At the ‘Made by Google Event’ in New York, Google teased a new “generative AI” feature that will be built into the Fitbit app sometime next year as part of the Fibit Labs program. The app, which will pair with new wearables like the Google Pixel 2 Watch and the Fitbit Charge 6, will use artificial intelligence to analyze trends in a wearer’s fitness capabilities and be able to provide insights about overall performance.

The app will feature a chatbot that can carry a conversation to help you understand how you did during a tracked run, for example, while providing debriefed stats on the activity, like overall pace and elevation gain. The AI tool will take it a step further and be able to explain why you performed the way you did by drawing on affiliated health data, like sleep hygiene, recovery history and other workouts. If you felt that a workout was extra difficult, the app will be able to look for related info to explain why you might be struggling.

However, the insights are not limited to chatting with the AI. Google showed off its ability to provide visual feedback, like charts illustrating how performance changed over time.

Google’s James Park, the former head of Fitbit, said the new generative AI feature will be trialed by “trusted testers” before it officially launches.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbit-is-getting-an-ai-chatbot-that-can-tell-you-why-your-run-sucked-151545663.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Fitbit is getting an AI chatbot that can tell you why your run sucked

After weeks of teases and leaks, Google formally took the wraps off its next flagship smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro. Revealed during the company’s Made by Google event on Wednesday, the handset adds a host of new camera and AI features, a brighter OLED display, an improved Tensor G3 chip, seven years of software updates and, oddly, a built-in temperature sensor. It costs $100 more than its predecessor, however. For more on how all of this feels in practice, you can check out some early hands-on impressions from Engadget’s Deputy Reviews Editor, Cherlynn Low.

Here, though, we’ve broken down how the Pixel 8 Pro compares on paper to two other large, pricey and well-known flagships, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra. As always, raw specs won’t tell the whole story, but if you’re curious about how Google’s latest and greatest stacks up, here’s a quick overview. If you’re more interested in the smaller Pixel 8, meanwhile, we have a similar breakdown for that device too.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-8-pro-vs-the-competition-from-tensor-to-temperature-sensor-151016002.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google Pixel 8 Pro vs. the competition: From Tensor to temperature sensor

Google has officially spilled the details on its new Pixel 8 phone. While the handset looks broadly similar to last year’s Pixel 7, it packs a new Tensor G3 chip, a faster 120Hz display, a smaller frame that should be easier to hold with one hand and, perhaps most notably, seven years of promised OS and security updates. It starts at $699, though, which is $100 more than before, and it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the larger Pixel 8 Pro. 

Engadget’s Deputy Reviews Editor, Cherlynn Low, got some hands-on time with the new Pixel phones ahead of Google’s launch event on Wednesday, so check out her report for more details on what to expect. To help put the device into context, though, we’ve broken down how the Pixel 8 compares to two high-profile peers, Apple’s iPhone 15 and Samsung’s Galaxy S23, on the spec sheet. Specs aren’t the be-all and end-all — between its new camera features and AI tricks, many of the Pixel 8’s biggest updates are software-based — but if you want a better sense of what kind of hardware your $699 will get you, here’s a quick rundown. If you’re more interested in the Pixel 8 Pro, we have a similar breakdown for that phone too.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-8-vs-the-competition-the-seven-year-smartphone-150936894.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google Pixel 8 vs. the competition: The seven-year smartphone

During Wednesday’s event in New York, Google officially announced their latest smartphones, the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro, along with the new Pixel Watch 2 and the upgraded Pixel Buds Pro. The announcements didn’t come as a surprise as the company itself “leaked” and then shared a clip of the new Pixels well ahead of the event. 

But now we can say for sure that the new phones will use Google’s latest Tensor G3 chip and that the company will support seven years of security and OS updates for them. The Pixel Watch 2 packs a longer-lasting battery, which will hopefully resolve one of our biggest complaints about the first generation smartwatch. And while the Pixel Buds Pro aren’t completely new, software upgrades (and two new colors) should improve upon the existing buds. Here’s how to pre-order the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel Watch 2 and the updated Pixel Buds Pro. 

Google Pixel 8 

The Pixel 8 has a 6.2-inch OLED Actua display, which is a new display for the Pixel, which is brighter and should offer more clarity. The screen iteself is actually a tenth of an inch smaller than on the Pixel 7, though the refresh rate can now reach 120Hz and the peak brightness is higher than the older model, getting up to 2,000 nits. Despite the smaller overall size, the battery is actually bigger this time, with a 4,485 mAh typical capacity. It can recharge from zero to 50 percent in about 30 minutes with Google’s own 30W USB-C 3.0 charger. Though, unfortunately, that doesn’t come with the phone. 

The chip inside is the new generation of Google’s own Tensor G3, which the company says will allow for better photo processing and help to filter out spam calls. The RAM tops out at 8GB and you can opt for 128GB or 256GB of storage capacity. The case is made from a metal frame and polished back glass. The display glass, meanwhile, is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and the device is rated IP68, which means it’s dust-tight and can handle a dunk in up to a meter of water.  

As for cameras, they are largely the same as last year’s, with a 10.5MP front camera that’s just a few hundred pixels smaller than last year’s 10.8MP selfie cam, and a 50MP and 12MP cameras that match the resolution of the Pixel 7. Though it’s not all about megapixels. Google notes that these rear cameras are improvements over their predecessors thanks to software improvements like Macro focus for closeups and Best Take that blends multiple group photos together to get one where everyone has their eyes open. 

In a solid move towards sustainability, Google will support OS upgrades, security updates and new features drops for seven years after the phone’s launch. The Pixel 8 starts at $699 and comes in Hazel, Rose, and Obsidian. Pre-orders are open now and the phones will ship next week. If you pre-order from Google, the company will throw in a free pair of Pixel Buds Pro. 

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Google says the Pixel 8 Pro has the best Pixel camera yet. (Though, to be fair, no company ever says its latest pro-range cameras are a step down from last year.) The triple lens array includes a 50MP wide, a 48MP ultrawide and a 48MP telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom. The 10.5MP selfie camera is similar to the one on the Pixel 8, but this one has an autofocus feature. The 6.7-inch screen sports Google’s new Super Actua LTPO OLED display with a intelligently-adjusting 1Hz to120Hz refresh rate, up to 2400 nits of peak brightness and ultra HDR images. It’s covered in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and is housed in a polished aluminum frame with a matte glass back. 

It’s got the same Tensor G3 chip as the Pixel 8, which will enable all of the AI perks Google has cooked up, like a more helpful Google Assistant who can paraphrase what’s on your screen and understand pauses instead of just barreling ahead with a half-baked request when you take a breath. The Pro model comes with 12GB of RAM and the option of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. 

There’s even an infrared sensor on the Pixel 8 Pro to take the temperature of a cup of coffee or the frying pan you’re about to use. And google has submitted an application to the FDA to allow it to act as a thermometer for people too. Like the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro will get a promised seven years of OS and security updates and new features support. It starts at $999 and ships next week. Google will throw in the new Pixel Watch 2 when you pre-order the Pixel Pro 8 from its storefront.

Pixel Watch 2

We were a little disappointed with the first Pixel Watch’s battery life and thought the emphasis on Fitbit branding took away from a pure Google experience. With the Pixel Watch 2, it looks like the company has improved upon the battery life, with a claimed 24 hours even with the always-on display enabled. But it appears to be doubling down on the Fitbit union. 

There’s a new multi-path heart rate sensor that uses both photodiodes and LEDs to get better estimates of your pulse. Fitbit stress management features use various sensors to potentially identify tense moments in your day and suggests actions such as mood logging or guided breathing and walking sessions. New safety features include Safety Check which can alert friends, family or even emergency services if needed and Emergency Sharing lets your circle of people see your real-time whereabouts. Fall detection and Emergency SOS were already released earlier this year for the Pixel Watch but will come standard on the Pixel Watch 2. 

The housing is made from 100 percent recycled aluminum and the AMOLED screen is covered in 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Many fitness features like workouts and Daily Readiness Score live behind Fitbit’s paywall, but the watch comes with six months of the subscription for free. The updated Fitbit app will integrate more AI features when it updates later this year. 

The Pixel Watch 2 is priced at $349 for the Wi-Fi version and $399 for the cellular enabled model and comes in Black Aluminum, Polished Silver or Champagne Gold cases with a different colored bands. It will ship next week.  

Google announced the new Fitbit Charge 6 at the same time. It’s also available to pre order now and retails for $160. 

Pixel Buds Pro

This isn’t a brand new product for Google, but the company made enough updates to the Pixel Buds Pro to make them worth a few minutes of air time during the event. We already called the Pixel Buds Pro Google’s best earbuds yet and hopefully these improvements will make them even better. Conversation Detection can discern when you’re talking to someone and pause the music. And Clear Calling with a Pixel phone reduces extraneous noises from the other end of the conversation so you can hear them better. They also come in two new colors, Porcelain and Bay, which happen to match the new Pixel 8 Pro phones. 

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-pre-order-the-google-pixel-8-and-pixel-8-pro-150051904.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – How to pre-order the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

NASA is planning its first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17’s 1972 trip, and it’s doing so in style. Axiom Space — the company NASA chose last year to create the Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) spacesuits for 2025’s Artemis III mission — has announced it’s partnering with luxury Italian brand Prada to design them.   

The two companies will work side by side throughout production. “Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits,” Axiom Space CEO Michael Suffredini said in a statement. 

Prada Group marketing director Lorenzo Bertelli added, “It is a true celebration of the power of human creativity and innovation to advance civilization.” He also credited the company’s “cutting-edge” work to decades of experience with its Luna Rossa Prada sailing team. 

The Artemis III mission is unique not only because of the five decades since Apollo 17 but because it’s the first time a woman or person of color will go to the moon, astronauts Christina Koch and Victor Glover. Interestingly, Koch’s role in the mission is acknowledged early on in Axiom Space’s release, seemingly creating a subtext that the presence of a woman (read: an accomplished, experienced astronaut) is necessary to justify teaming up with a luxury designer. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prada-will-help-design-the-spacesuits-for-nasas-2025-artemis-iii-mission-150009987.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Prada will help design the spacesuits for NASA’s 2025 Artemis III mission

Over the course of its Made by Google event on Wednesday, it became clear that Google intends to infuse its its new Pixel 8 phones with generative AI. With the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, Google is adding support for on-demand summaries, translations and read-aloud features for articles and web pages, plus more tricks. All of this is handled through the Assistant, either via spoken word or on-screen prompts.

On the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the Assistant will be able to quickly summarize website text, offering a breakdown of the page and bullet points of relevant content. It’s a lot like interacting with Bard or Bing AI, in this regard. Prompts will pop up at the bottom of the summary with potential follow-ups — an article about iPhones, for example, will end with action buttons reading, “About iPhones,” and, “Who invented the iPhone?”

The new Assistant can translate text into various languages and will even read the converted content out loud (in supported languages). In the case of translated or original text, read-aloud mode populates a draggable progress bar, playback-speed controls and 10-second skip buttons in either direction.

Call screening is also improved on Pixel 8, and the Assistant should sound more natural when speaking with callers — meaning a few more pauses and weird sounds, basically. Call screening will also offer an expanded list of potential responses for users to choose from as the conversation carries on in the background.

Another Assistant update will allow users to compose messages twice as fast using their voice, and enable typing, editing and sending messages in multiple languages. Overall, Assistant should be able to better understand users when they speak in natural patterns, even across languages. Additionally, Google’s At A Glance feature will provide more useful information, like travel updates and tickets for events.

Google is making the Recorder app more useful with generative AI, too. On Pixel 8s, Recorder will be able to provide high-level summaries of captured content. This is in addition to the Recorder app’s existing transcription abilities.

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will go on sale October 12, starting at $700.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-8-lineup-has-a-bevy-of-generative-ai-features-143036712.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google Pixel 8 lineup has a bevy of generative AI features

Reddit is revamping search and making a key feature of its app more accessible. The company announced a series of updates it says makes search faster and easier across its app and mobile site.

The changes include a new “media” tab in search and within individual subreddits so users can more easily browse images, video clips, and GIFs. Additionally, search results in Reddit’s app and website are getting a simpler, cleaner look. 

Reddit is also making search easier for people using the mobile version of its site who aren’t logged in. Now, logged out searches will have more filters, as well as separate tabs for comments and posts. And mobile web searches are 85 percent faster overall, according to the company.

There are also search improvements specifically for Redditors who rely on screen readers. “The posts and comments tabs on the search result page are now screen reader compatible on native mobile apps,” Reddit explains in a blog post. “We’re adding labels, roles/traits, values, and states to all elements on these pages to help redditors discover content and take action. If a redditor uses a screen reader, they can hear the actions available and the results returned on these tabs.”

That change could help the company address some of the long-running accessibility complaints about its app. Members of r/blind were some of the most vocal opponents to the company’s API crackdown, which resulted in the shuttering of many third-party apps. The company later said that it would exempt some accessibility-focused apps from its API fees, but the moderators of r/blind have said the concession isn’t enough, and that the company has “made it impossible for blind Redditors to moderate their own sub.” While Reddit’s latest updates don’t address blind users’ complaints about its moderation tools, the changes could still be a significant improvement for people who browse the app with screen readers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/reddit-is-revamping-search-and-improving-support-for-screen-readers-143054804.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Reddit is revamping search and improving support for screen readers

Another Pixel phone, another Tensor system-on-a-chip from Google. That’s basically where we’re at this year: The company officially announced the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at its Made by Google event on Wednesday, and unsurprisingly they’re sporting a new Tensor G3 SoC. The Tensor hardware made a big splash when it arrived with the Pixel 6, and now the company appears to be focusing on AI performance even more. 

Google claims the Tensor G3 allows the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro to run over twice as many machine learnings on device, compared to the Pixel 8. Similarly, the largest machine learning model on the Pixel 8 is said to be 10 times more complex than what was on the Pixel 6. Those leaps are a testament both to Google’s engineering capabilities and how much tech companies are racing to become AI leaders.

The Tensor G3 chip is faster than the G2, as you’d expect, but honestly that’s never been the highlight of Google’s SoCs. What’s more important are the new features it’ll deliver. This year, that includes better Call Screen functionality for weeding out spam calls. Google also claims that Tensor G3 will enable better audio and video quality, especially for the Pixel’s Clear Calling feature. You can also use the “Audio Magic Eraser” to remove annoying sounds from your videos, similar to the way the original Magic Eraser feature can clean up the backgrounds of photos.

Google can also bring screen reading to every corner of the Pixel 8 experience thanks to the Tensor G3. A long press on the power button automatically triggers screen reading, which is useful if you want to read a long article on the go. You’ll also get playback controls for speed, as well as the ability to change the playback language.  

Google hasn’t revealed many technical details behind the Tensor G3 yet, but according to a recent benchmark leak, it’s built around a 9-core CPU with a Cortex-X3 core running at 2.91GHz. (That Arm core is also found in the recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so Google is in good company.) The G3 also features 12GB of RAM and a Mali-G715 GPU. It should be far more efficient than the Tensor G2 as well, since it’s built on Samsung’s newer 4nm process.

To its credit, Google initially launched the Pixel phones with a focus on AI, which helped power groundbreaking features like Night Sight. Now with the Tensor G3 on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, Google can push its AI lead even further.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-tensor-g3-soc-pixel-8-pro-143052356.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google’s Tensor G3 chip is focused on speeding up AI for the Pixel 8 phones

Google has committed to providing seven full years of software support for it’s Pixel phones, the company announced Wednesday during its Made by Google event. That might not be all that exciting to shoppers, at least compared to new hardware or OS features, but it puts Google well ahead of the competition — and may ultimately be a boon for both consumers and the environment.

Previously, Google’s policy on updates to support its phones was five years (at least for the Pixel 6 and later), which in itself was nothing to scoff at. Not only will an extra two years potentially save consumers from shelling out for a brand new handset, but it may save some aging Pixels from ending up in a landfill quite as quickly. An estimated five billion phones were tossed in the trash in 2022 alone, potentially leading to toxic chemicals leeching into groundwater, among other associated hazards. It’s impossible to say how many consumers will take full advantage of the increased shelf life of their Pixels, either because they’re itching for a new-and-better model, or because (like most smartphones these days) repairability still leaves something to be desired.

Regardless, Google is obviously stepping in the right direction, and hopefully putting pressure on some of its competitors too. Apple has not made a hard commitment to lengthening its software support, but its phones typically see five to six years of updates. On the Android side of things, support can be significantly more grim: an exhaustive list of manufacturer update policies by Android Authority revealed that most brands only offer about two years of support, with many refusing to commit to any length of time, period. One of the few exceptions is Samsung, which in February of 2022 announced it would provide four generations of Android updates and five years of security patches to many of its models.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-extends-software-support-for-pixel-phones-to-a-full-seven-years-143043262.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google extends software support for Pixel phones to a full seven years

On Wednesday at its Made by Google event, Google announced its next flagship phone: the Pixel 8 Pro. Starting at $999, it costs $100 more than its predecessor, so to make up for that increased price Google added a number of enhanced photo and video features, a new temperature sensor and seven years of software support.

Available in three colors (Bay, Porcelain and Obsidian), the Pixel 8 Pro sports a very similar design to last year’s model with a large camera bar in back and polished metal sides. That said, Google has made some smaller changes, including adding a matte texture on the phone’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear panel. The display is flatter as well, and has less rounded edges. And, just like before, the phone packs an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, allowing it to withstand submersion in up to 5.5 feet of water for 30 minutes. 

The Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch Super Actua display that’s based on an LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. Additionally, it offers peak brightness of 2,400 nits. Google says its Super Actua branding is meant to call attention to the screen’s colors and tuning, which have been engineered to be as accurate and realistic as possible. And, unlike the standard Pixel 8, the Pro also has a new 10.5-megapixel selfie camera with dual phase detection autofocus. Google also says that the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s face unlock employs a new algorithm alongside upgraded hardware to provide more precise facial recognition. 

However, between its upgraded sensors (a 50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide and 48MP telephoto with a 5x optical zoom) and a range of improved photo and video features, it’s the Pixel 8 Pro’s cameras that are making the biggest leap. For the first time on a Pixel phone, users will be able to use Google’s Night Sight Mode when recording videos. Meanwhile, the new Best Take feature makes it possible to choose the best reactions among a series of images so that every person in the shot is smiling. Also, by leveraging AI the Pixel’s Magic Editor can better tweak things like lighting, the framing of a photo and more, while the new Audio Magic Eraser tool gives you the ability to remove distracting sounds and noise in your clips.

But perhaps the biggest upgrade for photo enthusiasts is the addition of pro camera controls so you can adjust settings like shutter speed, ISO, white balance and more. There are even options for capturing images using the sensor’s full 50 megapixels in either JPEG, RAW or RAW+JPEG modes. If you need even more help making clips look good, the new Video Boost feature can send recordings to the cloud so that Google’s servers can apply more powerful computational algorithms to your footage. That said, it’s important to note that this process can take multiple hours.

On the inside, the Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 chip along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Google claims the G3’s improved performance helps support new abilities like enhanced spam filtering for the Pixel’s Call Screener feature, Audio Magic Eraser and better image processing. In everyday situations, Google also is trying to improve the Pixel 8’s ease of use with new software like the ability to read websites aloud while translating them, a proofreading tool in Gboard, Assistant voice typing in multiple languages and a magnifier app for increased accessibility. 

Finally, the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro is the only one with a temperature sensor located in the camera bar. Initially, you can use it to measure how hot or cold a nearby object is. However, Google says it’s in talks with the FDA so that in the future you’ll also be able use it as a thermometer for people. And just like the standard Pixel 8, Google is upping the length of the Pixel 8 Pro’s software support (which includes both regular security patches and Android updates) to seven years. This is poised to be the longest commitment for any Android smartphone aside from the Fairphone 5. 

The Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999 and goes on sale October 12.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-leans-into-high-end-camera-features-for-the-999-pixel-8-pro-143040260.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google’s 9 Pixel 8 Pro leans into high-end camera features