Month: August 2024

Enlarge (credit: Google)

In addition to a whole bunch of Pixel 9 phones, Google launched the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2 at its Made by Google event today. Here's the lowdown on what's new, what's interesting, and what Google has to say about the products beyond their AI connection.

The Pixel Watch 3 45 mm model, which boasts 40 percent more usable screen space than the prior model. (credit: Google)

Pixel Watch 3

There are many fitness, smart home, and AI features on the new Pixel Watch 3, but let's get to the important new stuff: Pixel Recorder. That means, in situations where you aren't being creepy, using your watch to record a note to self, a conversation, a bit of a song, or whatever else on your watch. You can then play the recording back and get the transcription on your Pixel phone.

The other feature that isn't about running a marathon or asking a language model for help is UWB (ultra wideband) phone unlocking with the Pixel Watch 3. That should mean relatively responsive unlocks on your phone, but not if you're a measurably far distance from it.

Enlarge (credit: Google / Aurich Lawson)

Google announced its fall lineup of Pixel phones today: three standard phones and a second tablet-esque folding model. There are new chips, new cameras, Satellite SOS, and some notable promises, like the 9 phones being "twice as durable" as their Pixel 8 equivalents and getting seven years of updates. But as you might expect this year, they're primarily showcases for all the things Google's Gemini AI promises to do for you.

Here's what's new, what's coming, and when you can ask your phone to make a shopping list for taco night for a family of six.

(credit: Google)

Gemini is in the power button, the screenshots, and a free premium subscription

It's not just you—Google really is "infusing AI into everything we do," as noted on its Keyword blog today. Here's a short list of what Google says Android phone owners can do with Gemini:

Enlarge (credit: Google / Aurich Lawson)

Google announced its fall lineup of Pixel phones today: three standard phones and a second tablet-esque folding model. There are new chips, new cameras, Satellite SOS, and some notable promises, like the 9 phones being "twice as durable" as their Pixel 8 equivalents and getting seven years of updates. But as you might expect this year, they're primarily showcases for all the things Google's Gemini AI promises to do for you.

Here's what's new, what's coming, and when you can ask your phone to make a shopping list for taco night for a family of six.

(credit: Google)

Gemini is in the power button, the screenshots, and a free premium subscription

It's not just you—Google really is "infusing AI into everything we do," as noted on its Keyword blog today. Here's a short list of what Google says Android phone owners can do with Gemini:

Enlarge / The ever-evolving Framework Laptop 13 is back again, this time with some Linux-friendly upgrades and Intel's new Meteor Lake-based Core Ultra CPUs. (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

Would you believe that the Framework Laptop 13 is back again?

Framework's fifth motherboard for the Laptop 13—which, in typical fashion, can be easily swapped into any existing Framework Laptop 13 of any generation—is mainly significant because it offers Intel's Meteor Lake-based Core Ultra chips. But Framework likes to release its updates in batches, and this one also comes with a few designed to make the Laptop 13 a better system for Linux enthusiasts.

One of those changes is a redesigned keyboard, which is exactly like the older Framework Laptop 13 keyboard, except it has a Super key instead of a Windows logo on it. The second is a higher-resolution display upgrade, specifically chosen because it looks better in 200 percent scaling mode than the old screen; Linux still has problems with "fractional" scaling modes like 125 percent and 150 percent, which was what the old Framework screen usually looked best at.