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Ask HN: How to Get Rid of Gemini?

After the google+ fiasco I thought Google had learned their lesson about ramming new products down people's throats whether they like them or not, but with Gemini it seems like this lesson has been forgotten. I usually am a pretty happy user of Google's products but they have really ruined the experience for me (and on top of that they are charging extra for the privilege of ruining the experience). Is there a way to completely and permanently get rid of Gemini in such a way that my normal work

We Asked ChatGPT to Be Mean

Two and a half years after it was unleashed upon the world, ChatGPT is both the poster child for AI’s utopian promise and a walking, talking cautionary tale. It can plan your vacation, find a recipe, and even act as a low-budget therapist. It’s also subjected to a daily firehose of humanity’s worst impulses: insults, gotchas, and commands to do harm. Ever wondered what it really thinks when you do that? I recently asked ChatGPT to spill the tea on the worst things users say to it. But to get t

Meet Google Martha, the company’s Android XR smart glasses prototype

TL;DR Google demoed its Android XR smart glasses prototype at Google I/O 2025. We now learn that this Android XR prototype is called “Google Martha.” Its companion app handles connected features like notifications, settings access, video recording from the user’s perspective, and more. After over a year of teasing with Project Astra, Google showed off its Android XR glasses on stage at Google I/O 2025. My colleague C. Scott Brown even got to try them on, and he was impressed with the demo. Si

A more Google-y Gemini logo may be right around the corner (APK teardown)

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google may soon replace Gemini’s current two-tone color scheme with its trademark red, blue, green, and yellow colors. We recently gave you an early look at the updated Gemini overlay featuring Google colors. We’ve now spotted similar changes for the Gemini logo and other UI elements in a teardown of the Google app. Google appears to be in the process of replacing Gemini’s existing two-tone color scheme with its signature red, blue, green, and yellow

It’s a Chromebook thing: Hands-on with new ChromeOS AI features

Ryan Haines / Android Authority As an elder member of Gen-Z, every screen in my life has its purpose. My small screen (my phone) is there for personal communication, ordering food, and mindlessly scrolling memes on the internet. My big screen (my TV) takes on the role of in-home entertainment, whether it’s a giant Spotify hub, a way to keep up with the Club World Cup, or endlessly streaming reruns of Letterkenny. Left in the mushy middle between the two, however, is room for a medium screen, l

Google is giving your Chromebook Plus its own version of Circle to Search

Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A bevy of new features are coming to Chromebook Plus laptops. These features include Select to search, Text capture, Simplify, and more. Those who get the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 will get two extra features: Smart grouping and AI image editing in the Gallery app. Google keeps churning out AI-powered features faster than anyone can keep up with. If you own a Chromebook Plus, be on the lookout because the company’s latest slate of AI tools is on the way.

Lenovo promises 17 hours of battery life on its new Chromebook Plus 14

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . For years now, most Chromebooks have run some variety of Intel or AMD processor. The occasional device used a MediaTek chip, but they were often underpowered and cheap devices that were hard to recommend. ARM-based processors have worked tremendously well for Apple on the Mac, and they

The ‘Most Advanced’ Chromebook Has an AI Chip That’s Just Pure Overkill for ChromeOS

What do you need your Chromebook to do for you? If you’re like most people who buy the cheaper ChromeOS-based laptops, you want it to access a browser and—if you’re feeling particularly spicy—maybe a few select Android apps. The most important elements for these lightweight clamshells are normally whether it can load webpages fast, has a long-enough battery, and if it has a quality display for your average Netflix and chill session. With its latest update, Google and Lenovo are asking consumers

Google adds AI features to Chromebook Plus devices

Google’s adding a slew of AI features to its productivity-focused Chromebook Plus line of devices, including a screen selection tool for search and text capture, a tool that explains complex text, and NotebookLM. The new screen selection tool works similarly to Google Lens and the “Circle to search” feature in Chrome on smartphones: long-press the launcher button or use the screenshot tool to select what is on your screen, and Google will instantly search for it. The tool also lets you select t

Google Pay adds another popular way to split big payments into installments

Klarna TL;DR Google Pay announced plans to add Klarna as a buy now, pay later (BNPL) lender last year. The integration is now live, and US shoppers can use Klarna’s Pay in 4 and financing options for purchases on select Android apps and websites. To use Klarna as a BNPL lender through Google Pay, existing users must link their Klarna account, while new users need to complete the onboarding process within Google Pay. Google Pay introduced a buy now, pay later (BNPL) feature last year to help

Google app is now home to your Pinterest-like personalized image feed

Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Google has started rolling out a new “Images” tab in the latest beta version of the Google app. The Images tab lets users select interest categories, such as fashion or home decor, to build a tailored visual feed using publicly available search images, similar to platforms like Pinterest. The feature is currently limited to beta users for testing and feedback, with potential for wider rollout soon. We’ve previously spotted Google working on a Pinteres

Encounters with Reality on Christine Rosen's the Extinction of Experience

When I was fourteen, my family went on a Caribbean cruise. I have always been allergic to the idea of going somewhere for the explicit purpose of “having a good time.” But that’s exactly what a cruise—at least this particular kind of cruise—is: a never-ending parade of convenient entertainment and diversion. Gorge yourself at breakfast; use the coupon in your welcome bag for a mid-morning massage; have lunch brought to your table at the pool; shop luxury brands on the promenade in the afternoon;

This new Chrome feature has forever changed the way I shop online

Ryan Haines / Android Authority As an avid runner in the middle of marathon training, I go through a lot of shoes — like, a lot of shoes. When averaging 50 miles per week, I can burn through a pair in a little over a month, and then it’s time to treat myself. That said, I’m not made of money. I can’t just run out and pay full price every time I need fresh foam under my feet. So, I have to be careful about looking for deals and spending wisely. And now, a new Chrome extension has made that easie

Fastmail replaced my Gmail and I’m never going back

Nathan Drescher / Android Authority I had the digital equivalent of an epiphany the other day. I opened my inbox and saw…email. Only email. There were no ads, no AI-generated summaries, and no prompts. It was a strange, yet welcome, feeling after years of using Gmail. Checking my inbox no longer felt like an argument with an algorithm. That’s because I switched to Fastmail earlier this year. It all began when I started distancing myself from American big tech platforms, where Google sits high

The $14 Billion AI Google Killer

A new AI darling is making waves in Silicon Valley. It’s called Perplexity, and according to reports, both Meta and Apple have quietly explored acquiring it. Valued at a staggering $14 billion following a May funding round, the startup is being hailed as a revolutionary threat to Google Search’s search dominance. But here’s the thing: it mostly just summarizes web results and sends you links. So why the frenzy? Perplexity billed itself an “answer engine.” You ask a question, and it uses large

5 carriers you should sign up for instead of T-Mobile

Joe Maring / Android Authority If you’re shopping for a new cell phone carrier in the US, there’s a good chance you’re considering T-Mobile. As one of the most well-known cell service providers in the country, it’s likely at the top of your shopping list. But before you pull the trigger on T-Mobile, I’d advise you to first consider the alternatives. Between lackluster new plan offerings and the removal of long-beloved features like taxes and fees bundled into monthly prices, T-Mobile has seen b

Google killed Maps Timeline, so I self-hosted a better one

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority As an avid traveler, Google Maps Timeline has long been one of my favorite hidden features. I’m used to opening it on slow Sunday afternoons and wandering through my own travel history. It showed alleyways I had forgotten, long layovers that blurred together while stepping out for a quick brunch across a new city, and impulsive last-minute rail journeys across Eastern Europe that never made it into photos. It’s always felt like a private travel diary logging ev

Google Pixel 10a wishlist: These are the 5 upgrades I want to see

Ryan Haines / Android Authority Over the last few years, we’ve gotten used to a pretty reliable formula for Pixel launches. Every fall, Google rolls out its flagships, followed by the mid-range Pixel A launch a few months later in the spring. Usually, that mid-ranger takes most of its cues (and all of its internals) from the flagships, giving us a great chance to recommend the full Pixel experience without the full Pixel price. This year, though, the Pixel 9a tried something new. It picked up

Topics: 10a 9a google mid pixel

Inside the courthouse reshaping the future of the internet

The future of the internet will be determined in one building in Washington, DC — and for six weeks, I watched it unfold. For much of this spring, the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in downtown Washington, DC, was buzzing with lawyers, reporters, and interested onlookers jostling between dimly lit courtrooms that hosted everyone from the richest men in Silicon Valley to fired federal workers and the DOGE-aligned officials who terminated them. The sprawling courthouse, with an airy atrium in th

Google just changed the search bar on my Pixel home screen, and I hate it

Joe Maring / Android Authority One of my favorite things about Google’s Pixel phones is the persistent Google Search bar at the bottom of the home screen. It’s such a simple feature, but having that constant access to Google, and right by my thumb, is a huge convenience. Earlier this month, we reported that Google was getting ready to change that search bar by adding yet another shortcut to it — this time, one for Google AI Mode. That shortcut now appears to be widely rolling out to Pixel phon

Google Drive for Android gets a video player upgrade and better upload tools

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google Drive for Android now has a redesigned video player with easier-to-use playback controls. The mobile upload process has also been improved with file renaming, folder selection, and clearer progress tracking. Both features are now rolling out to all Google Workspace and personal Drive users. Google has been steadily modernizing its main storage app. The latest Google Drive for Android updates focus on making videos easier to watch and files eas

How to enable earthquake alerts on your Android phone (including these Samsung models)

bymuratdeniz/Getty Images The next time you get an alert on your Android phone, it might just be life-saving information. Google expanded its earthquake alert system last fall; this week, Samsung introduced its own version that might be even better. Here's how these critical alerts work and how you can turn them on. Android earthquake alerts are available in all 50 US states and six US territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, an

How to turn AI into your own research assistant with this free Google tool

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET When I need to research a topic these days, I often turn to AI, at least as a starting point. But depending on my questions and which chatbot I use, the response may not always be satisfying -- it can be too brief or canned. In that case, I find myself wanting more. That's when I turn to Google's Learn About experiment. Also: 8 ways to write better ChatGPT prompts - and get the results you want faster As the name implies, Learn About is more than just a way t

This Air Purifier for Large Rooms Is Now Practically Free, Amazon Clears Out 4.5-Star Top Picks

The air you breathe matters more than you might think. Between pollen, pet dander, dust, and whatever’s drifting in through open windows, it’s easy for indoor air to get a little stale or even irritating. That’s where a good air purifier comes in, and if you’ve been thinking about buying one, now’s a good time to jump in. You can get a great machine that can keep all the nasties out of your air at home while cleaning large spaces at a time. Because no one wants to have to buy multiple machines,

Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) deal: We’ve never seen it this cheap!

Robert Triggs / Android Authority As Android fans, the Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) is obviously one of our favorite wireless chargers. It doesn’t often go on sale, and the lowest we’ve seen it go for was $53.93 back in 2022! Today, it’s on sale for just $43.99, making this a record-low price. Get the Google Pixel Stand 2nd Gen for just $43.99 ($35.01 off) This offer is available from eBay, but the seller is actually Best Buy. This gives us a level of confidence, as it is not just a random onl

Seriously, What Is ‘Superintelligence’?

Meta just announced a major move in its AI efforts—investing in Scale AI and building a superintelligence AI research lab. While Meta has been trying to keep up with big names in the AI race, such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, the company's new strategy includes dropping some serious cash to acquire talent and invest in Scale AI. Today on the show, we dive into the deal between Meta and Scale AI, including what Meta aims to get out of investment, and we ask the question we are all wondering:

This free Google tool turns AI into your research assistant

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET When I need to research a topic these days, I often turn to AI, at least as a starting point. But depending on my questions and which chatbot I use, the response may not always be satisfying -- it can be too brief or canned. In that case, I find myself wanting more. That's when I turn to Google's Learn About experiment. Also: 8 ways to write better ChatGPT prompts - and get the results you want faster As the name implies, Learn About is more than just a way t

How Android earthquake alerts work (and how to enable them)

bymuratdeniz/Getty Images The next time you get an alert on your Android phone, it might just be life-saving information. Google expanded its earthquake alert system last fall; this week, Samsung introduced its own version that might be even better. Here's how these critical alerts work and how you can turn them on. Android earthquake alerts are available in all 50 US states and six US territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, an

4 ways Google Lens on Chrome magnifies my productivity - and how to use it

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET You may have noticed an odd little button that sometimes appears in your Chrome browser bar labeled "Google Lens." It's actually been there for a number of years now, although it doesn't always show up. But have you ever used it? Have you even given it a second thought? Or has it just become one more piece of digital clutter your brain edits out? We've covered Google Lens before on ZDNET. We've done so a number of times, in fact. But we've always covered it as a fe