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Posts tagged as “Google”

Google announces Pixel Watch 3 with Loss of Pulse Detection feature

August 15, 2024

Another product that Google announced at the “Made by Google” event is the newest Pixel Watch 3. The Pixel Watch 3 will now be available on two sizes; 41mm and 45mm size. In addition to its impressive hardware, the Pixel Watch boasts the first-of-its-kind “Loss of Pulse Detection” feature, is the watch’s ability to detect loss of pulse and automatically place a call to emergency services if the wearer is unresponsive to provide potentially life-saving care.

Google even created a 2-min video explaining how the “Loss of Pulse Detection” feature works;

On the hardware side, the Pixel Watch 3 will be powered by Qualcomm SW5100 chipset with Cortex M33 co-processor and running Wear OS 5.0. The displays for both models will feature an AMOLED LTPO (actua) display with DCI-P3 color at 320 ppi with up to 2000 nits (peak brightness) and an always-on responsive display (1–60 Hz). The watch will be protected by Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It also boasts an IP68 rating – water resistant in fresh water to a maximum depth of 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes.

The case is crafted from 100% recycled aluminum. The bands feature fluoroelastomer with a soft-touch coating. It will support Wifi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bbluetooth 5.3 for for the Wifi/Bluetooth model and 4G LTE and UMTS for the cellular model.

The Pixel Watch 3 will have built-in 307 mAh lithium-ion battery with up to 24 hours with always-on display and up to 36 hours with Battery Saver mode turned on. It will have a 2GB RAM and 32GB for internal storage. There will be two versions of the Pixel Watch 3; Bluetooth/Wi-Fi and the LTE model.

You can checkout the product page for the full specs.

Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm and 45mm)

The 41mm Pixel Watch 3 will be available in 4 color combinations;

  • Matte Black Aluminum case / Obsidian Active Band
  • Polished Silver Aluminum case / Porcelain Active Band
  • Champagne Gold Aluminum case / Hazel Active Band
  • Polished Silver Aluminum case / Rose Quartz Active Band

As for the 45mm Pixel Watch 3, there will be three color combinations;

  • Matte Black Aluminum case / Obsidian Active Band
  • Polished Silver Aluminum case / Porcelain Active Band
  • Matte Hazel Aluminum case / Hazel Active Band

The pricing for each model will be $349.99 for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi version of the 41mm and the LTE version for $449.99, while the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model of the 45mm will retail for $399.99 and $499.99 for LTE model. The Pixel Watch 3 is now available for preorder at the Google Store, Google Fitbit.com and select retailers worldwide on September 10, 2024.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 powered by Tensor A1 chip

August 14, 2024

Aside from the new smartphones, Google also announced the new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. The new Pixel Buds Pro 2 is powered by Google’s Tensor A1 chip for better audio performance, helpful Google AI, and improved noise cancellation.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 and its twist-to-adjust stabilizer.

Design-wise, the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 is 24% lighter and 27% smaller than its predecessor, the Pixel Buds Pro. Google claim that it is the most comfortable and secure fitting earbuds, thanks to the new twist-to-adjust stabilizer.


Google Pixel Buds Pro 2

  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4, LE Audio, Super Wideband
  • Processor: Tensor A1
  • Audio: Custom-designed 11 mm dynamic speaker driver, Active Noise Cancellation with Silent SealTM 2.0
  • Sensors: Three microphones, Capacitive touch, IR proximity sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope (motion-detection), Hall Effect sensor (case)
  • Charging: USB-C charging port, Qi-certified wireless charging
  • Battery
    • (Active Noise Cancellation off) up to 12 hours of listening time, and up to 48 hours total listening time with the charging case.
    • (Active Noise Cancellation On) up to 8 hours of listening time, and up to 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case.
  • Compatibility Requirements: Compatible with any Bluetooth® 4.0+ devices, including Android 6.0 or newer, iOS, tablets, and laptops.
  • Sweat and Water Resistance:
    • Earbuds: IP54
    • Case: IPX4
  • Dimension
    • Each earbud (with medium eartip): 22.74mm x 23.08mm x 17.03mm
    • Charging case: 49.9 mm x 63.3 mm x 25.00 mm
  • Weight
    • Each earbud: 4.7 g (with medium eartip)
    • Charging case: 65.0 g (with earbuds)
  • Colors: Porcelain, Hazel, Peony , Wintergreen

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 is available for pre-order today for $229, and the new Pixel buds Pro 2 will be available at the Google Store and US retail partners on September 26th.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Announced

August 14, 2024

Together with the Pixel 9 series, Google also announced the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the company’s newest foldable phone. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a 6.3-inch that fold out to a 8-inch tablet. Its hinge is made out of an aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The device is certified IPX8 rating for water resistance of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes of submersion.

It’s specs and features is similar to that of the Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be powered by Google Tensor G4 with its Titan M2 security coprocessor. It also be running Android 14 with a promised 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates. The Google AI features are also coming to Pixel 9 Pro Fold, this includes the Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, Circle to Search, Summarize and Gemini, plus some world-class photography features including Magic Editor, Best Take, Video Boost, Add Me and Pro Controls.

The rear and front camera supports 4K video recording at up to 60 FPS, 20x digitla zoom, it will also feature night sight video, 10-bit HDR video, cinematic pan and more. On the entertainment side, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will feature multiview on YouTube TV, where you can watch up to four preselected video at once on its large 8-inches screen and its stereo speakers.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

  • Display (External Cover): 6.3-inch Actua display, 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (60-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass
  • Display (Internal Cover): 8-inch (204 mm) Super Actua Flex display1 (LTPO), 2076 x 2152 OLED at 373 PPI, up to 120 Hz refresh rate, Ultra Thin Glass, HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Hinge: Multi-alloy steel with an aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy cover
  • Finish and protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 and Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 16GB
  • Storage: 125GB/ 256GB
  • OS and software updates: Android 14 with 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates
  • Rear Camera:
    • 48 MP Quad PD wide camera, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 82° field of view, 1/2″” image sensor size
    • 10.5 MP Dual PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 127° field of view, 1/3.4″ image sensor size
    • 10.8 MP Dual PD telephoto camera, ƒ/3.1 aperture, 23° field of view, 1/3.2″ image sensor size, 5x optical zoom, Super Res Zoom up to 20×10, Multi-zone LDAF (laser detect auto focus) sensor, Spectral and flicker sensor, Optical + electronic image stabilization on wide and telephoto
  • Front Camera: 10 MP Dual PD, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 87° ultrawide field of view
  • Inner Camera: 10 MP Dual PD, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 87° ultrawide field of view
  • Materials & DurabilityScratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with satin metal frame, IPX8 water resistance, Fingerprint-resistant coating, Aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy
  • Authentication and security: Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock, Pattern, PIN, password
  • Safety: Satellite SOS, Emergency SOS, Crisis Alerts, Car Crash Detection, Safety Check, Emergency
  • Location Service: Emergency Contacts & Medical Info, Android Earthquake Alerts System
  • Sensors: Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Magnetometer, Barometer and Hall effect
  • Buttons and Ports: USB Type-C 3.2, Power button, Volume controls
  • SIM: Dual SIM (Single Nano SIM and eSIM)
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Connectivity and Location: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11/be) with 2.4G+5GHz + 6GHz, 2×2 + 2×2, MIMO, Bluetooth® v5.3 with dual antennas for enhanced quality and connection, Ultra-Wideband chip for accurate ranging and spatial orientation, NFC, Google Cast, Dual Band GNSS, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
  • Cellular: 5G mmWave + Sub 6GHz Model GGH2X26, GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+/HSDPA Band, LTE, eSIM
  • Battery: 4650 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 72-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging. Wireless charging (Qi-certified)
  • Dimension (H x W x D):
    • 6.1 in x 3 in x 0.4 in (folded)
    • 6.1 in x 5.9 in x 0.2 in (unfolded)
  • Weight: : 9.1 oz
  • Colors: Porcelain, Obsidian

Price for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 for its 256GB model and $1,919 for the 512GB variant. It’s available for pre-order today and will be US retail stores on September 4th.

Google officially announce the Pixel 9 Smartphone Series

August 14, 2024

At their annual “Made by Google” event, the search giant officially unveiled the Pixel 9 Series – the latest iteration of their Pixel smartphones. The Google Pixel 9 Series consists of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Spec-wise, all three phones are the same except for differences in size, battery size, RAM, and camera configurations.

Design-wsie, all three phones looks a lot like the iPhone 15, while on its back, the first think that you will notice is the huge camera bump. The front of all three Google Pixel 9 will covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin metal frame for the Pixel 9, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL will have a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame.

All three phones feature OLED displays with the same refresh rate of up to 120Hz, HDR support, and full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors. That said, the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have the same 6.3-inch Actua display, the Pixel 9 Pro has the Super Actua display, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a larger 6.8-inch Super Actua display. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro share a 4700 mAh battery, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro XL utilizes a larger 5060 mAh Li-Ion battery. Google claims that all three phones can achieve up to 100 hours of battery life with Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled.

Both the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL come with 16 GB of RAM, while the Pixel 9 has a slightly smaller 12 GB RAM. Similar to the RAM, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL share the same triple rear camera configuration: a 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, a 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, and a 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera. In contrast, the Pixel 9 features a dual rear camera setup with a 50 MP Octa PD wide camera and a 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus.

The Pixel 9 Pro series also supports 8K video recording at 30 FPS, while the Pixel 9 is limited to 4K video recording at up to 60 FPS. The same trend continues with the front camera, as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL offer a 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus (ƒ/2.2 aperture), while the Pixel 9 has a 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus (ƒ/2.2 aperture).

On the software front, all three phones run Android 14 and incorporate Google AI features like Pixel Studio (image generator), Gemini Live, and Pixel Screenshots, an exclusive app for Pixel 9 that aids in saving, organizing, and recalling important information. Additionally, the phones feature an improved Weather app and Satellite SOS.

Google Pixel 9

  • Display: 6.3-inch Actua display, 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (60-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: “Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 12 GB
  • Storage: 125GB/ 256GB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • Front Camera: 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 95° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 4700 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6 inch x 2.8 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, Obsidian

Google Pixel 9 Pro

  • Display: 6.3-inch Super Actua display (LTPO), 1280 x 2856 LTPO OLED at 495 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (1-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 128 GB/ 256GB/ 512GB/ 1TB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera, ƒ/2.8 aperture, 22° field of view, 5x optical zoom
  • Front Camera: 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 103° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 4700 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6 inch x 2.8 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

  • Display: 6.8-inch Super Actua display (LTPO), 1344 x 2992 LTPO OLED at 486 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (1-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 128 GB/ 256GB/ 512GB/ 1TB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera, ƒ/2.8 aperture, 22° field of view, 5x optical zoom
  • Front Camera: 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 103° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 5060 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6.4 inch x 3 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian

The Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL are available for pre-order today starting at $799, $999, and $1099, respectively. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be available on shelves at the Google Store and retail partners on August 22. Availability for the Pixel 9 Pro will be announced later.

Google TV Streamer Announced

August 8, 2024

Together with the discontinuation of the Chromecast, Google announced the new Google TV Streamer as the Chromecast’s replacement and a smart home hub for your Google Home and Matter devices.

Google did not provide much information on the device’s specifications, but we know it supports “up to 4K HDR @60 fps” videos with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It will have Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4 GHz/ 5GHz) connectivity with Bluetooth® 5.1. It will have 4GB of RAM but only 32GB of storage, which is surprising considering it’s a streaming device.

Google TV Streamer Ports
The device will have a USB-C port for power/data, HDMI 2.1 (Type A), and ethernet for a more stable and reliable connection. Unlike the Chromecast, the new Google TV Streamer will be powered by the Android TV OS.

As a smart home hub, Google TV Streamer supports Matter and has a built-in Thread border router, enabling quick and secure connections for smart home devices like locks and motion sensors. Google TV Streamer is available in two neutral colors: Porcelain and Hazel (exclusively available on the U.S. Google Store). Its low-profile design allows it to fit neatly between your TV and media console, while still providing access to the handy ethernet port.

Beyond hardware, the new Google TV Streamer is AI-powered to personalize and curate content across all your subscriptions in one place. The device can also access your Google Photos to create unique screensaver art using generative AI.

Google TV Streamer is available for pre-order today, August 6, and will be available on September 24 for $99.99 from the Google Store and other third-party retailers.

Google to discontinue Chromecast after 11 years

August 8, 2024

Google, in a blogpost, announced that the company will be ending the production of Chromecast after 11 years and more than 110 million devices sold. The company explained that when they first launched the Chromecast, most, if not all, TVs were not as smart or integrated as today’s models, and they had few to no apps. The connectivity of these TVs was also limited.

Despite discontinuing production, Google said that Chromecast will still be available while supplies last. The search giant will also continue to provide software and security updates for the newer Chromecast models.

I still own the 2nd-gen Google Chromecast, and it still works perfectly. It’s the best, easiest, and most affordable way to convert a “dumb” TV into a smart TV and connect it to a smartphone.

Current Model: Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

When we launched Chromecast, most TVs had few (if any) apps, streaming was unreliable and complicated and connecting your TV to your phone, tablet or laptop was clunky and hard. Chromecast was our answer to this problem, a simple and affordable way to cast your favorite online content right on your TV screen. It was as easy as plugging in the device and hitting play. Chromecast’s small dongle form factor made it easy to hide behind a TV, and the affordable price made it accessible to millions and the perfect gift for many.

Since then, technology has evolved dramatically. Streaming and smart TVs abound. We invested heavily in embedding Google Cast technology into millions of TV devices, including Android TV. Android TV has expanded to 220 million devices worldwide and we are continuing to bring Google Cast to other TV devices, like LG TVs. Thousands of apps support casting, making it easier than ever to watch your content from your phone and tablet on the big screen. So we are taking the next step in evolving how streaming TV devices can add even more capabilities to your smart TV, built on top of the same Chromecast technology.

OpenAI launched SearchGPT, an AI-powered Search Engine

July 28, 2024

OpenAI has announce the launch of SearchGPT, a prototype search engine designed to revolutionize the way we interact with information online. This new tool aims to combine the strengths of OpenAI’s advanced AI models with real-time internet data to provide users with fast, accurate, and contextually relevant answers.

SearchGPT is an AI-powered search engine desgined to leverages the capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to deliver timely and precise information. Unlike traditional search engines, SearchGPT is designed to respond to queries in a conversational manner, allowing users to ask follow-up questions and receive answers that build on previous interactions.

Unlike the traditional search form, SearchGPT uses a large textbox asking users “What are you looking for?,” this is similar to what Facebook “What’s on your mind?” and X’s “What’s happening?” asks its users. But instead of the usual plain text and links on the search result, SearchGPT will try to organize the summarizes the result then provide a short description with the attribution links.

You can watch the video below for the demo as published by OpenAI;

We’re testing SearchGPT, a prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources. We’re launching to a small group of users and publishers to get feedback. While this prototype is temporary, we plan to integrate the best of these features directly into ChatGPT in the future.

OpenAI has partnered with various news publishers, which include organizations like the Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Vox Media, to ensure that high-quality content is highlighted and easily accessible. SearchGPT is currently being tested by 10,000 test users.

Source: The Verge

Google Translate expands to 110 new languages, including 5 from the Philippines

July 2, 2024

Google just announced that they are adding 110 new languages to Google Translate, this includes 5 languages from the Philippines namely: Bikol, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan and Waray.

Google explains that the expansion was possible with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) paired with PaLM 2 large language model.

In addition to the 5 languages from the Philippines, Google translate also added support for the following;

  • Afar which is spoken in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
  • Cantonese, which Google says “one of the most requested languages for Google Translate.”
  • Manx is the Celtic language of the Isle of Man. sands of speakers.
  • NKo a standardized form of the West African Manding languages that unifies many dialects into a common language.
  • Punjabi (Shahmukhi) is the variety of Punjabi written in Perso-Arabic script (Shahmukhi), and is the most spoken language in Pakistan.
  • Tamazight (Amazigh) is a Berber language spoken across North Africa.
  • Tok Pisin is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea.

With the additional 110 new languages, Google Translate now supports 243 languages. You can find the full list of newly supported languages on Google Translate here.

Youtube announces Playables

May 30, 2024

Youtube has announced the release of Playables — a collection of free games you can play directly on the platform, which you can find in the Explore menu of the main YouTube Home page, either on desktop (web) or the iOS and Android app. Youtube’s Playables have been available in select users for testing before becoming available to YouTube Premium subscribers last year.

There are more than 75 games now available to play directly on YouTube Playables – lightweight, entertaining games like Angry Birds Showdown, Words of Wonders, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask, and Trivia Crack.

Youtube is not the only company to add games in their service, Netflix in 2021 introduced Netflix games in their platform.

Google announced Gemini, the largest and most capable AI model

December 7, 2023

Google unveiled its latest and most ambitious artificial intelligence project: Gemini. Touted as the “largest and most capable AI model ever created,” Gemini promises to push the boundaries of what’s possible with machine intelligence, potentially impacting every aspect of our lives.

Gemini’s capabilities are truly impressive. It boasts superior performance on massive multitask language understanding (MMLU) tests, surpassing human experts in areas like math, history, medicine, and ethics. This means Gemini possesses not only vast knowledge but also the ability to reason and solve problems effectively.

Beyond its intellectual prowess, Gemini shines in its multimodal capabilities. It can seamlessly process and understand information from different sources, including text, images, and code. This allows it to perform tasks like explaining complex scientific concepts through interactive simulations or translating languages with nuanced understanding of cultural context.

One of the most exciting aspects of Gemini is its potential to democratize AI. Google plans to offer various sizes and capabilities of the model, making it accessible to a wider range of users and developers. This democratization could lead to an explosion of new AI-powered applications across various industries, transforming fields like education, healthcare, and even creative arts.

Google’s Gemini 1.0, will be available in three different sizes:

  • Gemini Ultra — our largest and most capable model for highly complex tasks.
  • Gemini Pro — our best model for scaling across a wide range of tasks.
  • Gemini Nano — our most efficient model for on-device tasks.

Google acknowledges the ethical concerns surrounding powerful AI and emphasizes its commitment to responsible development. The company has implemented safeguards to ensure Gemini’s safety and prevent misuse.

The launch of Google Gemini marks a significant milestone in the evolution of artificial intelligence. Its capabilities promise to revolutionize the way we interact with technology, solve problems, and understand the world around us. While challenges remain, one thing is clear: the future of AI is bright, and Google Gemini is poised to illuminate the way.

Amazon intros Q, a new generative AI-powered assistant for AWS customers

November 29, 2023

Amazon just announced Q, a generative AI-powered assistant that aims to “answers to pressing questions, solve problems, generate content, and take actions using the data and expertise found in your company’s information repositories, code, and enterprise systems.”

From their press release;

Amazon Q provides information and advice to employees to streamline tasks, accelerate decision making and problem solving, and help spark creativity and innovation at work. Designed to meet enterprise customers’ stringent requirements, Amazon Q can personalize its interactions to each individual user based on an organization’s existing identities, roles, and permissions. Additionally, Amazon Q never uses business customers’ content to train its underlying models. Amazon Q brings generative AI-powered assistance to customers building on AWS, working internally, and using AWS applications for business intelligence (BI), contact centers, and supply chain management to help organizations of all sizes and across industries use generative AI safely. Amazon Q is available to customers in preview, with Amazon Q in Connect generally available and Amazon Q in AWS Supply Chain coming soon.

Amazon Q will compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Copilot, which is also powered ChatGPT. Amazon Q will be available in 2 Pricing plan; Amazon Q Business for $20/month/user, while the Amazon Q Builder will be $25/month/user.

Source: Amazon

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro announced

October 7, 2023

Google has recently announced its latest flagship smartphones, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. These devices are engineered by Google and built with AI at the center for a more helpful and personal experience.

Design and Display

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are elegantly designed with softer silhouettes, beautiful metal finishes, and recycled materials. The Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch Actua display with 1080 x 2400 resolution, Smooth Display (60–120 Hz), Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® cover glass and Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing features. Google claim that it is brighter than the Pixel 7’s display. It comes in Rose, Hazel, and Obsidian colors.

The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, boasts a 6.7-inch Super Actua display with 1344 x 2992 resolution, Smooth Display (1–120 Hz) and just liek with the Pixel 8, it features “Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing”, this is Google’s brightest display yet with up to 1600 nits (HDR) and up to 2400 nits (peak brightness). It comes in Porcelain, Bay, and Obsidian colors.

Google Pixel 8

Performance

The Pixel 8 comes with a basic 8GB RAM package, and up to 256GB of storage. The Pixel 8 Pro gets a more muscular 12GB of RAM, with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB storage by default — while a 1TB option will be offered in certain markets.

Both phones are powered by the Google Tensor G3, which is based on a nine-core CPU configuration (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4×2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4×2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) and an Immortalis-G715s MC10 GPU, and Titan M2 security coprocessor.

Camera

Every camera on the Pixel 8 Pro has been upgraded. The main 50 MP Octa PD wide camera captures better photos and videos in low-light settings. The bigger 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus delivers even better Macro Focus, the 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera captures 56% more light and takes 10x photos at optical quality, and the front-facing 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone.

The Pixel 8 has the same updated 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, plus a new 12 MP ultrawide camera with autofocus that enables Macro Focus. It uses the same 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera, as the Pixel 8 Pro.

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Battery

The Pixel 8 Pro is equipped with a Li-Ion 5050 mAh battery, while the Pixel 8 uses 4575 mAh, both provides long-lasting performance.

Software

One of the key selling points of Google’s Pixel phones is their software support. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will get seven years of software updates, including Android OS upgrades, security updates, and regular Feature Drops.

Additional Features

Both phones come with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 min). They also support Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2.4GHz+5GHz+6GHz,2×2+2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, NFC and USB Type-C® 3.2.

For the full specs of Google Pixel 8, you can go here and for Google Pixel 8 Pro, you can check it out here.

The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are now available for preorder; the Pixel 8 will start at $699 for the 128 GB variant and $759 for the 256 model. The Pixel Pro 8 will retail for $999.00 for the 128 GB, $1,059.00 for the 256 GB and $1,179.00 for the 512 GB model.

Google officially announce Pixel Fold

May 6, 2023

It appears that the leaks are true, since Google has officially announced the Pixel Fold – the first foldable phone engineered by the company.

Beyond the 8 seconds teaser video (below), Google did not provide any other details like the specs, availability and price. The company also said that they talk more about the Pixel Fold at Google I/O this May 10th.

It was previously leaked that the Pixel Fold will be a 5.8-inch phone that unfolds into a 7.6-inch tablet, with a Tensor G2 processor that Google developed and a battery that Google claims to last for 24 hours on a single charge, and “the most durable hinge on a foldable.”

Gmail to introduce verified accounts for FREE!

May 6, 2023

Google has announced that it will start verifying or adding a “blue checkmark” to business users using Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail. This new feature will help users identify messages from legitimate senders versus impersonators.

Google further explains that “strong email authentication helps users and email security systems identify and stop spam, and also enables senders to leverage their brand trust. This increases confidence in email sources and gives readers an immersive experience, creating a better email ecosystem for everyone.”

The new verified Gmail account will be free of charge and available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, and to users with personal Google Accounts.

Google release the Android 14 Developer Preview 1

February 12, 2023

Google just announced the availability of Android 14 Developer Preview 1, which can be downloaded from Android for Developers website. The Android 14 Developer Preview 1, as the name suggest, is mainly for Android developers and Android hardware manufacturers to make sure that their apps and devices are fully compatible with the Android 14.

Notable features of the upcoming Android 14 are; support for tablets and foldable form factors, enhancements to performance, privacy, security, and user customization. Google plans to release the beta version of Android 14 in two months and release the final beta version by June 2023 and the candidate release up to the stable release by 3rd qtr of this year. It’s still unclear what features will be available in the final release but if you want to take a sneak peek at what is new with Android 14, then you can get the Android 14.

Trillanes warns voters against Ferdinand Marcos Sr. for the “greatest robbery of a government”

October 27, 2021
Trillanes warns voters against Ferdinand Marcos Sr. for the “greatest robbery of a government”

In a tweet (embedded above), Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV warns voters against the Marcos family and Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in particular for holding the “Greatest robbery of a Government.”

He added that “Don’t take my word for it. I-google nyo” referring to the conduct their own research regarding the issue.

In the Guinness World Records article;

The government of the Philippines announced on 23 Apr 1986 that it had succeeded in identifying $860.8 million (£569.5 million) salted away by the former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (1917–89) and his wife Imelda. The total national loss from November 1965 was believed to be $5–$10 billion.

Trillanes is running for Senator under the opposition standard-bearer Vice President Leni Robredo. He is also known as one of Duterte’s fierce critic even before he won he became the President of the country.

Google launches COVID-19 website

March 22, 2020

Google has officially launch the controversial COVID-19 website.

The site (https://www.google.com/covid19/) is a United States-focused website that contains information about the virus, guidance, testing and other information that will help in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, highly contagious virus at as of this posting has affected 185 countries, 267,013 of confirmed case and more than 11,000 of confirmed deaths.

The site became a hot pic when President Donald Trump said a site where people could check symptoms, arrange a test, and get test results was coming from Google, but was actually referring to a much more limited site from Google sister company Verily.