Ara Wagoner
Android Central
Orlando, FL, United States
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Past articles by Ara:
Material You makes theming too easy for you to ignore it
Android 12 may not have been the smoothest Android update, but given how much Material You opens up Android to finally be easily themed, it was worth the wait and then some. I've themed my phone for years, and these days, I don't need to do more than change wallpapers to make mine fresh and fabulous — and neither do you. → Read More
2021 sucked for the rest of us, but T-Mobile had its best year ever
T-Mobile's quarterly earnings beat estimates and pleased stockholders, doubling new subscribers year-over-year and grabbing more and more of the rural market as it expands its 5G goals. → Read More
Leaving Spotify? Here's the unbeatable reason to try YouTube Music next
We vote with our wallets, and while leaving a music subscription can be difficult, it's often very, very worth it. YouTube Music might not be your first thought for a replacement, but it has one of the best features in the world — if you buy it the right way. → Read More
Google fakes out Superfans with Pixel 6a tease in coloring book
Google sent out Nest Audios to Pixel Superfans this week along with a coloring book. The coloring book mostly focused on the Pixel 6 series and the Nest series of cameras, speakers, and displays, but there is apparently a missing page meant to be for a Pixel 6a, which is listed in the table of contents. → Read More
Logitech Pen review: The best Chromebook stylus ever
Logitech’s first Chromebook stylus is ready to take the education sector — and then the world — by storm. With all the features we’ve been missing so far and the durability that we need, the Logitech Pen is the only USI stylus worth buying in 2022. → Read More
NVIDIA promises fixes for broken Plex, Kodi, and more on NVIDIA Shield TV after Android 11 update
Android 11 brought plenty of permission changes with it back when it debuted on phones over a year ago, and it seems their default behavior was overlooked when building the Shield Experience 9.0 update for the NVIDIA Shield TV series. That's caused a lot of headaches and broken apps, but NVIDIA is working with Google, Plex, and others to get your Shield TV back to normal. → Read More
CES 2022's Chromebooks kick off a bright new trend
The two headline Chromebooks announced at CES continue to push the envelope on screen brightness for Chrome OS. Will 2022 finally be the year Chromebooks escape the dark pit of 220-250-nit displays? The Acer Chromebook Flip 513 is further proof that a trend started back with the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is kicking into high gear. → Read More
ASUS stuns CES 2022 with a 16-inch ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5
HP, Acer, and other Chromebook manufacturers released new Chromebooks using the same name as its predecessor in 2021, and ASUS is bringing it into 2022 with a brand new ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5. This new model features a new screen, 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake processors, and Thunderbolt USB-C ports. → Read More
Why it's not too late to buy a good Chromebook
If you or a loved one needs a new computer, please stop what you're doing and answer two questions. How often do you end up playing tech support for them? Do they just use a browser and some games? If the answer to these questions is yes, let's save you a headache and a few hundred dollars by buying a good Chromebook rather than a mediocre Windows laptop. → Read More
I finally got my family to try out phone grips, and you should to
Phone grips are an accessory that seems silly until you actually try one, and after years of trying and failing to get my family into the habit of using PopSockets, Style Rings, or literally any grip that could help them avoid joint pain or a dropped phone, I decided to throw a little Tupperware party with every phone grip I own. Here's what clicked, what popped, and what fell → Read More
Google needs to bring Adaptive Charging from its Pixels to Chromebooks
As millions of Chromebooks sit fully charged and unused for the next two weeks of winter break at schools and businesses, I implore Google to bring one of its more useful Pixel features to Chromebooks now that it's part of Android 12: Adaptive Charging → Read More
Amazon Web Services is back down, taking dozens of sites with it
Just over a week after a six-hour outage, Amazon Web Services is down again taking many popular sites with it. Hopefully this outage will be fixed sooner, but until then... go bake some Christmas cookies, I guess? → Read More
Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook review: A brilliant tablet for the future of Chrome OS
A 13.3-inch tablet seems ridiculously huge, but Lenovo nailed the essentials with the Duet 5 and produced one of the most unique and fun Chromebooks of 2021. Here's why it's almost perfect — and why it should be your next family Chromebook. → Read More
This unbelievable bug is keeping Android phones from calling 911
If you use a Google Pixel phone, prick up your ears for a moment or your calls for help might fail to reach first responders. A weird set of circumstances are screwing up 911 calls — and while the fix isn't in yet, here's how to avoid it. → Read More
Pick up a Pixel 6 on Black Friday? These are the first 9 things to do with it
Google has made the initial setup of a Pixel relatively painless these days, but that initial tutorial and then installation of all your old apps don't quite get everything set up perfectly. If you picked up a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro during the insane carrier deals on Cyber Monday or Black Friday, here's what to do with it first. → Read More
This 2K Acer Chromebook Spin 713 for $329 is a ridiculous steal
Cyber Monday is over, but the deals refuse the stay dead. One of Best Buy's early Black Friday sales has returned as a post-Cyber Monday chaser, letting you get one of the best-screened Chromebooks on the market for less than most budget Chromebooks. → Read More
Best Buy's best Cyber Monday Chromebook deal lives again — but not for long
Best Buy's Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook deal was so good, it actually sold out this weekend, but it's restocked and you should grab it now before its discount ends in less than two hours. → Read More
19 last-minute Cyber Monday deals every Android user needs to see
Cyber Monday is winding down, but there are still gaggles of gadgets on sale tonight that could serve you and your trusty Android phone well. From chargers to cases to cards and beyond, these are the Android phone accessories you have to see before you go to bed tonight. → Read More
25 best Cyber Monday deals on Chromebook accessories under $35
Chromebooks are great laptops as they are, but to elevate your experience and protect your investment, you should consider using your Chromebook deal savings and using them towards some of these accessories. → Read More
This Cyber Monday PopSockets deal is the PERFECT stocking stuffer
What do you buy for the people who have everything? Answer: you buy them something small, highly useful, and highly personal, AKA PopSockets. Most PopSockets are 15% off right now, and they'll help you check off your holiday shopping. → Read More