Would you ever add your passport to Google Wallet?

My Android journey started with the HTC Hero on Sprint, way back in 2009. It had a chin and a trackball, and I loved it. Not only was HTC firing on all cylinders back then, but the phone designs were also actually fun, unlike how boring things are today. Part of that excitement also included the software, where the HTC Hero shipped with Android 1.5 and eventually got updated to Android 2.1. These were early days, and back then I was a theming machine hot off modding Windows Mobile devices, so was deep into changing how my Android devices looked, like when Android 2.1 dropped, I was installing ROMs, apps, and themes that got me the old Android 1.5 look with its white drawer tab. Sure, plenty was rouch around the edges, but the excitement of making your phone yours was as relevant back then as it is now.

So, where did your Android journey start? Which Android version was your first introduction to the OS?

There is another One UI 7 beta coming to the S24, which means users will have longer to wait for the stable version to drop. So, are you in the camp that prefers stable software, so don’t mind the delay, or are you sick or waiting for what S25 users are already enjoying?

In order to make Pixel Phones enticing to the masses, Google tucks away its best Android features into its high-end Pixel line. But out of all of the features, surely there is one that stands above all others. Is it the call screening? Because I know that’s my favorite, never having to answer calls myself. Or maybe it’s message transcript, another handy feature that allows us to easily ignore contact with the outside world. Whatever it is, hit the comments below to share your favorite Pixel feature.

YouTube used to offer a few countries a Premium Lite plan, which was basically a cheaper subscription that removed ads from YouTube. Google killed this plan in 2023. Since then, Google has fought against a rise in adblocker use on YouTube, almost like the more it cracked down on their use, the more this had the opposite effect. Which is why it comes as no surprise to hear rumors Google wants to bring back its YouTube Premium Lite plan. I’m all for it, but I wonder if it’s too late to entice the adblocker users now that they are getting what they want for free.

So, if Google does bring back YouTube’s Premium Lite plan, will you subscribe?

We recently covered six reasons why a Google One subscription may not be renewed. With falling physical storage prices and heavy competition, it’s easy to see why. So, have you considered jumping ship, or are you going to renew your Google One subscription the next time it expires?

The beauty of Android has always been its customization, and that often starts with your launcher. While the third-party launcher has lost some of its prominence in recent years, popular options like Nova Launcher, Action Launcher, and Niagara Launcher are still pushing things forward.

I’ll be honest, this came as a shock to me. I forget where I read it, likley social media, but apparently the Google app is a chonker, taking up over a gigabyte of storage. I’m looking at the app info screen on my Pixel, and for me it’s eating 1.58 GB of my phone’s storage. That’s a lot, and I’m betting a few of you weren’t aware of this. So enjoy, and better yet, go ahead and check for yourself and see how much room the Google app is taking up on your device. Maybe there’s a lucky reader out there somehow coming in under a gig. You never know.

Taking pictures of the night sky isn’t something that ever occurred to me. I’ll use my phone to take quick shots of interesting things while out and about around town, but that’s about as much use as my phone cameras get. But, since I purchased a Pixel 9, I figured why not give its astrophotography mode a shot. And so I’ve dabbled a few times with mixed results. I can’t say it’s something I’ll go out of my way to use.

This got me wondering how many others out there make use of the Pixel’s astrophotography mode. So, if you’re a night sky shooter thanks to your Pixel, sound off in the comments below, and if you have a slick shot to share, all the better.

There are plenty of streaming music apps to choose from, from Spotify to Amazon Music, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. Despite the lack of originality in the app names, all of these services are fairly well received by their users. I’ve been subscribed to Spotify for years but have considered moving to Amazon Music for its high-quality audio. I’ve yet to take the plunge, but if Spotify continues to drag its feet instead of launching high-quality audio, the move seems inevitable. This is why I appreciate that we have so many excellent choices at our disposal.

Still, with so many to choose from, I thought it might be fun to ask what everyone is using and why. So hit the comments below to share which music streaming app is your current platform of choice.

There is no denying that Google is pushing Gemini into every space it can muster, from Messages to Gmail, there is no getting away from it. Sure, there is also the app, as well as a subscription tier for the app, but it would seem Google feels we all need some convincing to use its AI by shoving the service into everything. So this got me thinking: perhaps few are actually using Gemini, which is why I wanted to ask. How often do you use Gemini, or do you even use it at all? Hit the comments, as I have a sneaking suspicion nobody is all that interested in AI.

Google’s latest smartphones are excellent pieces of hardware — there’s a reason the Pixel 9 Pro won our Smartphone of the Year award — but the Pixel’s software experience has always been the brand’s bread and butter. I’m sure everyone has plenty of favorite software experiences on the Pixel, but personally, no amount of AI can top Now Playing. Google’s always-listening, offline-ready Shazam alternative launched with the Pixel 2 in 2017, and I’ve been a huge fan of it ever since. Gathering an updated list of every song that plays around you at all times is incredible, whether you’re scrolling through a DJ’s set or enjoying dinner at a restaurant.

In its near-decade of existence, Google has continued to build it out, adding features like online search — for when your Pixel’s database of tracks isn’t enough — album art, and default music services. And yet, despite the tool’s popularity, no one has taken the initiative to follow in Google’s footsteps. While I wouldn’t say it’s enough to k

One of the best things about Android is that it is highly customizable, whether you’re using a Galaxy, Pixel, or any other device. What launcher you use can have a major impact on your customizability, which is why many use apps from third parties. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t easily theme a device from Samsung or Google; they both offer plenty of customization on their own.

So, what’s your perfect setup, are you a third-party launcher person, or do you like to roll your phone stock? In either case, let’s see your home screen; this way, everyone can get a feel for the type of themeing going on in Android land. So hit the comments below and show us your perfect home screen setup.

Now that the iPhone is sporting RCS in its messaging app, bringing together Android and iOS users for easy messaging that doesn’t ruin images and videos, I’ve been wondering how many of our readers know someone on iOS who is indeed taking advantage of RCS. For me, I know my friend group that uses iOS has remarked on the improvement in our group chats. But what about you, have you noticed your iOS friends and family are using RCS? Hit the comments to let us know, as I truly wonder if many iOS users give a hoot about messaging with RCS.

The Google Play Store is absolutely filled to the brim with messaging apps, and Google has certainly made plenty of contributions to this app type. But at the end of the day, we all have our favorites. For me, I use Google Messages as my primary messaging app, thanks to its RCS support, sending media to friends and family rarely poses an issue. Still, I have a soft spot for Telegram because it offers speedy communication, as well as a desktop app.

But what about you? Which messaging app is your favorite, and which would you choose to use if you were only allowed to use one? Hit the comments to shout your choice loud and proud.

Back in November, Google Photos decided to clean up partner sharing by no longer syncing screenshots and images from other apps with your significant other. This was a win for people who keep things tidy, but an objective downgrade for others. After some backlash, Google undid the change this week, deciding to make the feature optional in a move that should appease all. Read the full story here.

Gemini is here in full force, and it finally offers a lot of the functionality of Google Assistant while still lacking some of the smoothness Assistant users have come to expect. This creates a situation where many are still using Google Assistant instead of switching over to Gemini. For me, I made the switch soon after Gemini was introduced, but I also never used Google Assistant, so the switch was painless for me. But what about you? Have you made the switch? Was it painful, or do you prefer Gemini? Hit the comments to let us know, as I have a sneaking suspicion there are more holdouts than expected.

It’s looking like Google is gearing up to change the hotword to trigger Gemini AI to “Hey Gemini,” which makes sense and almost feels a bit more personal and human compared to “Hey Google.” So I like the idea. I hope we switch soon. But what about you? Are you ready to say “Hey Gemini,” or do you prefer the old way of saying “Hey Google”?

Apparently, YouTube Premium users across the world have been receiving emails about impending price hikes. Those in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy will see higher fees across the service, including family plans, and Switzerland and Sweden will see higher Family subscriptions, with the Middle East, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia receiving higher Premium prices. And this is just what has been reported by users, so expect more territories to get hit (read more in the linked article).

But with this change, we here at AP have been wondering how many users will be canceling their YouTube Premium plans when the higher fees drop? It’s not like YouTube Premium is priced very well to begin with, with many taking issue with the cost not reflecting what you get (especially if you don’t need YouTube Music) and rising fees sure won’t help this situation. So, will you be one of the people dropping the service, or do you feel the higher fees are justified?

I moved away from Chrome once I caught wind of Manifest V3 and how it would hobble ad blockers. Sure, lite versions of ad blockers have popped up since Manifest V3 was implemented in Chrome, but I was already well-established with Firefox, my current browser of choice. I can sync all of my data across all of my Firefox installs across my operating systems, just like Chrome, but of course, I have the ability to block ads across every OS without having to worry about the shortcomings of Manifest V3.

But what about you? Which browser do you prefer, and why do you prefer it? From Samsung Internet to Edge to Brave to Chrome, there are plenty of choices, so which do you prefer for your web browsing needs?

In case you missed it, Gemini is rolling out a more compact UI on Android, essentially shrinking down the box so it only fills a small portion of the bottom of your screen, which is preferred to a box that takes up half the screen. But like most Google rollouts, these things come in waves, and so Gemini’s new compact design isn’t yet available to all. So, are you one of the lucky ones who have gained access to the new compact Gemini, or are you still waiting for the server-side update to land?