Andy Walker

1 week ago | androidauthority.com | Andy Walker

Andy Walker / Android Authority Every feature addition that Google makes to Android and its other products always seems to funnel me back to the company's original purpose: search. As its name suggests, Circle to Search is one very obvious example. Long-pressing the home button to pull up a search dialog that trawls the internet for content you've highlighted on your screen is as convenient as it is useful, but not perhaps in the way Google intended.

1 week ago | androidauthority.com | Andy Walker

There's very little more that I desire from the modern smartwatch. Sure, I wouldn't say no to additional sensors to track even more health factors. I could also take slicker software and smoother animations. I'd even smile at brighter, higher-resolution screens. But beyond all those incremental improvements, I still yearn for a sizeable leap in battery life. Thankfully, that doesn't seem too far off. We've already seen one of the most significant smartwatch launches of 2025: the OnePlus Watch 3.

2 weeks ago | androidauthority.com | Andy Walker

When you think of Microsoft, the likes of Windows, Office, and Bing probably come to mind. I doubt that "creator of a brilliant Android launcher" would spring to mind. Since receiving a Pixel 8, I've struggled to bend its home software to suit my needs. I've learned to live with Pixel Launcher more than I have grown to love it. Naturally, I've been exploring several alternatives.

2 weeks ago | androidauthority.com | Andy Walker

Hate it or love it, AI Overview is now a firm part of Google's long-term search plans ( unless you switch it off). However, if I were to pick a side, I'd fall firmly into the "hate it" camp. The experimental AI feature offers nothing of value whenever it appears; it occupies too much of the search results screen and provides hilariously conflicting info at the best of times. As much as I dislike it, I've leveled with the fact that it'll be part of Search for a while.

2 weeks ago | androidauthority.com | Andy Walker

Andy Walker / Android Authority The modern internet is a horribly distracting place. It's a carnival littered with flashing ads, autoplay videos, and massive leaps between text. I'll be first to admit that it's becoming more challenging to read through engaging content on the web simply due to all the tinsel drawing me away from it. I've become susceptible to distractions of late, so it's beneficial to strip these things from the articles I want to read.