Gadget Hacks

Picture this: you're at a coffee shop, pull out what looks like a regular flip phone, connect it to a portable monitor, and suddenly you're running a full desktop experience. Samsung just made this scenario real with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — the first clamshell foldable to support DeX. But while this milestone brings us closer to the "one device for everything" dream, Samsung's execution reveals both the promise and the frustrating limitations of pocket-sized computing.

Samsung's Theme Park module has quietly evolved into something Apple's Liquid Glass wishes it could be—customizable, practical, and actually responsive to what users need. While Cupertino fumbles around with translucent effects that demand entire OS updates, Samsung just dropped a simple app refresh that lets you dial in exactly the glass aesthetic your eyes, wallpaper, and usage patterns actually require.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to be Samsung's most compelling upgrade in years — but there's one glaring omission that'll have power users scratching their heads. Here's what Android Authority and other sources are telling us about Samsung's 2026 flagship strategy.

Reviewed by Corey Noles

Remember when getting into your phone meant swiping a pattern or typing a PIN? Recent Android Authority APK teardowns are revealing Android's next leap in authentication—your Wear OS watch might soon help verify it's really you trying to unlock your device. Instead of fumbling for your phone when your fingers are wet or Face Unlock fails, that smartwatch on your wrist could become your most trusted digital bodyguard.

Samsung has stubbornly stuck with 45W charging since 2020, but that frustrating streak is about to end. Having tested every Galaxy Ultra since the S20 series, the 45W ceiling has been my most persistent complaint—watching OnePlus 13 users juice up at 100W while Galaxy owners wait twice as long never gets less annoying.

Apple's next big software updates for iPhone and iPad — iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 — are ready for the public to test out. If you're willing to live on the bleeding edge, the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 betas let you explore the new features months early — just be prepared for the occasional bug or app crash along the way.

Reviewed by Corey Noles

Picture this: you wake up to find Google's AI assistant has quietly gained access to your WhatsApp messages, phone calls, and SMS — whether you asked for it or not. Sound dystopian? Welcome to July 2025, when Google rolled out Gemini access to core Android apps across the board.

Samsung's calling their latest flip phone a "pocket-sized selfie studio," but here's the twist: the cameras themselves haven't changed a single megapixel. What has transformed is how you'll actually use them — and that might be the smarter play.

Remember when the original Galaxy Fold felt like carrying a small brick? Fast-forward to 2025, and Samsung's latest engineering marvel—the Galaxy Z Fold 7—is just 4.2mm thick when unfolded, thinner than two stacked nickels. At 8.9mm folded, it's achieved a 48% reduction compared to that chunky 2019 original. Here's the kicker: Samsung didn't just make it thinner—they made it lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra at just 215 grams.

The most expensive phone call Tim Cook ever made might have been to his China manufacturing team. Because while Apple was busy perfecting supply chains in Shenzhen, a quiet revolution was brewing 2,000 miles southwest—one that just turned India into America's iPhone factory and insurance policy against trade volatility.

Picture this: You're deep into a creative project when your MacBook starts chugging along like it's stuck in molasses. Meanwhile, your iPad Pro sits there, practically taunting you with its smooth performance. Sound familiar?

Ever notice how software updates feel like a lottery these days? You cross your fingers, hit download, and hope you're among the chosen few who get the good stuff without the headaches. Well, Google's latest Pixel Watch July update perfectly captures this modern tech reality—promising to fix a critical emergency bug, but only rolling out to select devices.

Google's upcoming Pixel Watch 4 is bucking the trend of smartwatch price inflation, and that's exactly what the market needs right now. While competitors keep pushing premium pricing, leaked European pricing data suggests Google is holding the line at last year's prices. For anyone who's been eyeing a Pixel Watch upgrade but dreading the potential sticker shock, this news changes everything.

Ever find yourself manually reconnecting your AirPlay speakers to Apple TV every single time? Yeah, that dance is finally over. Apple's latest tvOS 26 update just solved one of the platform's most frustrating limitations—and it's bigger than you might think.

The Android world moves fast, but this week's news feels like a reality check wrapped in shiny marketing promises. While Samsung just unveiled its Galaxy Z Fold 7 with a drastically thinner design and $2,000 price tag, and Google prepares to announce the Pixel 10 in late August, the real story might be what's happening behind the scenes. Reports are flooding in about Galaxy Z Fold 7 demo units refusing to open fully in stores, while Fitbit users are discovering their premium trackers have...

The humble Notes app — that simple yellow icon you've probably overlooked for years — is about to become your new productivity secret weapon. While everyone's been debating whether to pay for fancy note-taking subscriptions, Apple has been quietly transforming its built-in app into something that could make you rethink your entire workflow.

Ever wondered why OpenAI explicitly states they don't support annual ChatGPT Plus plans? That just changed. Recent APK teardown discoveries suggest ChatGPT Plus might finally offer the yearly subscription Android users have been requesting. At $20 monthly, Plus subscribers currently pay $240 annually with no discount incentive. But here's the kicker: annual subscribers retain at 33.9% after one year, compared to just 13.8% for monthly subscribers. The real question isn't whether you'll save...

Picture this: you're juggling multiple devices, each with its own charging cable, and your desk looks like a tech graveyard. The OnePlus 2-in-1 Supervooc Cable might just be the clutter-buster you never knew you needed.

Your phone buzzes. You reach for it, fingers fumbling against the screen, and suddenly you've hung up on your boss. Or maybe your mom calls three times in a row, but the app groups them together so you can't tell if it was urgent or just her usual check-in routine. Sound familiar?

Picture this: You're eyeing a new phone that won't drain your savings account, but you're tired of compromising on features that actually matter. Samsung just dropped the Galaxy A56 in the US for $499, and here's the kicker—it comes with a six-year software update promise that puts most flagship phones to shame. Sound familiar? That's because most mid-range phones get forgotten after two years, but Samsung is playing a completely different game.

The next time you can't find your college friend at a crowded concert, you probably won't text them. Instead, you'll open Find My, spot their little avatar moving near the merch table, and walk straight over. Welcome to 2024, where this behavior isn't just convenient—it's completely normal.

Picture this: you fire off a message that feels important, watch it disappear into the digital void, and then spend the next hour wondering if it actually made it to your friend's phone. Google Messages will soon tell you exactly what happened to sent messages, ending that familiar anxiety once and for all.

Google's biggest smartwatch upgrade in years isn't coming through new hardware—it's arriving silently through the Play Store. The company is rolling out Gemini AI to older Wear OS watches starting this week, transforming your wrist into a genuinely smart assistant that can handle everything from complex cooking questions to calendar management.

The Android security world just got a wake-up call, and it's not pretty. A sneaky malware strain called Konfety has been making headlines—not for what it does, but for how brilliantly it hides what it does. Here's the kicker: this isn't just another banking trojan or adware nuisance. Konfety represents a new breed of Android malware that's fundamentally rewriting the rules of detection evasion through sophisticated technical manipulation and systematic exploitation of security tool...

Your phone's security just got a lot more complicated. While device manufacturers have been racing to encrypt everything from your photos to your deleted messages, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been quietly building an arsenal of tools to dig deeper into seized devices. But here's the thing: the agency isn't just looking for what's on the surface anymore—they're hunting for data you didn't even know existed.

Apple's facing a nightmare scenario that could pull certain iPhone models right off U.S. shelves, and it's not because of anything the company did wrong. Here's the kicker: a Chinese display supplier allegedly stole Samsung's tech secrets, and now Apple's caught in the crossfire of a trade dispute that could reshape iPhone pricing forever.

Apple just dropped a patent that could completely change how we think about the Apple Pencil. We're talking about a stylus that doesn't need an iPad screen—or really any screen at all. You could sketch on your desk, write on the wall, or even draw in mid-air. Let's break it down.

Your iPhone's notification sound just went off for the third time in five minutes. One is a spam email, one a social media like, and one is some random app trying to sell you something. Meanwhile, the truly important text from your spouse about picking up the kids got buried in the noise. Sound familiar?

Looking at the latest leaks, Google's upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold appears to be making a strategic compromise that might actually be smarter than chasing the ultra-thin foldable trend. While leaked renders show a device "pretty identical to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in all regards," there's a more significant story emerging from the technical specifications.

Apple's been oddly quiet about foldables while Samsung, Google, and even OnePlus have been folding screens left and right. But here's the kicker: Apple is reportedly working on two foldable products, and the iPhone Fold is coming first. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, we're looking at a late 2026 launch with a premium price tag above $2,000—possibly even $2,500. The supply chain is reportedly close to finalizing specifications for this book-style "iPhone Fold," and Foxconn is expected to officially...

I've been testing wearables for years, and I've always been fascinated by the mountain of data they collect. Heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep stages—the sensors keep getting better, but here's what caught my attention: Apple just dropped research suggesting that how you move, sleep, and live might be more telling than any biometric reading your watch can take. This isn't just another incremental sensor upgrade—it's a fundamental shift in how we understand health monitoring.

Picture this: you're planning to upgrade to the latest iPhone, counting on that trade-in credit to soften the blow to your wallet. Then you check Apple's website and—surprise!—your device is suddenly worth less than it was last week. Welcome to the reality of Apple's latest trade-in value adjustments, and spoiler alert: it's not all good news for iPhone owners.

A Google executive just confirmed what tech insiders have been whispering about for months: ChromeOS and Android are becoming one. During a recent interview, Google's Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat dropped the bombshell: "We're going to be combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform."

Having tracked telecom policy changes for over five years, I've seen how regulatory shifts can reshape entire markets—but Verizon's latest move hits different. The carrier is pushing to ditch the 60-day phone unlocking rule at precisely the moment when T-Mobile's satellite service via Starlink could change how we think about connectivity. While Verizon claims it's fighting fraud, the real casualty might be your ability to tap into the most significant advancement in mobile coverage since 4G.