Tag: android

Google brings Gemini automation to third-party apps on Android

Just three apps will be available on Gemini automation, but Google says they are just getting started. (Picture: Google)
Gemini on Android will soon be able to order up food and rides from Uber, DoordDsh, and Grubhub for you, launching yesterday at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event.

That means you can «order a ride home» or «order my last meal,» and let Gemini control your Uber app in the background just like any human would. But when it comes to tapping the «buy»-button, it will need your attention.

The beta is only available in the USA and Korea, arriving in March on the latest phones from Samsung and Google, specifically the S26 and Pixel 10.

It works within a «virtual window» on the phone, and does not have access to anything else, 9to5Google writes.

— This beta feature will be initially available for select apps in the food, grocery and rideshare categories, Google says.

Gemini already has automation features for standard Google apps, like Gmail and Calendar.

Read more: Google’s blog, writeups on 9to5Google, The Verge and TechCrunch.

Samsung planning to integrate Perplexity on upcoming Galaxy phones

Samsung is diversifying its agents, and hints of more of them in the future. (Picture: Samsung, manipulated)
8 in 10 users use more than one AI agent, Samsung’s research has found. So they are bringing in one more of them to their coming Android phones.

Galaxy AI will in the future act more as a conductor, shoveling tasks to the best agent, rather than as a gatekeeper serving tasks to a single one, says Won-Joon Choi, President, Chief Operating Officer at Samsung Electronics:

— Galaxy AI acts as an orchestrator, bringing together different forms of AI into a single, natural, cohesive experience.

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Google introduces «Me Meme» to put yourself in a meme in Photos

Meme culture peaked in 2012, and now Google are putting out a meme function for photos. (Picture: reddit, Shadow_Strike99)
Google Photos has a new feature where you can take any one of your photos and turn them into a meme.

The feature works best with well-lit portraits, and uses Nano Bana to create «funny, personalized images.»

All you need is to select a template (which are already available in the app), choose a photo and click on Me Meme, available through the Create button. You can then share it widely right from the app.

The feature launched just before the weekend, and so far it doesn’t seem to have the viral uptake Google might have hoped for.

Memes are so 2012, after all.

Read more: Google’s announcement, TechCrunch, Mashable.

Google launches Private AI Compute, a secure way to use cloud AI

Google's new cloud program will offer the same privacy as on-device computation.
Expanding from on-device AI, Google’s new tech will provide the same level of privacy. (Picture: Google)
Similar to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, Google’s solution is to enhance apps on your phone, Chromebook or whatever else you are using, with extra power from Gemini in the cloud.

Most of Google’s AI features are handled on-device, but they are seeing the need for more computing power to move «from completing simple requests to AI that can anticipate your needs with tailored suggestions or handle tasks for you at just the right moment.»

The connections between the device and servers are encrypted, and the data transmitted is not available to anyone’s prying eyes — not even Google’s.

The new tech is not getting a wide rollout, and most AI queries will still be on-device. The only feature to use it is the Magic Cue in Android, and the Recorder app, that will be able to summarize transcripts in «a wide range of languages.»

This is foundational technology for Google, and they will be rolling out features across their services in short order, saying «This is just the beginning.»

Read more: Google’s launch page, writeups on The Verge and 9to5Google.

Google’s improved Ask Photos in Android goes live for US users

Google's new and improved Ask Photos offers the best of both worlds.
Google has split the screen in its AI photo search. (Picture: Google)
After a rocky rollout in May, 2024 and since languishing in Early Access for select users, Google has listened to its critics and is back with a better experience.

The complaints on the initial launch were that the Gemini-powered AI search was sluggish and took much longer than users had patience for, Mashable writes.

Complex queries for the photo library
The idea of the AI-powered search feature was to let people search in natural language with complex queries, like «what did I eat in Barcelona?» and finding photos that would make great backgrounds, according to 9to5Google.

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Google’s Gemini to replace Assistant on Android

Gemini will soon be the default assistant on all Android devices. (Pitcure: Google.)
Gemini will soon be the default assistant on all Android devices. (Pitcure: Google.)
Google said in a blog post today that they will waste no time phasing out the revered and often frustrating Google Assistant, and default to Gemini instead on billions of devices, in what could be a risky antitrust move from the behemoth.

That’s despite a multitude of hallucinations and other issues with the AI model, Ars Technica writes.

Assistant was first introduced in 2016, listened for the «Hey Google»-prompt, and worked well for mostly playing stuff off Youtube, but often frustrated users on other tasks.

Only supported assistant
Now the entire Android universe will be using Gemini instead, as the only supported assistant across cars, cellphones, TVs and tablets, which should be a enormous boon to the user base for the AI model.

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