Ben Schoon

We’ve seen leak after leak regarding Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series, and today Samsung is finally announcing its launch event, with Samsung Unpacked 2022 coming on February 9.

Android phones don’t get updates long enough, that’s something we can all agree on. As beloved phones such as Google’s Pixel 3 and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 have been abandoned in recent months, there’s an important distinction to be made. Android’s problem with updates is failing phones when it comes to security, not features.

Android smartphones, unfortunately, usually don’t get the support they are really capable of. Even the best and biggest names in Android only support devices for 3-5 years at best. This month, the door is closing on updates for 2018’s Pixel 3 series, and Google’s response to that ending is that 3 years of updates is still a “great experience” for customers.

Really?

Short-form videos have taken the internet by storm over the past few years thanks to the rise of platforms such as TikTok. YouTube Shorts first made its debut in 2020, and in the time since, creators have collectively generated over 5 trillion views.

The $50 Chromecast with Google TV was a great launch vehicle for Google’s latest attempt at offering a streaming platform, but as it enters 2022, the affordable device’s flaws are being felt by more people. As we reported last week, Google is working on another Chromecast device, but one that’s even more on the low end — here’s why we’d rather see a “flagship.”

QR codes have been around for years, but they were underused in the time when they required a separate app to be installed in order to use them. Now, just about every phone, including Google’s Pixel lineup, has a QR scanner built-in, but according to a recent report, Google’s phones have been misreading some codes.

Chrome OS has taken over the education market for many, and Acer is one of the biggest names bringing models to the market. Today, Acer is launching a new batch of Chromebooks for education customers including one with a 3:2 display.

We’ve already heard a fair bit about Google’s Pixel 6a, but it seems the phone is set to launch earlier than the past couple of models. According to a reliable tipster, Google’s Pixel 6a will see a release date sometime in May.

Google Stadia has finally added its first new game in 2022, with Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Extraction now available on the platform.

Systems like Android Auto and CarPlay are designed to make interacting with messages, calls, and media safer and more convenient in the car, but when they first debuted they came with the caveat of requiring you to connect a cable. While that’s a simple task, it’s one that quick trips would often not really justify. That’s what AAWireless, a dongle that adds wireless Android Auto to your car, tries to solve.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is now available in China, but waiting on a global release. Ahead of that, more details are coming out surrounding the rest of the OnePlus 10 lineup, including that a supposed “OnePlus 10R” will be using the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip in place of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

While they have their shortcomings, there’s a lot to love about Google’s latest lineup of Nest Cameras and the new Nest Doorbell, the battery especially. However, it seems a lot of Nest Camera and Nest Doorbell owners up north are having battery issues in the cold weather with these products.

In a blog post from Samsung’s head of mobile business, the company has officially confirmed a February event for the Galaxy S22 and teased some areas of focus, too.

Google Chat, the company’s alternative to Slack and Microsoft Teams — not to be confused with the web app for its RCS and SMS messaging app on Android — is rolling out an overdue feature to its web app. Starting today, Google Chat is making it easier to add rich text formatting to your messages on the web.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the best-selling foldable smartphone to date, and it’s a device we really came to love during our time with it last year. However, if there’s one downside (outside of the battery life), it’s the outer display’s lack of functionality. Now, “CoverScreen OS” makes it possible for Galaxy Z Flip 3 owners to get replies, more widgets, and even full apps on their cover screen.