GoKawiil
Tech News
Google confirmed in a blog post that it successfully activated the Tensor Processing Units aboard a satellite launched earlier this month, running its Gemma 4 model to produce a space-themed haiku and other test prompts. The milestone is part of Project Suncatcher, Google's experimental effort to explore running AI compute hardware in orbit.
Google is piloting a new 'Family' entry at the top of the Settings app on some Pixel 11 phones, according to Android Authority. The hub consolidates family members, shared Google One storage, subscriptions like YouTube Premium and Google AI, shared calendar events, and live location sharing in one place. Currently only a handful of Pixel 11 users have reported seeing it, and Google has not confirmed a wider rollout.
Android Authority found hidden strings in the Google app (v17.71.17) referencing an 'Offline mode' for Gemini Live, with subtitle text reading 'Use Gemini Live without an internet connection.' The feature appears tied to the account switcher menu based on its naming, but it is not yet live for users.
The fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is discounted by $60 to $219.99 across Amazon, Best Buy and The Home Depot in all three colors, matching its best price this year and nearing its all-time low. The device includes a bundled remote temperature sensor, an adaptive display, and broader HVAC compatibility than its predecessor.
Finland's police, backed by the Licensing and Supervision Authority, have launched a criminal investigation into Google subsidiary Tuike Finland Oy after five complaints over its Muhos data center project. The probe covers suspected environmental law violations and environmental damage, including unauthorized clearing of roughly 816 acres of forest, plus alleged shortcomings in drainage and water management.
Motorola has confirmed its upcoming Signature 27 flagship will launch globally, including in the US, powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme chip. The company says the phone will get up to seven major Android OS updates, but security patches will arrive only every two months rather than monthly, a weaker commitment than rivals like Samsung and Google offer.
A long-time Google Home user reports that most of Google's smart home devices have gone years without updates, including Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell battery models (none since 2021), the Nest Hub display (over five years old), and Nest Wifi Pro (from 2022). The company's only recent release, the Google Home Speaker, arrived this year after a six-year gap since the Nest Audio and reportedly discontinued both the Nest Audio and Nest Mini.
Google Photos has resolved a bug that caused edited photos to disappear from apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Messages, and Gemini, even though the images remained visible in the Photos gallery itself. APKMirror founder Artem Russakovskii reported the issue to Google, which confirmed and tested the fix in Google Photos version 7.97.
Google has begun pushing an updated Gemini overlay design to all Android devices via a Google app update, following its earlier debut on Pixel 11 phones. The refresh applies Google's Neural Expressive design language, adding sparkle effects and small dots around the Ask Gemini text box, plus shaded, more three-dimensional edges on the box, particularly visible in dark mode.
Strava now lets subscribers connect their accounts to Google Gemini, enabling the AI assistant to analyze training data and answer questions about pace, race performance, and streaks. The read-only integration lets Gemini compare personal records, examine how weather affected a workout, and break down race splits mile by mile. It follows a similar integration Strava launched with Anthropic's Claude, and is currently rolling out only in the US.
Google has acknowledged reports of sudden, severe battery drain affecting a range of Pixel Watch models, from the Pixel Watch 2 through the current generation. The company told affected users on Reddit that it has identified the cause and is working on a fix, though it gave no timeline.
Google is rolling out ads inside AI Mode search results to 10 additional countries, including Australia, Canada and India, with Brazil, Mexico and the UK to follow later this year. In the US, the company is introducing 'multiturn ads' that can appear within follow-up conversational queries when Google detects commercial intent, alongside ads on initial AI Mode searches. The move follows comments from Google's Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler that search ad revenue growth slowed in Q3 2026 as queries shift to AI Overviews and AI Mode, which monetize at lower rates than traditional search.