News

Google I/O Highlights: AI Agents, Ask Photos, AI Teammate, & More

The event was full of news and announcements, but most centered on Gemini and its expanding capabilities.

Published

7 months ago

May 15, 2024

Joanna Melki

Google

Google held its I/O event aimed at developers yesterday. Plenty of news and product announcements were expected at the showcase, and we weren’t disappointed.

AI Search Overview

The first major reveal was that Google would add AI overviews to search results. The company hopes that AI will be able to take numerous sources of information and make a small, digestible overview for users.

Ask Photos

Next up was news on Google Photos, which is getting a powerful new AI tool called Ask Photos. Google said the feature can effectively search through images and answer questions such as: “What is my car’s license plate number?” or “What date did my child learn to swim?”.

AI Agents

A new tool called AI agents (AI personal assistants) was also debuted at I/O. CEO Sundar Pichai said AI Agents is in its early days, but in the future, it will be able to undertake complex tasks, including scanning through emails, filling out forms, and setting up appointments.

Gemini 1.5 Pro

Google announced new versions of its AI model at the I/O event, known as Gemini 1.5 Pro and Flash. According to the CEO of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, “Flash is a lighter-weight model compared to Pro, and is designed to be fast and cost-efficient to serve at scale while still featuring multi-model reasoning capabilities and breakthrough long context”.

Google added that the technology would soon include features such as video searching, planning (such as travel itineraries), and contextual search.

AI Teammate

AI Teammate is a new AI chatbot that will function as a virtual co-worker. The tool can serve as an office hub, allowing teams to work together more effectively.

Nano

Although a minor announcement, Nano, Google’s smallest AI model, is interesting due to its ability to run entirely on mobile devices. The tool can efficiently intercept and intelligently block annoying spam calls.

Veo

Finally, Google debuted a new video generator named Veo. The product is similar to OpenAI’s Sora and can create “high-quality 1080p videos from text images and video prompts”.

News

Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent

According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.

As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.

Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.

Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024

The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.

A Collaborative Software Effort

Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.

Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.

Feature Set And Compatibility

The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.