Back in February, Google announced a new mail-in replacement service for its Pixel Watch 2, for those who needed help with a wearable that can’t actually be repaired.  The process for that mail-in program was a bit awkward to use and required some work on your part through an 8-step process. With a new announcement today, it’s clear that Google realized they could make this whole process so much easier. The new Pixel Watch Warranty Helper program is here to make warranty claims quite a bit more automated. The Pixel Watch Warranty Helper is a simple tool through Google Store support that u ..read more

Late last week, photos of the Pixel 9 Pro began circulating on the web. Now that they have had time to percolate, we have gone back to see how people are reacting to the change in hardware design. Initial reactions to leaked hardware are important. If people are excited by what they see, chances are potential buyers will still be interested enough to spend money on it by the time the actual launch happens. In the case of the Pixel 9 Pro, we may not see availability happen until October of this year, so the fact that many seem genuinely impressed by these photos is a good sign for Google. It ul ..read more

The original Chromecast with Google TV, the $49.99 dongle with a full Google TV experience that can turn any TV into a smart one, is a product that has needed a refresh since the day it launched. Yes, I’m an absolute hater of the dongle with the longest name, because it has always struggled with performance, has a too-tiny remote, and is really only on a single TV I own because it is cheap. We buy it because it’s only $50 on most days, but is often discounted to a level that makes it tough to ignore. This week, a new report suggests a refresh is on the way, likely with a new remote too. Unfort ..read more

Google pushed out a minor update to the first Android 15 Beta today to fix a few big bugs. The new update arrives as Android 15 Beta 1.1 and will land on your devices shortly over-the-air. The main focus of the update appears to be on NFC, since that was super busted in the first beta build. The first bug fix listed says it “fixed various issues with NFC” and then names 7 specific issues that Google was tracking related to it. After that, Google says it fixed a Developer Options crash, another that prevented some people from updating to Beta 1, and another that dealt with printing. Android 15 ..read more

We already saw a device that is almost guaranteed to be the Pixel 8a pass through the FCC a few weeks back, a sign that Google is close to launching it. Today, another device has moved through FCC testing, but this time we aren’t so sure what it is. Let’s dive into a mystery Google device and see if we can’t figure out together what it might be – my guess is that it could be a new Pixel Watch. I could be completely wrong too. A new Google product referred to only as “Wireless Device” and with a model name of G4SKY has made its way through the FCC. When we see a phone stop off at the FCC, it is ..read more

Samsung’s CRN or Certified Re-Newed program is the spot on their store you might go for last year’s flagship phones at a big discount, knowing they were previously used. We’re talking refurbished, of course, but Samsung says it turns these devices into “like-new” status through “extensive” inspections, while also adding on a warranty. It all sounds more official too, knowing that this is run by Samsung. Today, as a part of Earth Day, Samsung is launching the Galaxy S23 series into this Certified Re-Newed program, so you can get a Galaxy S23 Ultra or S23/S23+ for a lower price than it launched ..read more

The mystery April update build that Google posted the other day still hasn’t been acknowledged by Google, but one of their carrier partners has now spilled the beans on it. It is indeed a fresh April update that is rolling out to try and fix LTE call and network data issues that folks have become frustrated with since March. For now, this new update is supposed to be rolling out to select Verizon Pixel devices. However, I’d imagine this is going to be for others too, like AT&T Pixel devices that have been sitting without an update all month. Verizon updated support pages for the Pixel 7, P ..read more

With phone manufacturers attempting to support their new phones for up to 7 years, folks who decide to keep them for longer periods of time need to consider what happens to a phone over that time. We know that batteries can degrade and their charges last less and less and can only be fully charged for so many cycles. What about storage, though? In Android 15, we could see a new screen that shows the health of your phone’s storage. There’s a new storage health API that should reveal to you a percentage to explain how much life your phone has left. Spotted by Mishaal Rahman, Google is likel ..read more

Earlier this week, we told you about the Pixel 7a dropping to a crazy-low price of $349. Apologies are in-store for those who jumped on that deal, because the price has now gone lower. I’m sorry! Over at Woot, the Pixel 7a can be had for $339. We’re at $160 off today, instead of the $150 price from a few days ago. Woot has Charcoal (gray) and Sea (blue) colors with 128GB storage. These are unlocked (and brand new) units that’ll work on all carriers. That’s just the way the deal world works sometimes, friends. Want one? Hit that link below. Need to know why you might want one? Read our Pixel 7a ..read more

A purported prototype of the Pixel 9 Pro has found its way on the Internet, giving us an early real-life look at Google’s upcoming flagship phone. It is every bit of wonderful that we hoped it would be, assuming you like an iPhone-esque design, which we get a comparison to in the leak. The device shown here is said to be of the Pixel 9 Pro, the smaller of the two Pixel 9 Pro models we expect later this year. Google is also rumored to release a Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9. This particular device has a bootloader screen that shows a codename of “caiman,” which matches the name we’ve been followin ..read more