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Gemini is rolling out to Google Messages, but it’s not the same across Android
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Gemini continues its march across the Google ecosystem. The AI is currently making its way to Google Messages after restrictions were scaled back on June 18. 

According to the news site MySmartPrice, you’ll soon be able to instruct the feature to “draft messages, have fun conversations, plan events,” among other things. However, the form that Gemini will take on the app may differ from person to person.

The information here mirrors what was in the June 18 report. Gemini can be accessed by tapping the New Chat button at the bottom and then selecting the AI in the following window. The option appears at the top above your contacts list. But Android Police states it will come as a floating action button, or FAB for short.

The FAB will sport the Gemini logo and sit on top of New Chat in the bottom right corner. Don't worry about any differences in service as it performs in the exact same way. You can ask whatever question you want or instruct it to give you ideas like what to cook for dinner. The main difference here is the fact it lessens the amount of taps “required to access Gemini inside Google Messages.”

Additionally, Android Police points out that the Gemini FAB causes the compose button to shrink as you scroll.

Limitations

Upon accessing Gemini for the first time, you will see a terms and conditions page telling you how the AI works. It states conversations with the feature are not encrypted so be mindful of the information you tell it. Gemini does not have access to any private conversations nor will it know your exact location. 

At most, it’ll have a general idea of where you are “based on your IP, [home], or address”. Chats will be saved for 18 months on your device by default, however you can change this to either three or 36 months.

There are some criteria you must meet before you take the artificial intelligence out for a spin. The full list can be found on Google’s Gemini Apps Help page. To give you an idea, you must have an Android phone with 6GB of RAM or higher, have RCS chats turned on, and have the device’s language set to either English or Canadian French. 

Google’s Help page also has instructions on how to delete chats ahead of the time limit running out as well as how to report content.

Keep an eye out for the patch for when it arrives. It should be rolling out within the next few weeks to an Android phone near you.

If you're in the market for more robust content generators, check out TechRadar's list of the best AI tools for 2024.

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ChatGPT’s big, free update with GPT-4o is rolling out now – here’s how to get it
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ChatGPT has just got one its biggest updates so far, thanks to a series of new features – powered by a new GPT-4o model – that were announced at its 'Spring Update' event. And with comparisons to the virtual assistant in Spike Jonze's movie Her flying around, you're probably wondering when you can try it out – well, the answer is a little complicated.

The good news is that GPT-4o, a new multi-modal version of ChatGPT that can “reason across audio, vision, and text in real time” (as the company describes it), is rolling out right now to everyone, including free users. We've already got it in our ChatGPT Plus account, albeit only in limited form – for now, OpenAI has only released GPT-4o's text and image powers, with the cool voice and video-based features coming sometime later.

To find it, just log into your account in a web browser and check the drop-down menu in the top left-hand corner – if you have the update, it should default to GPT-4o with a label calling it OpenAI's “newest and most advanced model” (see below).

A laptop on a red and blue background showing ChatGPT running the GPT-4o model

The GPT-4o model is rolling out now to the browser-based version of ChatGPT – if you’ve got it, it’ll appear in the model drop-down in the top-left corner (above). (Image credit: Future / OpenAI)

That's web access to the GPT-4o model sorted, but what about the ChatGPT apps for iOS, Android and now Mac? It seems that ChatGPT's newest model rolling out a little slower on those. We don't yet have access to GPT-4o on iOS or Android yet, and ChatGPT's new Mac app is still rolling out (and wasn't available at the time of writing).

OpenAI said on May 13 that it was “rolling out the macOS app to Plus users starting today” and that it would be made “more broadly available in the coming weeks”. Strangely, Windows fans have been snubbed and left out of the ChatGPT desktop app party, but OpenAI says “we also plan to launch a Windows version later this year”.

When do we get the new voice assistant?

The most impressive parts of OpenAI's GPT-4o demo were undoubtedly the real-time conversational speech and the vision-based tricks that allow the model to 'see' and chat simultaneously.

Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for those to get a wider rollout. OpenAI says that developers can “now access GPT-4o in the API as a text and vision model”, which differs from the image-based capabilities of the version that was released to free and paid users starting yesterday.

And as for the voice tricks, OpenAI says it'll “roll out a new version of Voice Mode with GPT-4o in alpha within ChatGPT Plus in the coming weeks”. And that “we plan to launch support for GPT-4o's new audio and video capabilities to a small group of trusted partners in the API in the coming weeks”. 

That's a little vague and means some of GPT-4o's coolest tricks are only coming to testers and developers among ChatGPT's paid users for now. But that's also understandable – the tech powering OpenAI's GPT-4o demos likely required some serious compute power, so a wider rollout could take time.

That's a little frustrating for those of us who have been itching to chat to the impossibly cheerful and smart assistant powered by GPT-4o in OpenAI's various demos. If you haven't watched them yet, we'd suggest checking out the various GPT-4o demo videos on OpenAI's site – which include two AI assistants singing to each other and ChatGPT helping someone prep for an interview.

But on the plus side, GPT-4o is surprisingly going to be available for both free and paid users – and while the full rollout of all the tricks that OpenAI previewed could take some time, the promise is certainly there. Now it's time to see how Google responds at Google I/O 2024 – here's how you can tune into the live event.

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YouTube TV’s sports-friendly Multiview mode is rolling out to iPad and iPhone
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YouTube TV’s Multiview feature is reportedly rolling out to iOS devices, giving iPhone owners a new, more immersive way to watch sports.

News of this update comes from multiple users on the YouTubeTV subreddit claiming that they had just received the option on their smartphones. One person even shared a short video of their iPhone playing four different basketball games at once – well, one’s a commercial, but you can tell it’s basketball due to the ESPN banner. 

We don’t know the full capabilities of Multiview on YouTube for iOS. According to 9To5Google it can be activated from the app’s Home tab, however it “only works with select games,” and it doesn't have all of the same features as the smart TV version. 

Multiview on iOS apparently can’t show sports scores alongside a broadcast, nor does it have the Last Channel Shortcut to hop between recently viewed channels. There is a gap in performance, but regardless of what it can’t do, Multiview on mobile is still very useful to have, especially now during March Madness.

Availability

It appears this isn’t a limited roll out as a company representative told Reddit users the feature will appear in a patch that will be available on all iOS devices. You need to have YouTube version 8.11 installed to see the option. 

The feature is also coming to iPadOS, as another user claims to have the patch on their iPad Pro 12.9. Admittedly, it’s difficult to watch four sports games on their iPhone since the small screen shrinks each window considerably, but iPad owners should have a better viewing experience.

An Android version is apparently in the works, however it won’t be out for a while. The same representative said that the update will arrive within “the coming months” although it may arrive sooner than expected. One user claims to have received a notification after opening the YouTube app on their Android informing them of Multiview. But, when they checked, it wasn’t actually there. 

We reached out to Google asking them to confirm whether or not the iOS release will reach everyone or just a select few. We'll update this story if we learn anything new. 

Until then, check out TechRadar's list of the best iPhone for 2024 if you're looking to upgrade.

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Windows 10’s lock screen ruined? Not for everyone, but new feature rolling out is a love or hate thing
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Windows 10 is getting a new feature for the lock screen, furnishing it with some extras that you’ll either approve of or detest, if the reaction online thus far is anything to go by.

Ever-present leaker and keen delver into the hidden depths of Windows 11 preview builds, PhantomOfEarth, posted a screenshot of the new lock screen cards on X (formerly Twitter).

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As the leaker explains, this is a feature rolling out in Windows 10 in the Release Preview channel, with build 19045.4235, so not everyone will have it. But if it hasn’t reached them yet, testers can force the functionality to work using ViVeTool (a Windows configuration utility).

These lock screen cards show the current weather and other bits and pieces like scores from sports matches, stock market happenings, local traffic, and so forth. In other words, info you may – or may not – find useful.

As PhantomOfEarth points out, the weather card has been tweaked to make it look better, although there’s a sticking point here: you can either have all of these cards displayed, or none of them. There’s no option to pick and choose if you don’t want, say, the finance-related card.

Analysis: Bloat on the landscape

For those thinking – wait a minute, didn’t Microsoft stop adding features for Windows 10, and there is a comment to that effect on X – well, the firm adopted that as a policy for a short while, before having a rethink.

In short, work is still being done with developing new features for Windows 10, such as this particular addition – but don’t expect a massive amount to be piped through over the next year and a half of Windows 10’s remaining shelf life.

One cynical soul replying to the above tweet suggests the work that is being done is only there to make you upgrade to Windows 11, which is clearly very harsh, but the point being made is that there are folks who don’t like this change. They see these cards as rather pointless bloat that’ll slow down your PC a touch, perhaps.

Mind you, the info cards aren’t compulsory – you can turn them off if you don’t like them. Although as PhantomOfEarth says, it’d be nice if you could turn off selected cards, rather than just switching off the whole lot – choice is always good – but perhaps Microsoft will make it work this way in the future. We are still in the testing phase, after all, although this change will be coming to Windows 10 soon enough.

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Strava’s Year in Sport is rolling out now – it’s like Spotify Wrapped for your activities
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It's not just the music streaming services that offer users an annual recap these days, because Strava has pushed out its own Year in Sport – a recap of everything you've been logging on the app throughout the course of 2023.

The caveat is that you have to be a paying subscriber to see your highlights for the entire year (prices start at $ 11.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 14.99). Full details of the recap are here (via 9to5Google), and you need to open up the Strava app for Android or iOS app to get to your recap. You can also scan this QR code.

“The Year In Sport summary is a highly personalized report for Strava athletes that highlights fun data insights, meaningful social engagements, and stand-out moments from this past year,” says Strava.

Strava has posted on Instagram to give you some idea of what you can expect from your Year in Sport: the total time you spent doing activities, for example, the total distance you covered, and more along those lines.

Year in Sport Awards 2023

Strava has also announced the winners of its Year in Sport Awards for 2023, recognition for the athletes, creators and clubs that have “stood out from the crowd and motivated us to keep moving” during the course of the year.

Those recognized include cyclist Demi Vollering, who triumphed at the Tour de France Femmes, the Ardennes classics, and the Dutch National Road Race Championships. Another female cyclist, Teniel Campbell, gets Trailblazer of the Year.

The fastest known time on Mont Blanc, logged by runner and 'skyracer' Hillary Gerardi, gets Activity of the Year 2023. According to Strava, it may never be bettered: 20 miles (32.6 kilometers) covered in 7 hours, 25 minutes, and 28 seconds.

There's also a nod to Strava user Frédéric de Lanouvelle and his daughter Mathilde in the Artist of the Year category: they drew a giant heart across France via their cycling activities, GPS, and the location recording tools inside Strava.

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WhatsApp’s built-in AI chatbot looks like its rolling out to more people
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AI bots are rapidly being added to just about every app and platform you can think of – with more on the way – and WhatsApp is stepping up its testing of a chatbot of its own, with easier access to the feature now on the way.

Back in September, WhatsApp owner Meta announced a variety of AI upgrades that would be coming to its products. Since then, a small number of users have been able to play around with an AI chatbot inside WhatsApp, capable of answering questions, generating text, and creating art like stickers.

Now, as spotted by WABetaInfo (via Android Police), a shortcut to the AI chat functionality has been added to the conversations screen in the beta version of WhatsApp for Android. If you're running the early beta version of the app, you may see it soon.

It also means that it shouldn't be too long before the rest of us get the same feature, and we can see how WhatsApp's AI helper compares against the likes of ChatGPT and Google Bard when it comes to providing useful and accurate information.

WhatsApp and AI

From what Meta has said so far, the purpose of the AI chatbot inside WhatsApp is to help with daily activities, offering advice and suggestions: how to entertain the kids at the weekend perhaps, or what to look for when upgrading a smartphone.

WhatsApp is by no means the first messaging app to give this a try – Snapchat introduced a similar feature back in February, and the chats with the AI buddy appears alongside the rest of your conversations through the app.

Such are the capabilities of generative AI now, you can really ask these bots anything you like – from relationship advice to questions about complex technical topics. The point of them being built into apps is that you're less likely to leave the app and go somewhere else to get your AI-produced responses.

WhatsApp continues to be one of the most regularly updated apps out there: we've recently seen AI-made chat stickers, newsletter tools, and features to fight spammers introduced for users of the instant messenger.

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Bing AI is rolling out to Chrome and Safari, but the experience may not be as good
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Following up on recent teases, Microsoft is expanding browser support for Bing AI, giving Google Chrome and Safari access to the chatbot – with some limitations. The third-party experience won’t be the same as Bing Chat on Microsoft Edge. 

In a recent report, Windows Latest states the character count for the AI prompts have been cut in half, from 4,000 on Edge to now 2,000 on Chrome. Conversations with the chatbot will be considerably shorter as the third-party version will only allow you to engage in five messages with the AI before resetting everything. The normal amount is 30. Also, Bing will push you to download Edge if you haven’t done so already on your Chromebook. If you already have the browser, choosing the download option simply launches it. 

In addition to the roll out, Microsoft is adding a new dark mode option for the chatbot. The theme will match your system preferences by default, but you can manually change them yourself in the Settings menu.

Future updates

It’s unknown if Bing Chat on Safari will be exactly the same. Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement regarding the patch outside of a small notice, so we can’t say for sure if any tweaks are being made. We reached out to the tech giant for clarification as well if it has plans to expand Bing AI access to other browsers, namely Firefox. This story will be updated if we hear back.

As for the future of the AI, it looks like Microsoft is putting everything in the hands of people. Another Windows Latest report claims the company has been sending out feedback forms to various users on mobile asking what features they would like to see. Apparently, one of the new changes will see Bing recommend certain AI apps or tools for people to try out. 

Another potential upgrade could see the AI mimic the personalities of famous people like billionaire Elon Musk. Microsoft reportedly claims mimicking people will result in a “more engaging experience”.

We’ll let you know if Bing undergoes any personality changes. So far, it’s the same artificial intelligence we all know. Until then, check out TechRadar’s list of the best AI content generators for 2023. 

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Apple Pay Later is finally rolling out for a chosen few across 45 US states
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After suffering through multiple delays, Apple Pay Later is finally touching down as it begins rolling out to randomly selected users across the United States.

Originally, the service was supposed to launch alongside iOS 16 back in September 2022, but developers ran into a variety of “technical setbacks”. Apple Pay Later allows people to apply for loans from $ 50 up to $ 1,000 to purchase whatever they want while avoiding paying the full price up-front. From there, users will pay off that amount in four separate payments across six weeks with no interest or extra fees slapped on top. $ 1,000 is a decent chunk of change, however, it's not a guarantee. Eligibility depends on your credit score; a history with low numbers will qualify for smaller loans. 

The feature will have its home in the Apple Wallet which comes with a detailed calendar that'll notify you of upcoming payments. If you're having a hard time paying, Apple will work with you to make up a new plan. And if you still can't pay off the bill, you won't be eligible for future loans. Customers must connect either a bank or debit card to their account to use the money. Credit cards cannot be used in order to, as Apple notes in its release, “prevent users from taking on more debt to pay back loans”.

Basic requirements

Before applying, you'll need to meet some basic requirements first. Currently, the feature is unavailable in Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wisconsin plus all US Territories. Currently, Apple Pay Later is available in 45 states. People living in Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Wisconsin, or any of the US territories do not have access to the feature, at this time. You have to be at least 18 years old (19 if you live in Alabama) and living in a supported state with a valid physical address.

As for hardware, all you need is an iPhone or iPad updated to iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, respectively, with two-factor authentication enabled.

Once everything is squared away, you can apply through Apple Wallet via an option at the top. Be aware the company will run a “soft credit pull” to see if you’re in a “good financial position” to borrow the money. Those rejected will get an email from Apple explaining why you didn't make the cut.

Money rules

There are some rules regarding how you can spend the loan, however. 

The money will appear on the checkout page of a purchase under the Pay Later option where you’ll have 30 days to use everything. Past that time, you’ll have to reapply all over again. Whatever you get has to be used on one big order as leftover money can't be reused somewhere else. Additionally, the loan will only be accepted by online retailers and apps supporting Apple Pay, but you won't be forced to just buy Apple tech. It'll work for multiple products bought from a single retailer. Apple cannot see the details of that transaction (your purchase of an Xbox Series X and Sonic Colors Ultimate at Target.com will not be judged).

Pay Later is not currently supporting in-physical-store payments.

Apple Pay Later customers won't pay any fees, but Apple will be making some money off this program through its cut of the fees installment payment plan provider, Mastercard, charges retailers.

The company is pretty set on maxing out the loan at $ 1,000. For more expensive purchases, say a MacBook Pro, Apple recommends using something like the Apple Card to have payments across months instead of weeks. There are plans to expand support to all eligible customers in the US later this fall when Apple Financing, LLC, begins reporting to American credit bureaus. Unfortunately, there are currently no plans for a global launch.

Hopefully, there will be. Until then, check out TechRadar's list of the best iPhone models for 2023 if you're looking for a new device.

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New and improved Windows Media Player is rolling out to Windows 11 users
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After being shown off in the Insider channels since November, Microsoft’s rebooted Windows Media Player is slowly being made available on the new Microsoft Store in Windows 11.

While it was first shown off by accident during a live podcast stream, an update in the Dev Channel in November revealed the existence of this new and improved media player.

It’s replacing Groove Music, the app that’s been Microsoft’s default media player for a while now, but the company seemingly wants to make a sequel to the iconic Windows Media Player from the early-noughties, when it was one of the most popular apps of its time.

But is there a place in 2022 for a new media app in Windows 11?

How to download Media Player in Windows 11

The new app requires you to update your device to Windows 11 build 22000.346 or later, where you can then head over to the Microsoft Store, and download the new media player for your device.

If you have Groove Music, Microsoft’s previous media app that’s been available since 2012, the new Windows Media Player will replace it. In our testing, we spotted that the new media player was available on some, but not all, of our Windows 11 devices.

But you can still download the original version of Windows Media Player, which has been available since 2012 if you want a nostalgic kick for your PC. But you won’t be able to take advantage of what the new media player brings.

Alongside HDR support when playing videos, the app has seen a redesign to match the Fluent design language of Windows 11 and Office 2021. The color scheme will also match whichever theme you have set for your PC, so Media Player won’t look out of place.

Analysis: Is there room for Windows Media Player in 2022?

The world is a different place since we were using MSN Messenger and Windows Media Player 9 back in 2002. It was before a time where Netflix existed, and ‘streaming’ was what rivers did, rather than being a way of watching media.

Windows Media Player 8 in Windows XP

(Image credit: Microsoft)

But now we’re spoilt for choice with the apps we can use to play our videos. While you can play videos on your Mac through QuickTime Player, or through third-party means such as IINA, Windows 11 has a wide variety to choose from.

From VLC Player to iTunes, it may require an extra push from Microsoft to make users aware of what was around during Windows 98, and why Windows Media Player is still worth using in 2022.

With Xbox, Surface, and other devices from the company, we may see variants of this new Windows Media Player start to appear on these products. But time will tell if users want to use a brand-new media player when there’s already a great catalog of media apps to choose from.

Via Windows Latest

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