Google has introduced Googlebooks, a new line of certified laptops built on an Android-based operating system rather than ChromeOS. Partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo are producing Googlebook-certified devices with carbon-fiber chassis, high-end Intel or Snapdragon processors, high-resolution screens and Gemini built in, starting at 16GB RAM and 256GB storage with about 14 hours of battery life. The devices run Android apps natively via the full Google Play Store and integrate with Android phones running Android 17 or later, syncing passwords, notifications and files.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-13
Google has outlined how Gemini Spark, an always-on AI agent available to Gemini Pro and Ultra subscribers, can run tasks in the background even when a user's devices are off. Capabilities include summarizing a week's worth of emails, building to-do lists, and automatically adding appointments to a calendar, provided users enable connections to Gmail, Calendar and Drive, which are off by default. Google states Spark checks with users before taking major actions, and notes some features may not be available in all regions.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-13
A new DIY web app lets people repurpose an unused smartphone into a voice-interactive jack-o'-lantern by linking it to a free Google API key or a paid OpenAI key. The base pumpkin personality is free to use indefinitely, while a $1.99 one-time unlock adds extra characters, voices, and colors. Users can also transfer a key from their main phone to an old device via a QR-code scan feature.
jack-o.io
· 2026-10-13
Google has launched Gemini Argon 4 for users worldwide. The model is available only through paid tiers, with no free version offered to consumers or developers.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-10-13
At a UK parliamentary hearing, representatives from OpenAI and Anthropic said voluntary safety pledges are insufficient and called for statutory, binding AI regulation, including mandatory incident reporting. Google DeepMind and Meta did not endorse new legislation, instead pointing to existing standards and regulators as sufficient.
wired.com
· 2026-10-13
A new web app called Guitoro lets users play a virtual guitar, classic guitar, electric guitar or four-string bass using their computer keyboard or by swiping on a touchscreen. It includes 51 songs that can be slowed down to show finger placement, string hits and strumming patterns, using recordings of real instrument notes rather than synthesized sound. The tool requires no download or account and runs entirely in the browser.
guitoro.com
· 2026-10-13
Google launched Gemini 4 Argon, its newest flagship AI model, making it available globally to developers and businesses for complex tasks in coding, finance, law, cybersecurity and science. API pricing starts at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens, with rates doubling after November 30. Google also said it is expanding its Fairwind Program, which gives vetted cybersecurity partners a version of Argon without standard cyber guardrails, to hundreds more partners.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-13
Google is expanding its Ask Play chatbot into a broader AI-powered search tool for the Play Store, letting users ask questions and get app comparisons, with similar functionality coming to Gemini. The company also launched Game Finder, a recommendation engine using a 'Gamer DNA' profile built from usage data across 1.2 billion Android gamers, rolling out in the US now. Separately, Google plans to let users privately host and share apps they build themselves using AI coding tools through the Play Store.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-13
Google announced that users who build apps via prompts in AI Studio can now publish them for use on their own devices through a new 'personal library' in the Play Store, without needing a paid developer account. The feature targets users 18 and older in the US and select markets, and Google says it plans to add secure sharing with friends and family later. To reach a global audience, creators would need to upgrade to a professional developer account and pass standard Play Store safety reviews.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-13
Google announced that any standard Google account holder can now use AI Studio to create personal Android apps via text prompts, with no coding required. These apps install directly to a user's own device through a private Play Store channel rather than the public listing, and can be shared with others outside the formal app store.
zdnet.com
· 2026-10-13
Google announced that Android users can now build apps with AI in Google AI Studio and install them directly on their own device via Google Play, without publishing them to the public store. These private apps won't appear in search or listings and are visible only to their creator, though they must still follow Play's policies. The feature is launching first for users 18 and older in the U.S.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-13
The TMY Smart Projector, which runs Google TV, is currently being sold for $169.99 after an $80 price cut representing a 32% discount. The deal applies to the projector as a home entertainment option for setting up a larger screen in a bedroom or living room.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-13
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