Imagine starting your day with a concise, personalized audio briefing tailored to your interests. This is the premise of Google’s latest Search Labs experiment, “Daily Listen.” This innovative feature leverages the power of AI to curate a short, informative audio summary of the topics and stories you follow, offering a fresh way to stay updated.

Daily Listen isn’t just another podcast app. It’s deeply integrated with Google’s understanding of your interests, gleaned from your activity across Discover and Search. By analyzing your searches, browsing history, and interactions with news articles, Daily Listen crafts a unique listening experience, delivering a personalized overview in approximately five minutes.

This personalized audio experience is seamlessly integrated into the Google app on both Android and iOS. You’ll find it within the “Space” carousel, conveniently located beneath the search bar. The Daily Listen card, clearly marked with the date and the label “Made for you,” serves as your gateway to this personalized audio feed. Tapping the card opens a full-screen player, ready to deliver your daily briefing.

Emblazoned with the Gemini sparkle, a visual cue indicating the use of Google’s advanced AI model, Daily Listen presents a text transcript in the space typically reserved for cover art. This feature not only enhances accessibility but also allows users to quickly scan the key points of each story. Recognizing that generative AI is still evolving, Google encourages user feedback through a simple thumbs up/down system, enabling continuous improvement of the feature’s accuracy and relevance.

The player interface is designed for intuitive navigation. A scrubber with clearly defined sections allows you to jump between stories, while standard controls like play/pause, 10-second rewind, next story, playback speed adjustment, and a mute option provide complete control over your listening experience. If you prefer to silently review the content, the transcript is readily available.

At the bottom of the screen, a scrollable list of “Related stories” provides further context and depth for each section of the audio summary. A “Search for more” option allows you to dive deeper into specific topics, and the familiar thumbs up/down feedback mechanism allows you to further refine the system’s understanding of your interests. As you browse these related stories, a minimized player remains docked at the top of the screen, ensuring easy access to the audio feed.

This exciting experiment is currently available to Android and iOS users in the United States. To activate Daily Listen, simply navigate to Search Labs within the Google app. After enabling the feature, it takes approximately a day for your first personalized episode to appear. This isn’t Google’s first foray into experimental features within Search Labs. Previously, they’ve used this platform to test features like Notes and the ability to connect with a live representative.

Beyond the Daily Listen experiment, Google is also expanding the capabilities of its Home presence sensing feature. This feature, which helps determine Home & Away status and triggers automated routines, is now being tested to integrate with “smart media devices.” This means that devices like smart speakers, displays, TVs (including those using Google streaming devices), game consoles, and streaming sticks and boxes can now contribute to presence sensing by detecting media playback or power status.

This integration provides a more comprehensive understanding of activity within the home. For example, if the TV is turned on, the system can infer that someone is likely present, even if other sensors haven’t detected movement. This enhanced presence sensing can further refine home automation routines, making them more accurate and responsive.

This experimental feature can be found within the Google Home app under Settings > Presence Sensing. A new “Media Devices (experimental)” section appears below the existing options for phones, speakers, and displays. Devices like Chromecast, Chromecast with Google TV, and Google TV Streamer are currently included in this test.

This media device integration is part of the Google Home Public Preview, which also includes other ongoing experiments like the rollout of Admin and Member access levels for Google Home, testing Gemini in Google Assistant on Nest devices, and exploring “Help me create” for custom automations. These developments signify Google’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the smart home experience and providing users with more personalized and intuitive tools.

The world of in-vehicle technology is constantly evolving, and Google’s Android Auto is keeping pace with its latest beta update, version 13.5. This release marks a significant step forward in inclusivity, broadening support beyond traditional cars and addressing some long-standing oversights. Meanwhile, Google has also rolled out the January security patch for its Pixel devices, ensuring users remain protected against the latest vulnerabilities.

One of the most noticeable changes in Android Auto 13.5 is the shift in terminology from “car” to “vehicle.” This seemingly small tweak reflects a broader commitment to supporting a wider range of transportation modes. The update explicitly mentions motorcycles within its code, signaling a move to cater to riders who have been utilizing the platform for some time.

This means that phrases like “Connected cars” are now “Connected vehicles,” and the “Connect a car” button has been appropriately updated to “Connect a vehicle.” This change may seem minor, but it represents a significant shift in perspective and a more inclusive approach to in-vehicle technology. It acknowledges that the road is shared by more than just four-wheeled automobiles.

Beyond the change in wording, the update also brings some exciting developments under the hood. New icons specifically designed for motorcycles have been added, along with assets for various vehicle brands, including Geely, Leap Motor, Fiat, and Lucid Motors.

The inclusion of Lucid is particularly noteworthy, as the company previously announced that its Lucid Air model would gain Android Auto support in late 2024. While the update hasn’t officially rolled out for Lucid vehicles yet, its presence in the Android Auto 13.5 beta suggests that the final certification is imminent. This hints at a closer integration between Android Auto and the growing electric vehicle market.

This expansion beyond traditional cars is a welcome development. For years, the term “car” within the Android Auto interface felt limiting, failing to acknowledge the diverse landscape of personal transportation. By embracing the broader term “vehicle,” Google is not only improving the user experience for motorcycle riders and other non-car vehicle owners but also positioning Android Auto as a more versatile and adaptable platform for the future of mobility.

While details about other in-development features, such as “Car Media,” remain scarce, the 13.5 update clearly demonstrates Google’s ongoing investment in Android Auto. This update lays the groundwork for a more inclusive and comprehensive in-vehicle experience.

In other news, Google has also released the January security patch for its Pixel lineup. This update addresses a number of security vulnerabilities, ensuring that Pixel users remain protected from potential threats. The update is rolling out to a wide range of Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold. 

The January security patch includes fixes for 26 security issues dated 2025-01-01 and 12 issues dated 2025-01-05. These vulnerabilities range in severity from high to critical, underscoring the importance of installing the update promptly. Google’s dedicated security bulletin for its devices also lists an additional security fix. 

The update is being distributed through both factory and OTA (Over-The-Air) images. Users should receive a notification on their devices prompting them to download and install the update. The update size can vary, but on a Pixel 9 Pro, it was observed to be a substantial 93.22 MB.

Specific build numbers for various Pixel models and regions have also been released, allowing users to verify they have received the correct update.

This concurrent release of Android Auto 13.5 and the January Pixel security patch showcases Google’s commitment to both innovation and security within its ecosystem. By expanding the reach of Android Auto and prioritizing user safety with timely security updates, Google continues to enhance the overall user experience for its customers. The focus on inclusivity in the Android Auto update, along with the consistent security measures for Pixel devices, demonstrates a holistic approach to technology development.