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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Google Fast Pair audio switching between Android devices launches with Pixel Buds Pro

Andrew Romero Jul 21 2022 - 10:10 am PT

pixel buds pro colors

Google Fast Pair is a fantastic feature we often find ourselves using on Android devices. It makes pairing and switching between phones and tablets a little easier, even if it’s still a hassle. Out to change that, Google is introducing a new technology teased back at Google I/O 2022 called audio switching that compliments the already existing Fast Pair on the Pixel Buds Pro and more devices down the road.

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Install update Google Wallet

Google Wallet: How to install it on your Android device

Andrew Romero Jul 21 2022 - 8:20 am PT

Google Wallet is finally here with some streamlined changes that have felt a little overdue. This guide will take you through how to install it from scratch or update your existing Google Pay app to Google Wallet.

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google photos search yourself

Google Photos: How to check an image’s data

Andrew Romero Jul 20 2022 - 12:43 pm PT

Google Photos is all about keeping memories organized and right within reach at any time. In Google Photos, every image has a slew of data captured along with the picture itself. That includes the date, time, and even location. This guide will take you through how to access that image data for every picture in Google Photos.

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amazon echo show alexa

Amazon doubles down on Matter as it reveals a few new tricks for Alexa

Andrew Romero Jul 20 2022 - 11:48 am PT

Amazon Alexa has been going strong as a virtual assistant for a good while now. Today, Amazon announced a few new key developments for Alexa such as a big push for integrating Matter for easier smart home control and connectivity.

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Google Maps dark theme Android

How to flag and report scam business reviews on Google Maps and Search

Andrew Romero Jul 19 2022 - 1:18 pm PT

Local businesses are getting hit hard by scam one-star reviews on Google Maps and Search. Fortunately, there’s a way to report what you think are scammers trying to sully a local business’ good name. This guide will take you through the steps of flagging scam reviews on Google Maps and Google Search.

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Samsung Calendar update revives Google Calendar’s long-gone natural language processing

Andrew Romero Jul 19 2022 - 10:52 am PT

A new update rolling out for the Samsung Calendar app is set to make a few key improvements that remind us of what once was with Google Calendar. Group calendar invitation management will be easier for users and quick add recommendations are set to gain a couple of settings in the Samsung Calendar app.

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youtube price increase poll

YouTube

YouTube partners with Shopify to add in-video check out

Andrew Romero Jul 19 2022 - 7:49 am PT

On tons of platforms, including YouTube, creators have a huge influence over what products are popular or viable for viewers. To make it even easier for viewers to buy products recommended by creators, YouTube is adding on-site check out so users won’t even have to leave the video for their shopping.

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Chromebook

How to type special characters and symbols on a Chromebook

Andrew Romero Jul 18 2022 - 12:00 pm PT

The average keyboard only has so many characters labeled on it for use. Beyond that, there are plenty of other symbols and punctuation that are worth using, yet have no home on a Chromebook’s QWERTY keyboard. This guide will show you how to use Unicode shortcuts to type special characters on a Chromebook.

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sync wordle across devices

How to link Wordle to an account for sync across Android, iOS, and other devices

Andrew Romero Jul 18 2022 - 8:15 am PT

Over the past few months, the absurdly popular word game – Wordle – has taken the world by storm. Up until this point, your scores and winning streaks were only available on the device you played on. Now, however, all of these Wordle stats can sync across devices. Here’s how.

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Bandwidth: Xbox launches As Dusk Falls for cloud day one, Boosteroid gains Yakuza series

Andrew Romero Jul 15 2022 - 1:05 pm PT

As Dusk Falls Xbox

We’re starting to see a lot more day-one releases come to cloud gaming services. This week, Xbox Cloud Gaming picks one up called As Dusk Falls. On the other end, Boosteroid adds the Yakuza series to its list of playable titles.

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How to delete app access to Google Drive and why you should

Andrew Romero Jul 15 2022 - 12:23 pm PT

The odds that you come across an app every so often wanting access to Google Drive is generally pretty high. Many apps use your Google Drive as a backup method, making it easy to store your data. Unfortunately, this can also be a security risk. This guide will take you through how to delete app data and revoke access in Google Drive.

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Google Maps for Android

Google Maps for Android tweaks user’s shared location icon

Andrew Romero Jul 14 2022 - 11:54 am PT

Google Maps has been making a lot of changes recently, including adding expanded support for electric vehicles, letting users see estimated toll prices, and much more. One interesting UI change may have gone unnoticed though. Google Maps has made an adjustment to the shared location user icon.

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Chrome icon on a Windows desktop

Google Chrome for desktop looks to be testing a new PWA install dialog

Andrew Romero Jul 14 2022 - 11:21 am PT

In Chrome, both on desktop and mobile, Progressive Web Apps are becoming more common among certain websites. The current look on Chrome for desktop is very basic and doesn’t provide much information for users prompted to install a website’s PWA. That looks to be changing in the future with Chrome for desktop testing a new dialog box for PWAs.

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Two Nest Audio speakers w/ Google Assistant

How to play music on multiple speakers in the Google Home app

Andrew Romero Jul 14 2022 - 9:36 am PT

One of the distinct advantages of having Wi-Fi speakers is the ability to wirelessly play music on multiple devices at the same time. It just so happens you can do this through the Google Home app on your phone by creating speaker groups. All you need is a few Google Home compatible speakers and some great music to play.

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How to check your Android version on your Samsung Galaxy phone

Andrew Romero Jul 13 2022 - 12:27 pm PT

With Samsung being so on-the-ball lately with OS and security updates, you’re always changing system versions. In some cases, it’s important to know what version of Android or One UI you’re on. This guide will take you through the steps to finding out what version of Android or One UI your Samsung Galaxy device is on.

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Reddit

Reddit is pulling the paywall for GIFs in comments

Andrew Romero Jul 13 2022 - 9:18 am PT

We’ve reached a point for many social media outlets where certain features cost a monthly fee. Reddit has been no stranger to this trend, though it may be winding down. In a surprising bit of news, Reddit plans on making GIFs commenting available to everyone, not just paying members.

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Bluetooth LE Audio

Bluetooth LE Audio standard has been finalized, ready for Android 13 with some big improvements

Andrew Romero Jul 13 2022 - 7:45 am PT

Over the years, consumers have been handed some incredible wireless headphones. Now, imagine if they could be even better and more efficient than they currently are by, well, a lot. Well, imagine no more because the next Bluetooth milestone to make its way into our lives is here, and it’s called Bluetooth LE Audio.

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google nest hub alarms list

How to manage Google Nest Hub alarms through the Home app

Andrew Romero Jul 12 2022 - 6:00 pm PT

Have you ever set an alarm only to have something change and suddenly that alarm is no longer needed? On top of that, you may have completely forgotten that you ever set an alarm. That’s enough to ruin your day. To avoid this, you can manage and delete the alarms you set on your Nest Hub in the Google Home app. Here’s how.

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Galaxy Watch 4 QWERTY keyboard Gboard

How to switch to a full QWERTY keyboard on your Galaxy Watch

Andrew Romero Jul 12 2022 - 5:15 pm PT

The Galaxy Watch 4 is, as a whole, a great device. However, dictation and the stock keyboard are not strong points of the watch in any capacity. Fortunately, those who want a full QWERTY keyboard for the Galaxy Watch have options available. This guide will take you through exactly how to set up Gboard’s QWERTY keyboard on the Galaxy Watch.

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Google Nest Camera

How to view and manage your Google Nest Camera or Nest Doorbell video recordings

Andrew Romero Jul 12 2022 - 9:17 am PT

Did something happen and you need to download the video your Nest Camera captured? Or did someone drop by and leave a voice message on your Nest Doorbell? In either situation, viewing and exporting your Google Nest Doorbell and Nest Camera video recordings would be your next move. Here’s how to do that.

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1More EVO earbuds

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1MORE

1More EVO earbuds get firmware update that adds EQ profiles and ANC memory [U: Out now]

Andrew Romero Jul 11 2022 - 12:29 pm PT

The 1More EVO earbuds are a genuinely great pair of earbuds. They have a rich sound profile and push the boundaries of sound versus price. One of the major downfalls of the earbuds was not the earbuds themselves, but the function of the app and the lack thereof of EQ profiles. A new firmware update available for the 1More EVO earbuds is set to change that.

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Turn off automatic app updates

How to stop automatic app updates on Android

Andrew Romero Jul 11 2022 - 11:24 am PT

By default, automatic app updates on Android are turned on. This means that during certain times, the apps you get from the Google Play Store will be updated on their own, with no manual activation. But what if you want to turn that off? Here’s how to stop automatic app updates on Android.

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YouTube Music

How to upload your own music to YouTube Music

Andrew Romero Jul 11 2022 - 8:03 am PT

YouTube Music is a vast service that covers tons of genres, playlists, and albums from thousands of artists around the world. That being said, there will be some times when you can’t quite find the track you’re looking for. Fortunately, YouTube Music lets you upload your own music to keep with you in your account. Here’s how to do that.

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Bandwidth: Xbox Game Pass unveils July lineup including ‘Matchpoint: Tennis Championships’

Andrew Romero Jul 8 2022 - 1:05 pm PT

Matchpoint Tennis Championships

While this week in particular might not be crawling with newly ascended cloud games, Xbox is giving us a look at what’s to come this month. On top of that, GeForce Now has a few titles coming to the service, including Matchpoint – Tennis Championships.

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