Don’t let Google know, but I’d be quite lost without YouTube. I use the video platform daily for background noise during the workday and for enjoying my favorite creators’ content in the evenings.
The platform doesn’t offer the best user experience, at least not one that prioritizes the content. Constant interruptions and visual clutter within the app have prompted me to seek alternative ways to watch YouTube. And you don’t need to put up with them, either.
I have a long list of software features I want to see on Pixel phones, including improved gestures — like those available on OnePlus phones — contextual app selection triggered by a Bluetooth connection, and more.
But software is only half the story. While Pixels offer a lot of value in terms of computational photography and AI, there are still areas in which they fall behind the competition when it comes to hardware. These are the upgrades I want to see on upcoming Pixel phones that would make them that much more appealing overall.
Black Friday is upon us, and all of the major brands have already launched their best deals. Retailers are competing for your attention, and that means plenty of big discounts you can make the most of right now. From Android phones and tablets to headphones and smart home hardware, your options are wide-ranging and numerous. We’ve pulled together our curated pick of the best Black Friday deals of 2025.
The offers will change, and new ones will be launched, so we’ll keep updating this page regularly. Feel free to bookmark it if you want to periodically check out what deals are available.
Want to step up your movie nights? Check out the Yaber L2s projector, now on sale for Black Friday. Usually priced at $169.99, you can now get it for $101.98, giving you a sweet 15% discount.
Google’s long-rumoured shift toward merging ChromeOS and Android into a single platform is finally beginning to take shape with the “Aluminium OS” project. But how do users feel about ChromeOS potentially being sunset in favor of this new unified operating system? We ran a survey on Android Authority asking our readers whether they would miss ChromeOS if Google ultimately replaces it with Aluminium OS, and the results were loud and clear.
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Even with AI already permeating what feels like every corner of our lives, we’re still very much in the early days of figuring out where its potential is best utilized, and companies are constantly experimenting with new ways to employ it. Just one week ago, Google was sharing news of a Gemini-powered AI upgrade it was introducing to Maps, and now we’re already getting the chance to try it out.
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Google is finally rolling out the new Power Saving Mode in Google Maps for Pixel 10 phones. The feature was announced as part of the November Pixel Drop and is now appearing for more users. As the name suggests, the new mode aims to extend your phone’s battery life during navigation.
Turn-by-turn navigation can be a pretty power-hungry feature because it relies on constant GPS access, mobile data, and a bright display that stays on for the duration of your route. The new mode tackles the display-induced battery drain by switching to a simple, low-power interface that shows only essential information like your next turn.
Samsung began rolling out stable One UI 8 Watch for the Galaxy Watch 6 last week, starting with its home region of South Korea. The stable update is now rolling out for Watch 6 users in the US, giving everyone a new reason to cheer.
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ChaGPT’s mobile app and web version are getting a handy update that integrates its Voice Mode directly inside the chat. That means you no longer have to access the separate screen with the blue orb; you can just access Voice Mode within a chat.
If you’re looking to upgrade your old TV with Google TV this holiday season, or simply want a backup streaming stick, we’ve found the perfect deal for you. Walmart’s Onn Full HD Google TV streaming stick is down to just $9 for Black Friday, making it one of the cheapest Google TV streaming stick deals you’ll find anywhere right now.
The Spotify Wrapped season is officially here, and all signs suggest the 2025 edition may arrive as soon as next week! Spotify has already switched on its Wrapped 2025 landing page, a reliable indicator that the annual tradition is just around the corner. If there are no unexpected delays and Spotify sticks to its recent pattern, we might be looking at a December 3 release for Spotify Wrapped 2025 this year.
Chrome for Android is quietly testing a smarter, more privacy-friendly location-sharing option that lets users share only their approximate location with websites. The new option is not to be confused with Android’s system-level location controls for apps. Instead, it appears to be designed to give Chrome users on Android more granular control over the level of location permissions different websites can access.
Google shocked everyone last week by quietly flipping the switch on true AirDrop support for the Pixel 10 series. But if you’re feeling left out because your Android phone can’t do the same just yet, you might be happy to hear what Qualcomm has to say. The chipmaker has now confirmed that it’s working to bring this cross-platform file sharing feature to Snapdragon-powered phones, massively widening the pool of Android devices that may soon join the Quick Share-AirDrop party.
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Another week, another problem with USB-C charging. Perhaps I’m just having a worse time than most, undoubtedly due to the sheer number of gadgets on my desk at any given time, but plugging in my new OPPO Find X9 Pro had me pulling my hair out.
It’s been a while since I’ve actually struggled to get a modern flagship to start fast charging. Like any normal person, I took my new Find X9 Pro out of the box and tried plugging it into my existing charger setup. That went OK, if not a little slow (more on that later). But I also wanted to compare my desk charger against an official 80W OPPO SuperVOOC plug, so I gave that a try as well. The phone wouldn’t charge at a rate above 22W-27W — far short of its claimed 80W charging potential.
YouTube has been gradually expanding its AI age-estimation operations in the US over the past few months. It started in July, with the announcement that the platform would require users who didn’t seem sufficiently adult to verify they’re over the age of 18 before accessing all of what the platform has to offer. This month, yet more users got caught in YouTube’s age verification net.
I’m on YouTube a lot: There aren’t many other places where I can get world news, live music performances, video game reviews, and in-depth explainers on how air conditioning works all in one spot. But YouTube’s invasive age estimation and verification practices are part of a troubling and growing trend — one that could drive me off the platform entirely.
Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Spotify is getting a new “Prompted Playlist” feature to help users create more […]
TL;DR Four of the best Good Lock modules aren’t working properly on the One UI 8.5 beta. Home Up and […]
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