Android Central Podcast
The Android podcast for everyone. A weekly show about Android, Google, and the best of mobile technology.

In this episode, Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand wrap up this year’s coverage of the Android universe with a look back at the Galaxy Note 8, plus reviews of the Amazon Echo Spot and Google Home Max. They also talk about Eric Schmidt leaving the Executive Chairman role at Alphabet.

Additionally, they share their top picks from 2017. Join us for the last hurrah before CES in January!

Show Notes and Links:

Sponsors:

  • MintSIM: Voice, data, and text for less. Get free first-class shipping with code IMFREESHIP.

  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

  • GameStash: Hundreds of awesome games on your Android phone. Try it free for 14 days!

 

Direct download: androidcentral366.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:26pm EDT

In this episode, Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, Alex Dobie, and Russell Holly wax philosophical about the Snapdragon 845 SoC and why the Pixel’s AR stickers are the most fun you can have with a camera. They also talk about the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition phone and a few spoiler-free thoughts on ‘The Last Jedi’.

The crew also delves into Synaptics’ new in-display fingerprint sensor and the Vivo phone it is launching on. Oreo is coming to the Galaxy S8 and renders have been leaked of the Galaxy S9. Finally, net neutrality has been killed by the FCC. What happens next?

Show Notes and Links:

Sponsors:

  • MintSIM: Voice, data, and text for less. Get free first-class shipping with code IMFREESHIP.

  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

  • GameStash: Hundreds of awesome games on your Android phone. Try it free for 14 days!

 

Direct download: androidcentral365.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:58am EDT

This week on the show, Daniel Bader is on assignment in Hawaii. Yes, really. In his absence, Andrew Martonik, Alex Dobie, and Russell Holly pick up the slack and share their favorite tech of 2017. They also talk about the HTC U11+, a trio of new Honor phones, and Android Oreo (Go edition). Android Go is specifically designed for entry-level phones with 1GB or less of RAM, and 8GB of storage.

They also discuss the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, and rumors that the Galaxy S9 might be announced at CES in January 2018.

Show Notes and Links:

Sponsors:

  • MintSIM: Voice, data, and text for less. Get free first-class shipping with code IMFREESHIP.
  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.
  • GameStash: Hundreds of awesome games on your Android phone. Try it free for 14 days!

 

Direct download: androidcentral364.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm EDT

In this episode, Daniel Bader and Andrew Martonik talk about how well the Pixel 2 is holding up after a month of use. It offers a fantastic overall experience and great battery life at a comparatively reasonable price. They also discuss Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro. Daniel says it comes close to greatness, but the software is its Achilles’ heel.

Other topics include: Android 8.1 Developer Preview, the ‘Pixel Visual Core’ SoC, and Google Photo Books. Andrew and Daniel remind us that as good as smartphone cameras have become, their sharpness and resolution still does not truly equal a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Show Notes and Links:

 

Direct download: androidcentral363.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:06pm EDT

This week, Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Russell Holly dig in with the OnePlus 5T and try to figure out why it seems like almost all smartphones are starting to look alike. They also talk about the importance of buying a phone for what it can do now — not what it might be capable of later.

Google is in the news once again with another trust and reputation violating faux pas. This time, they’ve been secretly collecting users’ cell tower locations.

Finally, friends don’t let friends buy a cheap, crappy Android tablet this Holiday season. What are the best options, if any? Check out this week’s show!

Show Notes and Links:

 

Direct download: androidcentral362.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:56pm EDT

Daniel Bader and Andrew Martonik welcome Mobile Nation’s newest employee to the show — Associate Video Editor Hayato Huseman!

Hayato talks with the gang about their experience and initial testing of the OnePlus 5T, which was recently unveiled in New York City. A modest update to the OnePlus 5, the 5T is marketed as a $499 flagship. It may not fully compete with phones like the Galaxy S8 and Pixel 2, but the price is far more accessible.

They also discuss the enthusiast community’s disappointment with the Razer Phone and Daniel’s impressions of iPhone X. To wrap things up, Andrew gives us the skinny on Google’s Pixel Buds.

Show Notes and Links:

 

Direct download: androidcentral361.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:35pm EDT

This week on the show Daniel Bader, Jerry Hildenbrand, and Russell Holly are joined by Dan DeSilva from our sister site, thrifter.com, to talk about about some great deals on gadgets and other items before Black Friday hits.

 

The team also covers a large swath of topics both Android and non-Android related, including Samsung’s Gear Fit2 Pro, improved water resistance for phones, and the time Daniel got in trouble with his parents about the Diablo 2 real money auction house.

 

They also discuss QA issues with the Pixel 2 and other devices in the gadget world, the rise of Google as a hardware company, a Chrome update that will kill annoying redirects, and much more! It’s all about saving and making that cash money on this episode of the Android Central Podcast!

 

Show Notes and Links:

Direct download: androidcentral360.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:45am EDT

Alex Dobie takes center stage this week as he, Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand talk about his hands-on experience with some recently announced devices: the Razer Phone and HTC’s U11+.

 

Razer’s maiden voyage into the smartphone market is targeted towards gamers. With a unique 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and a huge 4,000mAh battery, it offers an opportunity for high frame rates on a mobile device. But can the Android gaming experience really take advantage of its potential? And how satisfactory of a phone is it in other respects?

 

The HTC U11+ has a lot going for it from a hardware perspective. On the software side of things, it includes Android Oreo and HTC sense. But there’s a catch—HTC currently has no launch plans for the U.S., and there are no British carriers for it in the UK. In a market with so many excellent, readily available phones, how can this dark horse contender gain any mindshare with consumers?

 

Show Notes and Links:

Direct download: androidcentral359.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00pm EDT

Writer and analyst Daniel Matte from techspecs.blog joins Daniel Bader, Alex Dobie, and Russell Holly to discuss the issues, real and perceived, with the display used on Google’s Pixel 2 XL. They also talk about the software changes Google has promised to help address problems with the device.

 

To wrap things up, the crew chats about the Pixelbook, OnePlus 5T rumors, and the Android 8.1 beta!

 

Show Notes and Links:

Direct download: androidcentral358.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:45pm EDT

It’s a full house this week on the show, but Daniel Bader, Alex Dobie, Andrew Martonik, Jerry Hildenbrand, and Russell Holly deliver a tight 70 minutes of insight into Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Is the display on the XL as bad as some reviewers have said, or are expectations out of whack because the screens on recent Samsung phones are just so good? One thing is certain—the FUD machine is running at full throttle.

 

The crew also talk about the usefulness of the squeeze function as well as the design, materials, and components used by Google. Alex also delivers a taste of what’s to come with the Huawei Mate 10. There will be two different versions of the phone. At this point it’s unclear which ones will be available where, but we do know that Huawei’s SoC is a monster!

 

Show Notes and Links:

Direct download: androidcentral357.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:45pm EDT