Search Live is now available for Google app users in the US, offering real-time, multimodal search, powered by AI. This feature will enable users to have real-time conversations with Google Search in AI Mode while sharing their phone’s camera feed with the app. Search will be able to see and interpret what the user’s camera is focused on and offer relevant links for deeper context, as well as live guidance.

The new feature can be accessed from a new “Live” icon beneath the search bar in the Google app. It can also be used from Google Lens by selecting the Live option at the bottom of the screen. Camera sharing will be enabled by default here to allow for an instant back-and-forth conversation about whatever is in front of you.

Search Live is available through the Google app on iOS and Android now. This wider rollout only supports English for now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-ai-search-live-is-now-available-to-all-us-app-users-151849371.html?src=rss

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I acquired a “magic circle” Pilates prop for personal use in my ever-expanding quest to get better at working out at home. I wanted to put it into action right away, so naturally, I turned to my beloved Peloton app, where I figured I’d load up a Pilates workout and get to work. Weirdly, though, that wasn’t as easy as it is when I, say, want to follow along with a yoga or stretching class. Eventually, I figured it out and the Pilates workout (which did incorporate my hoop, thank you very much) was great—and challenging, which is how I like it.

Where to locate Pilates classes on the Peloton app

I knew Peloton had Pilates classes. But when I opened up the app, there was no designated Pilates button the way there are buttons for Meditation and Cycling. I typed “Pilates” into the search bar at the top of the mobile app and it brought up 95 class results, some of which were actually categorized as yoga and others which were listed under strength.

So, there are Pilates classes, but they’re listed on different landing pages. Across the top of the search results page, you see Classes, Collections, Programs, and Music Artists. Tapping Collections yields a landing page called “Pilates with Equipment,” which has subcategories: Pilates with a Ball, Pilates with Sliders, Pilates with a Band, and—crucially, for me—Pilates with a Ring. There are only a handful of classes in each and they’re all technically filed as “strength classes” in Peloton’s system. I selected “15 min Pilates” from the section that incorporates the magic circle.

Things got harder from there. I wanted to play the class on my TV, which is possible because Peloton has an app on the Roku, but there is no search function on the Roku app. Instead, you have to look through the categories to find a class—which I couldn’t do, since there is no Pilates category. I ended up getting the one I wanted by adding it to my Peloton Stack, which is like a personal class playlist; deleting everything else from the Stack; and running the Stack on the Roku app. It wasn’t efficient or ideal, but ultimately, it worked.

What Peloton’s Pilates classes are like

As much trouble as I had actually finding a class, I hadn’t even technically done the “hard” part yet. Pilates is supposed to be challenging, after all, and the intermediate-level class I took definitely was. Armed with my mat and my hoop I followed along with some standard moves, like “hundreds” and clam shells. It was difficult, but not impossible, which is exactly what I was looking for.

Again, there are only 95 of these types of classes available and some are more about stretching while others are more strength-focused. That’s a small selection compared to how many other types of classes Peloton offers. But what is available is solid. The instruction is clear and precise, modifications are offered, and the audio/video quality is top-tier, making it easy to hear and see what you’re supposed to be doing.

I did the Peloton class last night and took an in-studio reformer class this morning. Granted, my in-person class was four times longer than the one I did from Peloton, but I’d say that adjusted for time, they were both equal in challenge. Because I am now the proud owner of a hoop and the knowledge of how to find high-quality, expert-led Pilates classes to play through Peloton, I’ll certainly be doing more of these. Here’s hoping we get a dedicated Pilates page on the Peloton app soon.

With the arrival of iOS 26, Apple’s Live Translation feature for AirPods is now ready for use. It’s available on older models of the company’s earbuds, so you don’t need the new AirPods Pro 3 to access it. There are some hardware and software requirements though, so let’s dive into what you’ll need before you can start translating conversations.

Hardware requirements

Live Translation on AirPods only works on models with the H2 chip. This includes the AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. You’ll also need an iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence, which is the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or any member of the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 lineups.

Once you have your hardware at the ready, you’ll need to make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on in the Settings app on your iPhone. You’ll also need to make sure that Apple’s Translate app is installed as it’s needed to power this whole thing. Lastly, your AirPods should be on the latest firmware, and you can check that in the AirPods settings menu on your iPhone.

Step 1: Download languages for Live Translation

Apple

The first step towards using Live Translation is to download the languages you’ll need. What’s more, you’ll have to download both the language you’re speaking and the one the other person is speaking. For example, if you’re translating Spanish to English, you’ll need to download both the Spanish and English language packs (yes, even if your phone’s system is already set to English). I’d recommend downloading all of the languages you think you’ll need before traveling, that way you aren’t trying to do so in the moment you need them.

Once this is done, all of the processing for Live Translation will happen on your iPhone and your conversation data is private. You will also be able to use Live Translation offline, too, so you won’t have to worry about finding a Wi-Fi connection or buying a local SIM card.

How to complete the download process:

1. Put your AirPods in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.

2. Go to the Settings app and tap the name of your AirPods on the main menu.

3. Under the Translation section, tap Languages and then select the ones you want to download by tapping the download icon (downward arrow on the right).

4. This screen will show what languages you’ve downloaded and which ones are available. At launch, Live Translation works with English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish. Support for Italian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese (simplified) is coming by the end of the year.

Step 2: Set up a conversation

Apple

After you’ve downloaded the languages you need, you’ll have to set up a Live Translation conversation before you can start talking. This tells the Translate app which language to listen for and which one to translate it to.

To set up a Live Translation conversation you need to:

1. Put your AirPods in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.

2. Double check to make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on. A quick way to confirm this is by long-pressing the Camera Control key or pressing the power and volume up buttons at once to see if the Visual Intelligence interface appears.

3. Go to the Translate app and tap “Live” on the menu along the bottom.

4. Select the language the other person is speaking.

5. Select the language you want your AirPods to translate to.

Step 3: Use Live Translation

After you’ve completed all of those set-up steps, you’re ready for a Live Translation session. There are a number of ways to activate the feature when it’s ready to use, and some of them allow you to do so without even having to reach for your phone.

All the ways you can start Live Translation:

• Go to the Translate app, select Live from the menu and then tap Start Translation.

• Set the Action button on your iPhone to automatically start Live Translation when you’re wearing your AirPods.

• Press and hold the stems on both AirPods at the same time.

• Ask Siri by saying “Siri, start Live Translation.”

• Open Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your screen, then tap Translate.

How to use Live Translation in a conversation:

1. After you’ve done one of the five options above, your session will begin. If you don’t open the Translate app, you’ll see a notification and a Live Translation icon will remain in the Dynamic Island. You’ll also hear a chime in your AirPods and Siri will let you know the translation has begun.

2. Listen to the other person speaking. AirPods will translate what the person says to your selected language. Active noise cancellation (ANC) will automatically turn on to lower the voice of the speaker and environmental noise so that you can focus on Siri’s translated speech.

3. In very noisy settings, you can use your iPhone’s microphones in addition to AirPods to enhance performance. To do this, simply move your phone closer to the person speaking.

4. Say your response as you would during a normal conversation.

5. Use the Live tab in the Translate app to show a transcript on your iPhone to the person you’re speaking with. You can also press the Play button to hear an audible translation over your iPhone speaker.

6. The person you’re speaking with can also use AirPods to hear your translated responses. They will need a compatible set of AirPods, an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence and to set up and start a Live Translation themselves.

7. To stop Live Translation, tap the X button in the Translate app.

A word of caution

Apple’s Live Translation feature is still in beta at this time. And since the tool relies on generative models for translation, the company warns that the results may be “inaccurate, unexpected or offensive.” You’ll want to double check any important information — like addresses, directions and contact information — for accuracy.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/how-to-use-live-translation-with-airpods-144837882.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader shares a report: Last year, the AI video company Runway joined forces with the major Hollywood studio Lionsgate in a partnership the pair hoped would result in AI-generated scenes and even potentially full-length movies. But the project has hit a snag. According to a report by The Wrap, the past 12 months have been unproductive. Lionsgate distributes Hollywood blockbusters including The Hunger Games, John Wick, The Twilight Saga, and Saw franchises. But despite its huge catalog, it is simply not enough for the AI to produce quality content.

“The Lionsgate catalog is too small to create a model,” a source tells The Wrap. “In fact, the Disney catalog is too small to create a model.” Despite Runway being one of the leading names in AI video, the technology needs a copious amount of data to produce AI-generated films. It is the reason AI has proven to be such an unpopular technology, as AI firms help themselves to any type of media they can get their hands on — whether it has copyright protections or not. Another issue is the rights of actors and the model for remuneration if their likeness appears in an AI-generated clip. It is a legal gray area with no clear path.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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The JBL Flip 7 (2025) portable speaker is currently on sale for $89.99 as an open-box deal on StackSocial, shipping to the contiguous US with a one-year warranty included. Open-box here doesn’t mean used—it typically refers to excess retail stock that’s been handled, sometimes with stickers or scuffed packaging, but the speaker itself is verified to be in new condition before shipping. On the outside, the Flip 7 looks almost identical to the Flip 6, with the same cylindrical body and fabric covering. The differences show up in durability and usability.

JBL reinforced the rubber bumpers, now thicker and longer, to make the speaker drop-proof from a meter onto concrete, and the upgraded IP68 rating makes it fully dustproof and safe for submersion in water. Also, instead of the flimsy string loop from earlier models, there’s now a PushLock system with a built-in carabiner, which makes clipping the Flip 7 onto a backpack or hanging it from a branch much easier. Pair that with Bluetooth 5.4 and a new USB-C audio option that supports lossless playback (if you have high-res sources from Apple Music or Tidal), and you’ve got a speaker that’s both rugged and more flexible than before.

When it comes to sound, it does about as well as you’d hope for a speaker of this size. The 25W woofer and 10W tweeter give it enough punch to feel bigger than it is, though you’re not getting window-shaking bass. For anyone who likes to tinker with sound, the app now includes a 7-band customizable EQ that gives you more room to adjust things your way. The app also brings in Auracast, which lets the Flip 7 connect with newer JBL models. The catch is that it won’t play nice with older PartyBoost speakers, but this JBL Flip 7 (2025) on sale for $89.99 is a solid deal.

For years, Customs and Border Protection agents have been quietly harvesting DNA from American citizens, including minors, and funneling the samples into an FBI crime database, government data shows. This expansion of genetic surveillance was never authorized by Congress for citizens, children, or civil detainees.

According to newly released government data analyzed by Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy & Technology, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP, collected the DNA of nearly 2,000 US citizens between 2020 and 2024 and had it sent to CODIS, the FBI’s nationwide system for policing investigations. An estimated 95 were minors, some as young as 14. The entries also include travelers never charged with a crime and dozens of cases where agents left the “charges” field blank. In other files, officers invoked civil penalties as justification for swabs that federal law reserves for criminal arrests.

The findings appear to point to a program running outside the bounds of statute or oversight, experts say, with CBP officers exercising broad discretion to capture genetic material from Americans and have it funneled into a law-enforcement database designed in part for convicted offenders. Critics warn that anyone added to the database could endure heightened scrutiny by US law enforcement for life.

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The idea of using an electric vehicle’s battery to send energy from the EV to the electrical grid is not a new idea. Ars first covered the technology, known as vehicle-to-grid or V2G, back in 2009 when Ford and American Electric Power in Ohio started playing with the idea, although that pilot involved hybrids rather than battery EVs. A couple of years later, General Motors tried something similar with the plug-in hybrid Volt, and since then, battery EVs with much larger lithium-ion packs have gotten in on the act, although such pilot programs have invariably involved commercial EV fleets.

More recently, we’ve started seeing EVs that have been designed from the ground up to be capable of bidirectional charging. And since July, some owners of Ford F-150 Lightnings have been sending stored energy back into the grid between 5 pm and 9 pm on weekdays, earning them some cash in the process.

Sunrun, which provides home energy storage and solar solutions, started working with Baltimore Gas and Electric Company on the project last year. This summer, it expanded its work to include the nation’s first residential V2G pilot, with a trio of Lightning owners using Sunrun and Ford’s Home Integration System. Participants can earn up to $1,000 from the program, which runs until the end of this month.

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