Synthetic voices have been proliferating for years, and the generative AI boom of the new ’20s has sped that process right along. AI voices are everywhere—in podcasts, in political campaigns, and in chatbots where they maybe-not-so-subtly replicate celebrity voices. Soon, they’ll be all up in your audiobooks too. Audible, the …
Read More »I Screwed Up My 5K Time by Training With the Pixel Watch 3’s AI Running Coach
As Apple did several years ago, Google has caught on that running is one of the most accessible and nerdiest sports. Assuming you don’t have mobility issues, all you need is a good pair of running shoes and a pair of shorts. It’s easy to see improvement quickly, especially if …
Read More »Google’s Next Antitrust Trial Could Make Online Ads Less Annoying
In March 2007, Google’s then senior executive in charge of acquisitions, David Drummond, emailed the company’s board of directors a case for buying DoubleClick. It was an obscure software developer that helped websites sell ads. But it had about 60 percent market share and could accelerate Google’s growth while keeping …
Read More »Google Photos Is Getting a Gemini Infusion to Power Its Search
Google Photos has a decent search experience right now. I was recently trying to find some photos of my sister's engagement from a few years ago, and a simple “yellow dress” with her name added in front brought all the images to my fingertips within moments. But Google thinks it …
Read More »Harmful 'Nudify' Websites Used Google, Apple, and Discord Sign-On Systems
Major technology companies, including Google, Apple, and Discord, have been enabling people to quickly sign up to harmful “undress” websites, which use AI to remove clothes from real photos to make victims appear to be “nude” without their consent. More than a dozen of these deepfake websites have been using …
Read More »Google Meet will now take notes for you
Google Meet will now take notes for you in meetings, with a new Gemini AI-powered feature rolling out. Announced Tuesday in a blog post, the “Take notes for me” feature is available to “select” paying Google Workspace users. The feature is similar to competitor offerings like Zoom Notes or OtterPilot, …
Read More »Israel Is Buying Google Ads to Discredit the UN’s Top Gaza Aid Agency
Back In mid-January, Mara Kronenfeld was googling the name of the nonprofit she runs, which raises money in the US on behalf of the leading humanitarian aid provider in Gaza. Atop the search results for her organization—UNRWA USA, partner to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in …
Read More »How Google’s Satellite eSOS Works During Emergencies on the Pixel 9
You might be able to count on one hand the number of times you've been in a remote area without a cell signal or Wi-Fi connectivity—unless you're making regular excursions into the backcountry. But in those moments, it's crucial to have some way to make contact with emergency services or …
Read More »Snag the Google Nest Audio smart speaker for 50% off and get SiriusXM for free
SAVE $50: The Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker is on sale for $49.99 at Best Buy, marked down from the normal price of $99.99. That’s a 50% discount that also comes with three free subscriptions. Opens in a new window Credit: Google Nest Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker $49.99 at …
Read More »The New Sonos App Is So Bad, the Company Might Bring Back the Old One
The newest version of Sonos’ mobile app is still very bad—so bad, the company is considering ditching the newly redesigned version of the app and bringing back the older version. This news, reported by The Verge, comes along with reports that Sonos is also laying off 100 employees. Indeed, not …
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