Author: News Room
You just want to search your archived photos, instead of interacting with an AI assistant.Inside the app, tap the Google account button at top-right, then go to Photos settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos, and turn off either “Search with Ask Photos” or “Use Gemini in Photos”.When Google rolled out its new AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ search tool, I gave it a go — but after finding it slower, less helpful, and more confusing than the classic search, I always wound up pressing Google’s handy button labeled “Switch to classic search” or “Use classic search” instead. (Some people found…
Today’s robot vacuums are becoming a bit like cars: with all the features, upgrades, and fancy trimmings available these days, it’s easy to forget that they can just be simple machines that get us from point A to point B. Yes, some bots blow hot air on their bums (mop pads), deftly navigate dog poop, and have arms to pick up your socks, but there are plenty of basic budget robot vacuums that just do a decent job of cleaning your floor autonomously — as long as you tidy up first.Fancier models have obstacle recognition, and some even use AI-powered…
Apple Cinemas, a theater chain not affiliated with Apple, has responded to Apple’s recent lawsuit over alleged trademark infringement, as reported by MacRumors. In its lawsuit, Apple alleged that Apple Cinemas and owner Sand Media have tried to “capitalize on the highly-regarded Apple brand” in connection with an “aggressive nationwide expansion.”“We are committed to defending our brand, our history, and our continued right to operate as Apple Cinemas—an identity that is and has always been clearly distinct and fully compliant with all applicable trademark laws,” Apple Cinemas says. The company states that the name “reflects our roots, beginning with our…
I use an Apple Studio Display daily – it looks great on my desk, and the screen is rather good too. But now that I’m using a recent MacBook Pro with a 120Hz display, I can notice the slower 60Hz refresh rate on the Studio Display. And I think TCL’s newest series of gaming monitors are going to sway me away from my Apple display – I’m not even a gamer! TCL’s trio of new QD-Mini LED screens all come with Mini LED panels, which mean that pictures are going to look flawless. And all three of them have a…
Samsung’s Micro RGB technology is being positioned as an upgrade to Mini LED backlights that employ an array of tiny white or blue LEDs behind a TV’s LCD panel. Micro RGB backlights instead use an ultra-fine pattern of individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs that are each less than than 100µm in size.The new backlight is powered by Samsung’s Micro RGB AI engine, which the company says “analyzes each frame in real time and automatically optimizes color output for a more lifelike and immersive picture.” The technology allows for improved color accuracy and better contrast by precisely controlling the…
Software updates can make the best smartphones even better with new features and improvements. But these features never seem to be about what your smartphone was invented for – making calls. Except for this one feature in iOS 26, Apple’s latest free software update for the iPhone. In iOS 26, if you miss a phone call, you can swipe on it from the Phone app to quickly and easily set a reminder to call the person back. This has to be one of my favourite features, as I get a lot of (mostly spam) phone calls, and it’s not always…
I’m annoyed, not for the first time, by something Sam Altman has said. But this time it’s because I’m annoyed at how much I agree with what he’s saying — even though I think his statement is kind of bullshit.In a recent interview, journalist Cleo Abram asked Altman how people will be able to tell what’s real and what’s not in an age of convincing AI-generated content. Specifically, she references the bunnies. You know the ones I mean: caught in some Ring-camera-ish footage of a backyard, discovering and jumping on a trampoline. So cute! So wholesome! So completely AI-generated! The…
When the sun’s out and the garden turns into a battleground, nothing beats the thrill of unleashing the best water gun on your unsuspecting opponents. Whether you’re arming yourself for a chaotic family showdown, keeping the kids entertained, or planning a sneaky ambush on your mates, the right blaster can make all the difference. But “best” means different things to different people – you might want raw power, pinpoint accuracy, a huge water tank, or something light enough for younger hands. These days, water guns come in all shapes and sizes, from classic pump-action shooters to battery-powered beasts that can…
Want sweet beats throughout your house? Sonos is the original multi-room music maestro – and its wireless speaker and soundbar lineup has never looked more comprehensive. Here’s our guide to picking the best Sonos gear for your home. From soundbars to subwoofers to portable speakers, there’s now a Sonos for every space, indoors and out. Whether you sync a stereo pair or hook up a bunch via Wi-Fi, the Sonos system makes it a cinch to bring tunes to every room. Not sure where to start? Bedroom, living room, garden: we’ve tested the best Sonos speakers in every position –…
The smart home can be scary. It seems like every other month, we hear about another smart home company going out of business, leaving you scrambling for a new way to turn on your lights. Why is it so hard for smart home manufacturers to keep the lights on? And what can they do to stay in business, so we can continue to enjoy the benefits of home automation?This week on The Vergecast, The Verge’s smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, chats with Ken Fairbanks, a longtime customer of Insteon who ended up buying the smart lighting company when it…
Introduction While some gaming laptop brands take the one-and-done approach, Acer goes the other direction: across Nitro, Triton and Helios, there’s seemingly something in its extensive Predator line-up to appeal to any budget. Draw a line straight through the middle and you’ll probably hit the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI. Not quite a desktop replacement, not quite a super-slim travel companion, it’s more a best-of-both machine – but one that hasn’t skimped on hardware one bit. An Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics put it squarely up against the Asus Zephyrus G16 and Razer Blade 16, except…
Elon Musk says that his artificial intelligence company xAI “will take immediate legal action” against Apple for allegedly manipulating its App Store rankings to the advantage of rival AI apps. In a series of X posts on Monday night, Musk suggested that Apple was “playing politics” by not placing either X or xAI’s Grok chatbot in the App Store’s list of recommended iOS apps, and that he had no choice but to file a lawsuit.“Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an…