Google talk extension

By Ellis Hamburger and Dieter Bohn Skydivers equipped with futuristic glasses live-broadcasted their descent into the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco during last year’s Google I/O. Developers lined up to receive not one, but four free devices costing $300 or more. Google announced the Nexus Q, an exercise in over-produced gadgetry meant to stream music to your home theatre system. Away from the spectacle, during a quiet “ fireside chat ” for a product that was not receiving any major updates, Google admitted it had a serious messaging problem — or rather, a messaging app problem. When faced with a question about Google’s fragmented communication tools, director of real-time communications Nikhyl Singhal responded quickly and honestly, as if he’d prepared for the question. What he didn’t say was that Google had already been working on a solution for a year, and that the results of those efforts were still a year away. Since then, Google’s fragmented … [Read more...] about Exclusive: Inside Hangouts, Google’s big fix for its messaging mess

Here at TechRadar, we thoroughly test every phone we can get our hands on, putting each handset through its paces to not only determine how much functionality and value it offers consumers, but to also figure out how it compares to other devices on the market.. Of course, there are a great number of smartphones available to purchase at any given time, which can be overwhelming for those who simply want the best option. In order to deduce which phones are most worthy of your hard-earned dollars, we've taken the liberty of narrowing down a definitive top ten that's judged based on power, specs, design and value for money. In this regularly updated roundup, you can always expect us to point you towards the latest and greatest handsets – we're talking the cream of the crop, here – because we want to make sure you choose a handset that will provide you with years of great performance and security updates. So whether it's one of the best Android phones , the latest iPhone or one … [Read more...] about Best phones in New Zealand 2023: top 10 smartphones tested and ranked

In context: Even if you don't intend to follow tech industry trends for the new year, it's impossible not to notice all the attention directed towards generative AI tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. This cloud-based chatbot, creative co-pilot, programming partner, and all-around digital companion has become so popular that it's nearly impossible to get to. In fact, the company now has clever AI-generated limericks and other funny content on the main access page for their service to soften the frustrating blow of not being able to try it out. There's been important movement by major tech companies to leverage (or react to) the incredible degree of interest the foundational large language model-based service has ignited, not only in the tech industry but the general populace as well. Microsoft, a big early investor in OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, and the Dall-E image creation tool, has been notably aggressive in announcing wide support for the service, with CEO Satya Nadella … [Read more...] about The surprise winner for generative AI

In this article: Best Ring video doorbells How to choose a Ring video doorbell How we test Ring doorbell FAQs An easy way to increase your home security is with a video doorbell. They let you stay in the know about who's coming to your door, as well as see when there's a delivery -- wherever you are. You can also record whatever is happening at your door and review it later. Many security doorbells let you interact with whoever is at your door, even if you aren't home. If you're considering upgrading your home security with a video doorbell , Ring has probably crossed your mind. Amazon's home security brand has become increasingly popular and has a reputation as one of the best video doorbells on the market. While Google Nest buzzers and Arlo doorbell cams are great alternatives, many people looking to buy a video doorbell still opt for the industry's biggest brand. Ring has an extensive selection of video doorbells that meet the needs of a … [Read more...] about Best Ring Camera Doorbells of 2023

2022 HP, Google and Intel set out to create a complete Chromebook for enterprise more than two years ago. A Chromebook that didn't have just a couple of important features but all of the features business users wanted. The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is the result, a legit ChromeOS dream machine for hybrid workers. But despite the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook's greatness, it's probably not for you. Again, this is primarily designed for businesses. Of course, for consumer Chromebook converts who already know the right combo of web, Android and Linux apps needed to get their work done, the Elite Dragonfly is perfect for being productive anywhere. Unless your IT department is handing one of these beauties over to you, though, the price is likely going to be a deterrent. The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook starts at $1,149 . The custom configuration HP sent us for review is more than $1,500, however, and it's an enterprise model with an Intel Core i5 vPro processor -- a first for … [Read more...] about HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Review: It Checks All the Boxes

Editors' Note: Until recently, LastPass was an Editors’ Choice winner for its ease of use. However, in late 2022, LastPass announced that a massive data breach exposed users' encrypted vault data and other unencrypted data linked to users' accounts, such as email addresses, names, phone numbers, and even billing information. The data breach and subsequent security incident also exposed LastPass' practice of storing unencrypted URLs in user vaults. These URLs could contain sensitive data such as usernames and passwords. LastPass failed to divulge how many vaults were exposed or even when the breach occurred, so users cannot know when their data was copied by a third party and possibly sold elsewhere. We understand that data breaches happen daily, but password management companies must protect their users and inform them when their data is at risk. LastPass failed to do that, so we are now removing our four-star score and Editors' Choice designation. We have contacted LastPass … [Read more...] about LastPass Preview

No matter if you live or plan to head to China soon, in both scenarios we strongly recommend downloading one of the world's best VPNs beforehand. Let's see why. China is well-known to be the world's country that clamps down the most on what its residents can and cannot access online. Social media platforms, streaming services, news outlets, countless websites: they all are fully or partly censored. Even Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies cannot escape the Great Firewall's muzzle. All this makes using a VPN for China a real necessity for bypassing these strict geo-restrictions and access all the sites you usually visit. How? That's because it spoofs your real IP location and makes you appear as if you are in an entirely different country in the world in no time. A China VPN isn't just a circumventing tool, though. It encrypts all the data leaving your device without logging your information. That's really important as Chinese authorities are also infamous for their invasive … [Read more...] about The best VPN for China 2023