Mobile Archives

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Today’s best Android app deals and freebies: TLOTS, My Cozy Island, Hitman Sniper, Defenchick, more

A selection of Android game and app deals includes titles such as White Room, TLOTS: Gold Edition, My Cozy Island, Hitman Sniper, Unreal Life, and Defenchick: Tower Defense. Best Buy is holding its annual 4th of July sale with discounts on Android phones, televisions, appliances, and more. Windows Copilot+ PCs have price reductions of up to 0, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has cuts of up to 0, and all Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 models are discounted by 0.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Android 17 ‘sneak peek’ at a foldable gaming mode has my attention—and then some

Mishaal Rahman, an employee at Google, revealed that Android 17 will feature a new foldable gaming mode designed to enhance gameplay on foldable devices. This mode will split the screen, displaying the game on the top half and a customizable virtual gamepad on the lower half, equipped with buttons similar to those on PlayStation or Nintendo controllers. The gaming mode is set to launch with the Android 17 platform release in the coming months. Additionally, Android 17 includes a multitasking tool called "Bubbles" and is currently undergoing testing with QPR1 Beta 5, which addresses various fixes.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Don’t like Gemini? Here’s how to roll back to Google Assistant on your Android phone

Many users have expressed frustration with the Gemini AI assistant, particularly regarding its performance in controlling smart home devices through Android phones. Complaints include sluggish response times and inaccuracies in interpreting commands, leading to disappointing interactions. Users have reported issues such as inaccurate weather updates and frequent error messages. To switch back to Google Assistant, users can navigate to the Settings menu, select Apps, locate the Assistant setting, and choose Google Assistant over Gemini. For devices with customized Android skins, users can open the Google app, tap their profile photo, access Settings, select Google Assistant, and choose between Gemini and Google Assistant. Further guides are available for reducing Gemini's visibility in various platforms and applications.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

YouTube Shorts just borrowed more of TikTok’s best tricks

YouTube is enhancing its Shorts platform with several new features: - Introduction of 2x playback speed, allowing users to accelerate through content by holding either side of the screen. - A "clear screen" mode that hides on-screen elements for a cleaner viewing experience. - Replacement of the thumbs-up icon with a heart for expressing approval. - Elimination of the dislike button, with users now able to select "Not interested" or "Don’t recommend this channel" for feedback. - Current dislike counts will remain accessible in YouTube Studio, but new dislike counts for Shorts will not be collected starting at the end of June. - Users can mute Shorts directly from the player for a quieter browsing experience.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

These 3 upcoming Gboard tweaks could make the app even better

Google is enhancing its Gboard application for Android with new features in the beta version v17.7.4.932364120. A cursor mode is being developed, allowing users to long-press the spacebar or swipe on it to control the cursor. Gboard is also introducing an emoji customization option, enabling users to adjust emoji sizes independently with a slider that allows for five to nine emojis in a row, including larger options labeled “7+” and “8+.” Additionally, Gboard may offer full-sized keyboard keys on mobile devices, which can be toggled using the “Show accessibility layout” setting, with options for QWERTY, QWERTZ, and AZERTY layouts. The timeline for the public release of these features is uncertain.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Google is finally giving Android users control over app backups

Google is rolling out per-app backup controls to select beta users, allowing individuals to toggle backups for each installed app instead of using a singular master switch. This feature aims to enhance user control over data management by enabling users to decide which apps' data should be included in their backups, addressing concerns about managing cloud storage and optimizing backup space.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

5 Android keyboard apps you should use instead of Gboard

The keyboard is a frequently used application on Android devices, with Gboard being a popular choice, but alternatives exist for users with different preferences. Microsoft SwiftKey offers robust customization, unique layouts like split mode, and integrates an AI assistant for message refinement. It also excels in clipboard syncing with Windows when logged into the same Microsoft account. HeliBoard is a free, open-source keyboard that operates offline, prioritizing privacy and offering features like autocorrect and gesture typing. It requires downloading from GitHub or F-Droid, as it is not available on the Play Store. FUTO Keyboard is a free, open-source, offline option that includes offline voice typing but lacks cloud-synced personal dictionaries and AI writing tools. Samsung Keyboard, pre-installed on Galaxy phones, integrates with One UI and Galaxy AI’s writing tools, offering extensive customization options through the Good Lock app and KeysCafe module. Simple Keyboard is a lightweight application that provides a standard keyboard layout with minimal features, focusing on simplicity and requiring less than 1MB of storage.

AppWizard

June 28, 2026

Tesla App 4.58.0 Adds Live Supercharging Updates for Android

Tesla has released version 4.58.0 of its app on June 16, 2026, which includes a "Live Updates" feature that allows users to view real-time Supercharging status on their lock screens. This update enhances user convenience by enabling monitoring of charging status without opening the app, and it integrates notifications directly with the lock screen for easy access to important information.

AppWizard

June 28, 2026

These 5 open-source utilities should be on every Android phone

Sefirah is a local companion app for Android that connects devices on the same network, allowing users to manage notifications, messages, and applications in one place, with clipboard mirroring for enhanced productivity. PhotoSwooper is a free photo management app that allows users to swipe left or right to delete or keep images, includes an undo option, and lets users customize folders to exclude from sorting. Neo Store is an alternative app store that builds apps from public source code, prioritizing safety and allowing users to add multiple repositories and update all open-source applications simultaneously. Heliboard is a privacy-focused keyboard app that operates offline, ensuring user data remains secure, and offers features like gesture typing. LocalSend enables file sharing over a local network across various devices, enhancing the experience as more users adopt the app.

AppWizard

June 27, 2026

Ticketmaster’s ‘customizable pass’ collab with Google Wallet sounds great for gameday

Ticketmaster has partnered with Google Wallet to introduce "customizable passes" for Android users, allowing event clients to personalize digital passes with designs and up to 12 links for venue details. These passes can provide information on parking, food, drinks, merchandise, and VIP access. The collaboration also includes an update to Google Wallet that uses "context-aware" technology to display relevant passes automatically as users approach specific locations, enhancing user convenience.