作者彙整: Jerry Hildenbrand

You’ll find Titan Security chips in Pixel phones, 2FA security keys, and Google’s servers. Here’s how they all work together to keep your data safer.

You might have heard about Google’s Titan security chain. It’s an idea that started for use in servers, then moved to security key fobs used as two-factor authentication devices, and with the Pixel 3, ended up inside a phone.

The simple explanation is that Titan is the name of the chip that lives outside of any processor and things like logins and encryption/decryption are funneled through it. But there are plenty of differences between the three versions, and that’s what makes everything work together — they’re specialized for their particular use-case.

It’s interesting enough to talk about how it all works, so that’s what we’re going to do here.

Server-Side Security

You might not know it, but Google designs and custom builds many of the servers it uses. It designs the hardware, uses a firmware-stack that Google controls, its … 閱讀全文 →

A lot of apps and websites use analytical data, but Ring has finally gone too far with no good reason for it.

I use a Ring Video Doorbell Pro. I’m not so much concerned about capturing video for the cloud or monitoring what goes on in my front yard (I have other cameras for that) but because I don’t walk quickly, answering my doorbell remotely is extremely convenient. And when you work for a website like Android Central you get a lot of packages. With the Ring app, I can ask the driver to come to the back door or to please leave it under the bench and waive any signature requirements.

I hate to do it because a video doorbell has made a big difference in my life.

Unfortunately, I’m removing the doorbell and replacing it with one that doesn’t send my data to Facebook and other third-party trackers.

Multiple Ring data breaches reported, thousands of customers impacted

And that’s exactly what is happening, according to the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation). And I trust the EF… 閱讀全文 →

Microsoft is treating dual-screen devices the way they need to be treated — as a new platform.

Foldables and other dual-display extra-large phone screens are already a thing. The Galaxy Fold may not have sold millions and millions of units, but after some changes were made to the initial design, the people invested in it love the thing. Motorola is slated to release one very soon. LG has something very similar with the LG G8X. And Microsoft made the internet gasp when it showed off the Surface Duo.

Foldables aren’t the future. They’re here right now.

Android has support for foldable screen devices built-in, but it’s not very comprehensive. That’s why Samsung’s apps look and act better on the Fold than most apps from the Play Store do. It all hearkens back to the tablet support thing, where support means it will work, but might not work great. This is because most apps have been designed for a 5-inch or so display and there are things in an app that need to stay in … 閱讀全文 →

Chromebooks are perfect on-the-go computers for a lot of people, but sometimes you just want to sit down, relax, and do your thing with a big display. That’s why almost every laptop, regardless of what software is running on it, has some sort of port to send video out to an external display. Chrome OS makes using desktop peripherals dead simple, and we’ve rounded up the best monitors for any situation. Our top recommendation is the incredible 32-inch 4K BenQ PD3220U but we’ve also rounded up other great options with lower resolutions and price points.

Best Overall: BenQ PD3220U 4K UHD IPS

You’ll find monitors from BenQ on any best-of list even if you’re not completely familiar with the name, and the PD3220U, which comes in 27 and 32-inch sizes, is one of the best displays the company has ever built.

Designed for digital content creation, the PD3200U has a 20 million:1 dynamic contrast ratio to give you the blackest blacks and the whitest whites. It also has specialized display mod… 閱讀全文 →

If things play out in just the right way, Sony and Microsoft have some real competition to deal with. If not, it’ll still be fun to try and break.

Once upon a time, there was this small-form-factor PC you could buy called a SteamBox. It was designed to hook up to your television and give you access to the almost 40,000 games at Valve’s Steam storefront.

I bought a SteamBox. It worked surprisingly well until I bricked it trying to install Windows 7.

After several reinventions and a revolving door of partners, the only way to find a SteamBox today is looking for a very overpriced used model on eBay or Amazon. It was a shame, really, because the idea was a good one — an inexpensive way to get Steam into your living room. All Valve needed was a partner with deep pockets and that wasn’t afraid to keep dipping into them.

Hello there, Google.

That’s the first thing I thought of when it was revealed that Google might be trying to work with Valve to build a native Chrome OS Steam c… 閱讀全文 →

If you love Chromebooks like we do you’ll want to see these tips and tricks to make the most of them.

Millions of people are using Chromebooks, but despite their simple and “for everyone” nature, not every powerful feature is easy to access. Every Chromebook is a powerful tool that’s just waiting to be used to its full potential, and once you know a few tricks you’ll feel like you’re getting even more value out of your inexpensive computer. We’ve rounded up the top ten tips and tricks for you to try on your Chromebook so you can start making the most of your machine.

1. Use third-party DNS

There are a lot of reasons to use third-party DNS (Domain Name Server, or the sort of “address book” for the Internet) when you’re on the web. Some say they are faster, some claim they are more secure, and it’s a great way to get around any silly content blocks that may be in place on the servers of the people who provide you your Internet.

Using them on your Chromebook is easy. Open the sett… 閱讀全文 →

Many homeowners are moving to a more hands-on security setup because excellent products that are easy to set up are readily available. Just mount it, plug it in, and your home is good to go. We think the Arlo Pro 3 system is the best you can buy because of its great features and easy setup, but there are plenty of others that might fit your needs. Here are some smart home systems that can get you started.

Best Overall: The Arlo Pro 3 Security System

Completely weatherproof and with zero wires involved, the Arlo Pro 3 provides two-way audio, a three-month Arlo Smart trial plan, HD video, color night vision, 160-degree field of view, and a loud siren that won’t hesitate to let you know something is amiss.

Besides these consumer-friendly features, Arlo provides plenty for the prosumer, too. Features like local recording storage through USB or microSD, tight integration with all the major smart home brands, and voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant make it our pick for ov… 閱讀全文 →

$479 gets you the very best hardware you can buy right now, along with extras you didn’t know existed.

Everyone has a different reason for buying the phone they chose. I use a Pixel phone because I don’t like giving out my information to everyone and value security updates over everything. (And because BlackBerry Mobile seemed to stop caring.) But if you are the type of person who simply wants the very best hardware money can buy, you’re probably doing it wrong.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever used a phone from a company like Xioami. Now, I can’t actually see any hands being raised because I haven’t hacked into all of your webcams, but I have a really good idea based on sales numbers, our web site metrics, and Google trends that very few of you are raising them.

Some amazing phones are released in Asia and never hit the U.S. Thankfully, the Red Magic 3S is an exception.

Now keep your hand raised if you loved that phone from Xiaomi and maybe are still using it. Most o… 閱讀全文 →

Multi-stream Low-Energy Bluetooth that can broadcast for sharing and is designed with hearing aids in mind is now official. The wait for products that use it is on!

Bluetooth is 20 years old and it’s come a long way since the days of a great big earpiece that allowed you to take calls if you were willing to yell into it to talk back. Much of the progress comes from manufacturers, like Apple finding a good way to slingshot sound from one wireless earbud to another or Qualcomm splitting a stream in a way that allows more than one person to listen at a time. But the meat of it all comes from a group of people known as the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group).

Those are the people who formally announced Bluetooth LE Audio at CES 2020. On the surface it just looks like another minor update that won’t make much of a difference to consumers, but what it can do — with equipment makers cooperation, of course — has the potential to change how we use our headphones and what we… 閱讀全文 →

What 2FA is, why it’s important, and why you should use it.

You see a lot of talk on the internet about two-factor authentication (or 2FA as it’s commonly called), and most of the time you just see people like us telling you to use it.

We’ll continue that trend and start this bit of prose by telling you to use 2FA whenever and wherever you can. However, we’re also going to let you know what it is, and why you must use it.

Ready to learn more? Read on.

What is two-factor authentication?
Is it truly secure?
Here’s how to start using it
Why 2FA is so important

Lock it down

Yubico Security Key

$20 at Amazon

Keep your accounts extra safe with a physical 2FA key

Everyone should be using two-factor authentication (yes, you!), and one of the best ways to start is with the Yubico Security Key. This USB key fits in any USB-A port and securely saves 2FA login codes for your Google, Facebook, Dropbox, and other online accounts. It’s also extremely durable and can be attached to a … 閱讀全文 →