AI-powered Archives

AppWizard

November 8, 2024

Android Switch: Google’s new name for the Data Restore Tool

Google has launched an AI-powered video creation tool called Google Vids, initially exclusive to Gemini customers but now available to a broader audience within Google Workspace, including Business, Enterprise, and Education plans. The tool features "Help me create," which allows users to generate a storyboard by providing a prompt and a Google Drive document. It offers suggestions for scenes, stock media, text, scripts, and background music to create a preliminary video draft. Users can personalize their videos with animations, transitions, and access to royalty-free stock content. Google Vids also includes AI-powered voiceovers, with preset voices and a teleprompter feature for recording custom voiceovers. Currently, the AI features are available only in English, with plans for future language support. The AI features will be available until December 31, 2025, after which usage limits may apply, and Google will notify users of any changes. The full rollout of Google Vids is expected in the coming weeks.

Winsage

November 8, 2024

Watch out, Windows Notepad users: Here comes AI

Microsoft has introduced an AI-powered Rewrite feature for Notepad, available to Windows Insiders running Windows 11. Users need the latest Canary or Dev build of Windows 11 and must be signed in with a Microsoft account linked to the Insider program to access the feature. The Rewrite process allows users to modify text by selecting it and using the Rewrite button or shortcut Ctrl + I, generating three distinct versions of the text. AI credits are required for content generation, with initial allocations set at 50 credits for users in select countries and 60 credits monthly for Microsoft 365 subscribers. The Rewrite feature is currently limited to Dev or Canary builds of Windows 11 and may take time to reach the standard version of Notepad.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

Google is readying ‘AI Replies’ for Call Screen in Pixel Phone app

Google is enhancing the Call Screen feature in the Pixel Phone app with 'AI Replies.' This feature will allow users to respond to calls without answering, using AI-generated smart replies based on the caller's responses. Code strings related to AI Replies were discovered in the latest beta version of the Phone app, indicating that Google may utilize its Gemini Nano technology for this functionality. Users will have the option to enable or disable AI Replies. Details on how these AI responses will differ from current options and the timeline for public release are not yet available.

Winsage

November 7, 2024

Microsoft Notepad to get AI-powered rewriting tool on Windows 11

Microsoft is introducing AI-enhanced functionalities to its applications Notepad and Paint, which were originally launched in the 1980s. These updates are currently being tested by Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. In Paint version 11.2410.28.0, new features include generative fill and generative erase, allowing users to manipulate images by replacing elements with AI-generated content. The generative fill feature enables edits and additions with simple text prompts while maintaining the existing art style. The generative erase tool helps remove unwanted objects from images while preserving the artwork's integrity. Additionally, a new background remover tool is being added to enhance user experience. Notepad is introducing the "Rewrite" feature, which allows users to automatically rephrase content, adjust tone, and modify length. This feature is available in preview for users in select countries, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and Germany, and requires a Microsoft account for access. Since 2018, Notepad has been updated with various features such as a built-in character counter, spell check, autocorrect, wrap-around find and replace, improved compatibility with Unix and Mac systems, tabbed browsing, text zoom, UTF-8 support, autosaving, and line number displays.

Winsage

November 6, 2024

Soon you can let Microsoft’s Notepad rewrite text for you

Microsoft is integrating AI-powered text editing capabilities into Notepad, introducing a feature called Rewrite, which is currently available for testing by Windows Insiders. Rewrite allows users to rephrase sentences, adjust tone, and modify content length. To use it, users highlight text, right-click, and select Rewrite, after which they can specify how to alter the text and receive three rewritten options. Accessing Rewrite requires signing in to a Microsoft account, and it is being rolled out in preview on Windows 11 in several countries, including the US, France, UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany. This update follows the introduction of spell check and autocorrect functionalities in July. Additionally, Microsoft is previewing new AI image editing tools in Paint, including the Generative Fill feature for adding elements to images and the Generative Erase tool for removing parts of images. The Generative Fill feature will initially be available to testers using Copilot Plus PCs, while the Generative Erase tool will be accessible to all Insiders on Windows 11.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

‘Windows Intelligence’: Microsoft might be rebranding its Windows AI tools

Microsoft may be considering rebranding its AI capabilities to "Windows Intelligence," as suggested by a reference found in the AppPrivacy.adml file of the latest Windows 11 update. The company has previously used the term "Copilot" for its AI tools, which was a rebranding from Bing Chat. The potential shift to Windows Intelligence could be influenced by Apple's recent announcement of its AI suite, Apple Intelligence. Microsoft has not officially commented on this possible rebranding or its implications for the existing Copilot brand.

AppWizard

November 5, 2024

How AI will shape the games industry: Exclusive insights from the AI Gamechangers newsletter

OpenAI recently achieved record investments in AI, with ongoing funding announcements for AI in gaming. The Pocket Gamer Connects and Big Screen Gaming conferences featured over 10 hours of AI-related content, indicating strong industry interest. The AI Gamechangers newsletter was launched to inform readers about AI's impact on gaming, covering various platforms and aspects of game development. It offers weekly interviews with industry innovators and curated news on AI in gaming. Notable contributors to the newsletter include professionals from Charisma.ai, Quicksave, Kinetix, and others, discussing topics like interactive narratives, AI in game studios, and legal implications for intellectual property. The consensus among industry leaders is that AI will significantly impact gaming, but its implementation should enhance human creativity. Additionally, AI technologies may transform legal processes in mergers and acquisitions by streamlining document analysis. An upcoming AI-powered cozy game, AuraVale, is also mentioned, along with future interview topics related to AI in game development.

AppWizard

November 4, 2024

Valorant is winning the war against PC gaming cheaters

In 2020, multiplayer games experienced a surge in cheating during COVID-19 lockdowns, with titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and Destiny 2 struggling against aimbots and wallhacks. Riot Games launched Valorant with its anti-cheat system, Vanguard, which has effectively deterred cheat developers. Vanguard employs a kernel-level driver that detects unauthorized access attempts and has led to a decrease in traditional software cheats, although some cheaters have shifted to hardware solutions like direct memory access (DMA) techniques. Vanguard has also been successful in detecting and blocking suspicious hardware-level DMA attempts. Currently, triggerbots account for about 80 percent of cheats in Valorant. Vanguard was introduced to League of Legends, resulting in over 175,000 account bans. A study from the University of Birmingham indicated that Valorant has the top anti-cheat system, while other games like Call of Duty: Warzone continue to struggle. Riot is exploring collaborations with Microsoft to enhance security and may adjust Vanguard's activation based on Windows 11 features. There are no plans for Linux support due to risks of kernel manipulation. The potential rise of AI-powered cheats presents a new challenge, as AI could replicate human gameplay, complicating anti-cheat efforts.

Winsage

November 4, 2024

Microsoft might rebrand its AI, including Copilot to “Windows Intelligence” — Apple’s strategy fell too far from the tree.

Microsoft is considering rebranding its AI-powered features in Windows from Copilot to Windows Intelligence, following a recent file that suggested this change. The speculation comes after Microsoft rebranded its AI service from Bing Chat to Copilot last year and introduced significant updates, including Copilot Vision, which have faced criticism from users and employees. Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with the recent changes, describing them as a decline in user experience and requesting a toggle to revert to the previous version. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO, hinted at a future where Copilot could evolve into an AI companion, though users have indicated a preference for it to remain a functional tool rather than a personal connection.

Winsage

November 3, 2024

Get a Microsoft suite bundle for work and play for just $72

A bundle featuring Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, Office Professional Plus 2019, Project 2019, and Visio 2019 is available for .97 until November 3. Windows 11 Pro includes features such as Snap Layouts, Virtual Desktops, BitLocker, TPM 2.0, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and an AI-powered smart assistant called Copilot. Office Professional Plus 2019 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, with Excel offering functionalities like Power Query and Power Pivot. Project 2019 helps organize tasks and monitor progress, while Visio 2019 provides templates and tools for diagramming.