How Google’s Titan M chip makes the Pixel 3 its most secure phone ever

• Google has discussed its new Titan M security chip found in its soon-to-be-released Pixel 3 phones.
• The custom chip is designed to add an extra layer of protection to the Pixel 3 to keep your device and data safe.
• It makes hijacking or tampering with a Pixel 3 more difficult with several smart systems

---

Google says the Pixel 3 is its most secure phone yet and it’s thanks to a new chip, the Titan M. The Mountain View company detailed its custom-built chip in a blog post yesterday, outlining three key ways in which the chip aids the Pixel 3’s security.

The first of these relates to the bootloader. The Titan M works in conjunction with its Verified Boot system as an extra layer of defense against hackers and other attacks. This helps ensure that the version of Android booted up on the device is safe and hasn’t been tampered with or rolled back to a previous, less secure version.

It’s also said to prevent hackers unlocking the bootloader, but what that means for device owners wanting to unlock their bootloader intentionally, we don’t yet know (I expect this will still be possible, though).

Editor’s Pick

Google Pixel 3: Where to buy, when, and how much (Updated)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn7D48hRmCI

Google announced the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL in New York City today. Although numerous leaks over the past few months told us pretty much everything we needed to know about the …

The Titan M also integrates with the Pixel 3’s lock screen passcodes, limiting how many login attempts can be made. This should make it more difficult for people to spam password combinations to gain access to another person’s device, but Google doesn’t explain exactly why the Titan M is necessary for limiting these login attempts. Android already has systems in place to dissuade false login attempts, like locking you out of the handset if you fail a few in quick succession. Seemingly, the Titan M offers a more sophisticated version of this, but to what extent we can’t say.

Additionally, the chip’s secure flash and fully independent computation make it more difficult for hackers to decrypt your data.

Editor’s Pick

Pixel Visual Core: A closer look at Google’s hidden chip

Back with the launch of Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, it was revealed that Google included an extra chip in the phone alongside the main processor. Known as the Pixel Visual Core, the …

Google has also tackled transaction security in third-party apps with the Titan M. The chip supports Android Pie’s StrongBox KeyStore and Protected Confirmation APIs to store private keys and ensure real users are confirming transactions (not malware bots).

Finally, the Titan M is also built on Android’s Insider Attack Resistance security module, said to make it harder to bypass the lock screen and tamper with the firmware.

Wrap up

These all sound like positive moves, but there are some interesting implications. One is that the Android itself isn’t completely secure, as it benefits from additional hardware protection. However, this could perhaps be said of all major software platforms, and hardware security systems are becoming more common as an extra defence.

The other implication relates to Android OEMs. For much of Android’s security systems, third-party manufacturers are at Google’s mercy. Android may be a comparatively secure ecosystem, but with Google adopting — and by proxy, advocating — security chips, other companies might feel obligated to follow suit. This could be good news for Android fans, but it could also inflate prices.

Up next: Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL review

Source: Android Zone

The post How Google’s Titan M chip makes the Pixel 3 its most secure phone ever appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Google Chrome director: “Everyone is unsatisfied by URLs. They kind of suck.”

• Speaking with Wired, various members of the Google Chrome team discuss future plans for the URL.
• The Google Chrome team agree that the way URLs currently work is not ideal, and they are working on updating the system.
• How the future of the URL will look is unknown right now, even to the team — but a change is coming.

---

Various members of the team behind the world’s most popular web browser, Google Chrome, spoke with Wired recently about the future of the platform. In the interview, one thing is made abundantly clear: the URL as we know it has got to go.

Chrome’s director of engineering, Parisa Tabriz, put it very bluntly: “Everyone is unsatisfied by URLs. They kind of suck.”

The team specifically points to how scattered the URL system is, with long strings of nonsense text, confusing protocols, and a general ugliness that seemingly necessitates a total revamp of the URL in general.

Editor’s Pick

5 best URL shortener alternatives to use instead of Google’s goo.gl service

What’s the best URL shortener you can use? The answer for many of you was probably goo.gl for quite a long time now, but at the end of March this year Google announced its plans for …

However, the team also understands that URLs are an open and sprawling system, and any changes to how things work will be met with scrutiny — and controversy.

Tabriz says, “I don’t know what [an overhaul of URLs] will look like, because it’s an active discussion in the team right now. But I do know that whatever we propose is going to be controversial.” However, just because change will be controversial doesn’t mean that it isn’t necessary, which is what the team is hoping people will eventually come to understand.

The biggest problem with URLs, according to the team, is that they put users at risk since it’s hard to tell if a URL is legitimate or not. Chrome’s engineering manager, Adrienne Porter Felt, summarized the issue as such:

“[URLs] are hard to read, it’s hard to know which part of them is supposed to be trusted, and in general I don’t think URLs are working as a good way to convey site identity. So we want to move toward a place where web identity is understandable by everyone — they know who they’re talking to when they’re using a website and they can reason about whether they can trust them. But this will mean big changes in how and when Chrome displays URLs. We want to challenge how URLs should be displayed and question it as we’re figuring out the right way to convey identity.”

If you’re wondering what Google has in mind when it comes to these sweeping changes, no one really knows, not even the Chrome team. But if Google feels this strongly about URLs, you can bet your bottom dollar that changes are going to come down the pipeline sooner rather than later.

What do you think? Are URLs a problem that needs fixing, or is this a fool’s errand? Let us know in the comments!

NEXT: Chrome celebrates 10 years with great new features in Chrome 69, out now

Source: Android Zone

The post Google Chrome director: “Everyone is unsatisfied by URLs. They kind of suck.” appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Informal poll (since removed) shows 90% of Chinese would use Google over Baidu

• The CEO of Baidu — China’s largest search engine — says that Baidu will still be successful should Google come to China.
• Chinese citizens, however, expressed on social media that they heavily favor Google and strongly dislike Baidu.
• Weibo comments, polls, and even the Baidu CEO statement on the matter were all deleted by the Chinese government.

---

Google is the most popular search engine in the world, with a global market share of a whopping 72 percent. But in China, Google isn’t top dog at all – not by a long shot.

That’s because Google – for all intents and purposes – isn’t active in China. Instead, the largest search engine in the country is Baidu, a Chinese product that is heavily censored as per regulations by the Chinese government.

Last week, a new rumor surfaced that Google might be planning on launching its search products in China (for like, the zillionth time). Although it is incredibly unlikely that this rumor is true, it didn’t stop the CEO of Baidu from making a statement on the matter, via CNET.

Editor’s Pick

Files Go becomes second Google app to get China release this week

Google has launched its file management app Files Go in China via third-party app stores. Following the release of ARCore on the Xiaomi App store earlier this week, it is the second time Google has launched …

Baidu CEO Robin Li wrote an op-ed piece for a government-run news site called People’s Daily describing his confidence that Baidu would do very well against Google should the search giant enter the country, assuming Google follows Chinese censorship regulations.

The op-ed has since been deleted.

The deletion of the op-ed is likely due to the outcry on Weibo (think of it as the Chinese equivalent of Twitter) from users exclaiming their hopes that Google will come to China – so they wouldn’t have to use Baidu anymore. Check out these comments (also since deleted):

CNET

There was also a poll created on Weibo asking a simple question: “If Google returns, between Google and Baidu, which will you choose?” Nearly 90 percent of responses were for Google, with only 7 percent for Baidu:

CNET

That poll has also been deleted.

This rampant censorship of public opinion is why Google will likely never bring Google search to China. In order for Google to comply with Chinese laws, it would have to drastically alter its entire search algorithms and essentially make a brand new Search just for Chinese citizens. It would also have to abandon its policies on openness and inclusiveness.

It’s no wonder Chinese citizens are so hopeful that Google will make a return.

NEXT: Huawei is so big in China, it’s now competing with itself — and losing

Source: Android Zone

The post Informal poll (since removed) shows 90% of Chinese would use Google over Baidu appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

How to update your Chromebook: A step-by-step guide

You can update your Chromebook in minutes — no technical knowledge required. The process is similar to updating the Chrome browser and only requires a few clicks.

Editor’s Pick

Here’s how to print from a Chromebook

If you own one of the many, many Chromebooks available from Google and other laptop makers, you likely want to print some documents from time to time on your home printer. But just how do you …

The first step is to make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network — you can’t update your Chromebook without an internet connection. Once that’s done, click on your account photo in the bottom-right corner of the screen and select “Settings.”

Then just click the menu icon in the upper-left corner and select About Chrome OS > Check for Updates. If there’s a Chromebook update ready, your device will start downloading it automatically. To finish the process, search for the Chromebook update icon near your account photo and click Update > Restart to Update.

How to update Chromebook — Step-by-step instructions:

1. Connect your Chromebook to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Click on your account photo in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Click “Settings.”
4. Click the menu icon in the upper-left corner and select “About Chrome OS.”
5. Click “Check for Updates.”
6. Click “Update” followed by “Restart to Update” to finish the process — located near your account photo.

---

There you have it, folks — that’s how to update your Chromebook. Any thoughts or questions? Leave them down below in the comment section.

Source: Android Zone

The post How to update your Chromebook: A step-by-step guide appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

ZTE has ceased ‘major operating activities’ due to US supply ban

• ZTE has stopped major operations following a supply ban by the U.S.
• The company faces a shortage of crucial smartphone components due to the ban.
• ZTE is continuing to communicate with the U.S. in order to revise or reverse the order.

---

ZTE has halted “major” core business operations following a U.S. supply ban.

“As a result of the Denial Order, the major operating activities of the company have ceased,” read an exchange filing, spotted by Reuters. So what does that mean? According to Quartz, online retailers in China have stopped selling ZTE handsets. Nikkei (paywall) reports that carrier stores in China are “nearly out of stock” as well.

Hope for a reprieve?

ZTE’s filing noted it still had “sufficient cash” and was sticking to its commercial obligations. The company was continuing to communicate with the U.S. government regarding the ban, in hopes of changing or reversing the order, the filing added.

ZTE could be deprived of key hardware for its smartphones as a result of the supply ban. More specifically, the firm uses Snapdragon mobile processors by U.S. silicon giant Qualcomm.

Editor’s Pick

No Huawei or ZTE devices sold on military bases, per Pentagon

By order of The Pentagon, all retail establishments located on United States military bases must cease selling devices made by both Huawei and ZTE. The Department of Defense reasons that using devices made by those …

The Chinese brand could also lose Android-related licenses due to the ban. Android is free for brands to use, but companies can qualify for a license to use Google Mobile Services. The license means smartphone brands are free to pre-install the Play Store, other popular Google apps, and Google APIs on their devices.

ZTE was slapped with a supply ban by Washington after it violated sanctions against Iran. It’s not the only Chinese manufacturer in the spotlight, as Huawei is also reportedly under investigation for flouting sanctions against Iran.

China has stepped up its already aggressive plans for the domestic semiconductor sector in the wake of the ban. The country is expected to announce a $47 billion investment fund to help wean local tech companies off U.S. silicon.

Source: Android Zone

The post ZTE has ceased ‘major operating activities’ due to US supply ban appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

RedTube wants to listen to you in the shower, for a good cause

Google doesn’t allow porn apps in the Play Store, but that hasn’t deterred adult website RedTube from trying to get in on the action. Instead of serving up porn however, the platform wants to listen when you shower — to save water.

The Save Water Challenge app lets users accrue points for spending a short amount of time in the shower. Once you hit 350 points, they can then be exchanged for a week of RedTube Premium. The paid offering is an ad-free, HD experience, delivering exclusive content and VR clips if you’ve got a VR headset.

Shorter showers will reward users with more points, the company notes in a press statement. Don’t go thinking you can just turn your shower on for less than ten seconds and accrue points, because that’s what I tried to do…

Using the app is pretty seamless too, as you sign up or use your Google account to log in. From here, you tap “get started” and it’ll listen for water (it’ll ask for permission upon first trying it out). The app automatically stops listening when you turn off the shower, then giving you a breakdown of how much water you saved.

Editor’s Pick

Mobile VR headsets – what are your best options?

Standalone VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive do their job brilliantly but both come at a premium. The Rift will set you back $499, while HTC’s option currently retails for $599. If …

The app is limited to one shower per day, so if you’re a bit of a clean freak, you’ll just have to be happy with one timed shower. It also means you can’t pass your phone to everyone else in the house to rack up a high score. It makes sense though, as the app is about saving water anyway. RedTube probably wouldn’t be happy giving away too many premium plans.

Don’t mind having an app listen to you in the shower? Then check it out via the button below.

Download the app

Next: 5 best porn games for Android (NSFW)

Source: Android Zone

The post RedTube wants to listen to you in the shower, for a good cause appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Put the God of War world map on your table in AR

Google Play Store

The upcoming PlayStation 4 game God of War (colloquially referred to as God of War 4) is already receiving rave reviews for its graphics, new combat system, music, and storyline. Some reviews are even mentioning the “cinematic feel” of the game which gives the player an immersive experience.

To emphasize that immersion, Sony debuted a new augmented reality app called God of War – Mímir’s Vision. Mímir is a character in Norse mythology (from which the new God of War game takes a lot of its plot points) who is beheaded in a war. The god Odin carries around Mímir’s head, which gives him knowledge and counsel.

Editor’s Pick

15 best free Android games of 2018!

We all know that free Android games aren’t always free these days, but many of them are very close if you have a little patience. Most Freemium bottlenecks occur when players get impatient and waiting …

As such, God of War – Mímir’s Vision gives you knowledge about the world map of the game. Using augmented reality, you can place a 3D relief map of the world on any flat surface, like a floor or large table. You can then manipulate the map using your fingers, zooming in on areas you’d like to explore.

Scattered around the map are hints and legends that will likely help you out when you’re actually playing God of War on your PlayStation 4 this weekend.

To check out the map, you don’t need any special virtual reality headsets. You only need a smartphone running Android 7.0 Nougat or higher, and the ARCore app installed. God of War – Mímir’s Vision is about 100MB in size, so you’ll need that much space free on your phone as well.

Editor’s Pick

10 best augmented reality apps and AR apps for Android

Augmented Reality (AR) can be fun technology to play with. The basic premise of AR is to overlay digital content on top of real things using something like a map, a camera, or sometimes the …

In related news, you can now play Holochess (or Dejarik) in Star Wars: Jedi Challenges without the need for a Lenovo Mirage AR headset… on iOS. As VentureBeat reports, Star Wars: Jedi Challenges is now available to use with iPhones compatible with Apple’s ARKit without the need to buy any extra hardware. This new feature is an iOS exclusive for right now, but we’ll update you if we hear of an Android launch.

Have you pre-ordered God of War and set aside the weekend to play it as much as possible? Let us know in the comments!

download god of war – Mímir’s vision

Source: Android Zone

The post Put the God of War world map on your table in AR appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.