Use a Wear OS watch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ chip, not an older, laggy Wear OS device
A Sports Car Engine for Your Wrist
Using an old Wear OS watch is like trying to drive a car with a lawnmower engine. It sputters, it struggles to get up to speed, and every command feels like a chore. A new watch with the Snapdragon W5+ chip is a complete transformation. It’s like dropping a supercharged V8 engine into that same car. Suddenly, apps open instantly, animations are buttery smooth, and the entire experience is breathtakingly fast and responsive. It’s the powerful engine the platform always deserved, turning a frustrating gadget into a joyful tool.
Stop just using your Android tablet for media consumption. Do use it in a “hub mode” as a smart home controller
Your Home’s Command Center, Not Just Its Television
Using a tablet just to watch movies is like using the bridge of a starship as a private movie theater. It’s nice, but you’re ignoring all the powerful controls around you. Putting your tablet in “hub mode” is like stepping into the captain’s chair. With one tap, you can see your security cameras, dim the living room lights, adjust the thermostat, and see who is at the front door. You transform your tablet from a passive entertainment screen into the active, all-powerful command center for your entire home.
Stop just using your Chromecast for casting. Do get a Chromecast with Google TV to have a full smart TV interface with apps
The Movie Projector vs. The Entire Movie Theater
A basic Chromecast is a simple, brilliant movie projector. It can only play what you tell it to from your phone or laptop. A Chromecast with Google TV is the entire movie theater. It has its own brain, its own remote control, and a dazzling lobby filled with posters for every streaming service imaginable (the apps). You no longer need another device to be the projectionist; you can just sit down, pick up the remote, and choose your own show. It’s a complete, all-in-one entertainment system.
The #1 secret for a powerful setup is the deep integration between your Android phone and your Chromebook with Phone Hub, not buying a separate laptop
The Perfect Dance Partner
Using a separate laptop with your phone is like having two people trying to dance together who don’t know the steps. They are constantly bumping into each other and passing things clumsily. A Chromebook with Phone Hub is a pair of professional dance partners. Your phone’s notifications, photos, and even apps appear on your Chromebook instantly and gracefully. They move in perfect sync, sharing information without a single word, creating a seamless, elegant workflow that makes the two separate devices feel like one.
I’m just going to say it: Android tablets have always had better hardware than the iPad, but have been held back by a lack of developer support for tablet-optimized apps
A Ferrari Engine in a Go-Kart Frame
For years, buying an Android tablet has been like acquiring a breathtakingly powerful Ferrari engine—a stunning OLED screen, massive RAM, and a screaming-fast processor. But the app ecosystem has often been the equivalent of a flimsy, poorly-designed go-kart frame. When developers just stretch their phone apps instead of building a proper tablet experience, you end up with a machine that has limitless potential but can’t handle the corners. The gorgeous engine is being let down by a chassis that wasn’t built for the race.
The reason your Wear OS watch battery is dying is because you have the always-on display and “tilt-to-wake” both enabled
The Two Overlapping Security Guards
Imagine you hire two security guards for your front door. One guard’s job is to stand there and hold the door open all day long (the always-on display). The other guard’s job is to jump up and open the door every time you walk towards it (“tilt-to-wake”). You have two people doing the exact same job, and you’re paying both of them a full salary. Your watch is doing the same thing, draining its energy (the battery) twice as fast for a single, redundant task.
If you’re still using your TV’s slow, built-in “smart” features, you’re losing a much better experience by not plugging in a $50 Google TV stick
The Horse and Buggy vs. The Sports Car
Using your TV’s built-in “smart” apps is like trying to commute with a slow, clunky horse and buggy from 1990. It’s a frustrating, laggy experience with outdated software. A modern Google TV dongle is a sleek, affordable sports car. You plug it in, and suddenly you have a screaming-fast, modern interface with all the latest apps, updated constantly with new features. For a tiny investment, you can give your beautiful big screen the powerful, modern engine it actually deserves.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that Wear OS is a failed platform. The latest version on modern hardware is actually quite good
The Restaurant Under New Management
For years, Wear OS was like a restaurant in a great location with a terrible chef and slow service. People wrote it off as a failure. But recently, the restaurant came under new management. They hired a world-class chef (Samsung’s software influence), completely renovated the kitchen (the new W5+ chip), and revamped the menu (the latest Wear OS version). The name on the door is the same, but the experience is now fast, delicious, and absolutely worth a second chance.
I wish I knew that I could use my Wear OS watch as a remote shutter for my phone’s camera when I was trying to take group photos
The Secret Tripod Button
Taking a group photo is always a mad dash. You prop your phone up, set a timer, and sprint back to the group, hoping you make it in time. The camera remote feature on your watch is the secret button for your tripod. You can walk back to the group, compose the shot, and see a live preview right on your wrist. When everyone is smiling perfectly, you just tap your watch. It’s a calm, controlled, and brilliant trick that turns a stressful scramble into a perfect picture.
99% of Android tablet users make this one mistake: not enabling “Developer options” and setting the “Smallest width” to make apps use their tablet UI
The Adjustable Bookshelf
Many Android apps have a secret “tablet mode” with extra panels and features, but they only activate on a wide screen. Your tablet might be wide enough, but the software still thinks it’s a phone. It’s like a bookshelf with its shelves set too close together for your big books. By changing the “Smallest width” setting, you are telling the system to adjust its shelves. Suddenly, the apps recognize the extra space and unfold into their beautiful, full-featured tablet layouts, unlocking your screen’s true potential.
This one small action of installing a custom watch face from the Play Store will change the entire look and functionality of your Wear OS watch forever
Your Watch’s New Personality
Using the default watch face is like wearing a standard-issue, company uniform. It’s functional, but it has no personality. The Play Store is a massive wardrobe filled with thousands of unique outfits for your watch. With one tap, you can change it from a classic Swiss chronograph to a futuristic digital command center or a minimalist work of art. You can add widgets for the weather, your heart rate, or your next appointment. It’s the key to transforming a generic gadget into a truly personal and powerful tool.
Use your phone as a remote control for Google TV, not searching for the tiny remote that came with it
The Universal Remote That’s Always in Your Pocket
The little plastic remote that comes with your TV is like a single, easy-to-lose key. Your phone, however, is a master key that you never, ever lose. The Google TV app instantly turns your phone into a powerful remote control. You can use its big, comfortable keyboard to type in passwords, swipe on the screen like a trackpad, and access voice search without shouting across the room. It’s the superior, always-available remote that you already own.
Stop just using your Chromebook for browsing. Do enable the Linux container to run desktop-grade software
The Secret, Hidden Workshop
A Chromebook out of the box is like a clean, simple, and efficient office space, perfect for writing letters and reading. But hidden behind one of the walls is a secret door. Enabling the Linux container is like opening that door to reveal a massive, powerful workshop. Suddenly, your simple office machine has access to a whole new world of professional-grade tools for programming, graphic design, and scientific analysis. It transforms a simple device into a versatile powerhouse.
Stop just wearing your smartwatch. Do use its NFC chip to make payments with Google Pay without taking out your phone
The Magic Wallet on Your Wrist
Fumbling for your wallet or phone at a checkout counter is a common hassle. Your smartwatch has a secret superpower. With its built-in NFC chip, you can load your credit cards into Google Pay. Now, you can pay for your groceries or your morning coffee with a simple, magical tap of your wrist on the payment terminal. It’s faster, more secure, and feels like you’re living in the future, turning a clumsy chore into a seamless, satisfying interaction.
The #1 hack for a better tablet experience is using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to turn it into a mini laptop
The Instant Transformation
A tablet by itself is a fantastic slate for consuming content. The moment you connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, it undergoes a magical transformation. It ceases to be just a “tablet” and becomes a lightweight, ultra-portable laptop. Suddenly, you can type long emails, work on spreadsheets, and navigate with a precise cursor. This simple addition of two peripherals is the single most powerful hack to unlock the productive, creative potential that was always hiding inside your device.
I’m just going to say it: The best Android tablet for productivity is a Samsung Galaxy Tab because of the DeX desktop environment
The Secret Briefcase Computer
Most tablets are just big phones. A Samsung tablet has a secret identity. It’s a normal, beautiful tablet, but with one tap, it activates “DeX mode.” This is like opening a secret briefcase to reveal a full desktop computer hiding inside. Your apps open in windows, you get a real taskbar, and it feels just like a laptop. It’s not just a stretched-out phone interface; it’s a completely different, powerful software environment that makes real, productive work a genuine pleasure.
The reason your Google TV is slow is you’ve installed too many apps and haven’t cleared the cache
The Overstuffed Filing Cabinet
Imagine your TV’s brain is a small filing cabinet. Every app you install is a new file folder, and every time you use an app, it leaves behind little scraps of paper (the cache). Over time, the cabinet becomes so overstuffed with folders and scraps that it takes forever to find anything. The TV feels slow because its brain is cluttered. Uninstalling unused apps and clearing the cache is like shredding old files and tidying up, giving the system the clean, open space it needs to think fast again.
If you’re still typing passwords on your TV with a remote, you’re not using your phone’s keyboard which automatically pops up
The Magical, Remote Typewriter
Typing a password on your TV using the on-screen keyboard and a remote is like trying to write a letter by picking out each character with a pair of chopsticks. It’s a slow, painful, and error-prone nightmare. The Android ecosystem has a magical solution. The moment a password box appears on your TV, a notification automatically pops up on your phone. Tapping it lets you type the password on your phone’s familiar, comfortable keyboard, and it instantly appears on the TV.
The biggest lie is that you need a brand-name “Smart TV.” A cheap “dumb” TV with a Google TV dongle is a better and more up-to-date system
The Beautiful Frame vs. The Smart Brain
A “Smart TV” is a product where the beautiful screen (the frame) and the computer (the brain) are permanently fused together. The problem is, the brain becomes slow and outdated in just a couple of years, while the frame is still perfect. The better solution is to buy a beautiful “dumb” frame and plug in a small, cheap, and replaceable brain—a Google TV dongle. This way, every few years, you can spend a few bucks to upgrade the brain, ensuring your TV is always fast and modern.
I wish I knew about the “Watch Unlock” feature to keep my phone unlocked when my watch is connected and on my wrist
The Trusted Companion
Unlocking your phone dozens of times a day is a small but constant friction. The “Watch Unlock” feature is like telling your phone, “You know my watch, you trust it. If you can feel it’s on my wrist and nearby, you don’t need to ask me for my password.” It creates a small, trusted bubble around you. The moment you step away from your phone or take off your watch, the security locks back down. It’s a brilliant feature that removes a daily annoyance without compromising your safety.
99% of Google TV users don’t know they can sideload apps that aren’t available in the official Play Store
The Secret Back Door to the App Library
The Google Play Store on your TV is the official, curated front entrance to the app library. But what if you want a book (an app) that isn’t on the official shelves, like a special web browser or a unique file manager? Sideloading is the secret back door that the librarians leave unlocked for advanced users. It allows you to bring in your own apps, giving you the freedom to run a much wider world of software than what’s available in the main lobby.
This one small habit of customizing the quick settings tiles on your Wear OS watch will give you instant access to your most-used functions forever
Arranging Your Most-Used Tools on Your Belt
When you first get your watch, its quick settings menu is like a pre-packaged tool belt with a random assortment of tools. But you might not need a hammer and a saw every day. Customizing these tiles is like taking all the tools off that belt and putting back only the three or four you use constantly—like your flashlight, Google Pay, and “find my phone.” Now, the exact tool you need is always just a single swipe and a tap away, perfectly arranged for your personal workflow.
Use your phone’s “Nearby Share” to instantly send files to your Chromebook, not emailing them to yourself
The Pneumatic Tube Between Your Desks
Emailing a file to yourself to move it between devices is like putting a document in an envelope, walking it down to the post office, and mailing it to yourself. It’s slow and inefficient. Nearby Share is a direct, high-speed pneumatic tube that you install between your phone’s desk and your Chromebook’s desk. With two taps, you can send a photo, a link, or a document whizzing directly from one device to the other, instantly and wirelessly.
Stop just using your tablet in landscape. Do appreciate the apps that work well in a vertical, “magazine-style” orientation
The Painting and the Portrait
Some digital experiences are like a beautiful landscape painting; they are meant to be viewed horizontally. But others are like a classic portrait; they are designed to be tall and narrow. Forcing everything into landscape mode is like hanging a portrait on its side. Apps for reading news, browsing social media, or shopping often feel much more natural and comfortable in a vertical, “magazine-style” orientation that mimics the way we’ve read things for centuries.
Stop relying on your watch’s tiny screen. Do use the companion app on your phone to configure its settings
The Command Center for Your Field Agent
Your watch is a powerful field agent, out there on your wrist collecting data and performing tasks. But its tiny screen is a cramped little office. Trying to change its deep settings there is a pain. The companion app on your phone is the spacious, comfortable command center back at headquarters. You can use the big screen to easily customize watch faces, manage apps, and set up notifications, giving your field agent its orders in the most efficient way possible.
The #1 secret for a better smart TV is using the “Ambient Mode” to turn it into a beautiful digital photo frame when idle
The Painting That’s Never Boring
A normal TV, when turned off, is a giant, black, ugly rectangle hanging on your wall. It’s a void of dead space. The “Ambient Mode” on Google TV is a secret feature that brings that black rectangle to life. When you’re not watching something, it can display your favorite family photos from Google Photos, beautiful artwork, or a subtle weather forecast. It transforms a piece of ugly, dormant technology into a dynamic, beautiful, and personal piece of art for your living room.
I’m just going to say it: The lack of a high-end, “Pixel Tablet” to compete with the iPad Pro is Google’s biggest hardware failure
The Missing Masterpiece in the Art Gallery
The Google hardware lineup is like a beautiful art gallery. It has a stunning centerpiece painting (the Pixel phone), some clever sculptures (the smart speakers), and interesting photography (the Chromebooks). But there is a giant, empty wall where a breathtaking, large-format masterpiece should hang. The lack of a true, high-end “Pixel Tablet” to showcase the best of Android on a large screen and compete with the top of the market is a glaring, disappointing hole in an otherwise impressive collection.
The reason your Chromebook feels slow is you have too many Android apps running in the background
The Party in the Next Room
Your Chromebook’s main brain (ChromeOS) is trying to have a quiet, focused work session. But in the room next door, you’ve allowed dozens of Android apps to throw a loud, chaotic party. Even though you’re not in the room with them, their noise and energy are bleeding through the walls, making it hard for the main brain to concentrate. Closing those background Android apps is like telling the party to go home, restoring the peace and quiet your Chromebook needs to think fast.
If you’re still using your watch’s default fitness tracking, you’re missing the powerful integration with Google Fit or third-party apps like Strava
The Basic Car Odometer vs. The Racing Telemetry
The default fitness app on your watch is like the simple odometer in your car; it tells you how far you’ve gone. But an app like Google Fit or Strava is like a full, professional racing telemetry system. It not only tracks your distance, but also your heart rate zones, your route on a map, your pace, and your elevation, and then compares your performance to your past efforts and your friends. It transforms a simple step count into a rich, data-driven story of your health.
The biggest lie is that Android tablets are “just big phones.” The software is slowly but surely getting better tablet-specific features
The Awkward Teenager Growing into a Capable Adult
For a long time, this was true. The software on Android tablets felt like an awkward teenager wearing their parent’s oversized clothes. It was just phone software, stretched out. But that teenager is finally growing up. With features like a taskbar, better split-screen multitasking, and more apps being properly optimized, the software is starting to fit its larger body. It’s not a full-grown adult yet, but the awkward phase is ending, and a truly capable, mature platform is emerging.
I wish I knew that I could reply to messages with a full QWERTY keyboard on my Wear OS watch
The Secret, Tiny Typewriter
Replying to a message on a watch seems impossible. You think you’re limited to a few pre-canned responses or clumsy voice dictation. But a secret weapon is hiding in plain sight. With a single tap, you can bring up a surprisingly usable, full QWERTY keyboard right on your watch screen. You can swipe between letters with incredible accuracy, typing out a quick, custom response without ever touching your phone. It’s a tiny but mighty typewriter that gives you a new level of communication power.
99% of users don’t use their phone to control their smart home devices via the Google Home app on their wrist
The Light Switch on Your Arm
You’re comfortable in bed, but you forgot to turn off the living room lights. The old way was to get up and walk to the switch. The new way is to not even move. With the Google Home app on your watch, you have the light switch for your entire house strapped to your wrist. You can turn off the lights, lock the doors, or adjust the thermostat with a few simple taps, turning your smartwatch into the ultimate remote control for your physical world.
This one small action of enabling ADB debugging on your Google TV will allow you to debloat and customize it
The Key to the Maintenance Room
Your Google TV is like a well-designed hotel room. It’s clean and functional, but you can’t change the furniture. Enabling ADB debugging is like being given the secret key to the hotel’s maintenance and engineering rooms. Suddenly, you have the power to go “behind the scenes” and remove the built-in furniture you don’t like (bloatware), install your own custom decorations (third-party launchers), and fine-tune the room’s performance to your exact specifications. It’s the key to making the space truly your own.
Use your Android tablet as a second monitor for your laptop with an app like Duet Display
The Magical, Portable Extra Screen
Working on a single laptop screen can feel cramped, like trying to cook a giant meal on a single, tiny cutting board. An app like Duet Display is a magic trick that instantly transforms your Android tablet into a second, fully functional monitor. You can drag your email or a research paper over to the tablet screen, freeing up your main display for your primary work. It’s a beautifully simple way to double your workspace and boost your productivity, anywhere you go.
Stop just casting a tab from Chrome. Do cast your entire desktop for presentations
Sharing a Single Piece of Paper vs. Sharing Your Whole Desk
Casting a single Chrome tab is like showing someone a single piece of paper. It’s useful, but they can’t see anything else you’re working on. Casting your entire desktop is like inviting them to look over your shoulder at your entire desk. They can see how you switch between your presentation, a spreadsheet, and a web page. It’s the perfect way to give a dynamic presentation or to show someone a complete workflow, not just one static document.
Stop just using the default watch band. Do buy a standard 20mm or 22mm band to match your style
The Belt for Your Outfit
You wouldn’t wear the same generic, black canvas belt with every single outfit you own, from a tuxedo to your gym shorts. Yet people do this with their watch. Most Wear OS watches use a standard watch band size. This means you can go to any jeweler or online store and buy a new “belt” for your watch—a metal one for work, a leather one for a night out, a nylon one for the gym. It’s the key to making your watch a true fashion accessory.
The #1 hack for a faster Chromebook is to avoid installing Android apps you could just use the web version for
The Heavy Backpack vs. The Open Window
Every Android app you install on your Chromebook is like putting a heavy book in its backpack. It has to carry that weight around, which slows it down. But almost every one of those services also has a beautiful, lightweight website. Using the web version is like simply opening a window to look at the information instead of carrying the whole book. By keeping the backpack light, you allow your Chromebook to run as it was designed to: fast, light, and unburdened.
I’m just going to say it: The fact that WhatsApp doesn’t have a proper, standalone Android tablet app in 2025 is embarrassing
The World’s Busiest Restaurant Refusing to Open a New Branch
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging service in the world, a restaurant with a line out the door every single day. Android tablets are a massive, bustling new city with millions of hungry customers. The fact that this incredibly successful restaurant has stubbornly refused to open a proper branch in this new city for over a decade is not just a bad business decision; it’s a baffling and embarrassing insult to the millions of people who are desperate to eat their food.
The reason your devices don’t feel connected is you’re not signed into the same Google account on all of them
The Family with Different Last Names
The Google ecosystem works like a family. All the devices talk to each other, share photos, and know each other’s schedules. But this only works if they all have the same last name—the same Google account. If your phone is a “Smith” and your TV is a “Jones,” they will act like complete strangers. Making sure every device is signed into the exact same account is the foundational step that allows the family to recognize each other and start working together as a team.
If you’re still using a Fitbit, you’re missing the “smart” features of a full Wear OS watch, like offline maps and music
The Pedometer vs. The Smartphone on Your Wrist
A Fitbit is a brilliant, specialized tool. It’s a high-tech pedometer that’s fantastic at counting your steps and tracking your sleep. A Wear OS watch is a full-fledged smartphone that has been shrunk down to fit on your wrist. It can do everything the pedometer can do, but it can also give you turn-by-turn directions on a map, store and play your music without your phone, and pay for your coffee. It’s a powerful, general-purpose computer, not just a single-purpose tracker.
The biggest lie is that the ecosystem is as seamless as Apple’s. It’s more open and flexible, but requires a little more setup
The Custom-Built PC vs. The Sealed iMac
Apple’s ecosystem is a beautiful, sealed iMac. You take it out of the box, and it works perfectly, but you can’t upgrade it or change how it operates. The Android ecosystem is a powerful, custom-built PC. You get to choose your own monitor, keyboard, and speakers, from any brand you want. This gives you incredible flexibility and power, but you have to take a few extra minutes to plug all the pieces in and make sure they’re talking to each other.
I wish I knew about mapping the customizable buttons on my watch to launch my most-used app
The Secret Speed-Dial Button
Many smartwatches have an extra, customizable button, but by default, it often does nothing or launches a feature you never use. It’s a blank speed-dial button. Going into the settings and mapping that button to your most-used app—like Google Pay or your workout tracker—is a game-changer. You’re creating a physical, one-press shortcut that bypasses the screen, the app drawer, and all the menus, taking you directly to the one thing you need most, instantly.
99% of users with a Google TV remote don’t use the built-in microphone for voice search
The Librarian Who’s Always Listening
Typing a movie title with a remote is like searching for a book in a giant library by wandering the aisles aimlessly. It’s slow and frustrating. The microphone button on your remote is a direct line to the world’s smartest librarian. Instead of hunting, you can just press the button and say, “Show me action movies with Tom Cruise,” and the librarian will instantly present you with a perfectly curated list. It’s the difference between a painful search and a simple conversation.
This one small habit of using your watch’s “Find my phone” feature will save you hours of searching forever
The Invisible String Connecting Your Devices
Losing your phone in your own house is a special kind of frustrating. The “Find my phone” feature on your watch is an invisible string that is always connecting your two most important devices. When you can’t find your phone, you don’t have to panic. You just swipe down on your watch, tap one button, and give that invisible string a tug. Your phone will then start screaming for help from between the couch cushions, turning a 10-minute search into a 10-second solution.
Use your phone’s hotspot to get your non-cellular tablet or Chromebook online anywhere
The Personal Wi-Fi Bubble
A tablet or Chromebook without a cellular connection is like a powerful desktop computer that’s chained to your home’s Wi-Fi. But your phone has a secret superpower: it can become a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. With one tap, it creates a personal, mobile bubble of internet that your other devices can connect to. This simple trick unchains your tablet and Chromebook, allowing you to take them to a park, a coffee shop, or a car and use them to their full potential.
Stop just using your TV for video. Do cast a game from your phone to the big screen
The Giant Magnifying Glass for Your Games
Playing a game on your phone is fun, but the screen can feel small and cramped. Casting your phone’s screen to your TV is like putting a giant, high-definition magnifying glass over your game. The action is suddenly huge, immersive, and more exciting. While it’s not perfect for fast-paced action games, it’s a fantastic way to share a casual puzzle game with the whole family or to get a better view of a complex strategy game, turning a solo experience into a shared one.
Stop being limited by your Chromecast’s internal storage. Do use a USB-C hub to add a flash drive for more apps and media
The Magical Storage Expansion Pack
A Chromecast with Google TV is an amazing device, but its small internal storage is like a tiny backpack that gets full way too fast. A simple, affordable USB-C hub is the magical “bag of holding” that solves this problem. You can plug in a cheap USB flash drive and suddenly have a massive new space to store more apps and even your own movie files. It’s a simple, powerful hardware upgrade that breaks the device’s biggest limitation.
The #1 secret for a great tablet experience is buying one with a high-quality screen and stereo speakers
The Private Cinema
The two things you interact with constantly on a tablet are the screen and the speakers. This is its entire purpose. Buying a tablet with a dim, low-resolution screen and a single, tinny speaker is like building a home theater with a blurry projector and a clock radio for sound. Investing in a tablet with a vibrant, sharp display and rich, stereo speakers is the secret to a truly immersive experience. It’s the difference between watching a movie and being in one.
I’m just going to say it: Google needs to merge ChromeOS and Android into a single, scalable operating system
The Two Brilliant but Warring Kingdoms
For years, Google has been the ruler of two separate, brilliant kingdoms. In one, there is the vast, powerful empire of Android. In the other, there is the sleek, efficient, and secure republic of ChromeOS. They are both successful, but their citizens are constantly confused about which one to pledge allegiance to. The time has come to merge these two great nations into a single, unified super-state that scales perfectly from a tiny watch screen to a giant desktop monitor, combining the best of both worlds.
The reason your watch isn’t getting notifications is it’s disconnected from your phone via Bluetooth
The Severed Leash
Your watch is a loyal dog, and your phone is its owner. They are connected by an invisible Bluetooth leash. The watch doesn’t have its own brain for most things; it relies on the owner (the phone) to tell it what’s happening. If you walk too far away from your phone or the leash gets accidentally unclipped in the settings, the dog is on its own. It can still do a few tricks, but it won’t know about the mailman (a notification) until it’s reconnected to its master.
If you’re still using your TV’s remote, you’re missing the convenience of asking any Google Assistant speaker to play something on the TV
The Voice-Activated Butler for Your House
Hunting for the TV remote is a classic frustration. If you have a Google Assistant smart speaker, you already have a better remote that you can’t lose: your voice. You can be in the kitchen and say, “Hey Google, play the latest episode of The Mandalorian on the living room TV,” and by the time you walk in, the show will be starting. It’s like having a helpful butler who can operate your electronics for you, no remote required.
The biggest lie is that you need a Samsung phone to get the most out of a Samsung watch. Many features work with any Android phone
The “Exclusive” Club with an Open Door
Samsung markets its watches and phones like an exclusive country club, hinting that you need to be a member of both to get the best experience. And while there are a few, minor “members-only” perks, the truth is that the club’s doors are wide open. The vast majority of the watch’s best features—the fitness tracking, the notifications, the custom watch faces, and Google Pay—work perfectly and beautifully with any modern Android phone. It’s an inclusive experience, not an exclusive one.
I wish I knew that I could use my phone as a gyroscope-based game controller for some Android TV games
The Wii Remote You Already Own
Some games on your TV, especially racing games or simple sports games, are more fun with motion controls. You don’t need to buy a special controller. Your phone has a secret superpower hiding inside: its gyroscope. For certain games, you can pair your phone, and it transforms into a motion-sensitive game controller, just like a Nintendo Wii remote. You can physically tilt and turn your phone to steer the car, adding a layer of immersive, physical fun to your gaming experience.
99% of users don’t customize the “app drawer” on their Google TV homescreen to hide apps they never use
Cleaning the Clutter Off Your Coffee Table
The default Google TV homescreen is like a coffee table that comes pre-cluttered with a dozen magazines you will never, ever read. Most people just live with the mess. But you have the power to be the interior designer. By going into the settings, you can “hide” all the apps and services you don’t subscribe to. This cleans off the coffee table, leaving only the three or four favorite magazines (your actual streaming apps) that you love, for a cleaner and more focused experience.
This one small action of enabling “Developer Mode” on your Chromebook will give you access to a world of new capabilities
The Key to the City
A standard Chromebook is a key to a clean, safe, and efficient city park. It’s wonderful, but your access is limited. Enabling “Developer Mode” is being handed the master key to the entire city. It’s a more dangerous and complex environment, but it gives you the power to go anywhere, modify the infrastructure, and install software that is normally not allowed. It’s the gateway to a deeper level of control and customization, transforming your device from a simple appliance into a true computer.
Use Google Keep on your watch to see your shopping list at the grocery store without touching your phone
The List That’s Always on Your Wrist
Juggling a shopping list, a cart, and your items at the grocery store is a frustrating dance. You’re constantly pulling your phone out of your pocket. By using Google Keep on your watch, you can pin your shopping list directly to your wrist. Now, with a simple glance, you can see the next item and check it off with a tap. Your hands are free, your phone is safely in your pocket, and the whole experience becomes smoother and more efficient.
Stop using your tablet with a flimsy folio case. Do use a magnetic keyboard case for a better typing experience
The Floppy Notepad vs. The Sturdy Laptop
A flimsy folio case turns your sleek, rigid tablet into a floppy, awkward object. Trying to type on the screen while it’s wobbling around is a nightmare. A good magnetic keyboard case is a transformer. The moment you snap the tablet into it, it becomes a sturdy, satisfying, and comfortable mini-laptop. The strong magnets hold it at the perfect angle, and the physical keyboard provides a tactile typing experience that is a thousand times better than tapping on glass.
Stop just using your watch for notifications. Do use it for turn-by-turn navigation on your wrist
The Gentle Tap on Your Shoulder
Navigating a busy city while constantly looking down at your phone is dangerous and stressful. When you use Google Maps on your watch, you get a secret co-pilot. Your phone can stay in your pocket. As you walk, your watch will give you a gentle, vibrating tap on your wrist just before you need to make a turn. It’s a silent, intuitive, and incredibly calming way to navigate, allowing you to keep your head up and experience the city around you.
The #1 hack for a better ecosystem is staying within one brand (e.g., Samsung phone, watch, and tablet) for extra integration features
The Team with a Secret Language
The Android ecosystem is like a sports league where all the teams can play together. But a team made up of players from the same club—like Samsung—has an advantage. They have spent years training together and have a set of secret hand signals and special plays (the exclusive software features) that only they know. This allows them to work together just a little more seamlessly than a team of all-stars from different clubs, offering a small but delightful bonus for brand loyalty.
I’m just going to say it: The experience of running Android apps on a Chromebook is still inconsistent and buggy
The Talented but Unreliable Translator
The feature that lets a Chromebook run Android apps is like a brilliant translator who can let two people who speak different languages have a conversation. When it works, it’s absolute magic. But the translator is also a bit moody and unreliable. Sometimes, they get the translation slightly wrong, things get formatted weirdly, or they just freeze up and stop talking entirely. It’s a powerful and promising technology, but you can’t yet rely on it for a mission-critical conversation.
The reason your watch is slow is you have too many third-party “tiles” or complications active
The Overly-Decorated Christmas Tree
Your watch face is like a Christmas tree. The core watch face is the tree itself. Every “tile” (a full screen of information) or “complication” (a small piece of data) you add is another ornament you hang on its branches. A few beautiful, useful ornaments are great. But if you hang hundreds of heavy, complex ornaments on every single branch, the tree will start to sag under the weight, and it will take a lot more effort to get anything done.
If you’re still using your phone for recipes in the kitchen, you’re risking a mess when a tablet or smart display is a much better tool
The Cookbook on the Counter
Trying to read a recipe off your small phone screen while your hands are covered in flour is a recipe for disaster. You’re constantly touching it, it keeps turning off, and it’s one splash away from ruin. A tablet or a smart display is the perfect kitchen cookbook. It has a big, bright screen that you can read from a distance, it can stay on for the whole cooking session, and with voice commands, you can move to the next step without ever touching the screen.
The biggest lie is that you need the most expensive device in each category. The mid-range options are often the best value
The Professional Chef’s Knife vs. The Reliable Home Knife
The most expensive, top-of-the-line gadget is a professional chef’s knife. It’s a work of art, but it’s incredibly specialized and costs a fortune. For 99% of what you do in the kitchen, a high-quality but affordable “home” chef’s knife is just as good, if not better. The mid-range of the Android ecosystem is that sweet spot. You get a fantastic, reliable tool that does everything you need at a fraction of the cost, providing the absolute best balance of price and performance.
I wish I knew I could download Spotify playlists directly to my Wear OS watch for phone-free running
The Music Player That Comes With You
Going for a run with a big, bouncing phone strapped to your arm is a clumsy and annoying experience. The ability to download your music directly to your watch is a liberation. It’s like your tiny watch swallows your favorite running playlist. You can leave your phone at home, connect your Bluetooth earbuds directly to your watch, and have your motivating soundtrack with you on the trail. It’s a lighter, freer, and more focused way to run.
99% of users don’t use their phone’s camera to scan the QR code for Wi-Fi setup on their Google TV
The Instant, Magical Handshake
Typing your long, complicated Wi-Fi password into your TV using a remote is one of the most frustrating experiences in modern technology. The QR code setup is the magical secret handshake that bypasses it all. Your phone already knows the password. The TV displays a special code, you point your phone’s camera at it, and a connection is instantly and securely established. It’s a moment of pure, delightful “it just works” magic that saves you from a world of tedious typing.
This one small habit of restarting your smartwatch once a week will keep it running smoothly
The Quick Nap for Your Wrist’s Brain
Your smartwatch is a tiny computer that is running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just like you, its brain can get a little tired and cluttered after a while. A quick restart is like a 30-second power nap. It allows the watch to clear its head, tidy up its memory, and start fresh. This one simple, weekly habit can solve a host of mysterious slowdowns and glitches, ensuring your tiny companion is always running at its peak performance.
Use the Google TV app on your phone to add movies and shows to your watchlist from anywhere
The Universal Shopping List for Entertainment
You’re at work, and a friend tells you about an amazing new show. How do you remember to watch it later? The Google TV app on your phone is a universal shopping list for movies and shows. You can open the app, find that show, and tap “Add to Watchlist.” Later, when you’re at home in front of any of your TVs, that show will be sitting there, waiting for you. It’s a brilliant way to capture entertainment ideas the moment they strike.
Stop using your TV’s terrible built-in browser. Do cast a Chrome tab from your laptop instead
The High-Definition Projector for Your Best Tool
Your TV’s built-in web browser is a cheap, plastic toy hammer. Your laptop’s Chrome browser is a powerful, professional-grade nail gun. Trying to browse the web on your TV is a slow, painful experience. Instead, use the best tool for the job. Casting a Chrome tab from your laptop is like using a high-definition projector to display the work of your powerful tool onto the big screen. It’s a faster, more capable, and infinitely less frustrating way to share the web.
Stop just accepting the default watch face. Do use an app like Facer or WatchMaker for infinite customization
The Watch Store with a Million Watches
The Play Store offers a few dozen good watch faces. It’s a nice little watch kiosk. An app like Facer is a massive, multi-story department store with a million different watches inside. You can find a replica of a classic movie watch, a data-rich face for a pilot, or even design your own from scratch. It’s a gateway to a universe of endless customization, ensuring your watch face is not just one of a dozen choices, but a unique expression of your personality.
The #1 secret for a seamless experience is having a good Wi-Fi network that all your devices can rely on
The Foundation of Your Smart Home
Your collection of smart devices is like a beautiful, high-tech house. Your Wi-Fi network is the foundation that the entire house is built upon. If you have a weak, cracked, and unreliable foundation, it doesn’t matter how fancy the furniture is; the whole house will feel shaky and unstable. Investing in a modern, powerful Wi-Fi router is the single most important secret to a happy ecosystem. It’s the rock-solid foundation that allows all your amazing gadgets to communicate perfectly.
I’m just going to say it: The charging situation for smartwatches (mostly proprietary pucks) is a mess compared to the USB-C standard on phones
The Dozen Different Keys for a Dozen Different Locks
In the world of phones, we have finally achieved a beautiful simplicity. One universal USB-C key can open almost every lock. The world of smartwatches is a frustrating step back in time. Every single watch has its own unique, proprietary charging “key.” If you forget or lose your specific charger, you’re completely out of luck. It’s a user-hostile mess of needless electronic waste that is crying out for the same elegant, universal solution that phones have already adopted.
The reason your tablet feels slow is that it has a weak processor and not enough RAM
The Narrow Pipe for a Rushing River
Imagine all the data on your tablet is a giant, rushing river. The processor and RAM are the pipe that this entire river has to flow through. If you bought a tablet with a narrow, weak pipe, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the river is; it’s going to get choked, backed up, and slow to a trickle. A powerful processor and plenty of RAM create a huge, wide-open pipeline, allowing all the data to flow through smoothly and instantly, resulting in a fast and responsive experience.
If you’re still using a non-Android smart TV, you’re missing out on the largest app ecosystem for televisions
The Small Town Library vs. The Library of Congress
A smart TV running its own weird, proprietary operating system is like having access to a small, local town library. It has the most popular books, but the selection is small, and they rarely get new ones. A TV running the Android/Google TV operating system is like being given a key to the Library of Congress. You have access to a vast, ever-expanding universe of apps, services, and games, ensuring you will always find exactly what you’re looking for.
The biggest lie is that a Chromebook is “just a browser.” Modern Chromebooks are powerful and versatile computers
The Simple-Looking Door That Opens to a Mansion
People look at a Chromebook and see its simple, clean interface and assume it’s “just a browser.” This is like judging a mansion by its simple, elegant front door. Once you open that door, you discover a vast interior with a full Android app playroom, a powerful Linux development workshop, and a world of capable web applications. It’s a secure, efficient, and surprisingly powerful computer that has simply chosen to hide its immense complexity behind a friendly and welcoming facade.
I wish I knew that I could use my watch’s “Do Not Disturb” to also silence my phone
The Master Mute Switch
Your phone and watch are two members of an orchestra. Sometimes, you need them both to be silent, and it’s a pain to have to mute each one individually. The “sync Do Not Disturb” feature is the conductor’s master signal for silence. When you set your watch to DND before a meeting or a movie, it silently taps your phone on the shoulder and tells it to be quiet too. It’s a simple, elegant feature that ensures your digital world respects your real one.
99% of users never try different home screen launchers on their Google TV
Changing the Interior Decorator of Your Living Room
The default Google TV homescreen is a living room designed by Google’s interior decorator. It’s clean and functional, but it might not be to your taste. A third-party launcher is like hiring your own, new interior decorator. They can completely change the layout, the color scheme, and what art (apps) is featured on the walls. It’s a powerful way to take back control of your TV’s most important screen and make it a space that is organized exactly the way you think.
This one small action of signing up for Google One will give you more storage across all your devices and a VPN for your phone
The All-Access Pass to the Digital Resort
Your free Google account is a general admission ticket to a great theme park. A Google One subscription is the all-access, VIP pass. For a few dollars, the gates to a massive new storage area swing open, giving you room for all your photos and files. You also get a private, secure shuttle (the VPN) to protect you when you’re on public Wi-Fi. And you even get a few extra perks and discounts at the gift shop. It’s the single best upgrade for your entire digital life.
Use your Android tablet to wirelessly extend your Windows desktop
The Instant, Wireless Second Monitor
You’re working on your Windows laptop, but you feel cramped by the single screen. You have an Android tablet sitting right there. With the right software, you can perform a magic trick. With one click, you can turn your tablet into a wireless second monitor for your Windows PC. You can drag windows, documents, and tool palettes over to it as if it were physically plugged in. It’s a stunningly useful feature that gives you a multi-monitor setup, anywhere you happen to be.
Stop using your watch for long-form replies. Do use the quick voice dictation instead
The Telegram, Not The Long Letter
Trying to type out a long, detailed message on your watch’s tiny keyboard is like trying to write a three-page letter on a tiny telegram machine. It’s the wrong tool for the job. Your watch is built for speed and brevity. Voice dictation is the perfect tool. You can speak a quick, two-sentence reply with incredible speed and accuracy. Use the watch for the quick “telegram” and save the long, thoughtful “letter” for your phone’s much more comfortable keyboard.
Stop just buying a TV. Do check which version of the Google TV or Android TV OS it’s running
Checking the “Model Year” of the Car’s Engine
When you buy a TV, you’re buying two things: the beautiful chassis (the screen) and the engine (the software). A TV might be “new,” but it could be running a version of the operating system that is years old. This is like a car dealership selling you a brand new car body that has a five-year-old engine under the hood. Always check the OS version to make sure you’re getting a modern, powerful engine, not just a shiny new coat of paint.
The #1 hack for a parent is a Chromebook for their child, which is more secure and manageable than a Windows laptop
The Safe, Walled Playground vs. The Wild, Open City
Giving a child a Windows laptop is like dropping them in the middle of a wild, chaotic city. There are dangers, viruses, and dark alleys everywhere. A Chromebook is a safe, clean, walled playground. It’s incredibly difficult for viruses to get in, it’s easy for you (the parent) to set rules and see what they’re doing, and it’s designed from the ground up to be secure. It gives them the power of a computer without the dangers of the big city.
I’m just going to say it: The Google Assistant on Wear OS is still slower and less reliable than it is on the phone
The Branch Office vs. The Headquarters
Google Assistant on your phone is the brilliant, all-knowing CEO working from the massive, powerful headquarters. It’s fast, smart, and has access to all the resources. The Assistant on your watch is a dedicated employee working from a small, remote branch office. They are still very helpful, but they have a slower connection to the main brain and fewer resources at their disposal. They can get the job done, but it’s just not the same as talking directly to the boss.
The reason your devices aren’t syncing is that “auto-sync” is turned off on one of them
The Mail That’s Piling Up at the Post Office
Your devices sync information like a mail delivery service. But if you’ve accidentally turned off “auto-sync,” it’s like you’ve told the mailman to stop delivering your mail. Your new contacts, calendar appointments, and emails are all piling up at the post office (Google’s servers), but they aren’t being delivered to your house (your device). Turning that one switch back on is like telling the mailman to resume their route, and suddenly all your information flows freely again.
If you’re still using a tablet with a 16:9 aspect ratio, you’re missing out on the better productivity of a 4:3 or 3:2 screen
The Hot Dog Bun vs. The Slice of Bread
A 16:9 tablet is a long, skinny hot dog bun. It’s fantastic for one specific thing: watching widescreen movies. A tablet with a taller, squarer aspect ratio is like a classic slice of bread. It’s far more versatile. It’s better for reading websites, writing documents, and running two apps side-by-side. You can still put a hot dog on it, but it’s also great for everything else. It’s the shape of productivity, not just consumption.
The biggest lie is that you need a cellular watch. The Wi-Fi version is fine for 99% of people
The Satellite Phone vs. The Walkie-Talkie
A cellular watch is a powerful satellite phone. It can make a call from anywhere in the world, completely on its own. It’s an amazing tool for a mountain climber, but it’s expensive overkill for most people. A Wi-Fi/Bluetooth watch is a high-tech walkie-talkie that’s always connected to the powerful phone in your pocket. For the 99% of the time that your phone is with you, the walkie-talkie works perfectly and saves you money on the unnecessary satellite phone subscription.
I wish I knew that I could use a USB-C hub with my tablet to connect external hard drives, keyboards, and monitors
The Swiss Army Knife for Your Tablet
A tablet’s single USB-C port looks simple, but it’s a magical gateway. A USB-C hub is the Swiss Army knife that unlocks its hidden powers. You plug in the hub, and suddenly your sleek tablet has ports for a full-sized keyboard, a mouse, an external hard drive, an SD card from your camera, and even a big-screen monitor. It’s a breathtaking accessory that transforms your tablet from a simple slate into a powerful, expandable workstation that can connect to almost anything.
99% of users don’t use the “Guest Mode” on their Chromecast for when friends come over
The Guest Wi-Fi for Your TV
When a friend comes over, you don’t give them the master password to your home Wi-Fi; you give them the guest network password. Guest Mode on a Chromecast is the exact same idea. It allows your friends to cast their own videos and music to your TV without needing to be on your Wi-Fi network at all. It’s a simple, secure, and brilliant feature that lets your guests share their content without you having to share your private network credentials.
This one small action of turning off auto-play previews on your Google TV will make the interface less chaotic
The Library Where the Books Stop Shouting at You
The default Google TV interface is like walking into a library where every single book on every shelf starts shouting its summary at you as you walk by. It’s a chaotic, noisy, and overwhelming experience. Turning off the auto-playing video previews is like a blessed moment of silence. The books are still there, with their beautiful covers, but now you can browse in peace and quiet, choosing to open one only when you are truly interested, not because it was the loudest.
Use your watch to track your sleep, not just your steps
The Night Watchman for Your Body
Tracking your steps is like having a daytime security guard who only reports on who comes in and out of the building. Tracking your sleep is like hiring a dedicated night watchman. This guard can give you a detailed report on what happened while you were unconscious—how long you spent in deep sleep versus light sleep, how many times you were disturbed, and the overall quality of your rest. It provides a deeper, 24-hour understanding of your body’s health and recovery.
Stop using your TV speakers. Do use a soundbar connected via HDMI ARC for much better audio
The Phone’s Speaker vs. a Bluetooth Speaker
The speakers built into modern, thin TVs are like the tiny, tinny speaker on your smartphone. They work, but they are thin, weak, and have no bass. A soundbar is a dedicated, high-quality Bluetooth speaker for your television. The HDMI ARC port is the magic that allows it to work seamlessly, turning on and off with your TV and responding to your remote. It’s the single best upgrade you can make to your home theater, transforming a weak, thin sound into a rich, immersive experience.
Stop just using the official apps. Do explore the world of open-source alternatives for all your devices
The Supermarket vs. The Farmers’ Market
The official app stores are the giant, convenient supermarkets. They are great, but everything is corporate and pre-packaged. The world of open-source software is the local farmers’ market. It’s run by a passionate community of individuals. The produce (the apps) is often fresher, more innovative, and comes with the added benefit that you can see all the ingredients (the source code) and be sure there’s nothing nasty hidden inside. It’s a healthier and often more ethical place to get your digital goods.
The #1 secret for the Android ecosystem is that it’s a loose collection of devices that you get to tie together, not a rigid system that forces you
The Box of LEGOs vs. The Pre-Built Model
Apple’s ecosystem is a beautiful, pre-built model car that comes glued together in the box. All the parts are designed to work together perfectly, but you can’t change or add anything. The Android ecosystem is a giant, chaotic box of LEGOs from a dozen different sets. It’s up to you to be the master builder. You get to choose the wheels from one company and the engine from another, giving you the freedom to build a machine that is uniquely and perfectly your own.
I’m just going to say it: Apple’s “Continuity” features are still more polished than Android’s multi-device integrations
The Well-Rehearsed Orchestra vs. The Talented Jazz Band
Apple’s ecosystem is like a world-class orchestra that has been playing the same beautiful symphony together for a decade. Every note is perfect, every transition is seamless, and the performance is flawless. The Android ecosystem is more like an incredibly talented jazz band. The individual musicians are brilliant, and they can improvise and create amazing things together. But sometimes, the timing is a little off, and the transitions aren’t quite as perfectly polished as the orchestra that has been following the same sheet music forever.
The reason you can’t install an app on your TV is it’s a phone app that isn’t compatible with the TV interface
The Car Part for Your Motorcycle
The Google Play Store is a massive auto parts store. You can’t just walk in, grab a random car door, and expect it to fit on your motorcycle. A TV app needs a completely different design—it has to work with a remote control, not a touchscreen. If an app isn’t available for your TV, it’s because the developer has only built the “car door” version and hasn’t yet designed the special “motorcycle” version that would actually work on your machine.
If you’re still using a tablet without stylus support, you’re missing out on a major input method
Your Fingers vs. a Fine-Tipped Pen
Using your finger on a tablet is like trying to write or draw with a big, chunky crayon. It’s great for broad strokes, but it lacks all precision. A stylus is a fine-tipped, pressure-sensitive pen. It unlocks a whole new dimension of creativity and productivity. You can take handwritten notes, sketch detailed drawings, or sign documents with the same natural precision as using a real pen on real paper. It’s a fundamentally different and more powerful way to interact with your device.
The biggest lie is that these devices will make you more productive. They can also be a huge source of distraction
The Workshop Full of Tools and Toys
Your collection of smart devices is a powerful workshop, filled with incredible tools that can help you build amazing things. But that workshop is also filled with a state-of-the-art television, a comfy couch, and a fully-stocked video game arcade. The potential for productivity is immense, but the potential for distraction is equally powerful. The devices themselves are neutral; they are only as productive or as distracting as the discipline of the person using them.
I wish I knew that I could use my watch as a flashlight in a dark room
The Tiny Lantern on Your Wrist
Fumbling for your phone in the middle of the night just to use its flashlight is a clumsy, blinding experience. Your watch has a secret, gentle alternative. With a swipe and a tap, you can turn its screen bright white. It’s not a searchlight that will wake up the whole house; it’s a soft, gentle lantern. It provides just enough light to find your way to the bathroom or locate the keyhole in a dark doorway, a simple and discreet tool that’s always with you.
99% of users don’t know they can run a full version of Microsoft Office on a modern Chromebook
The Secret Office Building
People think of Chromebooks as being just for Google Docs. But modern, powerful Chromebooks have a secret office building inside them. Through the Google Play Store, you can install and run the full-featured, official Android versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For the vast majority of tasks, these are just as powerful as their desktop counterparts. The myth that you can’t do “real work” on a Chromebook is a relic of the past; the entire Microsoft suite is ready and waiting.
This one small action of creating a “smart home” routine that involves your lights, TV, and phone will make you feel like you’re living in the future
Your “Movie Night” Magic Spell
A smart home can feel like a collection of disconnected tricks. A routine is the magic spell that ties them all together. You can create a spell called “Movie Night.” Now, when you say, “Hey Google, it’s movie night,” a whole sequence of magic happens at once: the living room lights dim to 20%, the TV turns on and switches to Netflix, and your phone automatically goes into “Do Not Disturb” mode. It’s a breathtaking moment where your separate gadgets work in concert to obey a single command.
Use all your Android devices together to create a flexible, powerful ecosystem that works for you, not the other way around
A Team of Specialists You Get to Coach
The Android ecosystem is a team of individual, talented specialists. The watch is a great scout, the tablet is a master strategist, and the phone is the star quarterback. Unlike other ecosystems that force you to run their pre-set plays, Android makes you the coach. You get to decide how these players work together. You can build a system focused on fitness, productivity, or entertainment, creating a flexible, personalized, and powerful team that is built to win your game.