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Google is rolling out a new way to trigger the Sidekick overlay in Play Games, letting users open it directly from the notifications panel instead of relying solely on the onscreen drag handle. The option appears under Settings > General > Google Play Games as 'Configure Sidekick access,' alongside the existing in-game-only setting. Evidence also points to a double-tap activation method still in development.
Google has rolled out its Notebooks feature within Gemini to Workspace and Google Education account holders, months after it launched for regular Gmail users in April. The feature lets students, educators and enterprise users organize notes and web resources into notebooks to build reports, slide decks and study materials directly inside Gemini. Google also extended the ability to import books from Google Play Books into notebooks, a feature previously limited to consumer accounts.
Code strings found in version 17.59.17.sa.arm64 of the Google app reveal a feature called 'Ephemeral Video Mode' tied to Gemini's internal codename Robin. The strings describe enabling an ephemeral mode specifically for video input during Gemini Live sessions, suggesting Google is testing a way to keep certain video interactions from being saved.
Google is expanding its CC AI agent, previously a solo daily-briefing tool, into a household assistant that up to six family members can share information with via its own dedicated Google account. Members can forward emails, calendar invites, PDFs, receipts and images to CC, which compiles them into a shared Daily Brief covering upcoming events and to-dos. CC can also assist with chores such as filling out forms, building shopping lists and planning meals.
Google has introduced CC, an experimental Google Labs project that extends its Daily Brief concept to households of up to six people. Each family member can link a separate Google account to CC, choosing which emails, calendar events, or Drive files the assistant can access, and CC compiles a shared 'Your Day Ahead' email each morning summarizing schedules and tasks.
An Entrepreneur commentary argues that the backlash over Google's Gemini AI producing biased outputs was wrongly dismissed as a mere technical glitch. The author contends that because AI models learn from human-generated data, they inherit the assumptions and blind spots of that data, and scaling such systems only amplifies those flaws. The piece stresses that any business deploying AI tools—regardless of whether it built the model—inherits this bias risk.
A hobbyist building a knife-tracking scraper for Reddit comments replaced expensive per-comment Gemini 3.1 Pro API calls with a fine-tuned version of the open-source GLiNER model. He had Gemini label 4,290 comments once, then used that labeled data to train GLiNER large v2.5 to extract knife brands, models and steel types, spending about $9 total on the labeling step.
Google announced that Google Home will now support third-party AI agents beyond its own Gemini, using Model Context Protocol technology. Anthropic's Claude, open-source agents OpenClaw and Hermes, and Google's Antigravity coding platform were named as early integrations, letting these AIs control devices and access event history within the Google Home ecosystem. The feature is rolling out in early access to US Google Home Premium subscribers, who pay $20 for the tier.
Google is adding a Model Context Protocol connector to Google Home, opening the smart home platform to AI assistants beyond its own Gemini. The rollout is starting with a limited group of testers rather than all users at once.
Google has launched Google Home MCP, letting outside AI agents like Claude, Google Antigravity, Hermes, and Open Claw access and control devices in a user's Google Home ecosystem through the Model Context Protocol. The integration lets these agents view device event history, analyze camera footage across cameras, track usage patterns like laundry cycles or light usage, send voice updates through Google Home speakers, and build custom control dashboards. Gemini for Home remains the primary assistant for the Home app and Nest speakers, with MCP adding an extra layer of third-party access rather than replacing it.
Google has broadened NotebookLM's real-time voice conversation feature to support close to 100 languages, letting users talk with their notebooks beyond English. The update also adds audio recording capabilities and interactive Learning Overviews to help users engage with their materials in more ways.
Walt Disney World is rolling out a beta AI assistant on its booking site and app, built on Google's Gemini but limited to official Disney data. Guests will be able to ask conversational questions about hotels, resorts, and amenities, and receive AI-generated summaries on pricing and availability before being directed to booking links. The beta will initially reach randomly selected guests in the US and Canada, excluding Lightning Lane and dining reservations for now.