‘Surely you’re not just writing what you want, and there has to be some sort of process.’ A glimpse into Android Central’s writing process and how a team with such different opinions decides what content to produce for our readers
Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we talk about any and all the questions you might have about the smart things in your life. I’m Jerry, and I have spent the better part of my life working with tech. I have a background in engineering and R&D and have been covering Android and Google for the past 15 years.
Ask Jerry
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Ask Jerry is a column where we answer your burning Android/tech questions with the help of long-time Android Central editor Jerry Hildenbrand.
I’m also really good at researching data about everything — that’s a big part of our job here at Android Central — and I love to help people (another big part of our job!). If you have questions about your tech, I’d love to talk about them.
Email me at askjerryac@gmail.com, and I’ll try to get things sorted out. You can remain anonymous if you like, and we promise we’re not sharing anything we don’t cover here.
Once we’re past that part, things are a little more free-form. The most important thing to me is that we care about something (we, meaning both you, the reader, and I). I could spend all day writing about fishing poles or how to change the spark plugs on a Volkswagen, but would you read it?
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The second most important thing is that I have a clue. I don’t write about finances, for example, because I don’t follow how much companies are earning or spending, as it holds no interest to me. Anything I would write wouldn’t be nearly as interesting as it would be if someone enthusiastic about the subject tackled it. We both deserve better.
Finally, some of my interests are tech-adjacent but not really a great fit for an Android website. I love DIY and project electronics, so the Raspberry Pi is one of my favorite products. I’ll occasionally share a great deal with you, but I don’t have the time to spend explaining how to use it and build a smart device or a reef aquarium controller. Or even a phone. I know, because I’ve done it, and very few people read it.
When all the dust settles, I hope I can share some information that’s interesting and helpful. Helping people is important to me.
We write about what we love
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Within reason, of course.
If you take a minute to notice it, you’ll find that the writers here have an obvious love of different things. When the right person writes about something like VR glasses or health and fitness, it shows, and the articles are exceptional.
I’m not interested in how a company is building the next generation of super microprocessor that can power things 30% faster. I’m curious about optimizing the existing software to make it more efficient and run 30% faster than it currently does. Without the software, all these gadgets are just a hunk of metal and wires.
I’m also super interested in Chromebooks. They have the potential to do anything and everything with the right infrastructure, yet they’re often dirt cheap. A powerful product that’s accessible to everyone beats a $5,000 MacBook every time.
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It’s a little off the beaten track, but I want to try to do my part in holding all these companies accountable, too. Google, Apple, Samsung, and others provide us with the products we love, often making our lives easier. But there is always a cost, and things need to be equitable. If you’re forced to give up more than something is worth, or when these seemingly above-the-rules tech companies are out of line, I want to mention it. And there’s always plenty of that going on.
Finally, there is the whole Apple thing. “Who cares about Apple? This is an Android website!” is something I get to hear all of the time. Here’s an answer: I care about Apple. I also care about Microsoft and Amazon. These companies are driving and shaping the future of our tech. I’ll never use an iPhone; I tried it, hated it (though I think the older Mac Mini was the best PC ever). When Apple makes a change to the iPhone that affects consumers or consumer technology in general, that’s important, particularly because of the sheer number of people using the product.
We’re a service provider
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At the end of the day, we’re here for you. Yes, Android Central is a business, and we all get a paycheck, but we know we’re here to provide a service.
You want to keep up with the latest news and hear what experienced experts have to say. We make sure we have that experience and expertise and offer you our real opinions about what it all means. We’re consumers and readers as well as being tasked with writing about it all.
