No need to sugarcoat it, the history of Android tablets is rough. There are some exceptions. Samsung, for one, has managed to carve out a nice market for itself in the space, courtesy of nice hardware and heavy Android customization. The Galaxy maker has secured a consistent No. 2 behind Apple – accounting for nearly a quarter of all shipments in Q1 2023, per IDC.
Things drop off precipitously from there. Huawei is actually in third at around 7% of the market. That’s not surprising on the basis of hardware quality, but the company’s much-publicized struggles with the U.S. government have left it in a lurch. They’ve also pushed the company off its Android dependence into its homebrew, HarmonyOS.
Lenovo is the other major Android tablet maker in the top five; Amazon is in fifth, but Fire OS doesn’t really qualify by most measures. The company excels in good, innovative hardware, while its tablets are split between three operating systems: Android, Windows and Chrome.
We won’t relitigate why the operating system has struggled to catch on with tablets the same way it has handsets – but we can definitely say it’s not for lack of trying. After an initial reluctance around hardware makers porting the mobile OS to a larger form factor, Google began trying its own hand at Android tablets a little over a decade ago.
In 2012, the company partnered with Asus on the Nexus 7 and Samsung for the Nexus 10. An HTC-built Nexus 9 arrived in 2014. The Pixel C was released the following year, amid a shift to first-party hardware after years of partnerships. A Pixel Slate arrived in 2018, with a shift to Chrome as Google’s preferred tablet operating system. Much like its predecessors, that didn’t last long.
When the Pixel Tablet was first teased in 2022, one major question loomed over the rest: Why should this time be any different? In addition to standard adoption problems, Google’s approach to the tablet category has been defined by intense indecision, above all. Consumer electronics adoption is often a slow burn, one that requires commitment. Over the years, one has the unshakable sense that the Google hardware team was throwing up its hands in frustration after each subsequent swing.
Image Credits: Brian Heater
When the Pixel Tablet was fully unveiled at I/O, the answer seemed to be: this time will be different because the approach is different. The dock is the thing. Make no mistake. The dock is what makes the Pixel Tablet interesting. In fact, I’m more inclined to refer to it as a Nest Home with a detachable screen than a Pixel Tablet with a dock – though I’m sure Google wouldn’t be thrilled with that particular classification.
To be fair, when the Home Hub launched initially, I wrote, “From a design standpoint, the product is best described as a seven-inch tablet resting atop a speaker at ~ a 25 to 30 degree angle.” More than any other smart screen on the market at the time, Google’s resembled a small tablet grafted onto a speaker base. I can’t be the only one who felt momentarily compelled to see if I could remove it.
The Pixel Tablet is the clear logical extension of that design. Whether it’s ultimately a tablet or smart screen first is ultimately in the eye of the user. What I will say is that Google made a canny decision bundling the two together. In fact, at present, the tablet can only be purchased as a bundle. Perhaps at some point down the road users will want to buy the slate separately, but it’s currently difficult to get excited about the device as a standalone.
It’s a solid piece of hardware. The device feels premium enough, and it bests the standard iPad on multiple accounts. The display is 10.95 inches with a 2650 x 1600 resolution – vs. the 10th gen iPad’s 10.9 inch, 2360 x 1640 screen (the Pixel has a slightly higher pixel density). Its battery is rated at 12 hours, to the iPad’s 10. It ships with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, to the iPad’s 4GB and 64GB, respectively. The front- and rear-facing cameras are both eight megapixels, down from 12-megapixels on the iPad.
Image Credits: Brian Heater
In many ways, the Pixel Tablet is best understood as Google’s equivalent to the base-level iPad. It’s a flash-free utilitarian device that will do the things you need a tablet to do. It’s a product that Google could have hypothetically started producing a decade or so back, rather than waffling in its approach to the space and letting hardware partners like Samsung, Huawei and Lenovo eat its lunch.
But, then, the Google of the past always seemed to have an uneasy relationship with the notion of first-party hardware. It preferred letting existing hardware firms do the heavy lifting. When it released its own device, it generally lacked follow-through. But a few key things have happened in the meantime:
1. Google bought Nest for $3.2 billion in 2014, and has spent the intervening years building out its smart home offering, including various Home Hub devices.
2. The company went scorched earth on the Pixel division, bought a chunk of HTC IP and rebuilt from the ground up.
3. The company developed Android L, a variation of the operating system for larger screens – not unlike iPadOS
That last one is, in some ways, the most essential. The company wasn’t entirely clear with messaging when it dropped in late 2021 (as evidenced by the clear befuddlement in this post by my exceptionally rational colleague, Frederic). Android 12L was introduced, in part, to embrace growing interest around foldables. It also gives developers a native way to bring Android to a tablet. It was quickly embraced by the likes of Samsung, Lenovo and Microsoft.
It brings some key features, like a multi-tasking split screen accessible through the taskbar. With that enabled, you can more easily drag and drop media from Google Photos into apps.
Showcasing new software features has always been a fundamental underpinning of Google’s consumer hardware play, and there’s no reason to believe the Pixel Tablet isn’t a direct outgrowth of that philosophy.
Image Credits: Brian Heater
But coming out with a fine – if largely unexceptional – tablet in 2023 isn’t going to be the magic bullet that finally reverses a decade of attempting to establish yourself in the category. A combination tablet/smart display/home hub, on the other hand, is a compelling proposition. Same goes for the price. Offering the Pixel Tablet alone for $499 would have been a hard sell, as well. Unless you’re Samsung, you need to price your system far more aggressive than Apples (the standard iPad starts at $449). Adding the speaker dock and Nest Home Hub functionality, on the other hand, sweetens the deal significantly.
Suddenly you’ve got a device that straddles Google’s two primary consumer hardware divisions (Pixel, Nest) quite nicely. Google’s not the first to try this, of course. Amazon is probably the best example, with Fire docks that double as Echo devices courtesy of “Show Mode” for FireOS. Google’s equivalent is Hub mode.
By default, the system shows a rotating gallery of wallpapers. Once connected to the rest of your smart home devices, you can access a panel that centralizes monitoring and controls over lights, thermostats and the like. This can all be done without unlocking the device, though more sensitive things like security cameras still require the unlock.
Image Credits: Google
Hub Mode automatically turns on when you dock the system, magnetically snapping it in place, so the charging pins line up (the system can also be charged via USB-C when the dock isn’t on hand). You’ll see a brief animation letting you know it’s working as planned. If you’re playing music on the tablet, the song will then be transferred to the dock’s speakers, which are significantly fuller than what you get with the slate. As with the Nest Hub, it’s a nice way to watch quick things like YouTube videos.
I certainly wouldn’t make it my primary movie watching or music listening device, but I’ve always found Nest hubs to be a great companion to better smart speakers like the Google Home Max (RIP?). It’s a great little visual media control for the music as it plays. You can use it with a variety of services, including Spotify and Apple Music.
Image Credits: Brian Heater
That’s one of the nice things about using an Android tablet versus a smart display: access to a huge app library. That means the docked tablet also services as a handy little teleconferencing device for things like Google Meet and Zoom. The front-facing camera and speakers are more than enough to get the job done.
When it came to launching a new tablet in 2023, Google had an intensely difficult task ahead of it. It’s an extremely mature category with established players. Much like smartphones, tablets have largely improved to the point of being a bit boring, frankly. Convertibles have made a somewhat compelling case for continued creative, but the slates themselves have fallen into a similar iterative spec race. For the first time, however, Google understood the assignment. Any new hardware it was going to introduce had to be more than just a tablet. The Pixel isn’t the first tablet to feature smart home docking functionality, but it’s the first where that functionality feels more primary than afterthought.
The Pixel Tablet isn’t going to set the world on fire, but in some ways, Google has done the impossible: made a standard, entry-level slate interesting in the year of our lord, 2023.
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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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
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.
