Google has launched Universal Cart, a feature first shown at Google I/O in May, for US users. It lets shoppers save products found through Search or the Gemini app into one cart across multiple retailers, with alerts for price drops and restocks, and payment suggestions based on card perks and promo codes. Checkout runs through Google's Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard it introduced earlier this year for linking AI agents with retailers.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-15
Google has detailed Gemini Spark, an AI personal assistant first announced at its May I/O conference, that can take background 'proactive action' on tasks assigned by users. It works across Google Workspace apps including Docs, Calendar, Slides and Gmail, and draws on Personal Intelligence to tailor suggestions using data from a user's Google apps. Example uses cited include building an email style guide from past responses or setting up an internship tracker.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-12
Xreal has begun taking pre-orders for its Aura smartglasses, first shown at Google I/O, with prices starting at $1,279 for a 12GB/256GB configuration and $1,499 for a 16GB/512GB version. The under-95-gram glasses tether to a separate compute puck running Android XR with Google Play and Gemini, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, with hand tracking, a 70-degree field of view, see-through lenses and Bose-engineered audio. Shipping begins soon in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, with wider availability planned for 2027.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-07
Google has unveiled a 'Live Avatar' capability, showcasing a real-time animated digital representation of a person. Commentary following the demo has focused on questioning how convincing and technically sound the feature actually is.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-25
Google's new Android-based Googlebook laptops are now available for preorder from multiple OEM partners, ahead of an October 4 launch. Five models will debut, priced starting at $899 with only one under $1,000, featuring OLED displays, metal chassis, large haptic trackpads, and an illuminated 'Glowbar' on the lid. The machines run either Snapdragon X Elite or Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips with NPUs delivering up to 45 TOPS.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-21
Google has removed the Pixel Tablet from its online store and dropped the 'Tablet' category from its site navigation, following earlier reports that the device was marked out of stock. Most Pixel Tablet accessories, including the case and charging speaker dock, are also unavailable, with only a third-party speaker stand still purchasable. The tablet has similarly vanished from Amazon, and Best Buy lists it as no longer available in new condition.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-10
Android Authority found code in a beta build of the Google app (version 17.56.14) suggesting Gemini's floating overlay could soon let users assign tasks to Spark, Google's autonomous AI agent, without launching the full Gemini interface. The same handover option is also being tested in the main Gemini app, alongside a possible model-switching shortcut in the overlay.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-09
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