Michael Brown
@michaelbtech.com
Engineer
Exploring the intersection of Web, AI, & Technology 🌐
Mobile Ecosystems | Cloud Architecture | Creative Tech
📍 PHX
📝 thehighcontrast.substack.com
Exploring the intersection of Web, AI, & Technology 🌐
Mobile Ecosystems | Cloud Architecture | Creative Tech
📍 PHX
📝 thehighcontrast.substack.com
Giannis Antetokounmpo's reactions and partnership with Google Pixel will always be a joy to see at the NBA's Dunk Content
February 15, 2026 at 4:04 AM
Giannis Antetokounmpo's reactions and partnership with Google Pixel will always be a joy to see at the NBA's Dunk Content
The illusion that Safari is the final word in privacy only holds up if you never look outside the Apple ecosystem.
While Safari is basic, I believe Brave and DuckDuckGo offer much better protection with built-in tracking protection, speed-focus browsing, while making privacy a lot more seamless.
While Safari is basic, I believe Brave and DuckDuckGo offer much better protection with built-in tracking protection, speed-focus browsing, while making privacy a lot more seamless.
February 15, 2026 at 1:01 AM
The illusion that Safari is the final word in privacy only holds up if you never look outside the Apple ecosystem.
While Safari is basic, I believe Brave and DuckDuckGo offer much better protection with built-in tracking protection, speed-focus browsing, while making privacy a lot more seamless.
While Safari is basic, I believe Brave and DuckDuckGo offer much better protection with built-in tracking protection, speed-focus browsing, while making privacy a lot more seamless.
Microsoft plans to replace OpenAI's models with its own by 2026.
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman:
"We have to develop our own foundation models, which are at the absolute frontier, with gigawatt-scale compute and some of the very best AI training teams in the world"
www.ft.com/content/f1ec...
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman:
"We have to develop our own foundation models, which are at the absolute frontier, with gigawatt-scale compute and some of the very best AI training teams in the world"
www.ft.com/content/f1ec...
February 13, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Microsoft plans to replace OpenAI's models with its own by 2026.
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman:
"We have to develop our own foundation models, which are at the absolute frontier, with gigawatt-scale compute and some of the very best AI training teams in the world"
www.ft.com/content/f1ec...
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman:
"We have to develop our own foundation models, which are at the absolute frontier, with gigawatt-scale compute and some of the very best AI training teams in the world"
www.ft.com/content/f1ec...
Google design leads explain how integrated teams now build hardware and software in parallel to ensure seamless performance. "We’re no longer just designing a phone or an app but rather a singular, fluid experience where the boundaries between physical and digital disappear."
February 10, 2026 at 3:52 AM
Google design leads explain how integrated teams now build hardware and software in parallel to ensure seamless performance. "We’re no longer just designing a phone or an app but rather a singular, fluid experience where the boundaries between physical and digital disappear."
Google is finally admitting that the era of siloed software and hardware development is dead. The tech giant is pivoting its entire design philosophy to solve a problem most users didn't even realize they had.
February 10, 2026 at 3:52 AM
Google is finally admitting that the era of siloed software and hardware development is dead. The tech giant is pivoting its entire design philosophy to solve a problem most users didn't even realize they had.
Pixel 10's Camera Coach is definitely an MVP "preview," but I’ve found its real value right now isn't for people because taking 10s to frame a person feels awkward, but for landscapes and nature, having a pocket instructor for composition is cool.
February 8, 2026 at 11:12 PM
Pixel 10's Camera Coach is definitely an MVP "preview," but I’ve found its real value right now isn't for people because taking 10s to frame a person feels awkward, but for landscapes and nature, having a pocket instructor for composition is cool.
Remember the days when Android phones rarely had case options?
I swap between Bellroy and Spigen cases, and have been using official Google cases for the last three Pixel generations using my Google store credits.
Pixel 10 Cases: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
I swap between Bellroy and Spigen cases, and have been using official Google cases for the last three Pixel generations using my Google store credits.
Pixel 10 Cases: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
February 8, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Remember the days when Android phones rarely had case options?
I swap between Bellroy and Spigen cases, and have been using official Google cases for the last three Pixel generations using my Google store credits.
Pixel 10 Cases: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
I swap between Bellroy and Spigen cases, and have been using official Google cases for the last three Pixel generations using my Google store credits.
Pixel 10 Cases: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
I ordered these before the news got out that they are bad.
They just came in today, so let's see if they're as bad as they say they.
They just came in today, so let's see if they're as bad as they say they.
February 7, 2026 at 10:20 PM
I ordered these before the news got out that they are bad.
They just came in today, so let's see if they're as bad as they say they.
They just came in today, so let's see if they're as bad as they say they.
I feel like most straight men don't rock with the moonstone color on the Pixel 10 Pro. I think it goes pretty hard 🔥
February 6, 2026 at 7:45 PM
I feel like most straight men don't rock with the moonstone color on the Pixel 10 Pro. I think it goes pretty hard 🔥
The speakers can use my voice to play music, ask questions, and cast from my phone while still using it for calls, video, etc. It also supports Spatial Audio when connected to our TV.
We recently got a vinyl record player to plug into the big speaker and play our new vinyl collection.
We recently got a vinyl record player to plug into the big speaker and play our new vinyl collection.
February 6, 2026 at 6:24 PM
The speakers can use my voice to play music, ask questions, and cast from my phone while still using it for calls, video, etc. It also supports Spatial Audio when connected to our TV.
We recently got a vinyl record player to plug into the big speaker and play our new vinyl collection.
We recently got a vinyl record player to plug into the big speaker and play our new vinyl collection.
My tablet sits on the dock. I use it for worship music in the morning, focus music, and sometimes watching & listen to shows.
I love how easy it is to just pop it off and on, so I can take it downstairs to continue watching the show and easily attach it to my fridg ofe with the built-in magnets.
I love how easy it is to just pop it off and on, so I can take it downstairs to continue watching the show and easily attach it to my fridg ofe with the built-in magnets.
February 6, 2026 at 6:24 PM
My tablet sits on the dock. I use it for worship music in the morning, focus music, and sometimes watching & listen to shows.
I love how easy it is to just pop it off and on, so I can take it downstairs to continue watching the show and easily attach it to my fridg ofe with the built-in magnets.
I love how easy it is to just pop it off and on, so I can take it downstairs to continue watching the show and easily attach it to my fridg ofe with the built-in magnets.
My favorite tech items this past year (outside of my phone and watch) has been my Pixel Tablet and Google Home speakers.
I'd consider both "home tech" because I mainly use them while I'm at home but they both have multiple purposes for the home.
Home Tech: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
I'd consider both "home tech" because I mainly use them while I'm at home but they both have multiple purposes for the home.
Home Tech: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
February 6, 2026 at 6:24 PM
My favorite tech items this past year (outside of my phone and watch) has been my Pixel Tablet and Google Home speakers.
I'd consider both "home tech" because I mainly use them while I'm at home but they both have multiple purposes for the home.
Home Tech: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
I'd consider both "home tech" because I mainly use them while I'm at home but they both have multiple purposes for the home.
Home Tech: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Well, this didn't age well, Tim
February 6, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Well, this didn't age well, Tim
With Apple's next iOS release, iOS 26.3, you'll be able to "Transfer to Android" a lot easier.
Looks like Apple is slowly releasing the handcuffs a little, but not full as you can see "health data, devices paired with Bluetooth, and 'protected items' are not available for transfer"
Looks like Apple is slowly releasing the handcuffs a little, but not full as you can see "health data, devices paired with Bluetooth, and 'protected items' are not available for transfer"
February 5, 2026 at 5:52 PM
With Apple's next iOS release, iOS 26.3, you'll be able to "Transfer to Android" a lot easier.
Looks like Apple is slowly releasing the handcuffs a little, but not full as you can see "health data, devices paired with Bluetooth, and 'protected items' are not available for transfer"
Looks like Apple is slowly releasing the handcuffs a little, but not full as you can see "health data, devices paired with Bluetooth, and 'protected items' are not available for transfer"
More Android devices are getting AirDrop support this year.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
February 5, 2026 at 4:02 PM
More Android devices are getting AirDrop support this year.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
Here's my favorite from the hilarious ad campaign from Anthropic. Such a good ad.
February 5, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Here's my favorite from the hilarious ad campaign from Anthropic. Such a good ad.
Google's "Likeness", from Android XR, may soon be in more places as 3D avatars across Android.
https://thehighcontrast/p/gemini-may-soon-offer-3d-avatars
https://thehighcontrast/p/gemini-may-soon-offer-3d-avatars
February 5, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Google's "Likeness", from Android XR, may soon be in more places as 3D avatars across Android.
https://thehighcontrast/p/gemini-may-soon-offer-3d-avatars
https://thehighcontrast/p/gemini-may-soon-offer-3d-avatars
I'm so glad this post from Justin Bieber is coming back around 😆
Trevor Noah referenced it, just now, at the Grammy's! It's interesting how Apple is becoming the butt of American pop culture while being such a beloved brand at the same time.
#grammys
x.com/i/status/199...
Trevor Noah referenced it, just now, at the Grammy's! It's interesting how Apple is becoming the butt of American pop culture while being such a beloved brand at the same time.
#grammys
x.com/i/status/199...
February 2, 2026 at 1:21 AM
I'm so glad this post from Justin Bieber is coming back around 😆
Trevor Noah referenced it, just now, at the Grammy's! It's interesting how Apple is becoming the butt of American pop culture while being such a beloved brand at the same time.
#grammys
x.com/i/status/199...
Trevor Noah referenced it, just now, at the Grammy's! It's interesting how Apple is becoming the butt of American pop culture while being such a beloved brand at the same time.
#grammys
x.com/i/status/199...
Identity Check: This is a major security "speed bump." It enforces biometric authentication (fingerprint/face) for sensitive actions—like disabling Find My Device or changing a PIN—specifically when the device is away from "trusted locations" like home or work.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
February 1, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Identity Check: This is a major security "speed bump." It enforces biometric authentication (fingerprint/face) for sensitive actions—like disabling Find My Device or changing a PIN—specifically when the device is away from "trusted locations" like home or work.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
Remote Lock: This is an important backport for the platform, hitting devices all the way down to Android 5.0+.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
February 1, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Remote Lock: This is an important backport for the platform, hitting devices all the way down to Android 5.0+.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
Offline Device Lock: This triggers if a thief keeps your phone disconnected for a "prolonged" period. Per details from the latest research, this specific trigger is capped at twice per 24-hour period to mitigate accidental lockouts in dead zones.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
February 1, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Offline Device Lock: This triggers if a thief keeps your phone disconnected for a "prolonged" period. Per details from the latest research, this specific trigger is capped at twice per 24-hour period to mitigate accidental lockouts in dead zones.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
Theft Detection Lock: This uses an on-device AI model and sensors (accelerometer/gyroscope) to detect "snatch-and-run" motions.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
February 1, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Theft Detection Lock: This uses an on-device AI model and sensors (accelerometer/gyroscope) to detect "snatch-and-run" motions.
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
open.substack.com/pub/thehighc...
Also, it's going to take me a while to transition from calling them "podcasts" because they really are just "shows" and "briefings." I like the name, "audio briefings." But as long as YT Music and Spotify continue calling them Podcasts, I guess I'll continue doing the same.
February 1, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Also, it's going to take me a while to transition from calling them "podcasts" because they really are just "shows" and "briefings." I like the name, "audio briefings." But as long as YT Music and Spotify continue calling them Podcasts, I guess I'll continue doing the same.