The Weekly Authority: 💻 Chrome’s ad blocking’s safe, for now

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 225th edition here, with an update on Chrome’s ad blocking, Oppo’s new foldables, Motorola’s crazily-priced flagship, our favorite geeky podcasts for the holidays, and more.

⛄Just as we thought it couldn’t get any colder here, it was -8°C when I left the house this morning. Then I watched a documentary about life in Yakutsk, the world’s coldest city, where temperatures regularly reach below -30°C. Eek!

Before we dive into this week’s scoop, we’d like to thank the sponsor of this email, Wondershare Filmora!

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Samsung:

• Samsung Good Lock is finally available in more countries: If you’re in Europe, Latin America, and a couple of Asian countries, you can now find the apps in the Galaxy Store.
• Samsung reportedly ditches Samsung, will rely on Samsung for future Samsung chips: Samsung has apparently formed a chip development team within its mobile unit, with the purported goal of making custom phone chips. The company currently relies on a sister unit for its Exynos chips.

Hard to believe that this time next week, we’ll be winding down for a weekend of festivities and Christmas movies. But whether you’re celebrating with turkey, presents, and all the trimmings, or just taking a break from work to chill, we know you’re going to be keeping on top of all the tech news on the AA site, our Twitter, and over on YouTube too (you are, right?!)

For those days when screen time isn’t on the cards, we’ve put together a few of our favorite tech, science, and generally nerdy podcasts to help you get your geek on and stay on top of the latest news over the festive season. So here they are, our top picks — add one, two, or them all, to your podcast app of choice!

Best for an Android deep dive: Android Bytes

Mishaal Rahman and David Ruddock chat with Android experts and ask super-nerdy questions about all things Android, like “What are the hidden costs of building an Android phone?” If you need your Android fix over the holidays, this is a must-listen, with episodes ranging from 30 minutes to an hour — and there’s a huge back catalog to listen to, as well.

Best over breakfast: The Hustle Daily Show

The Hustle Daily Show remains one of my favorite podcasts for a quick catch-up of the day’s top stories. Hosts Zachary Crockett, Juliet Bennett Rylah, Jacob Cohen, and Rob Litterst provide a daily dose of offbeat and informative takes on all the latest business and tech news. Each episode’s around 10-15 minutes in length, making this a great way to get tech headlines over breakfast.

Best for smart home and IoT enthusiasts: Internet of Things

This weekly podcast is packed with news and analysis on smart home, industrial internet of things, enterprise internet of things, and more, from co-hosts Stacey Higginbottom and Kevin Tofel. Episodes run around an hour long, perfect for a lazy afternoon’s listening on the couch.

Best for behind-the-scenes stories: Business Wars

Not strictly a tech podcast but a riveting listen nonetheless, Business Wars dives deep into the cutthroat world of business as host David Brown shares the stories behind the world’s biggest business rivalries through clever sound design and reimagined conversations. New episodes land Wednesdays, and there are already over 450 for you to listen to.

Best for science nerds: Flash Forward

I’ve been a fan of Flash Forward since it began, looking at possible (and not so possible) future scenarios every week, answering questions like “How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie?” or “Could we all live underground?” Host and award-winning science journalist Rose Eveleth presents a combination of investigative journalism and audio drama that’s truly engaging. Sadly, the podcast itself ended in 2021, but its new immersive drama, Welcome to Vanguard Estates, has landed, and you can pick your own route through the story. It’s definitely worth a listen this holiday season.

Best for gamers: Kinda Funny Games Daily

When I can’t be bothered reading the games headlines from the week but want to stay abreast of what’s happening, Kinda Funny Games Daily is where I turn. This podcast’s vibe is very much a group of friends chatting about all things gaming, which I guess is why it’s the world’s most popular daily video game news podcast. Hosts Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye, and Star Wars Rogue One writer Gary Whitta, the podcast covers the latest in PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and other gaming news, with a cast of guests and games industry veterans.

Tech Calendar

• January 5-8, 2023: CES 2023 (Las Vegas)
• January 12: Motorola Moto G Play launches (US and Canada)
• February (date TBC): Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy S23?)

Tech Tweet of the Week

The comments here are comedy gold…

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.