Android 2026
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Google’s got disco icons for your Pixel phone, and everyone’s already taking them too far
Get Google's new Android disco icon theme on your Pixel phone today, and shake your groove thing while you're doing it.
Say goodbye to your free time: Balatro just went on sale on Android
Balatro, one of the best card games around, is currently on sale on the Google Play Store. But you'll want to act fast.
The MacRumors Show: WWDC26 Promises Apple Intelligence and Siri Upgrades
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote date, the sweeping Siri redesign coming in iOS 27, Apple's latest accessibility feature previews, and the hinge troubles reportedly plaguing the foldable iPhone ahead of its expected launch in the fall. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple this week confirmed its WWDC 2026 keynote for June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the conference running through June 12.
Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 finally enables partial screenshots, but not for everyone
Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 brings the long-leaked partial screenshot feature and enables it by default, but only for large screens.
This OLED Android handheld is great for PS2 games, and it just got a cheaper model
This Android handheld launched last year with enough grunt to comfortably handle most PS2 games. But it's now received a cheaper model.
Your Android home screen widgets are about to get a ton of upgrades
Google has announced a massive Android widgets overhaul powered by Remote Compose, bringing smooth animations and better battery efficiency.
I tried Gemini’s redesigned Android app. Here’s what Google got wrong
Android fans finally got to try Gemini's new Neural Expressive design this week, and the upgrade is a letdown for power users.
BOOX teases another Android-powered rival to the Kindle Scribe
OOX has teased the new Note X6 e-ink tablet ahead of a May 27 launch, with stylus support and upgraded performance expected.
Birdfy Review: Smart Bird Feeders and Bird Bath Put to the Test
There are multiple companies making bird feeders with AI identification that send you pictures and info on the birds visiting your home, and Birdfy is one of the better-known brand names. I've reviewed and regularly use multiple Bird Buddy products, so when Birdfy asked if I wanted to give their bird feeders a look last winter, I said yes. Birdfy has a lot of bird feeder options at different prices, along with camera-equipped bird baths and bird houses.
Clicks Communicator will ship with Android 17 and a bigger battery than we thought
Clicks has confirmed that its debut phone, the Communicator, will come with Android 17, plus a larger battery than previously announced.
The Benefits of NVIDIA GeForce NOW for Budget-Conscious Gamers
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last six months, you know all about the RAM shortage. For consumers, supply has dwindled but demand hasn’t, leading to prices rising significantly and very quickly.Gamers have been hit particularly hard. The RAM shortage is why the price of the PlayStation 5 went up at the end of March, more than five years after its launch. It’s why building a gaming PC has become tougher for people on a budget.And these rising prices are on top of costs that have long been built into gaming. Both console and PC players have to deal with the cost of upgrading their hardware, whether that’s the latest generation for console players or upgraded components and memory for PC players. Then there’s new controllers, peripherals, and monitors.All of this starts to add up for budget-conscious gamers, which is where NVIDIA GeForce NOW steps into the spotlight. It offers gamers a way to experience high-end PC gaming without needing to routinely upgrade their rig.What is GeForce NOW?If you’re not already familiar with it, GeForce NOW is a subscription-based cloud gaming service that lets you stream games you own from popular gaming stores to your PC and other devices. It allows you to play games your PC’s specs wouldn’t normally be able to handle, as well as play on platforms that wouldn’t normally be possible.If you haven’t tried GeForce NOW cloud gaming before, the way it works is that the game isn’t actually run on your computer or whatever device you’re playing on. It’s run on a high-end GeForce RTX-powered gaming rig that streams its performance to your screen. You still control the game as you normally would, but you get the benefits of a more powerful setup without actually having to upgrade your own. And there are AAA games that release day-and-date on GeForce NOW, so you don’t have to sacrifice timeliness in exchange for access.Since the commands you input have to be sent to the server in order to register in-game, input lag depends on the quality of your internet connection. However, those connections have dramatically improved over the last few years, massively reducing latency and making cloud gaming a viable option for most people.Cloud gaming means playing with devices you likely already have at home. Considering current circumstances, that’s potentially thousands of dollars in savings. You also don’t need to worry about regularly upgrading your setup, since the GeForce NOW servers get upgrades without you having to do anything. NVIDIA recently upgraded GeForce NOW to next-gen Blackwell RTX architecture, giving Ultimate members (more on that in a bit) the power of an RTX 5080-class GPU.On to the GamesGeForce NOW also allows you to connect your accounts to digital stores like Steam, Epic, Battle.net, Xbox including Game Pass, and Ubisoft+, giving you access to the games you’ve already bought and own. So you don’t have to double dip and buy games a second time in order to play them as part of the service.There are a total of more than 4,500 games available to play through GeForce NOW, split into two categories: Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play. Games in the Ready-to-Play category are kept up to date by NVIDIA and are always ready to stream instantly. Games in the Install-to-Play category allow you to download and play games that have opted into Steam’s cloud streaming, which run the gamut from indie titles to AAA hits. You can filter these two categories within GeForce NOW, so there’s no confusion about which games are in which group.And GeForce NOW regularly rolls out member rewards tied to popular games, like in-game items, early access perks, or special events that line up with big releases. It’s an extra layer of value on top of being able to bring the library you already own.In addition to the financial benefits, cloud gaming also offers convenience that can be helpful for people leading hectic lives. Like we mentioned, games in the Ready-to-Play category are kept up to date by NVIDIA at all times. So that means no more finally getting to play a game after life has kept you away for a while, only to discover you have to wait for a big update or patch to download.Game Across DevicesPlus, GeForce NOW allows you to play your games on devices where they’re not natively available. You can get GeForce NOW on Mac, Chromebook, tablets, iOS and Android phones, a number of LG and Samsung smart TVs, the Steam Deck, Xbox ROG Ally, and more. And since your in-game save data is tied to the cloud, you can carry over your current status between all of those devices without losing any progress.The resolution, fps, length of gaming session, and graphics card you have access to depend on which tier of GeForce NOW you sign up for. Since you’re getting access through external servers, there’s also a wait time to get connected that depends on your tier.Membership LevelsThere are three tiers: Free, Performance, and Ultimate. The free tier has up to 1080p resolution, up to 60 fps, and ads while you queue to start a game. You’ll have access to all Ready-to-Play games, but you’re limited to one-hour gaming sessions. For all the tiers, there’s no limit to the number of sessions you can have in a day. You just have to re-enter the queue when your session ends.The Performance tier is $9.99 per month or $99.99 for a full year, there are no ads, and you get up to 1440p resolution, up to 60 fps, six-hour gaming sessions, and priority access in the queue. So getting into a game generally takes less than a minute.The Ultimate tier is $19.99 per month or $199.99 for a year. It has no ads, up to 5K resolution, up to 240 fps, first priority access in the queue, eight-hour gaming sessions, and this is the only tier where games can be played with the power of a GeForce RTX 5080-class GPU. GeForce NOW also recently announced that Ultimate members get priority access to a RTX 5080 gaming rig every gaming session, based on availability, across nearly the entire GeForce NOW library.Performance and Ultimate memberships have access to both the Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play catalogs, and there are day passes available that give you the features of those tiers for 24 hours. A day pass for the Performance tier is $3.99, while the Ultimate tier is $7.99. They’re a good way for newcomers to test out which tier works best for them without having to commit to a full monthly or yearly subscription. And if you get a day pass and then choose to upgrade to a longer term membership, the value of the day pass is applied to your subscription.From time to time, GeForce NOW also offers limited-time membership offers or bundles with select games, giving players another way to stretch their budget a bit further. If you’re already considering a longer-term plan, it can be worth keeping an eye out for these promotions in the weekly GFN Thursday blogs for the latest rewards, offers, and news.If you want to try GeForce NOW for yourself, you can do so right now on the official website. The process is quick and straightforward. With no end in sight for the RAM shortage and price hikes, now might be the time to see if cloud gaming is the right choice for you.
An Audible bug is burning through some users’ mobile data
Users have been reporting that the Audible app on Android is using much more mobile data than it's supposed to.
I can’t believe how fast Google vibe coded my first Android app
From prompt to phone in minutes flat.
Meta beware: Google could end up selling 2 million Android XR glasses this year
An analytics firm projects Google's upcoming XR glasses will sell 2 million units in 2026, signaling strong demand
Android 17 gets a smarter media switcher, and it already feels better than the old carousel
Android 17 will change the old carousel layout to a new design for switching the media player on the lock screen and in the notifications shade.
Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 reveals new screenshot buttons, likely for Aluminium OS
In Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3, we've spotted new buttons in the screenshot overlay that could potentially be intended for Aluminium OS devices.
Here’s a closer look at how Android 17’s OS verification is going to work
This week's Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 release sheds new light on how the upcoming OS verification tool will function.
New videos show off the oddball Android handheld you should be keeping an eye on
This year's most intriguing gaming handheld could be available soon.
Wallpaper Wednesday: More great phone wallpapers for all to share (May 20)
Looking for some new Android wallpapers? Here's the Android Authority Wallpaper Wednesday roundup for May 20, 2026.
Here is our best look yet at the computing puck powering XREAL’s Android XR glasses
Google is showing off XREAL's Project Aura Android XR glasses along with its computing puck and some glimpses of what the hardware can do.
This long-running PS1 emulator for Android just got Google Drive support
There's no shortage of PS1 emulators on Android, but this long-running app has just received a standout cloud save feature.
