Google and Alphabet Watch: Insights on Google's ecosystem, including Android, Gmail, Chrome, plus other bets and innovations coming from Mountain View.
Why it matters: The ruling has the potential to reshape the mobile app market, offering new opportunities for developers and possibly lowering prices for consumers. It could also set a precedent for how app stores operate in the future, potentially influencing similar cases against other tech giants, such as the ongoing dispute between Epic Games and Apple over the iPhone maker's App Store policies.
Google Lens now allows users to ask questions while capturing an image or video, delivering more specific search results. This voice interaction can also generate an AI overview based on the context of the inquiry.
Why it matters: Google is constantly tinkering with Gmail to make it more productive and useful. Its most recent effort is an update to the summary cards feature, which will now offer real-time information about events, bills, and other important matters. It's a handy addition to email boxes that are increasingly overflowing with junk and marketing messages – an environment, in other words, where important information can easily get lost.
The Google TV Streamer, with its new SoC, more RAM and Ethernet port, offers a significant hardware upgrade compared to the old Chromecast. Reviewers are calling it the best streamer on the market for most users.
A new API, if leveraged, will force users to use Play Store versions instead
A hot potato: Apple's infamous "walled garden" approach is often cited as an example of limiting consumer freedom, but it seems the Android ecosystem is erecting restrictive fences as well. The most recent development in this direction is Google supercharging its Play Integrity API to give developers more power to block apps installed outside the Play Store.
A hot potato: In the latest instance of generative AI being used for something that AI probably shouldn't be used for, Nevada is set to become the first state to use the technology to make recommendations on unemployment benefit appeals. Since these systems are prone to errors, bias, and hallucinations, there are understandable concerns about the move. The fact that courts may not be able to overturn rulings made on the basis of an AI's mistake is compounding these fears.
The Pixel Watch 3 now offers a larger 45mm size, improved battery life, and enhanced health and fitness capabilities. Reviewers suggest it's finally becoming the Apple Watch for Android users.
Off my Face: Compared to smartphones and other traditional computing markets, wearable gadgets haven't exactly taken the world by storm. Companies have been trying for years, and now Qualcomm is making another attempt to convince people that tethered smart glasses are indeed a good idea.