Google introduces next-gen call screening for Pixel phones

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Google has unveiled a new call screening feature for some Pixel phones that lets you use Google Assistant to handle incoming calls. With the new Hello button, you can activate Google Assistant to ask the caller for their name and purpose and listen to their reply live. You can then decide whether to take the call, reject it, or ask the caller to hold on. This gives you more flexibility and convenience than the previous Call Screen feature, which only shows you a transcript of the caller’s response. The new feature also records the transcripts for later review. The new call screening feature is exclusive to the Pixel Fold and Pixel 6 phones and newer.

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Google's Circle to Search comes to Pixel 7 phones

Google’s latest feature drop brings Circle to Search to Pixel 7 phones. It's a new way to search for anything on your screen without switching apps. You can activate this feature by long pressing the home button or navigation bar and selecting what you’re curious about with a gesture, such as circling, highlighting, or tapping. Circle to Search was first introduced on Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 devices.

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Apple unveils M3 MacBook Air aimed at consumer AI applications

Apple today unveiled new M3-powered MacBook Air 13 and 15-inch models. The new Airs are up to 60 percent faster than the model with the M1 chip and up to 13x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. Pricing The 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 starts at $1,449 (CAD) and $1,299 (CAD) for education, and the 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 starts at $1,749 (CAD) and $1,599 (CAD) for education. Both are available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space grey. The models are available for preorder now for shipping and in-store availability on March 8.

Apple is finally using AI in their marketing for these laptops in anticipation of huge AI software update in June. The consumer focus of the MacBook Air positions it as a strong choice considering the entire PC market is pivoting ot on-device AI in forthcoming PCs, ostensibly at a higher cost.

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Possible new Chromecast with Google TV device spotted in Google Home app

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Google might be working on a new Chromecast with Google TV device, according to a recent discovery in the Google Home app. 9to5Google found that Google added a mysterious device, codenamed "YTD," to the list of Google Cast-compatible devices in the app. The device is treated as a Chromecast, not a Google TV device from another brand. This implies that "YTD" could be a new Chromecast with Google TV device that Google is developing. It is listed next to the current HD and 4K models of Chromecast with Google TV.

Earlier this year, another device, codenamed "YTC," was spotted in the app's code. It was clearly labelled as a "Chromecast with Google TV," but it never launched. The original model was codenamed "YTV," and the HD model was "YTB."

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