Mobiles & Smart Devices

I noticed my Pixel 7's back bulging a bit near the camera module, and after removing the case, it's clear the battery is swelling. It’s only been about 10 months since I bought it, and I haven’t exposed it to extreme heat or dropped it hard. I primarily charge it overnight with the original charger and haven’t used any fast charging adapters. I’m worried about safety and want to avoid damaging the phone further. I haven’t tried disassembling it myself since I don’t want to void any warranty or cause more damage. The phone still powers on and works fine otherwise. Does anyone have experience with battery swelling this early on Pixel phones? Is sending it in for an official…

I accidentally spilled some water on my Moto G Power 2023 while charging it last night. The phone shut off immediately, and after I dried it with a towel and left it in front of a fan for several hours, it powered back on. However, now it keeps showing "No SIM card detected." I removed and reinserted the SIM card multiple times, cleaned the slot gently with a dry brush, and even tried another SIM card from a different carrier, but the phone still doesn't recognize any SIM. I performed a factory reset hoping that might fix any software glitches, but no luck. The phone connects fine to Wi-Fi and can make emergency calls, so it’s definitely a SIM recognition issue. I'm hesit…

So, I've been using the same phone for about five years now, and I can't seem to let it go. It's like an old friend at this point. Sure, it's a bit slow, and the battery life is nothing to brag about, but it does the job, you know? I remember when I first got it, it was all shiny and new, and it felt like the coolest piece of tech ever. Now, it's covered in scratches and the occasional dent, but I still love it. It's survived countless drops, a few accidental swims in the toilet (oops), and even a toddler's bite mark. 😂 I'm curious if anyone else has a hard time moving on from their trusty old devices? Or am I just being overly sentimental? I'd love to hear your stori…

Lately, my 4G signal at home has been really weak, making calls drop and internet painfully slow. I've tried moving around the room and even near windows, but it doesn't help much. I’m thinking about getting a signal booster or maybe switching to a different carrier. Has anyone used a signal booster that actually made a difference? Or do you have tips on improving indoor mobile reception without spending a ton? Would switching carriers be a better move if the coverage map looks good but real-world signals are weak? Looking for practical advice or personal experiences. What worked for you when dealing with poor 4G reception at home?

I've got an Android phone that's about 4 years old now, and it's been getting slower and slower. Apps take forever to load, and sometimes it just freezes out of nowhere. I’ve tried clearing cache and uninstalling some bloatware, but the improvements are minimal. I’m not really looking to buy a new phone just yet. Has anyone found some good tricks or apps that can help boost performance on older Android devices? Maybe some settings tweaks or lightweight launchers? Also, if you’ve tried custom ROMs or rooting for speed, I’d love to hear your experience with that. Was it worth the effort or just more hassle? Any advice or personal success stories would be awesome!

I've been loving my new Galaxy Z Fold 5, but recently I noticed something weird. When I plug it in with the official fast charger (45W), the screen flickers intermittently, especially when the device is off or in standby. However, if I switch to slow charging with a regular 15W charger, the flickering stops completely. I've tried rebooting, clearing cache, and even a factory reset, but no luck. The flickering only happens during charging, never when unplugged. I'm worried this might be a hardware issue with the charging circuit or screen, but I haven't found anyone else reporting the same problem online. Has anyone experienced this with foldables or similar devices? Could…

My trusty Android phone has been slowing down and the battery just doesn’t hold a charge like it used to. I’m not ready to upgrade yet since it still works fine for most stuff, but losing half my battery by midday is a pain. I’ve tried turning off background apps and dimming the screen, but it only helps a little. Anyone else found some tricks or apps that really stretch out battery life on older phones? Would love some easy fixes or settings tweaks before I consider buying a new battery or phone. Also, has anyone tried replacing the battery themselves? How tricky was it?

I've been looking to upgrade my phone mainly for gaming but without breaking the bank. I've tried a couple of mid-range phones from last year but they tend to lag or heat up quickly during extended gaming sessions. I'm not looking for flagship specs, just something that can handle PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile smoothly. Anyone here have recommendations for budget Android phones that punch above their weight? Also, any tips on optimizing settings for better performance would be awesome. What have you all been using that balances price and gaming capability well?

So I updated my Pixel 6 to Android 13 last week, and since then my battery life has been terrible. It used to comfortably last me all day, but now I’m lucky if I get through lunch without scrambling for a charger. I’ve tried disabling background apps, turning off location services, and even rebooting a couple of times, but nothing seems to stick. Has anyone found a fix or workaround? Maybe a setting I missed or an app that’s secretly hogging power? Would love to hear if you’ve experienced this and what helped you get your battery back to normal!

Anyone else feel like their phone is constantly screaming at them about storage? Seriously, it's like every other day I get that dreaded 'Storage almost full' notification. 😩 I swear I don't even have that many apps. But then I realized, it's not just apps. It's the photos, the random screenshots of memes, and all those videos from family gatherings that I swear I'll organize one day. Not to mention the cached data from apps like Instagram and Facebook. They seem to hoard data like it's going out of style! I've tried deleting stuff I don't need, and even moved some photos to cloud storage, but it feels like a never-ending battle. Anyone have tips or tricks to keep their p…

I noticed my Galaxy S21's battery started draining super fast right after the recent software update last week. The odd part is that it happens even when I switch to airplane mode and close all apps. I usually get a full day's use, but now it's down to 50% by early afternoon with barely any use. I've already tried clearing the cache partition and rebooting a couple of times, but no luck. Also, I checked battery usage stats and it doesn't point to any particular app hogging power. Has anyone else experienced this kind of battery drain after an update? What are some less obvious fixes I could try before resorting to a factory reset? Is it possible the update has a bug that…

I've got an Android phone that's about 4 years old now. It's definitely starting to feel slow, battery life is meh, and some apps just crash randomly. I love tinkering with my devices, but I'm not ready to drop a ton of cash on a brand new flagship. I've heard about things like custom ROMs, replacing the battery, or swapping out storage to breathe new life into older phones. I've never tried flashing a ROM before, but I'm curious if it's worth the hassle and risk. Also, how much can a battery replacement help with performance and overall experience? Has anyone done a budget-friendly upgrade on an older Android? What was your approach, and how did it turn out? Would love s…

I've recently noticed my phone data burning through way faster than usual, especially with all the streaming and social media scrolling. I’m on a limited data plan, so I really want to keep an eye on what’s gobbling up my megabytes. I’ve tried checking the built-in data tracker on my Android phone, but it doesn’t give me detailed info about which apps are the biggest culprits or how to restrict background data effectively. I’m looking for apps or tips that can help me monitor and control mobile data usage without draining battery or being annoying with constant notifications. Has anyone found a good app or built-in feature that works well for tracking and managing data…

I've been rocking my Galaxy S21 for a couple of years now, and it's always been solid on battery life. But after the recent software update, I've noticed my battery percentage dropping way faster than usual—even when I'm just browsing or texting. I tried a few quick fixes like restarting the phone, clearing cache, and checking background apps, but nothing really helped. I'm wondering if this is a common glitch with the latest update or maybe something specific to my phone. Has anyone else experienced this sudden battery drain after updating? Did you find any tweaks or settings that helped stabilize your battery life again?

I've recently started getting serious about running outdoors, and I want to keep track of my routes, times, and progress. I've tried a couple of apps like Strava and Runkeeper, but I'm wondering if there are other options out there that might offer better features or a more user-friendly experience. Does anyone have favorite apps for tracking runs, especially ones that integrate well with smartwatches or provide good motivational features? Also, any tips on how to make the most out of these tracking apps would be awesome! What apps do you use, and what features do you find the most helpful when tracking your runs?

I took my Pixel 6 on a week-long backpacking trip through some pretty remote trails in the Cascades. I rely heavily on the phone's GPS for navigation and recording my route. About halfway through the trip, I noticed the GPS location started drifting by a few hundred meters, especially when I was in dense forest or near steep ravines. I tried toggling airplane mode and turning location services off and on, but it didn’t help much. I also updated all apps before the trip, so I assume the software is current. I want to understand if this is just a limitation of the phone’s GPS hardware in tough terrain or if there’s some setting or app that could improve accuracy. Has anyone…

I've recently noticed my monthly mobile data burns through way faster than I'd expect, even though I don't stream much video or music. I’m on a limited plan, so this is starting to get annoying (and expensive). I’ve tried checking my phone’s built-in data usage stats, but it’s a bit rough to figure out which apps are the real culprits or how to throttle them effectively. Has anyone found good apps or tricks to monitor and control data usage better? Maybe something that can alert you before you hit a limit or restrict background data for specific apps? I’m using an Android device, if that helps. Would love to hear what you all use or recommend to keep data usage in check…

Just got a shiny new Android phone and I'm trying to move everything over from my old device. I want to keep all my apps, settings, and data intact without having to redownload and set everything up manually. I've tried using Google's backup feature, but it seems hit or miss - some apps don't restore properly, and I'm worried about losing saved game progress or chat histories. Has anyone found a reliable way to do a full data transfer between Android phones? Are there any third-party apps or tools that work better than the built-in options? Would love to hear your experiences or tips so I don't have to spend hours configuring my new phone. Also, any advice on what to watc…

I just got a new phone last week, and the battery seems to be draining way faster than I expected. I thought new phones usually have great battery life out of the box, but mine barely lasts half a day with normal use. I've tried turning off some background apps and lowering screen brightness, but it doesn't seem to help much. Has anyone else experienced this with a new device? Is this just a break-in period thing, or should I be worried about a faulty battery? Would love to hear any tricks or settings tweaks that helped you squeeze more juice out of your phone. Also, any apps to monitor or manage battery usage better? Thanks!

I've been noticing my OnePlus 9's battery life has taken a nosedive since the recent OxygenOS update. Before the update, I could easily get through a full day with moderate use, but now it barely lasts half a day. I've tried the usual tricks—clearing cache, disabling background apps, and even a factory reset—but nothing seems to help. Has anyone else experienced similar battery drain issues after the latest update? Are there any specific settings or tweaks that helped you improve battery performance? Also curious if this might be a bug that OnePlus will patch soon.

My trusty old Android phone has been slowing down a lot lately, and it's getting frustrating to use. I've tried clearing the cache, uninstalling apps I don't use, and even did a factory reset, but it still feels sluggish. I'm wondering if there's any hidden tricks or apps that can help boost performance without needing to upgrade just yet. Maybe some lightweight launchers or background task managers? Has anyone managed to breathe new life into their old Android devices? What worked for you, and what should I avoid trying?

Anyone else feel like phone batteries just aren't improving fast enough? I mean, we've got folding screens and phones with crazy cameras, but why do I still have to charge my phone every night? 🤔 Last weekend, I was out with friends, and my phone died right as I was trying to book a cab. Classic, right? Ended up borrowing a friend's phone. Not the first time that's happened. You'd think with all the tech advances, we'd have a solution by now. I've heard of some new battery tech in the works, like graphene and solid-state, but they seem to be always 'just around the corner.' Anyone here have any insights on when we might see a real change? Or any tips on extending battery …

So I've been noticing lately that my phone battery seems to be dying way quicker than it used to. I mean, I used to go all day without needing to charge, and now it barely makes it to lunchtime. I've tried all the usual tricks like lowering the brightness, turning off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when I'm not using them, and closing apps running in the background. But nothing seems to work. 😩 Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed their phone battery not lasting as long? Could it be because of an update or something? I'd love to hear if anyone has some tips or if it's time to just accept that I might need a new battery. Any advice or similar experiences would be super help…

I’ve been really happy with my Pixel 7 Pro’s Night Sight mode for months - usually it nails sharp, vibrant low-light shots. But ever since the recent February update, all my Night Sight photos have come out blurry and soft, even though I haven’t changed anything in settings or how I shoot. I’ve tried restarting the phone, clearing the camera app cache, and even factory resetting once, but no luck. It’s weird because regular daytime photos and video look fine, so it seems isolated to Night Sight. I mostly use it for indoor concerts and evening walks, so this is a bummer. Has anyone else experienced this sudden drop in Night Sight quality after an update? Is there a hidden …

I've been noticing my Android phone's battery drains super fast lately, even when I'm not doing much. I've tried turning off Bluetooth and lowering screen brightness, but it still feels like it barely lasts half a day. I’m running a pretty standard setup with no crazy apps or games. Has anyone found some simple tweaks or apps that really help extend battery life without turning the phone into a dumb brick? Also, does anyone have experience with battery saver modes - do they actually work or just slow down the phone too much? Would love some tips or personal hacks that have made a noticeable difference!