6 Android apps I keep on my phone specifically because they ignore AI
…you can disable AI features on your Android phone one toggle at a time. Google Photos added a switch for its Gemini-powered search in early 2026, and Samsung lets you turn…
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I tried to de-Google my phone using only open source apps, and only 2 survived
…The AI fluff, privacy invasions, and endless subscriptions are the price of having things that simply work. The only control we have is deciding who gets access to our data, how much…
For the first time, I can tell YouTube what I want to watch instead of the other way around
…The custom feed chip appears only when both YouTube search history and watch history are turned on. That makes sense from a recommendation standpoint, since the AI needs past activity to understand…
Gemini’s smartest feature almost expands globally
…It turned the AI assistant into a personal assistant by letting it pull data and contextual information from your Google account, Gmail, Photos, and even YouTube's search history. However, the feature…
I tried Google's new Magic Pointer and it changed how I want to use a laptop
…It marks the end of Chromebooks and the dawn of a new era of AI so tightly integrated into our laptops that we won’t know where the OS ends and Gemini…
I tested dozens of music players, and this is the only one I kept
…No AI-powered tools No algorithms The fewest number of steps between opening the app and playing the music I want Equalizer Casting option Customizable tabs It's also worth pointing out…
Google Play Books has a serious problem, and Google doesn't have the answer
…use of an AI Assistant here. An "Ask Gemini" button in the app could provide me with the context I need and save me from switching apps to search for the character…
Why I abandoned Gemini and returned to Google Assistant for my daily routines
…Gemini isn't really a replacement for Google Assistant Recent months have shown that Google intends to replace Google Search with a Gemini-powered AI search function. There are many problems with…
I found the YouTube setting every Shorts hater should turn on
Ben Khalesi May 9, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT I’ve been covering Android since 2023, when I joined Android Police, mostly focusing on AI and everything around Pixel and Galaxy phones…
Samsung is giving up control of a core Android experience to Google, and I don't love it
…It’s becoming nearly impossible to distinguish Galaxy AI from Gemini, especially since the latter powers many of Galaxy AI’s functions. Features like Circle to Search, note assist, and live translations…