Google Photos launches “Ask Photos” early access, adds natural language and Google Maps crashes for some Android users
Top 3 Key Points:
- Ask Photos: Google Photos introduces a conversational search powered by Gemini AI to find specific memories using natural language.
- Classic Search Enhancements: Google Photos upgrades with natural language search and a new “Best Match” feature to refine results.
- Google Maps Issue: Some Android users report Google Maps crashing on newer app versions across various devices.
Google Photos is rolling out its new feature, Ask Photos, to a limited number of users in the U.S. on Android and iOS. This feature was first announced at I/O 2024 and is now in early access.
What is Ask Photos?
Ask Photos is a conversational tool that uses AI models (Gemini) to understand the context of your photo gallery. It helps you find specific memories or details by analyzing images and answering questions in everyday language. For example, you could ask, “Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?” or “What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?” The AI can detect details like locations and objects in your pictures, providing an intuitive way to look up past events.
Once enabled, a new “Ask” tab appears in Google Photos. Users can type natural language queries, similar to chatting with a virtual assistant. You can also switch back to the traditional “classic search” if needed.
Google emphasizes privacy and security, assuring that your Google Photos data is not used for advertising. Human reviews of search queries are disconnected from user accounts to ensure privacy.
Classic Search Improvements
In addition to Ask Photos, Google Photos’ classic search has been updated with new features like “Best Match” and support for natural language queries. For example, you can search for phrases like “Alice and me laughing” or “Emma painting in the backyard” to find relevant photos more easily. Instead of showing results in reverse chronological order, it now surfaces the best-matching photos first, while still allowing you to view the most recent images if needed. These updates are available in English and will expand to more languages soon.
Google Maps Crashing on Android
In the past few hours, many Android users have reported crashes with Google Maps. The app opens normally but closes unexpectedly within seconds, rendering it unusable. This issue is being seen on app versions 11.144.x and 11.145.x across multiple devices, including Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones. The problem seems to affect both stable and beta versions of Google Maps, with Android 15 Beta users experiencing it more frequently. Some users have resolved the issue by uninstalling updates and reverting to older versions of the app.
These updates represent a significant step forward in improving user experience but with some technical challenges along the way.
Key Points:
- Google Calendar is coming to the New Tab Page in Chrome for Workspace users.
- Circle to Search is expanding to more Android devices, including Xiaomi 14T.
- Chrome is getting other new features for enterprise users.
Google Calendar on Chrome’s New Tab Page:
Google Workspace users will soon see their Google Calendar on the New Tab Page in Chrome. This will make it easier to see upcoming meetings and join them quickly. You’ll also see your daily schedule below the calendar.
Circle to Search Expanding to More Devices:
Circle to Search, a feature that lets you search by drawing circles around objects in your photos, is expanding to more Android devices. This feature was previously limited to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices, but now it’s coming to Tecno and Xiaomi devices.
Other Chrome Updates:
Chrome is also getting other new features for enterprise users, such as a new sign-in flow that provides more transparency and a feature that lets admins set site shortcuts.
These updates are all designed to make it easier for businesses to use Chrome and Google Workspace.
YouTube is making content creation easier and more fun with new AI features.
- AI-powered video backgrounds: Create stunning visuals for your Shorts videos with Google’s Veo AI model.
- AI-powered video ideas: Get inspiration for your next video with YouTube Studio’s AI-powered brainstorming tool.
- AI-powered comments: Quickly respond to your viewers with AI-suggested replies.
YouTube is adding more AI features to help creators make better videos. One of the biggest announcements is the integration of Veo, a powerful AI model, into YouTube Shorts. This means you can create high-quality backgrounds and even short video clips using just a few words.
Imagine being able to describe a scene, like “a bustling city street at sunset,” and having Veo instantly generate a visually stunning background for your Short. Or, perhaps you need a quick clip to transition between two scenes; Veo can create a short video that perfectly fits your needs.
Another exciting feature is the new AI-powered brainstorming tool in YouTube Studio. This tool can suggest video ideas based on your channel’s history and what’s popular on YouTube. It’s like having a creative assistant that always has fresh ideas.
For example, if you’ve been creating cooking videos, the tool might suggest ideas like “Vegan cooking hacks” or “Quick and easy weeknight meals.” Or, if you’re a gaming channel, it could suggest ideas like “Top 5 new games to try” or “Let’s play a classic game.”
YouTube is also working on AI-powered comments. This feature will suggest replies to comments, making it easier for creators to engage with their audience.
For example, if a viewer leaves a comment saying “Great video!” the AI might suggest a reply like “Thanks for watching!” Or, if a viewer asks a question, the AI could suggest a helpful answer based on the video’s content.
These new AI features are making YouTube an even more powerful platform for creators. By automating tasks like background creation and idea generation, creators can spend more time focusing on what they do best: creating great content.
Key points:
- Android 15 QPR1 Beta introduces a new navigation bar key for quick keyboard switching.
- This allows for faster switching between multiple keyboard apps and languages.
- The feature is currently being tested and is expected to become standard on Google Pixel devices in December.
Android users will soon experience a significant improvement in keyboard switching. A new feature being tested in Android 15 QPR1 Beta introduces a dedicated key on the navigation bar that allows for rapid switching between different keyboard apps and languages.
Imagine having the ability to seamlessly switch between multiple keyboards without navigating through settings or menus. This new key, visually represented as a globe, provides a direct and intuitive way to change keyboards on the fly. Whether you need to switch between different languages or prefer different keyboard apps for specific tasks, this feature offers a convenient solution.
For example, if you have multiple languages enabled and use both Gboard and SwiftKey, you can quickly toggle between them by pressing the new key. This eliminates the need for extra steps and ensures a smooth typing experience.
While this feature is currently in beta testing, it’s expected to become a standard part of Android 15 QPR1, which is scheduled to be released on Google Pixel devices in December. This means that many Android users will soon be able to enjoy the benefits of faster and more efficient keyboard switching.
-
News7 months agoSamsung USA crafting One UI 6.1.1
-
Apps7 months agoGboard Proofread feature will support selected text
-
News6 months ago
Breaking: Samsung Galaxy S22 may get Galaxy AI features
-
News6 months agoSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with One UI 6.1 and all S24 AI features revealed
-
News7 months ago
One UI 6.1 Auracast (Bluetooth LE Audio) feature coming to many Samsung phones
-
Apps4 months agoGoogle’s fancy new Weather app is finally available for more Android phones
-
News7 months agoSatellite SOS feature coming to Google Pixel phones, evidence leaked
-
News7 months agoGoogle Pixel evolves as Europe’s third best selling flagship