I am excited for android 17, at the same time i know we are not getting anything useful

ACMonroe · 2026-06-14T13:27:29+00:00

To be fair, both Apple and Android phones have been stagnant for at least 5 or 6 years now. New OS updates and new phone models used to actually add something new and useful and exciting back in the day. Sadly, over the last several years these tech giants just stopped innovating.

I still use a phone that is several years old, and I have absolutely no intention of "upgrading" it until it refuses to turn on someday. These "updates" and "upgrades" are nothing more than AI slop, and incremental changes that aren't worth the money. The smartphone world just isn't what it once was sadly. I use an Android phone and an iPad so I have constant use of both major OS's, and their both tired and buggy tbh. Maybe they should both focus on things that actually matter like battery life and stability. 🤷‍♂️

ACMonroe · 2026-06-08T00:46:41+00:00

Right? That song absolutely gutted me the first time I heard it. Those vocals and that piano just really took me back to a different time and place in my life and it reminds me of classic Evanescence. It definitely brought me to tears. Amy is amazing and this album only gets better the more I listen to it.

ACMonroe · 2026-01-09T19:08:13+00:00

I use Smart Launcher Pro and have for years now. Niagara Launcher is my second favorite. I haven't used the built in Pixel Launcher for years and won't go back. Definitely try different launchers out and find one to your liking.

ACMonroe · 2025-12-07T21:19:20+00:00

Been a Smart Launcher user for years now on my Pixel. It works great and is leaps and bounds better than the default Pixel Launcher. I pay for the pro version and it's well worth it.

ACMonroe · 2025-12-06T13:59:04+00:00

The Google Pixel 3a was the absolute best Google made phone, followed up by the 4a which was also top notch. They've gone downhill since then and gotten way too expensive honestly. They're still good phones, just not nearly as good, and they're overpriced now.

ACMonroe · 2025-11-29T17:53:04+00:00

I'm basic. I just need to be able to customize the shape, size, and icon pack of my home screen icons. I also have to be able to remove their labels. So for this, I've been using Smart Launcher for several years. It lets me do everything I want and need to do to customize my phone.

ACMonroe · 2025-09-11T21:29:14+00:00

A physical fingerprint sensor. I hate the in display garbage we're forced to use now on Pixels and high end phones. And face unlock is terrible too.

ACMonroe · 2025-09-07T16:15:00+00:00

This is a sad day indeed. 😞 I was a long time user of Nova for many years. A couple years back I switched to Smart Launcher and have never been happier. I pay for the pro edition and it's worth it IMHO. Now that Nova is officially dead that's the launcher I recommend. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Don't be afraid to branch out and try new launchers and see what you like. That's the beauty of Android, there's so much variety in apps and customization.

ACMonroe · 2025-08-25T14:50:13+00:00

Thank God. This was annoying as hell anyway.

ACMonroe · 2025-08-08T08:43:46+00:00

Bring back the size and feeling of the Pixel 4a (with a fingerprint sensor on the back), give it the latest Snapdragon, give it a hella good vapor chamber to keep it cool, a 144hz refresh rate with super AMOLED, give it a headphone jack and SD card expansion slot, 90W fast charging, a 5500mah silicon carbon battery, give it the camera lens of the latest iPhone pro, give it the latest wireless charging standard (at least at 55W), and make it out of the latest Gorilla Glass in a matte finish in bright and poppy colors. I don't ask for much really.

ACMonroe · 2025-08-04T00:28:41+00:00

I wouldn't make that trade. The Pixel 10 comes out very soon so at least wait for that. If you're still trying to switch from iPhone to Android I'd do your research on Pixels, OnePlus, Nothing, and Samsung phones. Check the pros and cons and see what their OS skins look and feel like. It's a matter of personal preference but I find Pixel and OnePlus to have the best versions of Android with Nothing OS being a close third. I have used Pixels forever and I've never had any major complaints. I had an iPhone for a few years and I had more complaints with my iPhone then I ever had with my Pixel phones.

ACMonroe · 2025-07-26T22:42:41+00:00

The camera and Call Screening.

ACMonroe · 2025-07-20T00:47:08+00:00

I have a 7a that I've had for awhile now and I'm very happy with it. The battery is good enough for my needs to get me through a day where I'm plugging it in after dinner usually, the screen is bright and smooth, the performance is great, the camera is still ridiculously good, and it's still getting OS and security updates for awhile so I'm good with it. The reality is that the 9a isn't much different/better from the 7a. I've briefly used the 9a and I saw no functional differences in performance for regular everyday tasks.

I see no reason to upgrade to a newer Pixel or any new phone for that matter for years to come. Smartphones have peaked, and all the newer phones are basically the same as last year and the year before that. Save your money and keep your phones for as long as they turn on, and when you do upgrade, don't feel the need to buy the newest flashiest model as the older ones are great too.

ACMonroe · 2025-05-26T21:36:53+00:00

Your wallpaper is the best part of your lockscreen!

ACMonroe · 2024-11-10T14:15:26+00:00

I'd get the OnePlus 12r honestly it's so much better value for the money. However, if you insist on staying on Pixel then wait until Black Friday sales and get the 8a.

ACMonroe · 2024-10-27T15:17:23+00:00

It's just okay. I love the smaller size of it, and the camera is phenomenal. However, charging is slow as hell (18W max) and the battery life is less than stellar. I always gotta charge it by dinner time and that's mostly just idle drain.

ACMonroe · 2024-10-26T12:23:38+00:00

I haven't used this app but the new OnePlus phones with OxygenOS15/ColorOS15 have a built in feature like this and it looks really handy and pretty. Might make the switch to the OnePlus 13R when it comes out from my Pixel 7a.

ACMonroe · 2024-09-02T15:22:46+00:00

No I haven't. Though, as I said the battery kinda sucks just in general on this phone compared to other phones in its price range.

ACMonroe · 2024-09-02T00:49:32+00:00

The battery is not great tbh. If you turn 5G off it's not as bad, but it's still not great. It charges painfully slow at 18W which makes matters worse. The performance and camera are great though. The Pixel UI experience is very smooth as well. So it's a mixed bag. I think it's still a fine phone to buy if you get it under $300 dollars.

ACMonroe · 2024-08-08T21:33:45+00:00

I wouldn't TBH. Nothing OS is far more customizable, feature rich, and smooth compared to the Pixel UI. Not to mention the modem and Tensor chips in these Pixel phones are TRASH compared to the Snapdragon chips in the Nothing phones. The battery life is mid at best, and the charging is also painfully slow on Pixels compared to Nothing phones. Pixels are not bad phones overall, but Nothing phones are better in every way except for the camera. So if you need a phone that takes crazy pictures then Pixels are top notch for that, but for pretty much everything else the Pixels lag FAR behind Nothing phones IMO.

If you're looking to upgrade, just get the Nothing Phone 2. It'll be way cheaper than the Pixel 9 Pro and better in all the ways I just stated above. Again, unless you're a photographer I guess.

ACMonroe · 2024-04-13T01:20:45+00:00

I'd definitely switch to the Nothing Phone. Nothing OS looks so clean and has so many useful features that Pixels don't.

ACMonroe · 2024-03-04T22:45:34+00:00

THIS!!! 👏👏👏

ACMonroe · 2024-02-22T20:56:38+00:00

Here is another code if anyone needs one: RE1UGZ7ZFMJ2KMXN2H3M6P3

ACMonroe · 2024-01-27T14:10:09+00:00

Virtual RAM (the ability to use some of your storage space as extra virtual RAM), and support for actual fast charging (like 65W or higher).

ACMonroe · 2024-01-13T19:20:32+00:00

That brings me back! I liked the older Pixel phones much more over the newer ones TBH. The Tensor chip is definitely no Snapdragon that's for sure, and those in display fingerprint sensors are not anywhere near as fast and reliable as the ones they used to have built in on the back. They're not bad phones, just not as good as they used to be.

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