If You Could Change One Thing About Android, What Would It Be?
There's no shortage of features, apps, or customization for our Android phones these days, and the technology is pretty mature. But that doesn't mean it can't improve in several areas. I'm thinking of better software updates, bringing back small screens, a true iMessage alternative, or an improved and faster backup and transfer system.If you could change one thing on Android, what would it be?
Cory
37
Do You Use a Google Search Alternative?
Google Search is by far the most popular way to use and interface with the web, but it's not your only option. There's also Bing, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, Brave Search, SearchGPT, and more. Between Search being categorized as a monopoly by the U.S. court system or now having exclusive access to Reddit, I'm wondering what search engine you use. Have you considered alternatives? If so, which ones?
Cory
50
Which Freeware Apps Do You Use Every Day?
I'm happy to pay for a good product. Buy once, cry once, and all that. But the slow transition towards subscription-based software licensing is a plague on my wallet and my psyche. Apps that used to be a one-time purchase have been replaced by vampiric, ghoulish subscriptions, so I find myself digging into the world of freeware more than ever before. I've got my favorites—Handbrake, Wine, VLC—though I'd love to know which freeware apps our readers can't live without.
Andrew
41
What Was Your First Android Phone?
In what feels like a lifetime ago, I was the proud owner of the original T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) Android smartphone. I absolutely loved my HTC Nexus One, but I replaced it with the Galaxy Nexus, the LG Nexus 4, Samsung's Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition, Nexus 5, and many others. For most people, their first Android was likely the Moto DROID. With an all-new Google Pixel 9 coming soon, I'm curious: What was your first Android phone? Did you like it?
Cory
35
What's Your Favorite Linux Distribution and Why?
The Linux distributions out there seem countless, and new ones are arriving all the time. So which is your favorite? What do you like about it? Do you recommend it to other people?
How Often Do You Use Your iPad or Tablet?
I've owned countless Android tablets and iPads and still have a few sitting around my office. However, it's one of those gadgets I rarely use. I do almost everything on my smartphone, and there are certain tasks (like filing my taxes or booking a vacation) I prefer to do on a computer or laptop. As a result, my iPad is collecting dust. The only time I really use it is on airplanes. What about you? How often do you honestly use your iPad?
Cory
32
Are You Planning to Try Linux Mint 22?
This week, Linux Mint 22 was officially released with a number of quality-of-life improvements, boasting six years of security updates. The alternative PC operating system is popular for its familiarity and ease of use for people new to Linux and coming from Windows. In fact, Mint was the first Linux distribution I ever installed, and it served me well for about a year before I started trying others. Are you tempted to give version 22 a try, or, if you're already a Mint user, are you upgrading?
Jordan
38
Do You Still Have a Way to Listen to CDs?
When I talk to people about my CD-collecting habits, they often remark that if they bought a CD, they wouldn't have a way to listen to it. Their car and PC don't have disc drives, they've ditched their DVD player for a streaming stick, and rather than a boombox they have a simple Bluetooth speaker. I listen to my collection mainly with an old Pioneer CD deck that came with an AV set I bought at a yard sale. That's not something you'll find on anyone's Amazon wishlist, though.Do you have a CD player of any kind?
Jordan
65
How Often Do You Use Apple Pay or Google Wallet?
These days, you can do all sorts of things on your phone. You can control your smart home, unlock car doors, or pay for goods without carrying a physical wallet. Virtual wallets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet (formerly Pay), and Samsung Pay are incredibly convenient—as long as they're accepted where you shop. Tap to pay is pretty secure, which is important. This begs the question: How often do you use Apple or Google Pay?
Cory
28
Do You Use Gmail, Outlook, or Something Else?
Google's Gmail and Microsoft's Outlook are two of the most popular (and most used) email providers, but they're certainly not your only options. Do you use one of those two for your primary account, or opt for a Gmail alternative like ProtonMail, Zoho, or even AOL? Hotmail is still around, too, in case you were wondering. What do you use, and why?
Cory
58
Are There Any Games You’ve Been Playing for Years and Still Aren’t Tired Of?
Some games are worth revisiting because there's more to discover, others pull you back with their powerful storytelling, and some have such enjoyable (or possibly addictive) gameplay that there's no reason to stop playing in the first place. Do you have any games that you've been playing for years?
Dan
36
Where Do You Stream Your Music?
There are a fair number of music streaming services available today, from Spotify to Apple Music, to YouTube Music, to Tidal. Compared to video services, most music platforms have impressively complete libraries—you'll be hard-pressed to find a popular musician missing from any of them. This means you can be far more personal with your choice, so what do you go for?
Dan
31
Which Android Keyboard Do You Use?
We all spend lots of time typing on our phones, so choosing the perfect keyboard is important. You don't need to stick with what your phone uses by default. Gboard and SwiftKey are the big names in Android, but they are far from the only options. Which Android keyboard do you favor?
Joe
31
What First Got You Interested in Linux?
If you're using Linux now, there was inevitably something that led you to it, whether it was school, your job, or a video on the internet. Maybe you had a task or project you had in mind and you found Linux was the answer. I got interested when Windows was getting too bloated for my laptop but I didn't want to simply throw it away. I started researching solutions, and an article suggested I look into Linux.How did you end up on team penguin?
Jordan
36
Do You Think Windows Vista Was a Good Operating System?
Windows Vista, the successor to the widely loved Windows XP, was heavily criticized when it launched to the consumer market in 2007. There were software incompatibility problems, an annoying User Account Control system, and performance issues. If you used Vista, what did you think of it at the time, and where do you stand on it now?
Joe
37
What Was the First Video Game You Remember Playing?
The first video game I remember playing was Superman on the Atari. It released way back in 1979 and although I wasn't born for another two decades, I got to play my mom's copy of the game when she pulled it out of the attic one summer. The first game I remember owning was F1 Race on the Game Boy.But that's enough about me! How-To Geek enjoys readers of all different ages, so I'm fascinated to learn what some of your earliest gaming memories are.
Dan
44
What Was the First Game Console You Owned?
As a child, I could imagine no present more exciting than a new game console, though my excitement never peaked like the first time I got one: a Game Boy Pocket, boasting transparent shell. My first home console was a Dreamcast a few years later, and I still remember it fondly.
Dan
31
How Old Is Your Email Address?
Few things have matched the ubiquity and longevity of email. It's one of the primordial flavors of the "information superhighway," and as a result, some people are still using the same email address that they set up in the 90s or early 2000s. So, dear reader, how old is your email address? And have you ever had to abandon an email address for reasons outside your control?
Andrew
62
Do You Use Google Chrome, Safari, or Something Else?
Google Chrome is the most popular web browser with nearly 66% global market share. Apple's Safari browser comes in second place, and several others are below those two. So, what is your go-to web browser? Do you use Google Chrome or Safari, or opt for alternatives like Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, or something else? And if so, why?
Cory
94
What Model Was Your First iPhone?
It feels like only yesterday that Steve Jobs was up on stage back in 2007 unveiling the original iPhone. With its multi-touch smartphone interface, everything changed. Many people bought one or tried the iPhone 3G, which arrived the following year in July 2008. Or maybe your first dabble with iOS was the iPhone X. What was the first iPhone you purchased? Did you like it?
Cory
28
