Articles by Andrew Myrick

Lenovo is swinging for the fences with the Tab P12 Pro

What you need to know

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro was spotted in the Google Play Console.
Its listing revealed the tablet would be powered by the Snapdragon 888.
There’s no indication as to when this unannounced Lenovo tablet will be revealed.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro was spotted in a listing on the Google Play Console, showing that this could be the first Android tablet to use a Snapdragon 888. This listing, as spotted by MySmartPrice, also provided a basic render of the front of the tablet, along with a few other key specifications.

According to the Play Console listing, the unannounced Tab P12 Pro will include 8GB of RAM to go along with a display resolution of 2560 x 1600. Unfortunately, the listing doesn’t indicate the screen size or whether it will offer a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. Considering this appears to be a direct successor to the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro, one could assume a display size between 11 and 12-inches.

If…

Making it easy to pair Bluetooth headphones with your Chromebook

What you need to know

Google Fast Pair was spotted in the latest Chromium Gerrit Commit.
Fast Pair makes it easier to pair supported Bluetooth headphones with devices.
The feature is not yet available for testing, as it has not made its way to the Canary build.

Announced in 2017, Google Fast Pair offers a swift and easy way to pair some of the best wireless earbuds the best Android phones. And thanks to a new Chromium Gerrit commit (via 9to5Google), this feature could be in a future Chrome OS release.

According to the commit, Fast Pair will first arrive via the chrome://flags menu, which will need to be enabled once added to Chrome OS. Here’s Google’s description of what this flag will offer:

Enables Google Fast Pair service which uses BLE to discover supported nearby Bluetooth devices and surfaces a notification for quick pairing. Use along with #bluetooth-advertisement-monitoring to allow background scanning…

It’s a little late for this addition, but welcome nonetheless

What you need to know

Amazon announced Fire TV Cube is capable of performing Zoom video calls.
You’ll need to attach a supported webcam to make this work.
Amazon confirmed this Zoom integration will not be coming to the first-gen TV Cube.

Amazon has announced that owners of the 2nd-gen Amazon Fire TV Cube can now connect a compatible webcam and participate in two-way Zoom video calls. The move comes nearly a year after enabling video chats between the Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen) and any other “camera-enabled” Alexa device.

“Last year we launched Alexa two-way video calling from your Fire TV Cube to any camera-enabled Alexa device. Our customers have enjoyed being able to video call and connect with loved ones on the big screen from the comfort of their couch. We are excited to announce that starting today you can video call friends, family, and business colleagues with the Zoom app on Fire TV.”

Since the Amazon Fire …

The future of Android development with Kotlin has arrived

What you need to know

Google announced that Jetpack Compose 1.0 is exiting its beta status and is available today.
Jetpack Compose was originally introduced at Android Dev Summit 2019.
The main purpose behind this new tool makes it easier for developers to create good-looking apps.

After being announced in 2019 and introduced in a Canary build earlier this year, Google has formally announced that Jetpack Compose 1.0 is finally available. This tool aims to help developers build apps faster, taking advantage of “Android’s modern native UI.”

As detailed by Android Central’s Jerry Hildebrand, Jetpack Compose is a tool that not only will “breathe new life into your favorite apps,” but also other products using Google’s different pieces of software. This includes Chrome OS for the best Chromebooks, Android TV, tablets, and even the best foldable phones.

The problem with many of the best Android apps is that while these can be…

Best answer: Yes. While useful without the subscription, a Nest Aware subscription plan gives you access to cloud storage as well as the ability to share clips, receive Intelligent Alerts, and customize activity zones.

What is Nest Aware?

Nest cameras are some of the best Google Home compatible devices you’ll find, but a Nest Aware subscription makes them even better. Nest Aware is a subscription service offered by Nest that works to enhance the function of various Nest Cams. This service provides a few important benefits, especially for those who want to be able to store recordings for use in the future.

Nest Aware enables running cloud storage for all of the videos captured by any of your Nest devices, displayed in a timeline view. Events can be searched or sorted by device, and individual clips can be easily shared from the Nest app to anyone who might need to see them. Additionally, you’ll be able to customize specific areas on the camera footage where motion detection is igno…

Get ready for new Android tablets and Chromebooks

What you need to know

MediaTek has announced the Kompanio 1300T processor.
This new chipset is designed for tablets and ARM-powered laptops.
Tablets and laptops powered by the Kompanio 1300T aren’t expected until later this year.

Hot on the heels of the OnePlus Nord 2 launch with the Dimensity 1200 AI, MediaTek has announced its latest SoC. The new MediaTek 1300T chipset is designed with Android tablets and ARM-powered laptops in mind.

This chipset is built on the same 6nm process as the Dimensity 1200, with more of a focus on powering devices with larger displays. MediaTek’s Kompanio chipsets have been making their way through some of the best Chromebooks, such as the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. But now, the company aims to take things to the next level with the Kompanio 1300T.

Whether you’re using a Kompanio-powered device for business needs, streaming entertainment or video conferencing, it can deliver faster, more reliable W…

Qualcomm may be feeling the pressure from Google and Samsung

What you need to know

Qualcomm has confirmed new Snapdragon Wear processors are coming later this year.
A new coalition was formed, comprised of over 60 companies in an effort to improve the wearable market.
Some companies, like Fossil Group, have already confirmed new smartwatches are coming later this year.

While Samsung and Google continue to get closer and closer, Qualcomm is on the outside looking in. Samsung is gearing up to launch its next series of wearables with the Galaxy Watch 4, with Google’s new Wear OS-inspired software in-tow and possibly a Samsung-build SoC. Qualcomm isn’t standing pat as the company announced its continued commitment to the Snapdragon Wear platform.

In addition to announcing that new Snapdragon Wear processors are on the way later this year, Qualcomm also announced the Wearable Ecosystem Accelerator. In the press release, this program brings together a conglomerate of different compan…

Chrome 92 is all about security

What you need to know

Google has released Chrome 92 to the stable channel for desktop and Android.
The update primarily focuses on privacy and keeping your information secure.
Chrome Actions are now available so you can run commands from the address bar.

Google is releasing Chrome 92 today for Android, Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS. In Chrome 92, there are a lot of new features surrounding your security and privacy.

The first new feature is the ability to easily check the granted permissions for each website you visit. Occasionally, you might see a pop-up notification requesting access to things like your location, microphone, and camera. With Chrome 92, you’ll be able to quickly check to see what a website has permissions for, allowing you to toggle access with ease. Google will also be adding a new option to delete a specific site’s browsing history from this drop-down menu.

Late last year, Google introduced Chrome Actions, which is a way to t…

With so many options, you may get overwhelmed when trying to find the best Arlo cameras. While many of Arlo’s best cameras have traditionally been pretty expensive, the company now offers plenty of options for every budget. With consistent updates and some of the best features, you would be hard-pressed to find a better option. With that being said, the Arlo Pro 4 is our favorite camera thanks to having almost all of the bells and whistles one could want, to the point that it’s one of the best smart home security systems overall.

Best overall Arlo camera — Arlo Pro 4

The Arlo Pro 4 has become our pick for the best Arlo Camera thanks to its improvements over its predecessor, the Pro 3. The Pro 4 sports 2K video recording with HDR, allowing users to zoom in on objects and take clearer pictures whenever needed. Plus, there is Color Night Vision, so you can view night recordings in color without relying on the traditional black and white video.

With the Pro 4, you can set the came…

It has been almost a year since the Google Pixel 5 launched to market. If you picked one up recently, or you’re still using the one you bought way back when chances are you could do with some accessories for it. In addition to a protective case for the Pixel 5, which should be the essential first accessory buy with any new phone (it’s never a bad idea to have a few so you can swap as well), did you also invest in one of the best Google Pixel 5 screen protectors? If not, it’s time if you want to avoid the frustration of an accidental drop that cracks your display. These screen protectors will help keep that gorgeous 90Hz screen looking pristine for as long as you have it.

Almost everything you need

OMOTON Tempered Glass (4-pack)

Staff Pick

The OMOTON Tempered Glass kit includes almost everything you need, with four total screen protectors and an alignment kit for easy installation. These screen protectors only measure 0.3mm, so you won’t feel like there’s a whole other screen …