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.

Obsidian has hundreds of community plugins—so many that simply browsing the list can feel overwhelming. Most plugins are built for specific workflows, and not every plugin will be useful to everyone.

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.

There are hundreds of productivity apps out there, and I think that's part of the problem. A productivity app is just a system—a means to an end, not the end itself. If any of these apps actually delivered, we wouldn't need hundreds of them. The sheer number suggests something fundamental is missing, which is why people keep hopping between them, hoping the next one will finally be the answer. I was one of those people, and I'm happy to say I've finally figured it out—and it has nothing to do with apps or any digital product at all.

Whether you like it or not, there's no denying that Samsung's One UI packs more features than any other Android skin. Some are as handy as a pocket on a shirt, and once you discover them, you'll use them every day. But even those that might not look particularly useful at first glance can offer value that many Galaxy phone owners will greatly appreciate.

When I carried around a Samsung Galaxy phone every day, I used Samsung Wallet for tap-to-pay. Now that I've switched to a Motorola Razr Fold, I'm using Google Wallet. In the process, I've learned the one key distinction that makes Google Wallet a more practical option in day-to-day life.

The beauty of Android is the huge ecosystem of awesome open-source apps available for the platform. There is an entire app store called F-Droid that exclusively features free and open-source apps. Some of these apps are so good that I would pay for them if they weren’t free. I’m sharing a few here.

There's no denying that Android 17 is light on new features, with the biggest one—the ability to create your own widgets—not even being present at launch. While I'm disappointed that I can't create custom widgets for the time being (the feature should arrive in a future update), there's another Android 17 feature that caught my eye.

There's an assumption that free software means you're settling: fewer features, no support, and a worse experience overall. However, the open-source world is full of free apps that match—and sometimes beat—their paid counterparts. If you've got some free time this weekend, here are three worth installing.

Public transportation can feel intimidating, especially when you're visiting a new city, exploring more efficient routes for your daily commute, or simply trying to reach your office on time before rush hour swallows you up. Thankfully, Google Maps has many public transit-focused features that can make your journey feel hassle-free and strip the stress from navigating unfamiliar routes and locations. Here are four features that you should check out now.

While it's convenient to pay for things with a tap of your phone, there's still a bit of a dance that you have to go through before the actual payment happens. If you use Google Wallet, there are a few tweaks you can make to save a few seconds every time you have to pay. Depending on your spending patterns, that can end up saving you quite a bit of time, and the person in line behind you will certainly appreciate it.

I'm still a novice Linux user, but the more time I spend with it, the more I like it. What started as a way to keep an older PC useful has turned into something I genuinely enjoy using. Linux feels faster, more flexible, and far less intimidating than I expected, especially now that I've found applications that make the desktop experience feel more complete.

It wasn’t that long ago that Android phones came without pre-installed weather apps. Now, every Galaxy and Pixel phone comes with a stock weather widget on the home screen, and many people simply never bother to download a different one. I’m here to tell you you’re missing out.

Google Maps is an easy part of our routines, and over time, it builds a collection of our favorite places and travel plans. Saving locations is one of its most useful features, but this also means the app may reveal more about you than you realize when someone else uses your phone.

Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, especially when it comes to PC gaming. While I mostly use macOS for work, I also have a gaming desktop running Windows 11 that I use both for gaming and for covering Windows-related topics.

Epic Games' fight with Google is about to pay dividends for American Android users. Google has confirmed that third-party Android app stores in the U.S. will be available through the Play Store beginning July 22, 2026, and can offer Play Store apps.