Noam Shazeer, VP of engineering at Google and co-lead of Gemini, is leaving the company to join OpenAI. Shazeer announced his departure on Twitter/X, expressing gratitude for his time at Google and pride in the team's accomplishments. He had been with Google since August 2024, and previously worked as a software engineer and CEO of Character.ai. Google acknowledged Shazeer's contributions, stating they are grateful for his work. Shazeer's new role at OpenAI has not been disclosed. His [...]

Google has released a June security patch for its Pixel phones, addressing various issues that have plagued the devices. The update, marked as vCP2A.260605.012, fixes problems with display and graphics, camera app freezes, and battery charging issues. It also resolves issues with unstable audio, app crashes, and backup settings. The patch is rolling out for Pixel 6 and newer devices, including the Pixel 10 series, Pixel 8 series, and Pixel Fold. Google's patch notes detail several fixes, [...]

Google has introduced a new version of Android Switch, making it easier to switch from an iPhone to an Android device. The updated feature directly integrates with both operating systems, solving major pain points of transferring data. This improvement is part of Android 17, which brings several new features and enhancements to Pixel devices. According to Paul Dunlop, Product Lead for Onboarding, Settings, and Switching of Android at Google, the new Android Switch addresses significant issues. The [...]

A Google Docs user encountered an AI pop-up inviting them to "write with Gemini" and struggled to remove it, prompting them to write an article on how to disable the feature. The AI assistant, Gemini, is part of Google's smart features, which can be disabled through Gmail settings. To turn off Gemini, users can access their Gmail settings and disable smart features, preventing AI pop-ups from appearing in Google Docs. This solution allows users to avoid individually [...]

The Gemini overlay on Android has introduced Bubbles to enable multitasking and continuous conversations. Users can access this feature by starting a conversation from the Gemini overlay, which then minimizes into a Bubble featuring the spark logo when the screen is tapped elsewhere. Tapping the Bubble expands it back into the full Gemini overlay, allowing users to resume their conversation. This update aims to let users keep talking to Gemini while performing other tasks. The feature is [...]

Google has released Wear OS 7, an update for eligible Pixel Watch models, featuring improved battery life, real-time experiences, and enhanced device integration. The update includes Live Updates, allowing users to receive constant updates without needing to open apps, and improved connectivity with other Google devices. Gemini Intelligence capabilities, such as Create My Widget and multi-step app automation, will be added to select Wear OS 7 devices later this year. The update aims to make smartwatches more [...]

Google Vids announced that AI avatars are now available to free users, expanding its Workspace video creation tool to 7 million monthly users. The AI avatars can be "re-scripted" and come with a gallery of high-quality options or custom generation using Nano Banana 2. Free users receive 10 video generations per month, with a global expansion planned for this summer. The feature allows for emotion steering and fine-tuning of avatars, with additional features for paid users including [...]