Category Archives: Google

Google Cloud partners break down the benefits of Googles new GenAI agent technology and Vertex AI Agent Builder for the channel.

Google Cloud unveiled a slew of new AI products this week at Google Cloud Nextfrom new AI agents to new Tensor Processing Unit hardware to accelerate the artificial intelligence revolution.

Google partners, in particular, were bullish about Googles new Vertex AI Agent Builder and agent technologies that will help them drive customer productivity levels to new heights.

Googles agents are the manifestation of real value in remedial workflows. So we can help customers go from an agent being partially helpfullike in a traditional chatbot scenario that we think aboutto actually completing a complex task, said Tony Safoian, CEO of Google Cloud Premier Partner SADA, an Insight company.

Partners of the Mountain View, Calif.-based $37 billion cloud computing and AI giant can create custom tasks and capabilities for agents in Vertex AI Agent Buildera new no-code offering for deploying generative AI assistants that are rooted in Googles Gemini family of models.

For example, if someone is asking about coverage for a complex health-care [plan], it used to be that the agent can give you part of the answer. Now theres no reason these new powerful agents can not only give you the complete answer, but also maybe change your health plan in the background to meet your specific health needs that are now different than they were last year, said SADAs CEO.

[Related: Google Cloud CEOs 5 Bold Remarks On New Chip, AI Agents And The New Way To Cloud]

So things that youd normally partially surface to a human for the human to complete, right now were entering the era of automation and trust in these AI capabilities to complete the task of actually maybe changing your membership, changing your subscription, changing your deductible, etc. to complete the circle of the workflow, said Safoian. Another easy example is you lost your password. It used to tell you, Heres the steps to follow. Now, it could just do those steps and reset the password for you and text you the password after. This kind of workflow completion is going to unleash a new era of productivity.

To help partners create these AI agents for customers, Google unveiled its new Vertex AI Agent Builder this week.

The new Vertex AI Agent Builder brings together foundation models, Google Search and other developer tools for partners to build and deploy agents, alongside orchestration and augmentation capabilities. With Vertex AI Agent Builder, Google said partners can now quickly create a range of generative AI agents grounded with Google Search and customer data.

Quantiphi, a Google Cloud Premier Partner and AI superstar, said Vertex AI Agent Builder will help customers solve business problems and achieve their AI goals. Quantiphi CEO Asif Hasan said Google agents are the next evolution of AI assistants.

The assistant way of doing things is you have a search bar and you can ask any questions, and the system will go fetch the answer and give it to you so you dont have to browse links and all that type of stuffthats like the assistant paradigm, he said.

The agent paradigm is where, instead of asking a question, youre giving it a goal. Then its breaking down the goal: its reasoning, its planning, its generating the first draft of the answer, it is reflecting on the answer, and its making it better, said Hasan. And then through an iterative set of steps, its either reflecting on its own or its asking you for feedback. Then at the end of the process, its going to help you accomplish your goal. Were super excited about it.

Google also launched new enhancements this week to help organizations build data agents, including injecting Gemini into Googles popular products such as BigQuery, Databases and Looker.

Another area that excited partners at Google Cloud Next was Googles push to create microprocessor hardware that will power Googles and Google customers AI ambitions.

Google this week unveiled its first-ever custom ARM-based CPU chip designed for the data center with Google Axion, delivering up to 50 percent better performance than comparable current-generation x86-based instances, Google said.

In addition, Googles new AI accelerator Tensor Processing Unit v5p is now generally available. Each TPU v5p pod is composed of nearly 9,000 chips over Googles highest-bandwidth inter-chip interconnect (ICI).

The customer hardware piece of AI is becoming very interesting, said Quantiphis CEO. What weve seen with the recent events in the market is there is an insatiable demand for custom AI hardware.

The combination of CPUs and GPUs, or TPUs, is what organizations will leverage in many AI workflows.

The workhorse in AI is an accelerated compute chip, which is either a GPU or Googles variant, which is even a more specialized Tensor Processing Unit, said Hasan. Googles [innovation engine] here is amazing.

SADAs CEO echoed Hasan in believing that Google Clouds end-to-end AI portfolio is a market differentiator.

So when you look at what Google is doing, youre really talking about the entire spectrum of valuefrom the core chips required for any company to building those types of things on Google, and packaging them around Workspace and other SaaS technologies, said Safoian.

The challenge is and will continue to be the collective partner ecosystem helping our customers derive real value out of these building blocks in a way thats measurable, thats credible, thats scalable, thats repeatable, thats secure, thats safe and easy to operate, Safoian said. So theres a tremendous amount of work for the partner ecosystem to do.

Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas runs from April 9 to April 11.

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Google Unleashes 'New Era Of Productivity' With AI Agents: Partners - CRN

Google is going ahead with a redesign that changes how you access the Bookmarks, Reading List, and History columns that appear to the right of your browser. The side panel button is now gone from desktop Chrome.

Once rolled out, youll no longer see a side panel button (square-ish icon thats almost half-way filled) in the top-right corner next to your profile image. Chrome explains how: You can open most side panel features through the Chrome menu.

Previously, the side panel button usually opened Bookmarks by default, while a dropdown provided access to the other pages.

You can pin this side panel for easy access

With this change, the side panels themselves Reading List, Bookmarks, History, Reading Mode, and Search remain available. Youre now able to pin the ones you use to a new partitioned section for immediate access, though it does fill up the space to the right of the address bar. Its somewhat similar in behavior to how extensions can appear today.

Bookmarks and Reading List can be found in the three-dot overflow menu > Bookmarks and Lists, while History (or Grouped History) is a few spots above. You can launch Reading Mode by right-clicking on a page.

Chrome introduced the side panel UI in 2022 and slowly expanded its capabilities, with Google Lens also located there.

Were seeing this removal of the side panel button on Chrome 123 (stable) after restarting the browser on Mac, Windows, and ChromeOS.Its also controlled by this flag: chrome://flags/#side-panel-pinning.

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Google Chrome removes side panel button in favor of pinning - 9to5Google

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When considering generative AI in the classroom, many people think of its potential for students; however, teachers can benefit just as much from the technology, if not more. On Thursday, Google and MIT Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) unveiled a free Google Generative AI Educators course to help middle and high school teachers use generative AI tools to enhance their workflow and students' classroom experience.

Also:Have 10 hours? IBM will train you in AI fundamentals - for free

The self-paced, two-hour course instructs teachers how to use generative AI to save time in everyday tasks such aswriting emails, modifying content for different reading levels, building creative assessments, structuring activities to students' interests, and more, according to the press release. Teachers can even learn how to use generative AI to help with one of the most time-consuming tasks--lesson planning--by inputting their existing lesson plan into the generative AI models to get ideas on what to do next in the classroom.

"This course empowers educators to confidently integrate AI into their teaching, creating richer and more accessible learning experiences for all students," MIT RAISE Director Cynthia Breazeal said.

The course consists of five 40-minute-or-less modules, accessible by teachers and administrators on the Generative AI for Educators webpage.

Some school districts across the country plan to offer the course as well, including California's Anaheim Union High School District, Florida's Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Illinois' Chicago Public Schools, New Mexico's Albuquerque Public Schools, Oklahoma's Glenpool Public Schools, and Wisconsin's Sun Prairie Area School District, according to the press release.

Also: I spent a weekend with Amazon's free AI courses, and highly recommend you do too

"In a rapidly evolving world, our teachers cannot afford to fall behind in accessing powerful generative tools that will help them develop new approaches to teaching and learning," Michael Matsuda, the superintendent at Anaheim Union High School District, said.

OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT, once highlighted the benefits of giving educators generative AI tools and shared use cases in which teachers across the country are already using the technology.OpenAI's examplesincluded using a chatbot to role-play conversations meant for students, building classroom materials, providing English language assistance for non-English speakers, and teaching students about critical thinking.

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Google and MIT launch a free generative AI course for teachers - ZDNet

Theres no denying that colour, like form and texture, inform how we understand our surroundings. It can evoke emotion and, according to the design team at Google, it can also be expressed through sound, taste, smell and touch, as much as visual perception.

The studio is mounting its third interactive exhibition at Milan Design Week 2024, in collaboration with Los Angeles-based art and research lab Chromasonic. The 'Making Sense of Color' installation activates all the senses as visitors move through 21 ethereal spaces delimited by scrim walls with responsive light and audio displays. They eventually reach a series of rooms more tangibly demonstrating how certain tones relate to specific sensations and are harnessed in the brands ever-evolving suite of productsphones, tablets and smart home devices.

(Image credit: Chromasonic)

'Colour resonates with vibrancy, embodying energy,' says Ivy Ross, Vice President of Design, UX, and Research for Hardware Products at Google, 'Color has both biological and psychological influence on us. Right now we are going through a lot of emotion as a society, so understanding the power of these natural forces and its different properties seems as relevant as ever.'

Chromasonic has created well-received immersive light and sound installationssuch as Venice, Satellite One space in Californiawith the aim of promoting wellbeing. Ross and her team chose to collaborate with the practice because of its ability to make colour more experiential and physically engaging. The art and research lab has implemented its proprietary Chromasonic Refrequencing technology.

(Image credit: Chromasonic)

'Light waves are converted to sound waves and sound waves are converted into light waves in real-time; in essence, making light audible and sound visible,' says Harriet Girardoni, practice co-founder. 'Light and sound travel as one and accentuates our awareness of our presence within it and of others as they pass through, appearing and dissolving within and between the array of the installation's spaces.'

By merging the immateriality of light with the materiality of sound, this formula expands natural perception. Visitors can experience a deeper sense of presence within the synesthetic environment. 'Colour can evoke memory, inspire desire, and captivate us in the moment with a feeling of awe, adds Johannes Girardoni, Chromasonic co-founder. We spatialize colour and sound to create shapeshifting experiences of physical space. It is a means of intentional placemaking.'

(Image credit: Chromasonic)

For many design industry visitors touring an ever-exhausting Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile furniture fair, Googles installations offer rest, relaxation and contemplation. 'We do believe this years exhibit will provide guests the kind of respite that leaves them feeling both refreshed and revitalised,' Ross concludes. 'We started using the Salone to share our thought leadership in design and what inspires us, we love to create experiences that are presented to the design professional and the general public.'

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Making Sense of Colour is on view from 15 to 21 April, during Milan Design Week 2024

Garage 21 via Archimede, 26 20129 Milan

store.google.com chromasonic.com

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Google and Chromasonic make sense of colour at Milan Design Week - Wallpaper*

Google is expected to launch a new Pixel 8a phone at its I/O conference next month, but if you're willing to buy last year's model, a new sale has dropped the Pixel 7a down to the lowest price we've tracked. The handset is now available for $349, which is $150 less than Google's list price and $25 below the prior low we've seen in recent months. The only better deals we've found for an unlocked model have required you to trade in another device. This discount applies to the black, light blue and white colorways and is available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Google's online store. Google says the offer will run through May 4.

This is a new low for the unlocked version of Google's midrange smartphone.

The Pixel 7a is the top budget pick in our guide to the best Android phones, and Engadget's Sam Rutherford gave it a score of 90 in our review last May. When it's discounted to this extent, it remains a good value. Its cameras still outshine just about everything else in this price range, and it still provides a largely bloat-free version of Android. Its Tensor G2 can sometimes run hot but is still plenty quick for everyday tasks. Though it won't be kept up to date for as long as the flagship Pixel 8, it'll still receive OS updates through May 2026 and security updates through May 2028.

The mostly plastic design and 6.1-inch OLED display are both a step down from more expensive devices, but they should be more than acceptable at this price. The latter can run at a 90Hz refresh rate, which again isn't on the level of top-tier models but makes scrolling feel smoother than it'd be on many cheap Android phones. Along those lines, while the Pixel 7a's wireless charging tops out at a relatively slow 7.5W, the fact that it supports wireless charging at all is welcome. Battery life is solid but not class-leading in general, though wired charging also isn't the fastest at 18W.

If you don't need a new phone right this second, it still makes sense to see if Google follows tradition and releases a new A-series phone in a few weeks. There's been a spate of Pixel 8a leaks over the past several months, all of which suggest a device that'll fall more closely in line with the current Pixel 8. Exactly how much the new phone will cost is unclear, however. If you want upgrade today and must stay on a tighter budget, we'd expect this deal to stay worthwhile after I/O has passed. It's also worth noting that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on sale for $549 and $799, respectively, though neither of those are all-time lows.

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The Google Pixel 7a is on sale for a new low of $349 - Engadget

Im fortunate to have two daughters who are my pride and joy. We get along extremely well, and theyve always been supportive of me, especially during my Parkinsons diagnosis in 2015. After I had deep brain stimulation surgery in 2021, they both came to our farm to see me, cook meals, and take me for walks every day for a solid month. They are remarkable and kind young women.

We text one another every morning, often our Wordle scores, and then again if something exciting happens during the day. And boy, are they ever fast at texting! They can get 10 texts in while I try to type just one. I know when my phone starts frantically pinging that something exciting is happening.

Recently, my husband, John, and I went on holiday to Portugal. We rented a car so we could drive to the Douro Valley, which was spectacular. I had no idea how gorgeous and extensive it was, or how we would be driving on very narrow mountain roads with blind corners and switchbacks every 30 seconds.

Ive always been a bit of an anxious person. Parkinsons disease has exacerbated my anxiety for sure, but when we were driving those mountainous roads, it was like an alien had taken over my body. First of all, I started to shake. Seismically, it was way beyond my average level of tremors. I was trying to hold my phone so I could see the Google map, but I couldnt keep it steady.

Then I started to sweat. I didnt just drip sweat, though. I swear I was spurting it! My face, hands, armpits, and feet all joined forces, and I couldnt keep ahead of it. I kept wiping my hands on my jeans, to no avail.

You should be filming this. Its so beautiful, John remarked.

I cant hold my phone! I replied. It keeps slipping out of my hands because they are sweating so much.

He didnt understand that at that point, it was like trying to hold a greased watermelon.

We drove around Portugal for a week. Thank goodness for Johns expert driving skills, Google Maps, and that decisive womans voice that barked out directions from my phone. The voice guided us through roundabouts, city streets, highways, and mountain roads.

At the end of our trip, we were headed back into Porto, a bustling city with long and (for us) unpronounceable street names. We were completely dependent on Google to get us there. We were nine minutes away from our destination, in an area of the city that had roundabouts upon roundabouts. Thats when there was a giant snowstorm at home in Canada, and our daughters wanted me to know everything about it. The texting started.

It went like this:

Google: Take the PING! (Its the biggest snowstorm of the winter!)

Google: Exit onto PING! (I didnt know it was going to snow?)

Google: Then continue PING! (I think we might get snowed in!)

Google: Until you are PING! (Ugh!)

Google: Take the first PING! (The lane is really icy!)

PING! (snowflake emoji)

PING! (snowman emoji)

Google: Rerouting Follow the PING! (frozen blue face emoji)

Google: When you are PING! (So cold and snowy here!)

PING! (Hows the weather in Portugal, Mom?)

PING! (heart emoji)

PING! (sun with sunglasses emoji)

John was now loudly suggesting that I stop texting! And I was shouting, Its not me! Then I was yelling at my phone, Stop! Stop! Yes, it was chaos.

Part of the problem wasnt just the pinging of the texts, but that the little text box kept popping up and covering the map and directions. We were driving blind. Add my sweaty, shaky hands trying to hold the phone, and were lucky we didnt end up in a different city.

Back home in Canada, weve had a good laugh about the driving situation. I had no idea how uncontrollable my anxiety would be, but Im glad we took the trip. Will there be a next time? Of course as long as it doesnt involve driving.

Note:Parkinsons News Todayis strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice,diagnosis, ortreatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, ortreatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those ofParkinsons News Today or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinsons disease.

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When Parkinson's anxiety, Google Maps, and texting collide - Parkinson's News Today

Summary

Google is still working on Android 15, and we've caught a decent glimpse of what's new thanks to developer previews and the first beta, which arrived some days ago. Satellite connectivity is expected to be a big part of Android 15, with features like satellite-based text messaging said to be in the works. A subsequent report revealed that Android 15's satellite connectivity implementation would also allow users to text their contacts in non-emergency situations. We're now learning about Google's plans to support satellite connectivity on a hardware level, starting with the Pixel 9 series this fall.

Kamila Wojciechowska, who has a decent track record with Pixel leaks, writes (via Android Authority) that the Google Pixel 9 will introduce the new Exynos Modem 5400, which will reportedly be "faster and more power-efficient" than the last-gen Exynos Modem 5300, which was used in both Tensor G2 and G3 chips. The new modem should also have better stability, thanks to an upgraded software stack, according to the leak.

This modem would be part of the all-new Tensor G4 chipset, which will first debut on the Pixel 9 series, with Wojciechowska saying that the Pixel Fold 2 would also use the same SoC, thus giving more credence to the notion that the next-gen Google foldable would debut alongside the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro.

This exclusive report also mentions an under-development 5G Pixel tablet (clementine), which will reportedly use the same Tensor G4/Exynos Modem 5400 combo. However, Wojciechowska's source couldn't provide a precise launch timeline for this Android tablet.

Wojciechowska writes that in addition to the usual performance upgrades to the modem, it now supports 3GPP Release 17, officially bringing support for 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN). This would make the Pixel 9 series the first to support Google's satellite connectivity implementation in Android 15. The satellite-based text-only service will be initially powered by T-Mobile, per Wojciechowska, with other networks possibly joining later.

This leak has also unearthed a new Satellite Gateway app, which will let users get in touch with emergency services using an onboard feature called "Emergency SOS." Thanks to some further digging by Wojciechowska, we know that the app will ask users a few preset questions related to the emergency situation, ranging from What best describes your situation? to What type of vehicle or vessel? designed to get a read on the situation. There's also the option to send a message to all the listed emergency contacts.

Meanwhile, each question will also have its own selection of answers to hasten the process of reaching out to emergency services. Google also understands that satellite connectivity requires specific positioning, which will be explained to the users with the help of an animation, as shown above. There's not a lot we know about the Pixel 9 at this point, but the support for satellite-based texting is likely to be among its key highlights. Early rumors also talk about a third Pixel 9 variant launching in the fall, though we're not big fans of the idea.

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Here's how the Google Pixel 9's new modem will power satellite connectivity - Android Police

Do you think a judge will make Google allow an Android version of the Epic Games Store to live inside its own Google Play Store, let the Epic Games Store have access to every app inside Google Play, and let Android users begin sideloading apps with a single tap? Because Epics asking for those and a whole lot more in the aftermath of Epic v. Google.

On December 11th, Epic won a surprise victory against Google in federal court. A jury unanimously decided that Google had turned its Google Play app store and Google Play Billing service into an illegal monopoly. But what did Epic win? Thats yet to be decided by Judge James Donato, and today, were finally learning precisely what Epic believes it should get.

As youll see in the 16-page proposed injunction and my bullet points below, Epics asking for a lot it doesnt just want to block Google from most every kind of potentially unfair behavior it highlighted during the trial but also proactively and instantly put third-party app stores and billing systems on the same footing with Google Play and Google Play Billing in one fell swoop.

Even if you might think that fair, its unlikely a judge will go that far. Todays Epic document is just the starting point in a negotiation Google gets to file its response by May 2nd, and then Judge Donato will hear from experts on both sides at a hearing on May 23rd. And Google will appeal, too, when the district court case is all said and done.

Okay, heres the document, following my rough summary of what Epics asking for.

What Epic wants from Google:

Thats broad strokes; here are the specifics.

See you on May 23rd, I suppose!

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Here's 16 pages of what Epic wants after winning its Google app store lawsuit - The Verge

Google has been spotted rolling out a new UI change to its bottom toolbar in Meet for desktop users.

The bottom row of available options and features in Google Meet now features an up arrow beside the microphone and camera buttons. As Android Central's Nick Sutrich spotted, clicking the arrow produces a small, pill-shaped floating UI right above the toolbar.

For microphones, this menu shows which device manages your voice while the other is for audio. Users can click on each of the shown devices to open a submenu full of all available hardware that can get the job done. Google Meet displays the default microphone/audio source of your desktop computer or laptop. Beneath, users will find auxiliary devices like headphones.

There is also an option to test the device if something isn't working properly. Clicking on the camera option will reveal a menu that mirrors the microphone's selection.

Google popped in a small cogwheel for additional settings when opening the floating UI action bar. Opening this brings users to Meet's general settings page. The company hasn't brought any changes to this, aside from users finding a more convenient spot to access it.

Users can still open the app's settings by clicking on the three-dot menu at the end of the toolbar near "end call."

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Users on desktop using Google Meet should begin seeing its subtle UI changes in the bottom toolbar. Additional internal tests show that the UI is appearing on more desktops and laptops, signaling its widespread reach.

Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted companion in the world of Android

Google has been slowly updating Meet since 2024 began, with features like video effects and portrait touch-up. The former, which launched in January, delivered goofy backgrounds, filters, and appearance adjustments to Meet. The Workspace app also gained some AI assistance, courtesy of Duet AI, for its Studio lighting and sound on desktop.

Portrait touch-up rolled out in March, bringing with it two modes: subtle and smoothing. Google stated the features were designed to make users feel "comfortable and confident" when using a webcam in Meet. There were other appearance-based features like under-eye lightning and eye whitening, as well.

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Google Meet slides in time-saving UI update for its toolbar on desktop - Android Central

Key Takeaways

Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google announced that Blackwell, Nvidia's (NVDA) latest and most capable artificial intelligence (AI) tech, will be available to cloud customers in early 2025, ahead of theGoogle Cloud Nextkeynote on Tuesday.

The Blackwell platform is coming to Google Cloud in two variations, the HGX B200 and theGB200 NVL72. Nvidia said the HGX B200 is designed for "the most demanding AI," data analytics, and high-performance computing workloads, while theGB200 NVL72 is designed for "next-frontier, massive-scale" model trading and real-time inferencing.

Nvidia unveiled the Blackwell platform, the latest version of its AI-powering tech in March, with analysts calling it the "most ambitious project in Silicon Valley." The chipmaker, which has establisheditself as an early leader of the AI boom, had named Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) alongside Google as partners set to use the new hardware.

Google also announced an initiative to help startups accelerate the creation of generative AI (genAI) applications and services in collaboration with Nvidia. The two companies teamed up to offer some members of Nvidia Inception, the chipmaker's startup program, up to $350,000 of Google Cloud credits for startups focusing on AI.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet were up 0.8% at $156.20 as of 11:15 a.m. ET Tuesday and have gained close to 13% year to date. While Nvidia shares were down 3% at $843.68 in early trading Tuesday, they have surged 75% since the start of the year.

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Nvidia, Google Expand Partnership With Nvidia Blackwell Coming to Google Cloud in 2025 - Investopedia