Microsoft just updated its Translator app for iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire devices to support new optimised language packs that are (allegedly) up to 23 per cent better at helping you figure out how to say "where is the bathroom" on your next vacation. They also eat up around half as much space on your phone when you download them -- a wise move, since you don't want to be stuck without the ability to ask for directions if you're lost on your travels.

Android: It looks like Google is finally adding a long-missing feature to Android with its next big update. When Android P arrives this fall, you'll (finally) be able to set different default volumes for your various Bluetooth devices.

I get three kinds of texts.

Android: Smartphones and apps are designed to be addictive, and for a lot of people (myself included), it can hard to resist the pull of a Twitter notification or new photos on Instagram. There are plenty of services to help you spend less time staring at your phone, but one free Android app takes a particularly brutal approach that might work for even the most hopeless smartphone addicts.

There are plenty of great ad blockers to choose from, but most just delete the ads or replace them with something less offensive. If you're looking for an ad blocker that can do a little more (and you have a Samsung phone) here's a new app worth checking out.

It makes more sense than ever to put some Android apps on you laptop. As well as giving you access to apps that have no desktop or web equivalent (like Snapchat), it's great for playing games on the big screen - we got Alto's Adventure up and running on the Pixelbook with no problems, and plenty of other games would benefit from the extra screen space too.

Last month, Google rolled out its innovative Google Lens app to most Android phones. Here's how to get the most out of its visual-recognition abilities.

Android: If you're tired of suffering through annoying YouTube ads, the company's YouTube Red subscription is a solid option. Unfortunately, it also costs $10 a month. If you don't feel like paying and/or don't require access to YouTube Red's exclusive content, there's another ad-free YouTube player for Android you can get - for free.

Android: The Pixel 3 probably won't be official until October (when Google typically announces its latest flagship phones), but you can bring a bit of the rumoured device to your current Android handset right now. All you need is the latest version of this launcher.

The Samsung Galaxy S9+ has been crowned the king of the Androids. However, with Oreo support on the way, many are wondering whether the stylus-equipped Note8 might be a better buy - especially now that it's a little cheaper.

For the perennial fence-sitter, it's now time to make a decision: do you stump up the cash for the sleekest and shiniest Galaxy phone on the market, or plump for its immediate predecessor? Let's take a look at the specs to see which one comes out on top.

The Android Oreo update has (finally!) started rolling out to the Galaxy Note 8.

Google and Samsung are locked in a battle at the premium end of the Android smartphone market, and one of the reasons why you might pick a Google Pixel 2 over a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 - or vice versa - is the on-board software. We put the two flagship devices side by side to see how Pixel Android compares to Samsung Android.

If you use Microsoft's Edge browser in any capacity, congratulations! You're incredibly rare, so much so that services like Statcounter don't even have your browser of choice in its top-six list.

Passwords are your way into almost all of your online accounts, from social networks to email platforms, but how do you know whether the ones you're using are strong enough to stand up to repeated hacking attempts? If you want to know how to do a self-audit on password security, and the best combinations to use to keep your data safe, we've asked the experts to explain.

I already know I'm addicted to my smartphone, and if you've ever absentmindedly reached into your pocket and switched on the screen without realising it, you're probably just as hooked as I am. These devices have become so ingrained into our lives that it's hard to tell how often we check them, but a new Android app lets you dig into the data to see exactly how much time (and battery life) you're wasting on a daily basis.

Android: Google's Pixel 2 came with a pretty cool if somewhat gimmicky feature: The ability to launch Google Assistant by simply squeezing the device. Now, one developer is bringing that same feature to your current Android phone.

The problem with using a picture of your significant other as your phone wallpaper is that it's awkward to ever change it away. Luckily my wife just changed her lock screen from a photo of me to a photo of a baby we like, so I'm changing mine to one of the cool maps offered by Alvar Carto.

With a refined build and improved camera, the Galaxy S9 shows that Samsung is still the company to beat when it comes to flagship Android smartphones. Here are all the ways it improves on its predecessor - and pretty much every other phone on the market.

Facebook's mobile-friendly 'Lite' version is finally available in Australia. Boasting an APK of just 252KB and a simplified front end, it is perfect for anyone hampered by poor network coverage or an older Android model. (It will also suit people who just want a faster, less bloated version of Facebook.) Here's how to get it on your phone.