The finest devices from the powerful Android TV platform have cutting-edge display technology that creates an immersive entertainment experience unlike any other. These TVs feature intuitive interfaces, voice command capabilities, and a vast array of apps and streaming services, making them versatile hubs for digital content. With crisp visuals, responsive performance, and a sleek design, the best Android TVs redefine home entertainment by combining the convenience of smart technology with top-notch picture quality.
Watching TV is how many of us unwind at the end of a long day. In fact, a new study reveals that many people turn to their favorite comfort shows to relieve stress. Whether you sit down to binge content for relaxation or excitement, investing in top-notch home theater technology can take it all to the next level.
When shopping for a new TV, it is important to remember that a higher price doesn’t always mean better picture quality. A new study shows that after the thousand dollar mark, there isn’t a huge difference in picture quality. That is good food for thought for shoppers.
Are you ready to spruce up your living room with a new big-screen TV? StudyFinds has compiled a list of the best Android TVs on the market today. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
Someone watching TV (Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash)
Topping the list of best Android TVs is the Sony A95K OLED. “By any standard, the Sony Bravia XR A95K OLED is a remarkable TV — and often, it’s far better than that,” says Tom’s Guide. “This set, which sits at the top of Sony’s expansive TV lineup, unites the industry’s defining technologies and Sony’s own groundbreaking processing and picture enhancements to deliver superlative performance in every area. And our own test results back this up.”
Sony Bravia XR A95K OLED TV
“The Bravia XR A95K comes with the new Google TV experience out of the box. It also offers all the premium features you’d expect from a high-end TV in 2023, including support for features like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision HDR, etc.,” writes XDA Developers. “Additionally, you also get HDMI 2.1 ports for full next-generation gaming with VRR and ALLM. Compared to the Bravia XR A80K, the A95K model features an upgraded panel, a slightly different design, and a more powerful set of speakers.”
Digital Trends calls it the best OLED Google TV. “This 65-inch Bravia XR TV also works very well with Google TV, running the platform effortlessly. HDRO10 and Dolby Vision are both included to complement the 4K resolution, and gamers will be pleased to see the 120Hz refresh rate. There’s even an included Bravia cam that can be uncovered to make video chats and – potentially – optimize the TV for gesture controls and the most popular spots in your living room.”
Second on the list is the Hisense U8 Series. “The Hisense U8H series offers great picture quality thanks to its mini LED screen, delivers quality audio without any extra equipment, and supports Dolby Vision and HDR. It’s the best Android TV overall,” notes Android Central.
Hisense U8 Series
“When it comes to Android TV and even Google TV now, the best TV that you can buy is the Hisense U8H,” writes Android Headlines. “Now those of you that are into TVs might be surprised to see Hisense here. But keep in mind that Samsung and LG do not use Android TV, so all of their TVs cannot be listed here. That doesn’t mean the Hisense U8H is a bad TV though, quite the contrary. This is a stunning TV that gets super bright. And that is thanks to Mini LED. In our experience with the U8H, we’ve found that this is the best picture quality for a bright room, in this price range.”
RTINGS.com calls it the best mid-range smart TV. “If you want something cheaper but aren’t necessarily on a budget, consider the Hisense U8/U8K. It’s a clear step down from the LG C2 OLED regarding picture quality as it doesn’t deliver the same perfect blacks, but it’s still an impressive TV that outperforms any other option in its price range. The Hisense runs Google TV as its built-in smart interface, with many apps available to download through the Google Play Store, so you can find your favorite content.”
Another favorite that online experts recommended is the TCL Class 6-Series. “With next-gen gaming perks like 4K@120Hz, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) TCL’s 6-Series sets make for great gaming without breaking your wallet,” notes Android Central.
TCL Class 6-Series 65-inch
Android Headlines calls it the best gaming Android TV. “Those of you looking for a great TV that runs Android TV, as well as providing the best gaming experience at a pretty good price, the TCL 6-Series Mini-LED QLED is a really great option.”
Popular Science recommends the TCL Q6, saying it’s the best overall. “The 2022 model of TCL’s 6-Series is so good that it earned a spot in our guide, but the company has continued to defy our expectations of what to expect from a sub-$1,000 4K TV with its successor, the Q6. We’ll cut to the chase: This is the TCL TV you should get unless you have really specialized needs or a very strict budget. In our tests, which included playing Nintendo Switch games and streaming native 4K content from Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming services, the Q6 couldn’t have performed much better.”
Another Sony Android TV to make the list is the A80L. “Sony’s A80L OLED is the surprise package of 2023 so far and the TV we most readily recommend thanks to its awesome performance-per-pound credentials,” recommends What Hi-Fi?
Sony A80L 65-inch
“The XR A80L’s OLED panel has a 120Hz refresh rate, support for Dolby Vision HDR, and runs on a custom processor that optimizes its performance for video streaming and gaming,” says Popular Science. “These features will benefit all gamers, but PlayStation-exclusive ones like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Mode will tune the set when you plug in Sony’s console. The two can speak to one another in ways other consoles can’t because of custom hardware and software developed for each.”
Android Headlines calls it the best OLED Android TV. “This is the perfect TV for movie lovers. This is because of that OLED display which provides an incredible picture quality, but it also brings in strong, immersive sound quality. Basically getting rid of the soundbar for you. And that is always a good thing to see here. It’s a good refinement over Sony’s older OLED TVs with Android TV built-in. Making it a good option to buy.”
Rounding out the top five is the TCL Class 5-Series. “The TCL 5-series QLED 4K is among the cheapest 4K TVs you can buy in 2023. It’s available in 50, 55, 65, and 75-inch sizes, and offers all the essentials including features like Dolby Vision, HDR, Google TV, etc.,” says XDA Developers.
TCL Class 5-Series 50-inch
“Features like Dolby Vision and HDR support make the TCL 5-Series televisions a great buy at a great price,” notes Android Central. “The picture quality is good and it’s an excellent value.”
Tom’s Guide calls it a killer QLED value with Google TV. “The TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546) wowed us with its combination of smart TV features, solid performance and great value for your dollar. Building on the foundation of the already-good 5-Series, the move to Google TV gives the affordable 4K smart TV a more premium smart TV platform, one that offers personalized and customizable suggestions, a huge assortment of smart features, and deep Google Assistant integration that makes it a viable center for the entire home of connected gadgets.”
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Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
