Google's latest streaming dongle is so similar to the previous one that when I first opened it up, I experienced a little deja vu. The new Chromecast with Google TV still has a puckish oval design, it comes packaged with an identical remote and even the OS powering everything is (largely) unchanged. The only major difference (at least on the outside) is updated packaging that features a label that says "HD." So instead of supporting 4K displays, this new more affordable Chromecast is aimed squarely at people looking to stream shows and movies on 1080p screens. And from where I'm sitting, that's just fine, because while it's limited to HD content, this thing delivers essentially the same great watching experience that we loved on the original.

On the OnePlus neighborhood boards, OxygenOS Operations Supervisor Abdul B. introduced on June 30 that the OxygenOS 12 beta is out there for the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7T, their Professional variations, and the OnePlus Nord CE. The OnePlus 9RT lastly acquired the OxygenOS 12 beta primarily based on Android 12 final week. With this new batch of telephones, OnePlus has formally introduced the beta to almost each Android 12-eligible telephone. Sadly, it is solely the Indian software program model that is presently obtainable for obtain, not the World model. Abdul B. notes that international customers "could introduce unexpected bugs or potential points" by downloading it and advises you "anticipate different regional variations to roll out."

It was a very good year for Google, but especially for its mobile division. The jury's still out on whether hardware sales will match the quality of its latest phones but in all cases the phones we saw from Google in 2021 deserve respect. Google's custom-developed chip Tensor is probably the company's biggest win. It enables advancements in machine learning and computational photography that Google wouldn't have been able to achieve by using an off-the-shelf Qualcomm chip. The processor has two Cortex-X1 cores, instead of the usual one, which means the Tensor is plenty powerful.

This week, in addition to covering all the Cyber Week deals we could find, we also reviewed some unique gadgets. Steve Dent and a licensed drone pilot toured the French countryside with the help of the DJI Mavic 3 drone, while Terrence O'Brien played with the Animoog Z app, a sequel ten years in the making. Also, Cherlynn Low played around with Android 12 to check out its new Material You design. Steve Dent spent some time with the DJI Mavic 3 and a licensed drone pilot in the French countryside to see what the new device is capable of. He reports that not only is the Mavic 3 the easiest DJI drone to fly, but the large 4/3 sensor and dual camera system produce incredible footage – and the 46 minutes of range is double the time that the previous model could capture.

The Pixel 6 is the most intriguing phone Google has made in years. Not only is it a return to premium design with eye-catching colors and up to a 120Hz screen, it's also powered by the company's first mobile processor -- Tensor. With it, Google is promising serious improvements in AI performance and photography, including better voice recognition and Assistant features. Google also finally upgraded the Pixel's camera hardware instead of just relying on its processing smarts. That's not to say it's overlooked software this year.

Google has finally announced the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, its dual flagship phones intended to take on Samsung and Apple. "The product is really, now, The Google Phone," Google's hardware chief Rick Osterloh has said, "so we are ready to invest a lot in marketing and we want to grow." The two phones, which were revealed in full at an event today, focus on Google's machine learning capabilities with a new Tensor SSC chip and its recently released Android 12 operating system, to make what Google claims is the "most personal and most helpful phone". With regards to the device's specifications, the Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch 60-90Hz OLED display, a 4600mAh battery, 8GB of RAM with 128 or 256GB of storage. The Pixel 6 Pro, meanwhile, has a larger 6.7-inch OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate screen.

Amazon, the owner of Whole Foods, is finally bringing the sort of high-tech features we were expecting to the nationwide grocery chain. Its cashierless Just Walk Out tech will soon arrive in two Whole Foods locations, after starting off in Amazon's own Go grocery stores. Just Walk Out uses computer vision, sensors and AI to let you walk into a store, sign in with an app, fill up your bags and leave without joining a checkout line or scanning your items. I've tested out the systems at my local Amazon Fresh, and I'll begrudgingly admit, it's magical. It's not my go-to grocery store, so I usually only pick up an item or two.

Google has developed a custom-built System on a Chip (SoC), Tensor, to power Pixel phones. "So excited to share our new custom Google Tensor chip, which has been 4 yrs in the making ( for scale)! Tensor builds off of our 2 decades of computing experience and it's our biggest innovation in Pixel to date. Will be on Pixel 6 Pixel 6 Pro in fall," CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted. After Apple ( M1), Huawei (Kirin), Samsung (Exynos), now Google has joined the in-house SoC club.

Rick Osterloh casually dropped his laptop onto the couch and leaned back, satisfied. It's not a mic, but the effect is about the same. Google's chief of hardware had just shown me a demo of the company's latest feature: computational processing for video that will debut on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The feature was only possible with Google's own mobile processor, which it's announcing today. He's understandably proud and excited to share the news.

Google may not be ready to hold an in-person developer conference quite yet, but Google I/O was full of new developments across all of Google's products and services. Well, one line of products was missing: hardware. If you were hoping for details on new Pixels, Chromecasts, Stadia consoles, or Nest smart home gear, you'll have to wait. But Google did offer new details on the long-awaited Android 12; enhancements to its core Search, Photos, and Shopping experiences; and reminded us over and over that, yes, it really cares about privacy. There was even a "one more thing" moment in Project Starline.