Ali Salman Zia
(He/Him)
Lahore, Punjab
Covers:
I cover consumer technology, smartphones, Android, Apple, Google, Samsung, AI, software, hardware, semiconductors, and emerging technology.
Tech Storyteller & Editor | Author at Android Police | Founder & Editor at AppleRadar | Previously at Wccftech | Covering Apple, Android, AI & consumer tech.
Articles by Ali Salman Zia
I asked Gemini to fix my Pixel issues; here's what actually worked
Over time, my Google Pixel had built up a handful of small annoyances, the kind of issues you notice at first but never really sit down to fix them properly. Gemini has silently become useful for everyday troubleshooting like this, not only for asking trivia questions or writing emails. This brought me to ask about four separate issues instead of googling each one separately like I normally would. Some of the answers were straightforward and immediately useful, but others only helped partially.
I stopped upgrading my Galaxy Watch every year; here's what I learned
Tech companies release something new almost every month, and I used to feel one step behind if I didn't keep up with everything I wanted. I used to buy a handful of gadgets each year without asking myself why. I bought the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 in 2023 fully expecting to replace it within a year or two, the same way I'd treat the Apple Watch and phones for most of my adult life.
I stopped upgrading my Galaxy Watch every year; here's what I learned
1 hour ago It took decades, but the technology is finally ready. Why am I suddenly buying up every 3D Blu-ray I can find after 3D became one of the biggest tech flops of all time? The technology’s finally ready for 3D movies to shine, more than 15 years since James Cameron’s Avatar wowed me on the big screen …
Remix is the silliest new Google Photos feature, but I can't stop using it
Google releases an update for its Photos app every now and then with new front-facing features, but most of them come and go without me ever noticing they exist. Google Photos silently added 15 new Remix templates, along with a wider rollout of several other Create tab features across more regions. While some don't pique my interest, other Google Photos additions earn a permanent spot in how I actually use my phone, and Remix wasn't the one I expected to join the list.
I added Google's new Pixel VIP widget to my home screen; it replaced 3 messaging apps
Every time I needed to reach out to the people I talk to the most, I'd pause for a second to decide which app that specific conversation lived in. Phone for a quick call, Messages for one of them, and WhatsApp for the other two, three separate apps for the same three people. It's a small annoyance in isolation, but it adds up fast across a full day of switching apps without thinking. Small automations tend to earn a permanent spot on my home screen after they genuinely save real steps.
Pixel's new Pause Point convinced me to ditch my old and useless Digital Wellbeing limits
I set up app times on Instagram and YouTube years ago, when Digital Wellbeing first became a real settings menu on Android. More apps made the cut later on, Threads for instance, after it was launched in 2023. I ignored every one of them without exception, and the moment the cutoff hit, I'd tap through the warning and keep scrolling anyway, every time, without fail.
I created a digital Monster Manual in Google Canvas to instantly recall D&D lore
Running Dungeons & Dragons sessions using the 2024 fifth edition rules means constantly referencing the Monster Manual mid-game, and to be fair, that book was never built for speed. I had an epiphany. Why not use Gemini's Canvas feature to build a tool for this problem, so I could use my own version instead of fighting with the physical book every session I run.
I created a digital Monster Manual in Google Canvas to instantly recall D&D lore
Now Mobile gamers may find this especially useful. Add Engadget on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover This summer, the popular games studio Bungie ended development on the long-running, live-service game Destiny 2. As an avid player who had chewed through all the content that game had to offer, I …
I tried turning my Z Fold 8 into a DeX desktop; it barely worked
Samsung DeX has existed ever since the company released the Galaxy S8 lineup in 2017, and it's always meant plugging into a monitor to get a real desktop out of your phone. A third-party app called Gadesk claims to skip that, running full DeX on the Z Fold 8's 7.6-inch screen, no monitor or external display required. It also doesn't require rooting or sideloading, since the app is available on the Play Store. I wanted this setup for actual work, not just a party trick to show off.
It will be a cold day in hell before I trust Google with my gaming again
I was a Stadia user when it was still cool to say that out loud, even before the gaming community knew how its story would end. Google's track record with new hardware and software categories has never inspired confidence, and Stadia is the one example that taught me the hard way. Google has tried to make gaming work on a handful of its platforms, more than I can count at this point, with more than a decade of separate attempts.
Android 17 finally stopped websites from blasting audio at me without warning
I read a lot of news on my phone. I use Chrome because it's part of my job. I have to know about every little thing that Google and Android are up to, along with their competition. Besides that, I follow general industry news and AI. One specific thing about the ordeal frustrated me for months. A news site I visit often runs autoplay videos with the audio turned on by default, and every so often, one of those videos would blast me with sound without warning.
I stopped accepting a broken tablet experience after Android 17 forced developers to actually try
I own an Android tablet because I want a bigger screen, which, to be fair, is the device's entire purpose. It's easier to read, browse, and do everyday tasks. For years, plenty of apps I use day to day didn't seem to care that I'd made that choice. Facebook and Reddit have treated my tablet like an oversized phone, either locking into portrait or leaving huge stretches of the landscape display empty and unused.
I stopped accepting a broken tablet experience after Android 17 forced developers to actually try
I own an Android tablet because I want a bigger screen, which, to be fair, is the device's entire purpose. It's easier to read, browse, and do everyday tasks. For years, plenty of apps I use day to day didn't seem to care that I'd made that choice. Facebook and Reddit have treated my tablet like an oversized phone, either locking into portrait or leaving huge stretches of the landscape display empty and unused.
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