LG exited the smartphone market five years ago, but before it did, the brand released a frankly shocking number of cool, wild, and uniquely weird phones that helped it stand out from the competition. In fact, the list of weird LG phones is so long that I couldn't fit them all into one article, and I was only focusing on fairly modern Android phones from 2011 onward.

Playing music via the command line is a joy for many Linux users. Besides, who wants to pay for a Spotify membership or any other streaming service, when you can stream files to your computer directly from your phone's local storage? Or just listen from the phone itself? I decided to test it out.

I love building things in the physical world, but when it comes to software, I have a hard time getting ideas out of my head. Coding is the big barrier—it’s just not something I’ve ever been good at. Recently, however, I’ve been using Gemini in Android Studio, and I’ve made my very first app.

Rooting an Android phone unlocks a level of customization stock firmware can't touch, but the real power comes from the modules layered on top. After years of flashing and re-flashing, these four make the cut every single time.

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy Tab S12 appeared in a Google app list, hinting at software prep before a possible late-summer launch.

The post Samsung Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy Tab S12 Surface in Google App Ahead of Launch appeared first on TechRepublic.

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and its latest wearable devices, introducing new hardware, AI features, and design improvements.

The post Samsung Announces Galaxy Z Fold 8, Ultra, Flip 8, New Wearables first appeared on Redmond Pie.

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Samsung’s $1,199 Galaxy Z Flip8 adds a thinner design, expanded FlexWindow tools, and new AI controls while retaining the same battery and rear cameras.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Launches at $1,199 With Thinner Design appeared first on TechRepublic.

Researchers found Chinese and Russian SDKs in Android apps marketed to U.S. military users, highlighting software supply chain and enterprise privacy risks.

The post Third-Party SDKs Raise Privacy Questions for Apps Marketed to U.S. Military appeared first on TechRepublic.

I have been using smartphones for just about as long as Android has existed. Countless phones have lived in my pockets, and I begrudgingly put cases on many of them. However, screen protectors are where I’ve always drawn the line—until disaster finally struck.

The new feature lets users wirelessly transfer more data types from an iPhone without needing to download a separate app.

Android 17 introduces an upgraded migration tool that moves far more iPhone data than before. Wired transfers now move passwords, passkeys, eSIM, and Google Accounts and more.

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 fixes Gemini-related reboots, Bluetooth failures, and missing notifications while ending beta support for the Pixel 6 series.

The post Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 Arrives for Pixel Phones With Gemini, Bluetooth Fixes appeared first on TechRepublic.

The rumors haven't left much to the imagination, but Samsung has unfurled its 2026 foldable lineup today. There are three models for the first time in Samsung's eight-gen foldable family, including the top-of-the-line Z Fold 8 Ultra. That phone is the successor to last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the Z Fold 8 is new—the company's first wide-body foldable designed for media over multitasking. And then there's a new, thinner flip phone, plus a pair of smartwatches.

You can preorder Samsung's new hardware today, but the component shortage has made these already spendy product lines more expensive this year. Even the Z Flip 8 is now well over a grand, and the Ultra costs almost twice as much.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra has the same basic form factor as the last few Samsung tablet-style foldables. A 6.5-inch OLED on the outside is about the same ratio as a standard smartphone screen. Open it up, and you get an 8-inch display that's roughly twice as wide. That makes the main display close to square.

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For years, buying Samsung’s book-style foldable was simple—you picked the Galaxy Z Fold. That's changing this time. The company has overhauled its foldable lineup with a new member and naming scheme that might trip up even loyal fans. The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 debuts Samsung’s brand-new wider design, while the usual tall and narrow foldable now carries the ‘Ultra’ badge.

Google Maps has quietly evolved far beyond turn-by-turn directions. Buried in its settings and menus are tools that can change how you explore, navigate, and trust the places you visit. Here are three worth turning on.

Samsung is following Apple into the credit card space. The company has announced a Galaxy Card that not only rewards you for buying its own devices (such as the imminent Galaxy Z Fold 8), but also for some of the services you'd use regardless of platform.

Virtually every modern smartphone is big, but there was a time when companies made extra-wide phablets (a portmanteau of "phone tablets") and were proud of it. Samsung's early Galaxy Note models are the classic examples, but there were several others that made screen width their selling angle. Now, they're coming back.

You know your Samsung Galaxy phone has a fingerprint scanner. But what you might not know is that the fingerprint scanner can be used to launch apps and shortcuts (I didn’t). Samsung hid this ability behind a poorly named feature in Good Lock, and I’m glad to have found it.

Google has updated Snapseed Camera for Android with geotag support, original photo saving and better file management for photographers.

Samsung is known for offering high-end hardware and tons of software features. But part of being on the cutting edge is letting some old things fall by the wayside. Galaxy phones have lost almost as many features as they’ve gained, and I miss a few of them more than others.