What is the Titan M2 security chip in Google’s Pixel phones? https://ift.tt/FIa6dG2

Credit: Google

With the Pixel 6 series, Google began developing its in-house Tensor SoC. But that wasn’t the first time the search giant used a piece of custom silicon in its smartphones – the Pixel 2’s Pixel Visual Core was technically the first. One generation later, the company announced that Pixel 3 devices would include a hardware security module dubbed Titan M. Then, in 2021, Google followed it up with the Titan M2. The security chip has since become a selling point for Google phones like the Pixel 7 series and Pixel 6a.

So in this article, let’s take a closer look at the role of the Titan M2 in Pixel devices, how it works, and why it’s even necessary in the first place.

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Google phones: A history of the Nexus and Pixel lineup so far https://ift.tt/Y2dnCZE

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Google unveiled Android to the world in 2007, two years after acquiring the operating system for $50 million. While many expected the search giant to announce its own phone as Apple did with the iPhone, Google’s decision to make Android freely available to any manufacturer was an even bigger event. Of course, we now know that the company eventually entered the hardware industry and has even found success in recent years with the Pixel series.

To understand how Google managed to carve out a niche for itself in the competitive smartphone market, let’s go over the company’s smartphone journey over the past 15 years. From the Nexus One to the latest Google Pixel, they’re all here.

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Hats off to the brands that actually listened in 2022 https://ift.tt/UoxGtuV

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

One of the most frustrating things in the reviews business is repeating the same complaints year after year. We certainly don’t like reprising the same lines, but it’s extra disappointing when lingering issues prevent us from offering an otherwise solid recommendation to otherwise great phones.

With that in mind, we’re taking the time to tip our hat to brands that have taken feedback onboard and improved their products for the better in 2022.

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As an adult with ADHD, Bluetooth trackers are a massive game-changer for me https://ift.tt/3YctI8S

Credit: Luke Pollack / Android Authority

To the absolute shock of nobody who has ever met me, I have been living with ADHD for my entire existence. If you don’t know what ADHD is, Psychiatry.org has a great guide on it. The short of it is I have trouble focusing on just one thing at a time and I spend a lot of time in my own head because what’s going on upstairs is a lot more interesting than reality. When your mind is moving a million miles per hour, it gets easy to get distracted. One of the side effects of this is that I lose things pretty easily. There are days when I’ll lose my wallet, phone, keys, and even my laptop all in the same 24-hour period. Yes, sadly, I said laptop.

In the past, I had a handy solution to this problem: After thirty minutes or so of wandering around looking at the ceiling, I’d ask my wife to find the missing items for me. She loved that, as you’d imagine. Nowadays, I turn to a more elegant solution, Bluetooth trackers.

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The 10 streaming movies we can’t wait to watch in 2023 https://ift.tt/uqpN2La

Credit: Apple

As 2022 comes to an end and we celebrate the best streaming films of the year, it’s time to look ahead at what the new year will have in store. There are already plenty of announced streaming movies in 2023 to get excited about.

With new titles from iconic auteurs like Martin Scorsese to new live-action remakes of Disney classics, 2023 is shaping up to be another big year for streaming movies. And every major streamer — from Netflix to Apple TV Plus to Peacock and more — is getting in on the action.

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My tech resolution for 2023 is to smarten up my home https://ift.tt/gDnF0vx

Credit: Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority

Ah! The good ol’ smart home renovation. A task I’ve put off for a really, really long time. Being a tech journalist, smart home gadgets are naturally appealing to me. I’ve had plenty of them come in for review over the years, be it cheap home security cameras from the likes of Xiaomi, smart speakers from Amazon, Philips Hue and other smart lights, and so on.

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Dark Sky is officially dead. Here are the best alternatives https://ift.tt/iLFoKb5

Dark Sky shut down its doors on Android a couple of years ago after Apple purchased the app. The company then removed it from the Apple App Store back in September of 2022. As of January 1st, 2023, Dark Sky is shut down for good. That means the API goes down, the app will cease to function, and it’ll no longer be available anywhere. It’s a sad day since we quite liked Dark Sky when it was on Android. Now, it’s time to shop for alternatives. Here are the best Dark Sky alternatives you can get on iOS and Android.

To douse your hopes a little bit, it’s important to note that there is no weather app quite like Dark Sky. It’s probably why Apple bought the app, because it was truly unique in its space.

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/otbuYMn