Google has introduced Call for Me, a Gemini-powered addition to the Phone by Google app that can place and conduct entire phone calls on a user's behalf, including navigating automated menus and hold times. Users can watch a live transcript of the call and jump in to take over at any moment. The feature is currently in early preview for paid Gemini subscribers in the US who are enrolled in the Phone by Google Public Beta on Pixel 11 devices.
Google introduced Call for Me, an experimental beta feature limited to Pixel 11 phones in the US and English language, letting Gemini place phone calls to businesses on a user's behalf. Users need a Gemini subscription and enrollment in the Phone by Google app's public beta; Gemini can navigate automated menus, wait on hold, and hand control back to the user via a live transcript. Google says the AI won't call emergency services but can dial specific numbers users provide.
Google is testing a new Gemini feature called 'Call for Me' that lets the AI place phone calls to businesses on a user's behalf, sharing approved personal details to complete tasks like booking reservations or checking stock. The feature is limited to Pixel 11 owners with a Gemini subscription in the U.S. and requires the beta Google Phone app, using the user's own number and allowing them to watch a live transcript or take over the call.
Amazon is selling the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro for $279.99, a $50 cut from its $329.99 list price and a match of its lowest price so far this year. The US model includes a 6.9-inch 120Hz NXTPAPER 4.0 display with reading-focused modes, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a large battery, and it holds a 4.5-star rating.
Xiaomi unveiled its 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max phones in China, among the first devices to run Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset, with the Pro Max using the higher-end variant. Both phones feature privacy screens that limit off-angle viewing, LTPO AMOLED displays up to 6.9 inches with 4,000 nits peak brightness, the same triple rear camera setup as before, and larger batteries of 7,000mAh and 8,500mAh respectively.
Meta introduced two new tools, a mobile app called Horizon Create and a browser-based Horizon Studio, that let users build games for its Horizon platform using AI prompts. Both are launching in early access with a waitlist, and Meta says games made with these tools can be surfaced and played directly within Facebook and Instagram feeds without downloads.
Google is rolling out an early experimental feature that lets Gemini place calls to local businesses on a user's behalf, handling tasks like reservations, stock checks or rescheduling appointments. The AI navigates phone menus and holds while the user watches a live transcript and can take over at any moment. The feature is available today as an early preview to Gemini paid subscribers enrolled in the Phone by Google Public Beta on Pixel 11 in the US.
Apple let reporters test its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, at Apple Park ahead of preorders opening Oct. 16 and a launch on Oct. 23. The device has a 5.4-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch inner display, and Apple showed how apps like Netflix will adapt across the cover screen, full inner display, and a half-folded mode with on-screen controls.
Code strings found in the latest Digital Wellbeing beta (v1.48.975819457.beta) reveal that Google is preparing to deprecate the 'Heads Up' feature, which warns users to watch where they're walking. The strings include an in-app alert telling users that 'walking detection is going away soon.' The opt-in feature, introduced in 2021, uses motion sensors and location data to detect walking with the screen unlocked and nudge users to look up.
Sweden's national police authority, Polisen, has launched a campaign called 'Dare to be rude' featuring four Swedish celebrities, aimed at encouraging people—especially the elderly—to be blunt or hang up when they suspect a scam call. Polisen reports fraud losses in Sweden reached 5.7 billion SEK (about $575.3 million), with phone-based scams impersonating banks, agencies or police among the most common tactics used against people over 60.
GrapheneOS confirmed on X that Motorola's newly unveiled Signature 27 will be the first phone supported under its partnership with Motorola, ending years of Pixel-only availability. The project said official details on rollout timing and preinstallation are still pending.
The triangle symbol appearing on some Samsung Galaxy phones indicates that Data Saver mode is active, a feature found in Settings > Connections > Data usage that is off by default. When enabled, only the app currently in use can access the internet, while background apps lose their connection and cannot perform tasks like uploading video.
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