Month: August 2024
Gemini in Gmail can now help polish up your drafts
Illustration: The Verge
Google is upgrading its Gemini writing tools in Gmail to help you polish drafts that you’ve already written. Now, among other Gemini-powered “Help me write” options like Formalize and Elaborate, you can tap “Polish” to refine your emails, Google says in a blog post. The company has also added shortcuts that appear in the body of your emails on Android and iOS, making it more obvious that there are AI writing tools to use.
The tools are available to people who pay for Google One AI Premium accounts or who have paid for Google’s Gemini add-on for Workspace. If that’s you, when you open an empty draft, you’ll see a “Help me write” shortcut appear that you can tap to have Gemini draft text for you. Once you have 12 or more words in a draft — AI-written or not — you should see a new “Refine my draft” shortcut, shown in gray letters below the words.
GIF: Google
Swiping on the “Refine my draft” shortcut brings up options like “Polish” and “Elaborate.”
Swipe your thumb across the text, and you’ll be given the choice to Polish, Formalize, Elaborate, or Shorten, or to have Gemini just write a whole new draft for you. (And if the “Refine my draft” shortcut doesn’t appear, tapping the pencil icon does the same thing.)
Illustration: The Verge
Google is upgrading its Gemini writing tools in Gmail to help you polish drafts that you’ve already written. Now, among other Gemini-powered “Help me write” options like Formalize and Elaborate, you can tap “Polish” to refine your emails, Google says in a blog post. The company has also added shortcuts that appear in the body of your emails on Android and iOS, making it more obvious that there are AI writing tools to use.
The tools are available to people who pay for Google One AI Premium accounts or who have paid for Google’s Gemini add-on for Workspace. If that’s you, when you open an empty draft, you’ll see a “Help me write” shortcut appear that you can tap to have Gemini draft text for you. Once you have 12 or more words in a draft — AI-written or not — you should see a new “Refine my draft” shortcut, shown in gray letters below the words.
GIF: Google
Swiping on the “Refine my draft” shortcut brings up options like “Polish” and “Elaborate.”
Swipe your thumb across the text, and you’ll be given the choice to Polish, Formalize, Elaborate, or Shorten, or to have Gemini just write a whole new draft for you. (And if the “Refine my draft” shortcut doesn’t appear, tapping the pencil icon does the same thing.)
Apple Releases New Firmware for Beats Studio Pro
Apple today released new firmware for the Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones. The Beats Studio Pro can be updated to firmware version 2C301, up from the prior 2B68 firmware that was installed on the headphones at launch.
Apple introduced the Beats Studio Pro headphones just over a year ago, marking an update to the original Studio headphones that made the Beats brand popular.
The $350 Beats Studio Pro headphones feature Active Noise Cancellation support, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, multiple audio profiles, and improved audio quality with better bass performance compared to prior models.
Apple did not include an Apple audio chip in the Beats Studio Pro, instead opting for a custom Beats chip that provides better feature parity between iOS and Android devices. The Beats chip supports one-touch pairing and setup, Find My integration, and Siri support, but automatic switching between devices is not available.
As with all of Apple’s headphone and earbud products, firmware updates for the Beats Studio Pro are delivered over-the-air. Firmware will be installed while the Beats headphones are charging and are in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that’s connected to Wi-Fi.
On Android devices, users will need to download the Beats app for Android and connect the Android device to a power outlet to initiate a firmware update. There is no word on what’s new in the firmware.Tags: Beats, Beats Studio ProThis article, “Apple Releases New Firmware for Beats Studio Pro” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released new firmware for the Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones. The Beats Studio Pro can be updated to firmware version 2C301, up from the prior 2B68 firmware that was installed on the headphones at launch.
Apple introduced the Beats Studio Pro headphones just over a year ago, marking an update to the original Studio headphones that made the Beats brand popular.
The $350 Beats Studio Pro headphones feature Active Noise Cancellation support, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, multiple audio profiles, and improved audio quality with better bass performance compared to prior models.
Apple did not include an Apple audio chip in the Beats Studio Pro, instead opting for a custom Beats chip that provides better feature parity between iOS and Android devices. The Beats chip supports one-touch pairing and setup, Find My integration, and Siri support, but automatic switching between devices is not available.
As with all of Apple’s headphone and earbud products, firmware updates for the Beats Studio Pro are delivered over-the-air. Firmware will be installed while the Beats headphones are charging and are in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that’s connected to Wi-Fi.
On Android devices, users will need to download the Beats app for Android and connect the Android device to a power outlet to initiate a firmware update. There is no word on what’s new in the firmware.
This article, “Apple Releases New Firmware for Beats Studio Pro” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
OpenAI Announces Content Deal With Conde Nest
OpenAI has announced a partnership with Conde Nest, allowing the company’s AI products to display content from Vogue, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair, Wired, Bon Appetit and other outlets. CNBC reports: “With the introduction of our SearchGPT prototype, we’re testing new search features that make finding information and reliable content sources faster and more intuitive,” OpenAI wrote in a blog post. “We’re combining our conversational models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources.” OpenAI added that the SearchGPT prototype offers direct links to news stories and that the company plans “to integrate the best of these features directly into ChatGPT in the future.” It is the latest in a recent trend of some media outlets joining forces with AI startups such as OpenAI to enter into content deals.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
OpenAI has announced a partnership with Conde Nest, allowing the company’s AI products to display content from Vogue, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair, Wired, Bon Appetit and other outlets. CNBC reports: “With the introduction of our SearchGPT prototype, we’re testing new search features that make finding information and reliable content sources faster and more intuitive,” OpenAI wrote in a blog post. “We’re combining our conversational models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources.” OpenAI added that the SearchGPT prototype offers direct links to news stories and that the company plans “to integrate the best of these features directly into ChatGPT in the future.” It is the latest in a recent trend of some media outlets joining forces with AI startups such as OpenAI to enter into content deals.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Survey Says Starlink Users Are Happier Than Your Average ISP Customer
SpaceX’s internet service got top marks for technical performance and reliability, but customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
SpaceX’s internet service got top marks for technical performance and reliability, but customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
Is your company AI washing? Rippling founder Parker Conrad thinks it might be.
Right now, there’s a mad scramble to capitalize on AI.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Right now, there’s a mad scramble to capitalize on AI.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Gamescom 2024: Every game and series announced and shown at this year’s event, so far
Gamescom 2024: Every game and series announced and shown at this year’s event, so far
Gamescom, one of the most anticipated gaming events of the year, has not disappointed so far. The festivities kicked off with the much-hyped Opening Night Live showcase, setting the stage for what’s to come in the world of gaming. Last year, we got a taste of hits like Mortal Kombat 1, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and a fresh season of Diablo 4. But this year? Oh, it’s even bigger.
The 2024 event delivered major reveals, including the long-awaited announcements and release dates for Borderlands 4 and Civilization 6. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To keep you in the loop, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about what’s been announced, teased, and revealed at Gamescom 2024 so far.
Here’s your ultimate rundown:
Borderlands 4 reveal trailer
Perhaps as a way to make people forget about the recently released (and eminently forgettable) Borderlands movie, series developer Gearbox opened up the Gamescom opening night stream with the announcement of Borderlands 4. And that’s pretty much it. We don’t know anything about what Borderlands 4 actually entails, or how it differs from previous games in the series, but we know it exists and it’s coming out in 2025.
Dying Light: The Beast announcement
Rather than make story DLC for Dying Light 2 or convert the ideas it had for that DLC into a hypothetical Dying Light 3, the developers at Techland have decided on a different approach: Just make a smaller game.
Dying Light: The Beast promises around 20 hours of gameplay (less than half as long as a full Dying Light 2 playthrough) in a new open world zone full of parkour to do and zombies to kill. It’s got four-player co-op but can also be played solo. And it’s only $40, so that’s nice. Dying Light: The Beast doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s launching on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Civilization VII release date
Eight years after Civilization VI launched, there is a seventh game in the vaunted turn-based strategy game series on the way.
We’ve known that for a few months now, but Gamescom gave us a glimpse of gameplay footage (spoilers: it looks like Civ) and, more importantly, an idea of when we can play it. Civilization VII launches on Feb. 11 on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for PS5 and release date
Microsoft debuted a short new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle at Gamescom, but it didn’t really show anything mind-blowing or new. Instead, we got some important information about when the game will be available, and for which platforms. We also got an exclusive first look at the game before it was revealed at ONL.
Long story short, Indiana Jones launches on Dec. 9 on Xbox Series consoles and PC. That it’s coming to Xbox and PC this year isn’t a surprise, but Microsoft did shock the world a bit by announcing Great Circle is also coming to PS5 in spring 2025. It’s far from the first previously Xbox-exclusive title to come to PlayStation, but this one feels like the biggest so far.
Marvel’s Rivals release date
Marvel Rivals is like Overwatch but with Marvel superheroes. Based on that one sentence, you already know whether or not you’re interested.
So instead of trying to sell you on the game, I’ll just let you know that it’s coming out on Dec. 6 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. And yes, it’s free-to-play, so you don’t need to plunk down any cash to get in on the ground floor of what could be a very popular game.
Amazon Prime Video’s Secret Levels trailer
If you were hooked on Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots, get ready to be blown away by the next big thing from the same creative masterminds. This time, with the help of Amazon MGM Studios, Blur Studio will be diving into the world of video games with a brand-new animated anthology called Secret Levels.
The first season of Secret Levels features an impressive lineup of iconic games to draw from as it crafts its 15 animated stories. Here’s a peek at the titles that have fueled these episodes:
Armored Core
Concord
Crossfire
Dungeons & Dragons
Exodus
Honor of Kings
Mega Man
New World: Aeternum
PAC-MAN
PlayStation (Spotlighting beloved entities from various PlayStation Studios)
Sifu
Spelunky
The Outer Worlds
Unreal Tournament
Secret Levels will stream on Amazon Prime Video on December 10.
Mafia: The Old Country reveal trailer
The Mafia trilogy of self-serious organized crime stories has garnered a devoted fanbase over the years without ever really feeling like one of the biggest things in gaming. But eight years after Mafia III (which is seriously underrated), the franchise is back with Mafia: The Old Country.
This announcement didn’t feature any gameplay footage or information beyond a basic premise, which is that it’s about the origins of the mafia way back in the old country in the early 1900s. We will certainly find out more at a later date.
Masters of Albion first look
Peter Molyneux is back!
That name either made you giggle or made you say “who?” depending on how long you’ve been following video games. Molyneux was a creative force behind popular old PC games like Black & White and Populous decades ago, before becoming the public face of the Fable trilogy. He’s long been known for making grand, ambitious promises about games that often don’t come true.
Anyway, he has a new, apparently self-funded game called Masters of Albion coming out. It appears to harken back to the PC god game days of old for Molyneux, with the same “hand of God” mouse cursor conceit as Black & White. But you can also control individual villagers in a third-person mode, so Masters of Albion definitely has a lot going on. Whether or not any of it will work as promised could be another story.
Dune: Awakening gameplay reveal
Ever since watching Timothée Chalamet, dominate the spice planet Arrakis in Dune: Part Two, I’ve been itching to dive back into the Dune universe. Luckily, Funcom has answered my prayers with an exclusive gameplay reveal of their upcoming survival-crafting shooter, Dune: Awakening.
In this game, players will start by customizing their own prisoner who crash-lands on the harsh desert world of Arrakis. Immediately faced with the brutal realities of heat stroke and thirst, survival becomes a desperate scramble.
But this is Dune we’re talking about, so survival isn’t just about staying hydrated. Players will have to battle the relentless desert elements, form alliances, and join forces with others to create powerful guilds. And, naturally, the fight for control over the precious spice is at the heart of it all. Oh, and did I mention? You’ll also be able to summon those iconic giant sandworms to wreak havoc on your enemies.
Dune: Awakening hits PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S sometime in early 2025.
Batman: Arkham Shadows VR trailer
The Batman Arkham games are making a comeback — this time in virtual reality. The latest entry in Rocksteady Studios’ acclaimed Arkham Knight series, Batman: Arkham Shadow, is set to be a first-person action game exclusively for the Meta Quest 3.
Sure, it’s a bit of a bummer that it’s locked behind the Quest 3, but trust me, this machine packs a punch. Based on the gameplay trailer revealed at Gamescom, Arkham Shadow is poised to deliver a Batman experience like no other
You can grab Batman: Arkham Shadow for the Meta Quest 3 sometime this October.
New Monster Hunter Wilds trailer
We finally got another look at the highly anticipated Monster Hunter Wilds, the sixth mainline entry in the beloved series. Originally announced at last year’s Gamescom, this time around we were treated to an extended glimpse of the gameplay, co-op features, and even a sneak peek at a brand-new map location.
Monster Hunter Wilds will be released for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in 2025.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage gameplay trailer
Lost Records is the latest narrative adventure from Don’t Nod, the creators of the beloved Life is Strange series. This time, the story centers on the reunion of a group of friends after 27 years apart. From what we’ve seen in the trailer and the intriguing premise, Lost Records looks like it’s going to dive deep into the “We don’t talk about that summer” mode of storytelling, with all the emotional twists and turns you’d expect from Don’t Nod.
This one was also announced at last year’s Gamescom and will be released in two parts. Part 1 will release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on February 18, 2025, and Part 2 will drop on March 18, 2025.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign gameplay
Surprise! Call of Duty is actually getting a campaign this year. After the rushed disappointment of Modern Warfare 3 (no, not that Modern Warfare 3), Raven Software, the team behind Black Ops 6, made sure to reassure everyone at Gamescom that, yes, there will be a campaign this time.
The seven-minute gameplay reveal at Opening Night Live was the usual bombastic COD spectacle, but it sure does look impressive. This time around, Black Ops 6 is set in the early 1990s, against the backdrop of the Cold War between the US and Russia. The timeline for the Black Ops sub-series might be a bit of a mess, but these games have consistently been among the franchise’s best-received.
This will also mark the first mainline Call of Duty release since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, and getting it out the door with Sony has been a bit of a headache. The game will launch on October 25, day one on Xbox Game Pass, just in time for the service’s new price increases.
Goat Simulator Remastered announcement
Not much needs to be said about this one. We all remember how Goat Simulator took the gaming world by storm back in 2014. Since then, it’s been re-released several times to keep up with new console generations, with the most recent port landing on the Nintendo Switch in 2019.
Now, Goat Simulator Remastered is set to bring upgraded visuals, bug fixes, and every DLC from the original in one chaotic package. You can grab it later this year on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.