Jacob Brokes
Commenting since February 2026
An AI thumbnail? Really?
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On Sample news article - Android Authority ·
@Brian Hadfield That's what they used to do, and it was awful. The other thing I like about this new design is it takes up less vertical space if you have multiple pins, so you can actually see your non-pinned chats.
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On Sample news article - Android Authority ·
The old design was quite bad because it didn't differentiate pinned and non-pinned chats except for with a single icon that was on the opposite side of where your eyes are (since you read the names on the left but the icon was on the right). This probably could have been done differently, but it is miles ahead of the old solution and I was super excited when this rolled out to me.
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On Siri AI beats Gemini at the thing that matters most ·
For me, the biggest thing missing is privacy. Google still refuses to let you access Gemini Apps unless you allow it to train on your chats, even if you have a paid subscription, which is unacceptable.
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On Is Android 17 QPR1 causing issues on your Pixel? ·
My Bluetooth has been acting up. I had to restart my phone and re-pair my earbuds and now it wants me to re-pair my car too.
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On Google Messages preps a whole new UI to go with new pinning limits ·
It's still too much, but the old design took up even more space and offered no differentiation from regular threads, so it's an improvement at least.
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On Why a day with the iPhone convinced this longtime Android user not to switch ·
I think they're referencing how if you want to reset an app on iOS, you have to uninstall it from the App Store and then redownload and reinstall it, while on Android you can just go to the settings page for the app, clear the app storage, and open the app for it to be like a fresh install.
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On Can we please shut up about the Pixel 10a’s bezels? ·
How are you liking the switch?
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On I replaced my $1,000 Pixel 10 Pro with the $500 Pixel 10a — and I might not go back ·
I upgraded from a 7a to a 9 Pro over the summer. The 9 Pro is nice, but the switch really made me realize just how good the a-series is. The 9 Pro is definitely better, but there was nothing life-changing, and I actually preferred the build (rounded edges, less-scratchable glass) of the 7a. So my advice is don't upgrade for at least a few years! Especially since the chip didn't change.
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On Can we please shut up about the Pixel 10a’s bezels? ·
When I got my Pixel 7a, I was worried I had made a mistake because the bezels were larger than those on my previous cheap Motorola phone. After 2 days, I never thought about them again and simply enjoyed the outstanding phone. The bezels are a non-issue for me.
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On I got my daughter a Galaxy S25 FE, and now I’m questioning why I bother with flagships ·
I recently upgraded from a Pixel 7a to a Pixel 9 Pro, and while the 9 Pro is definitely the better of the two, the difference between them is quite small. A well-rated midrange phone like the Pixel A-series can be a very strong competitor with a flagship, even for half the price.
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