915 Stories
Google’s NotebookLM App is Here to Turn Your Notes into Podcasts
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Google has launched the NotebookLM app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You can suggest sources to the app, where it will summarize the topic and let you ask follow-up questions for easy understanding. It even lets you generate AI-hosted podcasts right from your smartphone.
Elon Musk’s Grok AI Now Hosted By Microsoft
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Microsoft has announced that it will host Elon Musk's Grok 3 AI model on its Azure AI Foundry service. Grok 3 and Grok 3 mini will now be available to Azure customers with full service-level agreements. This could spark tensions between Microsoft and Open AI, given the history between Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
iPhone 17 Air Could be So Slim You’ll Need an Extra Battery Pack
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The iPhone 17 Air's slim design may come at a severe cost of battery capacity. According to leaked details, the phone will feature a high-density battery, which will be 2,800mAh in size. This will make it must to use an additional battery back with the device to use it for long periods between charges.
Apple is Building a New LLM-Powered Siri from Scratch
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Apple is rebuilding Siri from the ground up as a large language model (LLM)-powered assistant. This will improve its conversational abilities and data synthesis. The company is investing more in AI, and the new Siri will also be able to access the web like Perplexity.
Apple Music Just Made Switching From Other Services Much Easier
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Apple Music now allows you to transfer music, playlists, and artists from other streaming services. The feature is currently limited to New Zealand and Australia but should be rolling out to other regions later on. It will require you to log into you existing account on other platforms to start the transfer process.
Sony WH-1000XM6 Are Here with Detachable Earpads and Extended Battery
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Sony has released the WH-1000XM6, the successor to their older flagship XM5 headphones. They feature improvements like foldable hinges, detachable earpads, bigger battery life, and better ambient sound. They will retail for $449 and will be available in three distinct color options.
Apple Showing App Store Warnings to Discourage Users from External Payments
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Apple faces backlash in over warning messages on apps not using its payment system, despite recent rulings allowing third-party payments. The warnings, part of Apple’s DMA Compliance Plan since March 2024, discourage users from apps using external purchases. The controversy resurfaces due to Apple’s past practices and ongoing legal battles with Epic Games.
xAI finally clarifies on the weird behavior of Grok's claim regarding white genocide as "unauthorized access". The team shared an official X post talking about the issue and clarifying the cause of the absurd behavior. The team also talked about their plans to increase transparency by publishing prompts on GitHub and improving code reviews.
Peacock is Offering Its Premium Yearly Plan For Just $25
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Peacock Premium is offering its ad-supported tier for just $25 for a year as a part of Memorial's Day discount. This is a big discount from the usual $80 price tag and is only available till May 30. You need to enter the code SPRINGSAVINGS to claim the discount at checkout.
YouTube Wants to Exploit Your Emotions With Gemini-Powered Ads
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YouTube plans to use Gemini to place ads during emotionally engaging "peak moments" in videos. This new feature is called Peak Points and will be implemented for mid-roll advertisements. The platform is also working on Shoppable CTV, allowing users to buy products directly from ads.
HBO Max Finally Returns After a Brief “Max” Era
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Max is now HBO Max again as Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded the streaming platform. This decision comes as part to better represent their premium catalogue of content that drives subscribers. The change will take place in the coming days of summer and will not effect any current plans or subscriptions.
Apple Music’s Sound Therapy Playlists Can Help You Focus, Relax, and Sleep
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Apple Music has partnered with Universal Music Group and Sollos to introduce Sound Therapy. It's a collection of songs from popular artists that blends music with scientifically backed sound waves to help users focus, relax, or sleep. You can find the new Sound Therapy collections within the "New" tab in Apple Music.
Instagram Edits Takes on CapCut with Its Own Beat Editing Feature
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Instagram Edits has introduced beat editing and other features, mirroring CapCut's popular tools. The latest update to the video editing app includes preset animations, visual effects, and improved options. The app continues to adopt more features with every update to take on the likes of CapCut given its uncertain future in the U.S.
Google Testing “AI Mode” to Replace “I’m Feeling Lucky” on Search Page
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Google is testing an "AI Mode" on its search page, which may replace the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. The feature, powered by Gemini 2.0, allows users to ask open-ended questions and receive answers through advanced reasoning. It is still under the early testing phase, but you can try it out via labs.google.com/search/aimode.le
Carl Pei Drops the Price Tag of the Nothing Phone 3 (and Our Jaws)
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Nothing CEO Carl Pei confirmed the Nothing Phone 3 will be priced around £800 (~$1,064) during Android Show: I/O Edition. It will be the company's first true flagship phone featuring: premium materials, major performance upgrades, and software that really levels things up. This is a significant jump in pricing that hasn't been seen from the company before.
Google Officially Reveals Android 16 Release Window for Pixels
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Android 16 will officially start rolling out sometime in June. This was confirmed by Google's Director of Product Management for Pixel and Android system UI, Allen Huang. The update will not bring Material 3 Expressive, as they are scheduled to arrive later this year.
Android 16’s Advanced Protection is a One-Stop Solution for All Your Worries
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Android 16 introduces Advanced Protection, a single toggle to activate all security measures. This includes new features like intrusion logging and existing ones such as theft detection and offline device lock. The feature ensures maximum security without the need to manually enable multiple settings.
Google’s Gemini Coming to WearOS, Android Auto, TV, and Android XR
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Google's Gemini AI is expanding to WearOS, Android Auto, Google TV, and Android XR. The smart AI chatbot will replace Google Assistant on all these devices as the default voice model, enhancing voice interactions across devices. It will make daily tasks more convenient and users will be able to interact with it using natural language commands.
Google Officially Unveils Material 3 Expressive for Android
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Google officially unveiled Material 3 Expressive at the Android Show I/O ahead of the official Google I/O. Coming with Android 16, it features emotional design, smoother interactions, dynamic colors, and springy animations. It is also coming to Pixel watches with the WearOS 6 update, bringing the same design improvements better suited for smartwatches.
Spotify’s AI DJ Just Got Even More Personal
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Spotify's AI DJ now accepts song requests, allowing users to update their playlists based on current moods or events. To use this feature, you need to press and hold the DJ button while listening to a DJ playlist. It is available in over 60 regions for Spotify Premium users. It's rolling out gradually, so make sure your app is up to date.
Google Updates Its Iconic “G” Logo with a Gradient Design
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Google has refreshed its iconic “G” logo for the first time in a decade. The updated design blends its signature red, blue, green, and yellow colors into a gradient instead of distinct sections. First spotted in the Google app on iOS, it’s now appearing on Android devices as well. The reason behind the change is unclear, but speculation ties it to Google’s upcoming Android event.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, its thinnest phone yet, featuring a 6.7-inch 2K AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB RAM, and a titanium frame. Apple is rumored to counter with the iPhone 17 Air, expected to be even slimmer, featuring a high-density battery and A19 chip. So which brand will take the trophy for the ultra thin phone of the year? Find out in this read.
Meta is Developing AI Smart Glasses That Never Stop Watching
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Meta is working on two pairs of new smart glasses, codenamed Aperol and Bellini. These glasses will be equipped with "super sensing" vision software which will keep the cameras and sensors turned on always. This new feature will help with facial recognition and reminders for activity and surrounding based reminders.
Gemini on iPad Gets a Proper Full-Screen Upgrade and a New Widget
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Google has updated Gemini for iPads, bringing proper full-screen support on the device. They are also bringing a new Gemini widget to quickly jump into Gemini Live and perform other actions. The app can also connect with your Google Photos library after the update.
Spotify is adding some quality of life improvements to its app with the new update. These changes include a new Create option on the homepage and a more prominent Hide option. Users will also be able to create playlists out of Liked Songs and better manage current playlists as well.
Netflix is Getting a Redesigned UI, AI Search, and New TikTok Style Vertical Feed
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Netflix is overhauling its TV app with a redesigned homepage featuring bigger previews and real-time recommendations. They are also introducing an AI-powered search, which will be exclusive to the iOS version of the Netflix app at first. Users can also look forward to a TikTok-style vertical feed for easier browse and Discover new content to watch on the streaming platform.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 Could Be the World’s Thinnest Foldable Phone
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Samsung could continue making thin and light phones past the Galaxy S25 Edge. Their next Galaxy Z Fold 7 is likely going to be the thinnest foldable in the world, beating the Oppo Find N5. To make this happen, they will be adopting a new battery and charging technologies.
WhatsApp Will Soon Let You Summarize Those Long Chats Easily
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WhatsApp is working on an AI-powered feature to summarize long text chains and group conversations.. The feature will use Meta AI and Private Processing to securely summarize messages without exposing content to WhatsApp, Meta, or third parties. It will appear as a "Summarize with Meta AI" prompt, which you can tap to summarize chats.
This New Spotify Feature Makes Finding Popular Podcasts Easier
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Spotify introduces "Plays", which shows the number of users who listened to a particular podcast episode. This metric helps users discover popular content based on their play count and creators to optimize their content. The feature is rolling out for all Spotify users globally and can be found on a podcasts home page, episode page and show page.
Google’s iOS App Can Now Help “Simplify” Complex Topics
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Google has launched a new "Simplify" feature in its iOS app, powered by Gemini AI. This tool helps users understand complex topics by summarizing highlighted text. It maintains accuracy while simplifying medical, scientific, and other difficult concepts, ensuring no details are lost.
Kindle Readers Rejoice! Amazon Adds “Get Book” Button to Kindle iOS App
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Amazon has added a "Get Book" button in the Kindle app for iOS, simplifying the book purchase process. This change follows an April 30th ruling that altered Apple's App Store guidelines, removing the commission on in-app purchases. Kindle readers can now buy books directly through the app, streamlining the experience.
Google Accidentally Leaks Their Upcoming Android Material Redesign
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Google accidentally leaked details of their new Material 3 Expressive design for Android. The redesign is based on extensive research and aims to be more energetic and user-friendly. It appears to be cooler and helps users find components faster, and improves accessibility for older users.
YouTube Takes a Page from Spotify with a New Two-Person Premium Plan
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YouTube is testing a new two-person premium plan in India, France, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It offers access to two individual YouTube Premium accounts at a reduced cost of Rs 219 in India (approx $2.59). This is quite similar to Spotify's duo plan, which also offers two accounts at a discounted price.
Skype is Dead, Long Live… Anything But Teams
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Microsoft is finally setting the sun on Skype, the service that popularized video calling and brought so many people together over the 2000s and the early 2010s. Now they want you to switch over to Microsoft Teams, a dull, boring and heavily professional oriented alternative that has a fair share of issues. So I will be explaining why this isn't the right alternative to Skype and its legacy, and instead which other app should you move to after Skype.
10 Best Alternatives to Replace Skype for Video Calls and Conferencing
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Since Microsoft has shut down Skype this May, we have scoured the web to find out the best alternatives for the beloved platforms that are suitable for you to switch over to. These include professional as well as personal messaging apps hand picked for their ease of use and group calling features.
Google is revamping the Clock app with Material 3 Expressive, featuring a new font, elongated time selectors, and bigger floating action button. The new look is a shift from the rounder appeal to a more circular rectangular layout.
Losing Google Search Deal Could Spell Disaster for Firefox
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Google's search deal with Mozilla is under scrutiny by the Department of Justice. Mozilla CFO Eric Muhlheim testified that they would have to make "significant cuts" and and potentially the end of Firefox
What is the Meta AI App: New Features and Overview
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Meta launched its standalone AI app which features a Discover feed and Llama 4 powered voice chat. The Discover feed allows users to share AI creations, however all of its voice features are limited to U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, leaving other regions with basic options. The chatbot also lets you create AI-generated images, text-chat with the ability to search the web for latest information.
Apple Revises US App Store Guidelines Following Court Ruling
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Apple has updated its App Store guidelines following a U.S. court ruling in its long-standing legal battle with Epic Games. The revised rules allow apps on the U.S. Apple storefront to include external links, buttons, and alternate payment methods without additional charges to developers. While developers welcome the change, Apple disagrees with the ruling and could plan to appeal the decision.
Zuckerberg Outlines Paid Tier and Ads Are Coming to Meta AI App Soon
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In Meta's latest Q1 2025 earnings report, CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed interest in adding a paid subscription to the Meta AI app. He also talked about adding personalized recommendations to the service later down the line. Meta AI already has over a billion users, and the company wants to invest $72 billion to further develop its AI model.
Android Is About to Get Its Biggest Glow-Up in Years
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Android is getting its biggest visual overhaul in years with the upcoming Material 3 design language. It will bring ablur and transparency effects, a shift from rounded elements to a more practical, boxy aesthetic, and colorful icons in settings. Other UI tweaks include compact notifications, and updated status bar icons.