot X1 Omni claims the same promise, though it might be the closest we’ve ever gotten to a truly hands-off experience.

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Change the brightness of your Galaxy S23 flashlight with a couple of taps, here’s how

Andrew Romero Mar 14 2023 - 12:51 pm PT

Samsung Galaxy devices are some of the best Android phones because of their unique features. One neat one that seems to fly under the radar is the flashlight brightness settings. Here’s how you can change the brightness of your flashlight on the Galaxy S23.

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Nothing Phone (1)

Newest Nothing Phone (1) Update brings Ear (2) support and improved memory usage

Andrew Romero Mar 14 2023 - 10:28 am PT

Not long after the release of Android 13 on the Nothing Phone (1), the trendy device is already seeing a supplementary update that brings refinements and select new features, such as the additional support for the Ear (2) earbuds.

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Waze

Waze adding EV charging stations to navigation with crowdsourced station info

Andrew Romero Mar 14 2023 - 7:22 am PT

waze ev charging stations

Waze is finally making navigation with electric vehicles much more accessible. The Google-owned company is adding EV charging station locations and data to its map database, allowing users to plug in faster and easier.

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Android Auto still isn’t playing nice with Google Maps GPS tracking, here are some possible fixes

Andrew Romero Mar 13 2023 - 10:29 am PT

android auto fix gps

Google Maps and Android Auto should go together quite nicely, as both are developed and maintained by the same company. However, users have been reporting increasing issues with Google Maps in Android Auto not working as it should, with GPS issues being the lead issue.

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google one benefits cost

Google One

Is Google One actually worth it? What you need to know about the benefits

Andrew Romero Mar 13 2023 - 7:10 am PT

There are plenty of features made available through Google for users, but some of them are locked behind a paywall. That subset of paid tools and benefits is called Google One, and the suite of added Google features is pretty compelling.

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Samsung galaxy s23

How to get the most out of your Galaxy S23 Ultra display

Andrew Romero Mar 10 2023 - 4:00 pm PT

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best of the Galaxy lineup with impressive specs, improved cooling, and a WQHD+ display. By default, certain display features are turned off. Here’s how to turn them on and get the most resolution out of your Galaxy S23 Ultra’s screen.

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Galaxy Watch 5 battery: How to check its health and status

Andrew Romero Mar 6 2023 - 9:05 am PT

battery health status galaxy watch 5

Batteries naturally degrade over time and the Galaxy Watch 5 is no different. Through an extra app on your Galaxy device, you can check exactly what the battery life status is on your Galaxy Watch 5. Here’s how.

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How to create themed icons for any app on Android

Andrew Romero Mar 2 2023 - 11:50 am PT

android create themed icons

Themed Icons on Android are a throwback to the days of icon packs and sometimes chaotic customization. While they are fun and inviting, a lot of apps still don’t have a themed icons variant. This guide will take you through creating themed icons for any app on Android in less than a minute.

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You can change the layout of Android Auto’s dashboard widgets, here’s how

Andrew Romero Mar 2 2023 - 8:37 am PT

android auto change layout

Android Auto’s newest redesign takes several different bits of information and lays them out across the new home screen. To give a little more freedom in an otherwise fixed layout, Android Auto has made a new option available to change the layout of Android Auto. Here’s how to use it.

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Pixel Watch sensors

Here’s every sensor on the Pixel Watch and what each one does

Andrew Romero Mar 1 2023 - 9:30 am PT

Google’s Pixel Watch is a smartwatch that houses a slew of health features powered by Fitbit. With that, the Pixel Watch has a lot of sensors packed into the 41mm frame, such as a heart rate, ECG, and even a blood oxygen sensor – though the last one isn’t enabled. Here’s a list of each one and what they do for you.

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