Tom Westrick
Android Central
Contact Tom
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Tom:
Mint Mobile Review: A cheaper, better wireless plan
Mint Mobile has been around for a few years now, but is there any downside to its cheaper plans? → Read More
How To Back Up and Restore Your WhatsApp Messages with Google Drive
WhatsApp is a great way to stay in touch with your loved ones, but you don’t want to lose all the conversations when you change phones. It’s super easy to back up your messages right from WhatsApp. Here’s the skinny. → Read More
Here’s When a Dark Theme Can Save Battery Power
Dark themes are becoming more and more popular. On some devices, they can even save battery power. It all depends on what type of display your device have—only devices with OLED displays can reap the power-saving benefits. → Read More
How To Personalize Your Android Phone With Themes and Launchers
Android’s customizability is one reason many people prefer it. You can change the look, feel, and function of basically any Android phone with themes, custom launchers, and icon packs. Here’s how to get started. → Read More
How to Turn an Old Android Phone into a Security Camera
If you have an old phone lying around, you can easily put it to good use by turning it into a mobile security camera. With the help of an app by Edward Snowden, it’s super simple. Here’s how. → Read More
How to Transfer Contacts to a New Android Phone
Android gives you a few options for transferring your contacts to a new device. By default, everything should be synced when you set up a new device, but even if sync is disabled, it’s easy to move your contacts over. → Read More
How to Save a Conference Call (and Access Code) as a Contact
Dialing a conference call doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Your iPhone or Android phone can automatically dial into the call and enter a confirmation code for you. You just have to create a special type of contact. → Read More
What Are NVMe Drives, and Should You Buy One?
The biggest upgrade you can make to your old PC is faster storage. Other components like the CPU and GPU have certainly improved in the last decade, but everyone will appreciate faster storage. → Read More
What To Do When Your Chromebook Reaches the End of Its Life
Chromebooks are great for anyone who uses them: they turn on in an instant, have great battery life, and updating them is a breeze. But, the day will come when your Chromebook stops getting updates from Google. What do you do then? → Read More
How Do Laser and LED Projectors Work, and Which Is Right For You?
There are a few things to consider when buying your first projector. Price range and the space you have are important, but you should also consider lamp technology. This will affect both the price and image quality of the projector. → Read More
How to Watch the 2019 Super Bowl Without Cable
The New England Patriots are set to face off against the LA Rams, and it’s sure to be an entertaining game. If you’ve cut the cord, don’t fret! You can still tune in and watch the Super Bowl. → Read More
Can You Put a Smart Display On Top of Your Microwave?
Smart displays are wonderful kitchen companions: you can easily follow along with a recipe, video call someone while you meal prep, or keep yourself entertained while you clean things up. But depending on where you put your smart display or other electronics, you could be in for some trouble. → Read More
Do You Need a Projector Screen In Your Home Theater?
Before buying your first projector, you should have a general idea of where it’ll go. You’ll need to have ample space on your wall, as well as easy access to a power outlet. With that settled, you’ll also need to decide if you want to get a screen. Projector screens don’t have to be super expensive, but before spending any amount of money, it’s worth deciding if you need one. → Read More
How Much Space Do You Need for a Home Theater Projector?
Watching movies and playing games on a projector are great. Once you get used to the giant display, it’s much harder to watch on even the largest TVs. But before you buy a projector, you’ll need to make sure you have the space for it. → Read More
How to Use Google Assistant With Your Roku
As more of our devices connect to each other, it’s always nice to know that different products from different companies work together. A Chromecast isn’t expensive, but being able to use your TV directly with Google Assistant is better. → Read More
How To Redeem an Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Nintendo Switch Gift Card
If you’re an avid gamer, there’s a good chance you got a gift card for your console for the holidays or as a gift. Being able to use that gift card doesn’t take much work, regardless of your platform. → Read More
How To Gift Fortnite V-Bucks
Fortnite is the biggest game of 2018, so if you know someone who games regularly, there’s a good chance they’re playing it. The game itself is free, but players need to use in-game V-Bucks to buy customizations. → Read More
How To Download Torrents on a Chromebook
Torrents get a bad rap, but there are plenty of legitimate and legal reasons for downloading them. While you can’t use BitTorrent itself on a Chromebook, there are some great alternatives available. → Read More
How to Play Retro Games on Your NVIDIA SHIELD TV with Emulators
Short of an HTPC, the NVIDIA SHIELD TV is the most versatile box you can put in your entertainment console. It supports 4K HDR playback from Netflix and YouTube. You can play games from Google Play Store and stream games from your PC or NVIDIA’s servers. And you can even set up an emulator for retro gaming. → Read More
How to Add a Website to Your Chromebook Shelf
Bookmarks are great to keep your favorite sites nearby, but they aren’t the fastest option out there. Instead, why not add shortcuts for your favorite websites right on the Chromebook shelf? → Read More