AI-powered Archives

AppWizard

June 18, 2025

Google app could level up with this powerful AI feature for Android users

Gemini, the AI assistant in the Google app, now supports video analysis, allowing users to upload videos up to five minutes long for AI-powered insights. This feature is gradually rolling out, enabling users to upload videos from their Android devices by tapping the "plus" button in the Gemini text box. Once uploaded, Gemini generates an analysis of the video. Future updates may allow direct video capture through the camera app.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

Meta’s Threads app to test direct messaging in some countries

Meta Platforms is rolling out direct messaging on its Threads app, starting in select markets like Hong Kong and Thailand, to boost user engagement. The feature will not be encrypted initially. Threads, launched in 2023, has over 350 million monthly active users but is not expected to significantly drive revenue growth by 2025. eMarketer projects a 17.5 percent increase in U.S. monthly active users for Threads, reaching 60.5 million, while X is expected to decline by 14.4 percent to about 50 million users.

Winsage

June 13, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (KB5060818) has been released to the Dev Channel, introducing new features and improvements. 1. New Agent in Settings: An AI-powered agent helps users find and adjust settings by understanding user intent and automating tasks. Currently available for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel devices coming soon. English is the primary display language requirement. 2. Recall Export Experience for EEA: Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area can export Recall snapshots with a unique export code, which is encrypted and requires Windows Hello authentication. Users can reset Recall if the export code is lost. 3. Bigger Clock in Notification Center: A new option to display a larger clock with seconds in the notification center is being rolled out, which can be activated in Settings. 4. Recall Changes: Users can now reset Recall and its data, with a new maximum storage duration for snapshots set to 90 days by default. 5. Click to Do Enhancements: New actions allow users to send text or images to Microsoft 365 Copilot and communicate via Microsoft Teams directly from recognized email addresses. 6. File Explorer Updates: Dividers have been added to the context menu for improved organization. 7. Voice Access Language Support: Support for Chinese and Japanese languages has been reintroduced in voice access. 8. Windows Share Options: New sharing options for OneDrive files are available when right-clicking to share. 9. Settings Search Box: The search box in Settings has been repositioned for better usability. 10. Fixes: Various fixes have been implemented for Recall, File Explorer, Start Menu, Settings, and other areas. 11. Known Issues: Issues include inaccurate build version display post-PC reset, non-functional reset options, and problems with Xbox Controllers via Bluetooth. 12. Reminders: Updates are rolled out gradually, and features may evolve or be removed before final release.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Google Play Store to Drop Android Instant Apps in December 2025

The Google Play Store will phase out support for Android Instant apps, with official support concluding in December 2025. This includes the removal of publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs, as well as tooling support in Android Studio. Consumer interest in Instant apps has decreased, leading Google to focus on other app discovery tools.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Google is shutting down Android Instant Apps over ‘low’ usage

Google will retire its Instant Apps feature in December 2025 due to low usage rates. Instant Apps, launched in 2017, allowed users to access streamlined versions of applications without full installation. A warning in Android Studio confirmed the discontinuation, stating that Instant Apps support will be removed and related APIs will no longer function. Google spokesperson Nia Carter mentioned that developers are turning to other tools for app discovery, prompting this decision to focus on more effective solutions.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Google to Sunset Android Instant Apps by End of 2025 Due to Low Usage

Google has announced plans to phase out the Instant Apps feature by December 2025 due to low usage and engagement levels. Instant Apps, launched in 2017, allowed users to access lightweight app versions without installation but struggled to gain widespread adoption. A warning message in Android Studio confirmed the discontinuation, stating that Instant Apps support will be removed, and all related APIs will no longer function. Google aims to invest in more effective tools for app discovery, as developers are increasingly using alternatives that align better with user behavior.

Winsage

June 11, 2025

‘Classic Apple’: Why Apple is taking the slow road with AI

Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in Cupertino, California, where it announced updates to its software ecosystem but did not introduce major AI announcements. The company plans to open its AI software to third-party developers, allowing access to on-device language models, which could lead to innovative software solutions and enhance user privacy. New features include live real-time translation in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, improvements to the Visual Intelligence app, AI capabilities in the Reminders app, and a generative AI-powered fitness coach in the Apple Watch's Workout app. These updates aim to integrate AI into Apple's operating systems, positioning the company competitively in the AI landscape.

Tech Optimizer

June 10, 2025

Why Instacart Moved to Postgres & pgvector to Boost Semantic Search

Instacart serves 14 million daily users and manages billions of products, necessitating advanced search capabilities that go beyond keyword matching to understand user intent. The search system must reflect real-time inventory changes, leading to significant workloads on the database. Instacart transitioned from Elasticsearch and FAISS to a hybrid architecture using Postgres and pgvector, improving search performance and reducing write workloads by tenfold. This normalization allowed for better storage of machine learning features and improved flexibility. Moving compute closer to storage with NVMe resulted in a twofold increase in search performance. Instacart's migration to pgvector eliminated data duplication and operational complexity, enhancing search quality and user satisfaction, evidenced by a 6% decrease in searches with zero results.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

June 2025: The Best Android Apps Right Now

1. Multi-Device Battery Monitor synchronizes battery statistics for smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, optimizing energy consumption and sending alerts for low battery levels. 2. Camera Remote Shutter allows users to capture photos remotely via Bluetooth, featuring timer settings, burst mode, and repeat captures. 3. Luminar provides advanced photo editing tools, including skin retouching and RAW file adjustments, with intuitive gesture controls. 4. Volume Styles enables users to customize their volume slider with themes and layouts and create shortcuts for brightness and media playback. 5. Noid automatically categorizes documents, photos, and videos, offering advanced search tools and secure backup options for efficient file management. 6. By Air offers real-time flight tracking, updates on flight statuses, gate changes, and delays, along with airport guides and online check-in options. 7. Widget Share allows users to share widgets like photos, notes, or reminders with friends and family for collaboration and personalization. 8. Evapail generates temporary email addresses to protect users' inboxes from spam and unwanted emails, maintaining privacy and reducing digital clutter. 9. Pixelshot organizes screenshots using AI, automatically categorizing and tagging them for easy retrieval while ensuring sensitive information is secure. 10. Crossplatform Disc Test measures the speed and health of internal and external storage devices to monitor storage performance effectively.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

AI-powered Relight and Search now available in Microsoft Photos

The Microsoft Photos app has been updated on Windows 11, introducing new features for Copilot+ PCs. The Relight feature allows users to adjust lighting in images by positioning up to three light sources, changing light color, and setting a focus point, with additional brightness and intensity controls. Built-in presets are also available for quick application. This feature will initially be available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered devices coming soon. The app now includes improved photo search using natural language, enabling users to find images by descriptive phrases. For commercial users signed in with Microsoft Entra ID, access to Restyle Image and Image Creator is now available. Users should update their Photos app to version 2025.11060.5006.0 or higher to access these features.