All articles tagged with #apps and software
Google's Gemini 3.1 Flash Live speeds up real-time AI help by delivering low-latency, voice-first responses with a larger context window, multilingual support, and improved acoustic nuance; it enhances Gemini Live/Search Live with real-time features like camera and screen-sharing and is accessible via the Gemini API and AI Studio for developers and enterprises.
Google has turned Now Playing into a standalone Pixel app on the Play Store, moving it out of Settings to enable faster updates and greater visibility. The app still identifies songs entirely on-device using a fingerprint database (no audio is sent to the cloud), and Google is testing a refreshed UI with clearer album art and easier navigation between the song history and recognition features.
Android 17 Beta 1 brings two small Pixel Launcher UI tweaks: a slimmer, customizable home screen search bar with swap-able shortcuts (e.g., Gemini Live, Translate, Song Search, Weather, Dictionary) and the ability to remove the At a Glance widget from the Pixel home screen. It also includes minor tweaks like a refreshed brightness icon in Quick Settings and clearer access to the volume panel.
Google confirms Quick Share, its AirDrop-style cross‑platform sharing, will expand beyond Pixel devices to a wider range of Android phones (including Samsung and Nothing). Pixel 9/9 Pro will gain support as part of a platform‑level upgrade, not a workaround, enabling easier sharing with iPhones and Macs. A broader, multi‑OEM rollout with security audits is planned in the coming months, with key tech events likely to showcase the expansion.
Spotify has raised US prices for its Premium plans (Individual $12.99/mo, Student $6.99, Duo $18.99, Family $21.99), with changes applying immediately to new subscribers and at the next billing cycle for existing ones. The move follows the rollout of Lossless streaming and positions Spotify as more expensive than Apple Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music, prompting readers to consider switching to alternatives that offer higher-quality audio or different value propositions.