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Cyclists can use smartphones with mounts and apps like Google Maps, Komoot, or Ride with GPS for navigation and GPS ride tracking instead of buying a dedicated bike computer. An older phone can be repurposed as a bike computer by loading routes over Wi-Fi, since offline navigation and GPS recording don't require a SIM card, while a smartwatch can supplement the setup by tracking heart rate and fitness data.
A writer searched Google for the phrase 'hes never coming over dario,' referencing a 2014 NBA fan meme about player Dario Saric. Instead of returning links, Google's AI Overview interpreted the query as a personal message about heartbreak and responded with sympathetic, therapist-like language.
A user named Cobanov used Anthropic's Claude AI to debloat his four-year-old Android TV through developer/ADB access, instructing it to disable unused apps, shorten animations, and log all changes rather than uninstall anything. He also replaced Google TV's ad-heavy home screen with FLauncher, an open-source app launcher, and reported the TV ran smoother than when new, all without rooting the device.
A hands-on comparison of ChatGPT Voice and Gemini Live found both offer real-time spoken responses with multiple voice options, powered respectively by OpenAI's GPT models and Google's Gemini models. The tester noted ChatGPT Voice speaks with more expressive, human-like verbal quirks like stutters and filler sounds, while Gemini Live sounds flatter. ChatGPT Voice was also observed searching the internet more readily, correctly identifying a recent Gemini release that Gemini Live itself denied existed.
Apple has unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, drawing comparisons online to Microsoft's Surface Duo foldable line. Critics have accused Apple of copying the name, but Apple previously used 'Duo' for its PowerBook Duo laptop in 1992, predating Microsoft's product by decades.
A brief recap revisits the 2021 incident in which the container ship Ever Given ran aground and blocked the Suez Canal for several days, halting a major global shipping route. The retrospective summarizes the timeline of the grounding and subsequent refloating without providing new details beyond a condensed overview.
Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Android, once planned to let Windows 11 run Android apps natively, was discontinued in 2024. Users now rely on third-party emulators like BlueStacks and NetEase's MuMuPlayer, or Google's Play Games for PC, which streams a limited catalog of opted-in Android games via a lightweight virtual machine. Windows 11's Phone Link can also mirror a connected Android phone's screen and apps, though it runs the apps on the phone rather than the PC.
Android Authority's Stephen Radochia has published a comparison review of Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL against the Pixel 8 Pro after a week of testing. He reports that the new phone feels lighter and more refined, with a matte black finish and color-matched aluminum frame, while gaming performance remains a weaker point. He now says it's harder to recommend holding onto the Pixel 8 Pro than in previous years.
Android Authority highlights lesser-known Google Lens features, including identifying items for purchase by pointing a camera at them and returning direct shopping links, and decoding laundry care symbols on clothing tags. The tool also works for interpreting car dashboard icons, nutrition labels, and troubleshooting device issues, aided by its integration with Gemini for follow-up questions.
Google shared new details on its Chromebook Plus laptop lineup, emphasizing tight integration with Android phones and a commitment to 10 years of software updates. The first devices come from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
A content creator investigated Yemen's commonly cited land area of 555,000 sq km, found via Google and Wikipedia, and discovered that manually tracing the country's borders on Google Maps produced only about 456,000 sq km, even including islands like Socotra. Tracing the figure to a 1991 Yemeni statistical yearbook, the creator found the discrepancy stemmed from a northern border drawn to the 20th latitude, beyond Yemen's actual border with Saudi Arabia at the 19th latitude. Other major sources, including the CIA World Factbook, World Bank, and United Nations, instead list Yemen's area as 527,968 sq km.
Google is testing a feature that lets some Indian users buy Flipkart products directly within Gemini and AI Mode, using a 'Buy' button that leads to Flipkart's checkout without leaving the AI interface. The trial currently covers a limited set of items like smartphones and accessories, and Google plans a wider rollout in October ahead of the festive shopping season.