Are you building a smart home system?

Google’s released a boatload of new products this summer, including four phones, two watches, and a smart thermostat. But we’ve still got more look forward to. The Google TV Streamer, heir apparent to the Chromecast legacy, is set to hit store shelves next week. Judging by what we know about the $100 set-top box so far, it’s essentially a souped up Chromecast with Google TV, featuring updated hardware and a new form factor, more storage space, and a built-in Thread radio for smart home hub functionality. 

But with the release date less than a week away, we wanted to ask: what do you want to know about the Google TV Streamer? Drop your questions in the comments here, and we’ll do our best to answer them over the coming weeks.

It would appear the OnePlus 13 will be going global, which means anyone who wants one should be able to get their hands on the smartphone. So, now that we know this, are you planning on getting one? OnePlus has made a name for itself, making quality phones at acceptable prices, and since we can expect top specs like a Snapdragon Elite and a 6,00mAh battery with the OP 13, it’ll likely be challenging to find a more competitive phone. So hit the comments if you plan on splashing out; I know I’m considering it.

A recent update added pass-through charging to Pixel devices, where they can be powered over USB without pulling power from the battery, thus creating less wear on the battery and enhancing its longevity. It’s a win-win for consumers, especially gamers who game for long sessions. So, now that the feature is here, do you plan on taking advantage of the new setting for charging optimization? Hit the comments to share if you feel pass-through charging is something you plan on using.

Everyone remembers their first phone. It’s the first time you can call your friends from wherever you are, take pics on the go, and play Angry Birds (depending on your era). What was your first phone and what do you remember about it? Do you remember it fondly? Share your memories about your first cellular experience!

The Google Pixel camera visor has become a staple of Google’s design language since the Pixel 6. Unfortunately, it has some durability issues. Such a large, flat surface housing the cameras makes it susceptible to micro scratches, which can cause unsightly blemishes and potentially cloudy photos. 

In addition, whatever materials Google uses to construct the visor show wear within days. My Pixel 8 Pro’s visor looked like I ran it through my dryer after only two or three days in my pocket, and that was with being careful. I don’t abuse my phones, but that doesn’t matter. Drop a photo of your battered Pixel visor if you’re similarly frustrated with Google’s lack of build quality and how it makes your shiny new phone look beat up in the first days of ownership.

Amazon’s fire tablets run a custom version of Android, so they ship without access to the Play Store. Amazon offers its own Android app store, but sometimes it lacks when compared to Google’s storefront, and that’s saying something because the Play Store is a nightmare to navigate, but it does house the majority of Android apps, unlike Amazon’s store. This is why there are guides out there that explain how to sideload the Play Store onto Fire tablets, and thankfully, it isn’t even that difficult to do.

So, have you installed the Play Store on your Fire tablet, or do you plan to?

I think it is safe to say some Pixel’s have certainly suffered from bugs and other issues a little too often, in my opinion, for what are supposed to be premium devices. This is likely why Google held Android 15 back from the launch of the Pixel 9, ensuring people were finally getting a stable software experience using an older and tested version of Android. This then afforded Google room to polish Android 15 before it launched, which landed without too many hiccups. Still, over the years, it’s likely there are a few people around here who have had issues with their Pixels, and now that news broke there’s an issue with the camera bar separating from the back panel, it feels like we’re starting this rollercoaster again when I just wish it would end. So, have you had issues with your Pixel, like the recent camera bar issue, or are you cruising along just fine?

It feels like everyone is making a big deal about Qi2. Where does it work, is a particular implementation true Qi2, and which manufacturer is using it correctly? Meanwhile, the only wireless charger I own is super slow, and I use it mainly to hold my Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, giving it a home while keeping the battery topped off. Beyond that, I rarely use wireless charging, primarily because cables are faster, and my house is already filled with them. It’s not like the charger won’t need a cable, anyway, so it’s not like using one results in less clutter. I just don’t see the point; what problem do wireless chargers solve?

But I also know many tech enthusiasts are fans, so I figure let’s put the question to the test. Do you care about charging your devices wirelessly, or are you, like me, a wireless charging luddite?

Did you know the latest Pixel 9s support video out over USB? Neither did I, but not that I know I am eager to get my hands on Google’s USB-C to HDMI cable so I can output video from my phone. As a matter of fact, the cable come from Cable Matters, and is also available on Amazon for less than Google’s pricing, which looks to be the place to snag one (read more about this in the linked coverage).

So here comes the big question. Have you ever needed to output video from your phone to the point you’ll go out of your way to buy a USB-C to HDMI cable? Hit the comments to let us know, as I can confidently say I’ll be ordering one shortly. After all, you may not need to output video from your phone frequently, but the one time you need to, it sure would be handy to have a cable on hand to do so.

Remember the Nexus 7 and its follow-up, which I like to call the Nexus 7.2? I really enjoyed those tablets, but it doesn’t feel like anyone makes any good small tablets anymore. Even Apple rarely refreshes the mini. What I wouldn’t give to have a small tablet that offers top-of-the-line specs. Gimme a 7-inch tablet with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, a high refresh rate OLED 16:10 screen, with dual front-firing speakers, a camera in the bezel instead of the screen, two USB-C ports, and flush rear cameras. Is that too much to ask?

So, am I dreaming here? Am I the only one who wants a small top-of-the-line tablet?

I have to admit, it is rare when I use a case with a phone. I did purchase one for my Pixel 9, but I mainly did so to get one with a magnet built in so I can attach a wallet. More often than not, I’m carrying my phone without any coverage, completely naked, and that’s how I prefer it. Seeing that I’ve only dropped a phone to the point of cracking the glass once in the last 20+ years, I’d say my phones typically go in a drawer unscathed when I stop using them.

But what about you? Do you have to slap a case on all of your phones, or do you prefer to run around town with your phone in your pocket sans any protective covers?

Now that Apple is starting to offer more and more of the features that made Android unique, like the recent addition of RCS messaging, it’s getting harder and harder to tell the two systems apart. Where using one operating system over another is becoming less about features and more about looks and branding. Still, there are some areas where Android excels and others where iOS comes out on top. For me, I choose Android because it is still more open than iOS, allowing me to easily sideload whatever I want, and I can even dip into ADB if I really need to change something, like remove a default app. I’ve used iOS plenty, but overall, it just feels locked down, and most workarounds often cost money.

But what about you, what is the major dealbreaker that holds you back from mainlining iOS? Hit the comments to let us know.

I’ve lost count of how many times Google has supposedly quit making tablets. I know it quit making Android tablets after the Nexus 9. But we did get the Pixel C and Pixel Slate. After the Pixel Slate, Google announced it would not be making more tablets, instead it would concentrate on laptops. But we eventually got the Pixel Tablet, which launched overpriced with an unnecessary dock. And now that the Pixel Tablet hasn’t sold well (surprise, surprise), Google is supposedly canceling the follow-up. Despite many years of making tablets over the last two decades, Google apparently can’t find any success with them, and tends to exist the market swiftly when sales tank. At this point, it will be very hard for me to take Google seriously if it ever plans to release a tablet again, be it ChromeOS or Android.

But what about you? Are you sick of Google repeatedly giving up on tablets, or are you somehow willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt the next time it decides tablets are t

Google used to push Chromebooks pretty hard, but nowadays, without any Pixelbooks in the mix, it feels like interest has died down. Sure, schools still use them, and I’m sure there are corporations that hand them out to their workforce. But at the end of the day, you have to wonder what the consumer side looks like when there isn’t much to get excited about anymore. Sure, Chromebook Plus is here to signify the higher-end models, but dose anyone actually care that their Chromebook came with free AI features? Can you even name any that come with Chromebooks? More or less, Chromebooks feel stale, which has me wondering how many readers out there are using them day to day.

So, when was the last time you used a Chromebook, and what were you using it for? Let’s see if these devices are still popular with the Android crowd.

I have a feeling I’m a lifer. Sure, I’ve used iOS (on iPads), but ever since Android was released, I’ve only owned and used Android phones, and I don’t see this changing anytime soon. Apple just never felt like the hardware for me, and I’ve certainly dabbled with Macs, but the walled gardens and higher prices for everything just leave a bad taste in my mouth. Android is still more open, and Android is still cheaper for comparable hardware. Most importantly, I’m used to the interface and the actions I can perform within, be it running emulators, sideloading apps, or simply adding icons to my screen wherever I want (yes, I know Apple has started supporting all of these), Android simply feels like the right place to be accomplishing these tasks.

While I know there are plenty of hardcore Android users around here, just like me, I do wonder how many of AP’s readers would be willing to jump the fence for the possibility of greener pastures. So, what say you? Would you ever consider ditching

Our reviews of the Pixel 9 trio might be live, but we’re far from done with talking about new Google hardware. Next up, we’re focusing our attention on Google’s second-gen foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. New name, new design, same overwhelming focus on AI that wound up receiving some mixed feelings from all three of our previous Pixel 9 reviews. We’ll have plenty more to say about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the weeks to come — including a full review — but in the meantime, let us know what you’re most curious about, and we’ll be sure to address it just as soon as we can say more.

I know I personally miss having small phones. I’m on team small phone all the way, which is why I loved the Zenfone 10 and why I was sad to see Asus move to something much bigger for the 11. Even before smartphones, I was into the smaller stuff, like what Sony Ericson was putting out for its candy bar designs. But that was a long time ago, and things progress, but sadly it would seem everything progressed to being gigantic with huge screens, and I’m just not feeling it. Perhaps I’m simply being nostalgic, which is why I wanted to bring this question to the masses.

Which do you prefer, large or small phones? Hit the comments, and let’s settle this age-old debate for good.

Although my earliest impressions might have been pretty mixed — and the same goes for my colleague Stephen Radochia’s thoughts — I’m still pretty excited to put the Galaxy S25 Ultra through its paces. Samsung is promising a world of AI features designed to actually make an impact on my life, and while I’m not certain this phone is the one that’ll be up to the test, you never know what could happen.

As of right now, I have my very own Galaxy S25 Ultra review unit, and over the next week or two, I’ll be doing everything I can to find out if this device lives up to Samsung’s hype. Here’s the good news for you: Samsung doesn’t keep a strict embargo for its reviews, meaning I’m free to discuss anything and everything about this phone starting right now. So, without further ado, I’m all yours. Let me know your S25 Ultra questions in the comments below, and between my review, upcoming editorials, and simple replies right on this post, I’ll do my best to give my answers.

There is a lot one can do with the Google TV Streamer. For one, with Google Home integration, you can use your TV to watch your video doorbell or check your floodlight cams in the back. Heck, you can change the temperature of your house from your TV. Pretty cool. At the same time, it’s not the most powerful Android TV box out there (the Shield TV takes that prize), and to me, it’s never something I considered buying when I have multiple Shield TVs in the house.

So, were you enticed by Google’s latest TV box, or have you remained a skeptic like me?

News recently broke that Google Fiber is expanding into Las Vegas, having broken ground, the lucky ducks. Around me, there is no Google Fiber, which is true for most people in the US; there simply aren’t many Google Fiber locations. I certainly wish there were more, and if it was available in my town, I would likely subscribe. Do you wish you could subscribe to Google Fiber, or are you fine with your current ISP?