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Google Maps is Receiving a New Feature That Uses Generative AI

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Google Maps is Receiving a New Feature That Uses Generative AI

Another Google tool is going to get generative AI. This time, it’s for using Maps to find activities.

The internet behemoth unveiled a new feature on Thursday for Google Maps: the integration of large language models (LLMs) into the browsing experience. You can use search terms that include discussion starters, such as “gluten-free pizza places that are dog-friendly,” to find local eateries, events, shops, etc.

To provide you with an AI-generated overview of results, the Google Maps feature will examine its data, which includes business details, contributor ratings and reviews, and photographs.

Google is a generative AI Pioneer

To get comments and insights, a limited number of Local Guides will be able to participate in the “early access experiment” initially. Given that generative AI replies frequently contain errors and delusions, this will be an important step.

Google Maps’ generative AI follows in the footsteps of other newly released products that offer review summaries. An Amazon application allows you to share the most noteworthy product reviews. Additionally, Yelp introduced its own tool this week for review summaries of businesses on the network that are generated by AI.

For businesses hoping to use generative AI’s powers in ways that appeal to consumers, it’s an obvious next step. However, generative AI summaries aren’t always reliable, as demonstrated by Amazon’s tool. Additionally, individuals seeking for complex and varied viewpoints may find that summaries produced by AI are frequently general and unduly simplistic.

Although the tool is for a distinct Google service, it offers some insight into Google’s generative AI philosophy in general. Google’s testing area, Labs, is still home to SGE (Search Generative Experiment). However, SGE uses generative AI in a similar way to deliver condensed answers to Google searches in Search, which has already sparked concerns about leveraging publisher content while diverting users away from those particular websites.

It is unclear if SGE will ever be implemented in its current form. On the other hand, the generative AI aspect of Google Maps is here to stay and is paving the way for a new paradigm in user interaction with Google.

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Lenovo’s Most Recent Laptop Features a Rollable OLED Display

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Laptop screens often feel cramped, but Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI PC is here to change that. This cutting-edge device features a rollable OLED display that expands from a standard 14-inch screen to an elongated 16.7-inch display with the press of a button. The extended screen offers double the vertical space, perfect for stacking applications or viewing long documents. While the unusual aspect ratio may take some getting used to, the added real estate is a game-changer for productivity.

The rolling mechanism is activated either by a palm gesture or a keyboard button—the latter being much quicker. Lenovo has tested the rolling function 30,000 times to ensure durability, though repairing this futuristic feature might be challenging. Weighing just 3.7 pounds and measuring 19.9 mm thick when closed, the laptop is portable, albeit slightly top-heavy when open. Despite these quirks, it’s a sleek alternative to carrying an external monitor.

Launching in the first quarter of 2025, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI PC comes with a hefty $3,499 price tag. It’s powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processor and offers up to 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, making it a high-performance machine ideal for demanding users.

Lenovo’s Legion Go S: SteamOS Gaming on the Go

As handheld gaming gains popularity, Lenovo has entered the arena with the Legion Go S, the first SteamOS handheld gaming console from a licensed manufacturer. Available in both SteamOS and Windows versions, the Legion Go S bridges the gap between desktop gaming and portability. Unlike other consoles, this device lacks dual-boot functionality, so users must choose their preferred operating system at checkout.

SteamOS offers seamless integration with cloud saves and game streaming from your PC, while the Windows version provides broader compatibility. Both variants share the same hardware: an 8-inch LCD display with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and 120 Hz variable refresh rate, powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Go or Ryzen Z1 Extreme processors. While the screen is smaller than the original Legion Go, the compact size and a 55.5 watt-hour battery significantly improve battery life.

Priced at $730 for the Windows version and $500 for the SteamOS model, the Legion Go S launches this month, with additional configurations arriving in May starting at $600.

ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6: Private Audio with AI Precision

Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 is an all-in-one computer with a twist: its innovative “Lenovo Focus Sound” technology. Using a machine-learning algorithm and the built-in camera, this feature directs audio exclusively to the user sitting in front of the screen. This means coworkers nearby won’t hear a thing—even if you’re secretly streaming a show.

In practice, the effect is almost eerie, as if someone is whispering directly to you. The sound disappears entirely if you move away from the screen. While headphones are a practical alternative, this technology could redefine office audio privacy. The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 is set to launch this quarter with a starting price of $2,539.

From rollable screens to private audio and handheld gaming innovations, Lenovo’s CES 2025 lineup demonstrates the company’s dedication to pushing technological boundaries. Whether you’re a multitasker, a gamer, or a privacy-conscious professional, there’s something for everyone in this bold new lineup.

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Threads uses a more sophisticated search to compete with Bluesky

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Instagram Threads, a rival to Meta’s X, will have an enhanced search experience, the firm said Monday. The app, which is based on Instagram’s social graph and provides a Meta-run substitute for Elon Musk’s X, is introducing a new feature that lets users search for certain posts by date ranges and user profiles.

Compared to X’s advanced search, which now allows users to refine queries by language, keywords, exact phrases, excluded terms, hashtags, and more, this is less thorough. However, it does make it simpler for users of Threads to find particular messages. Additionally, it will make Threads’ search more comparable to Bluesky’s, which also lets users use sophisticated queries to restrict searches by user profiles, date ranges, and other criteria. However, not all of the filtering options are yet visible in the Bluesky app’s user interface.

In order to counter the danger posed by social networking startup Bluesky, which has quickly gained traction as another X competitor, Meta has started launching new features in quick succession in recent days. Bluesky had more than 9 million users in September, but in the weeks after the U.S. elections, users left X due to Elon Musk’s political views and other policy changes, including plans to alter the way blocks operate and let AI companies train on X user data. According to Bluesky, there are currently around 24 million users.

Meta’s Threads introduced new features to counter Bluesky’s potential, such as an improved algorithm, a design modification that makes switching between feeds easier, and the option for users to select their own default feed. Additionally, it was observed creating Starter Packs, its own version of Bluesky’s user-curated recommendation lists.

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Apple’s own 5G modem-equipped iPhone SE 4 is “confirmed” to launch in March

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Tom O’Malley, an analyst at Barclays, recently visited Asia with his colleagues to speak with suppliers and makers of electronics. The analysts said they had “confirmed” that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is scheduled to launch near the end of the first quarter next year in a research note they released this week that outlines the main conclusions from the trip. That timeline implies that the next iPhone SE will be unveiled in March, similar to when the present model was unveiled in 2022, in keeping with earlier rumors.

The rumored features of the fourth-generation iPhone SE include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and the previously mentioned Apple-designed 5G modem. The SE is anticipated to have a similar design to the base iPhone 14.

Since 2018, Apple is said to have been developing its own 5G modem for iPhones, a move that will let it lessen and eventually do away with its reliance on Qualcomm. With Qualcomm’s 5G modem supply arrangement for iPhone launches extended through 2026 earlier this year, Apple still has plenty of time to finish switching to its own modem. In addition to the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier stated that the so-called “iPhone 17 Air” would come with a 5G modem that was created by Apple.

Whether Apple’s initial 5G modem would offer any advantages to consumers over Qualcomm’s modems, such quicker speeds, is uncertain.

Qualcomm was sued by Apple in 2017 for anticompetitive behavior and $1 billion in unpaid royalties. In 2019, Apple purchased the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business after the two firms reached a settlement in the dispute. Apple was able to support its development by acquiring a portfolio of patents relating to cellular technology. It appears that we will eventually be able to enjoy the results of our effort in four more months.

On March 8, 2022, Apple made the announcement of the third-generation iPhone SE online. With antiquated features like a Touch ID button, a Lightning port, and large bezels surrounding the screen, the handset resembles the iPhone 8. The iPhone SE presently retails for $429 in the United States, but the new model may see a price increase of at least a little.

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