Android's Circle to Search feature gets AI and gaming upgrades
AI Mode made its debut in Google Search earlier this year, allowing users to find information and web links via a Gemini-style chatbot instead of the traditional search engine experience. It isn't widely available yet — it just launched outside the US to users in India — but Google said that it can now be accessed using the Circle to Search tool on Pixel and Samsung phones, allowing users to search the web for something on their screen without switching apps.
'Simply long press the home button or navigation bar, then circle, tap, or gesture on what you want to search. When an AI response seems most helpful, an AI Overview will appear in your results,' Google said in a blog post. 'From there, scroll to the bottom and tap 'dive deeper with AI Mode' to ask follow-up questions and explore more about your visual search.'
Circle to Search can now also provide in-game help for mobile gamers, a feature that Google was testing back in January. The feature can be used to find character and strategy information without closing the game, as well as find articles and videos that are timestamped to the same moment of the game where assistance is needed. Google said it's also working on bringing AI Mode to Lens via the Google app for both Android and iOS devices.
The new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and Watch 8 series launched at Samsung's Unpacked event today are the first devices to come with Android 16 and Wear OS 6 installed out of the box. Building on that relationship, Google has also announced a Gemini Live update for the Flip 7 that brings camera-sharing support to the external cover screen display, allowing the AI assistant to answer questions about what it can 'see' without opening the phone.
Gemini Live integrations are now supported in Samsung apps like Samsung Calendar, Notes, and Reminders, with Google saying that support for apps made by other device makers will follow. Lastly, Gemini is starting to roll out to smartwatches running Wear OS 6, including Pixel, OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi devices, and Samsung's new Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Watch Ultra (2025) models.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
This is the rare bright spot in a tough Hollywood job market
Toni Gray's phone is blowing up these days. The head of production at Dhar Mann Studios, which makes shows for YouTube and other online platforms, said entertainment industry friends in Los Angeles had once held out before seeking work in the digital realm. But now, with jobs few and far between at the legacy studios, they are reaching out 'all the time' looking for opportunities at the Burbank-based studio, known for posting family-friendly dramas addressing topics like bullying. Seeing some of her peers now flock to be a part of production companies built for distribution on YouTube and other online platforms is exciting for Gray, who worked in traditional television for more than a decade and joined Dhar Mann Studios in February. 'It's giving people hope that they can get back to work again,' she said. 'And it's not just monetary hope for their house and their kids. It actually is giving their own being life again to bring their creative element.' In Hollywood's TV and film industries, droves of workers are competing for jobs at a time when many companies are consolidating and laying off hundreds of people at a time. But one segment of the entertainment industry has emerged as a bright spot — the economy made up of people creating video for YouTube and social media. That part of the industry, once dominated by amateurs making funny viral videos with smartphones has blossomed into a formidable entertainment force, where video creators are setting up real businesses with large studios in Southern California funded through advertising by major brands. Dhar Mann Studios plans to add 15 positions to its staff of about 75 full-time employees. In Sherman Oaks, Pave Studios, which produces wellness- and true-crime-related shows, is adding 16 full-time workers to its staff of 67 contractors and employees. Nationwide, there were more than 490,000 jobs supported by YouTube's creative ecosystem last year, according to the Google-owned video platform, citing data from Oxford Economics. That's roughly 60,000 more jobs than in 2023, YouTube said. 'It's beginning to mature into creators really building businesses,' said Thomas Kim, YouTube's director of product management for creator monetization. 'We see more and more of that, and that also means that the number of employees and help that they need to sustain their business has grown over time.' Sean Atkins, chief executive of Dhar Mann Studios, called it a big growth opportunity in the market. YouTube is a major player in streaming, representing 12.5% of U.S. TV viewing in May, according to Nielsen, more than streaming services including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. 'Everything is so new and nascent,' said Atkins, a former president at MTV. 'I imagine, particularly when you walk around our studio ... that this is what it looked like in the '20s when MGM and Disney and Warner [Bros.] were [founded]. Just this enthusiastic chaos where everyone's trying to figure out what this environment is.' The growth in Southern California influencer businesses is a boon to the local production economy that is otherwise struggling. L.A. County saw a 27% decline to 108,564 employees from 2022 to 2024 in the motion picture and sound recording industries, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many Hollywood workers have struggled to find roles, as studios cut down on their programming after the 2023 actor and writer strikes and after overspending during the streaming wars. For years, productions have fled the area to take advantage of lucrative financial incentives out of state and abroad. Production in L.A. County also took a hit following devastating wildfires in January. Meanwhile, the amount of employment in the creator economy is trending up, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. Total workers in the L.A. County creator economy, composed of businesses such as media streaming distribution services and social networks, as well as independent artists, writers and performers, increased 5% to 70,012 from 2022 to 2024, LAEDC said. Companies in the creator economy space also increased 5% to 46,425 businesses during the same time period, according to LAEDC. The bleak job market has caused more people who have worked in traditional studio and TV networks to apply for jobs at digital media companies that produce content for platforms such as YouTube or work with influencers who are growing their staffs. The migration reflects changing realities in the business. Consumers' habits have shifted, where more people are watching YouTube on TV screens these days instead of on smartphones in the U.S., eating into territory held by broadcast and cable television. Video creators have adapted, building production teams and expanding into podcasts, merchandise and sometimes scoring streaming deals. For example, one of YouTube's top creators, Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has a reality competition show on Amazon Prime Video, sells products such as Feastables chocolates and has brand partnerships and sponsorships. His North Carolina holding company, Beast Industries, employs more than 500 people. Kyle Hjelmeseth, chief executive of talent representation firm G&B Digital Management, said he is receiving more calls from people coming with traditional media backgrounds seeking collaborations with influencers. 'Five years ago, it would have been very different,' he said. 'Anytime that somebody from Hollywood or the entertainment complex talked about creators, it was with such a different lens ... a little bit like nose in the air.' His company, which has 25 contractors, part-time and full time employees, added four people last month with plans to hire more. 'All the pressures of what's happening in Hollywood and the growth of the creator economy [are] crashing into each other in this moment, and that's why we're having a conversation about jobs, because there's such a shift in the energy, and we're certainly feeling it,' he said. Pave Studios launched last year with fewer than 10 employees and now has grown to 67 contractors and employees. Part of that growth is fueled by the increasing audience for its videos and podcasts available on platforms including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The company is hiring for roles including executive producers, with a pay range of $95,000 to $145,000, depending on the show, said founder Max Cutler. 'As we grow and as the business becomes more complicated, you need more specialists and more people,' Cutler said. 'Video is definitely a leading growth area for us.' Jen Passovoy joined Pave Studios in January as a producer, after working for 10 years at Paramount on competition series such as 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and 'Ink Master.' 'Coming from a traditional TV background, I was drawn to how nimble and audience-focused the company is,' Passovoy said in an email. 'There's less red tape and more room to actually create. You get the energy of a startup with the same high-quality content you'd expect from a major studio.' Passovoy, 34, said the job market for traditional studio and TV network workers is really tough right now. 'I know more people out of work right now than working, which says a lot,' she said. 'The traditional TV model just doesn't exist in the same way anymore. Budgets are shrinking and the jobs that used to be steady aren't there. There have been so many layoffs across the industry, and it's forced a lot of incredibly talented people to rethink how and where they create.' Skills that people develop in traditional studio and TV roles can translate to digital-first roles, including video editors for influencers and digital media companies, industry observers said. The creator economy also has more specialized roles, such as thumbnail designers — people who create the images used to tease videos on sites including YouTube. Those jobs can pay six figures annually, as they can be instrumental for getting audiences to click on those videos. Roster, a hiring platform that lists job postings in the creator space, said the number of employers signing up to hire on the site has increased by nearly 80% from January to June 2025. Based on a sampling of 1,430 creator job posts in 2025, Roster said the most popular open position was video editor (representing 42.5%), followed by thumbnail designer (16.1%) and producer (10.6%). There are downsides. Not all jobs are full-time. Many creators opt to hire freelancers. 'Their production needs need to expand and shrink like an accordion,' said Sherry Wong, CEO of Roster. 'That's why we see a lot of creators, even if they're really big established creators, they are hiring freelancers, contractors, and being able to keep it as lean as possible.' With so many people looking for work, there's intense competition for those jobs, and the ways to apply can be creative and involved. Miami-based creator Jenny Hoyos found freelancers through a hiring challenge she hosted on Roster. Applicants were given 10 minutes of raw video footage and instructed to edit it down to a video short, roughly 30 to 60 seconds long. Hoyos, 20, requested that applicants create a final product that was engaging, cohesive and matched her specific style. She received more than 100 submissions. While there were strong contenders from California, the winners ended up being from Brazil and India. They became her two go-to freelancers, who she said are essentially working an amount equivalent to full-time editors. This method of seeking talent was Hoyos' way of making sure the people she brought on to her team were willing to go the extra mile, she said. Those hoping to break into the digital media world don't necessarily have to have grown up with YouTube and social media like she did, but they do have to 'commit to being addicted to watching' content, she said. Not everyone who works for YouTube creators gets paid. Screenwriter Natalie Badillo isn't earning a salary while she tries to build up an audience on YouTube. Badillo, who sold a self-titled project to HBO Max a few years ago, said she was looking for a way to 'not wait 8 billion years for a TV show to get picked up,' and creating a YouTube channel, 'Great Job Nat,' was a way to get her material out into the world. 'Why wait for somebody to throw you a party when you can just throw your own party?' she said. Badillo draws on her connections with folks from the traditional film and TV world to produce the YouTube videos. While the channel is getting up and running, collaborators work for low pay or simply for the fun of it and to gain experience. Still, her ambitions are big. 'I want to be the Jon Stewart of the West,' she said. The pay disparities can be an issue for people from traditional media industries looking for jobs. While some programs featuring influencers and vertical excerpts of TV shows and movies are covered by union agreements, other projects don't have those protections. 'With temporary hiring, it's like everything else in Hollywood — you either need to have another job that balances things out or you need to get to a critical mass of enough work on enough different projects,' said Kevin Klowden, executive director at Milken Institute Finance. 'The number of sustainable Hollywood jobs has shrunk.' But as the two worlds collide, traditional media companies are already paying attention to the popularity of creator shows and are trying to find ways to partner with influencers. Amazon earlier this year announced more seasons of MrBeast's reality competition series 'Beast Games,' and digital media companies are adding people with traditional media backgrounds to their staffs. 'It's still a lot more tiptoeing,' Hjelmeseth said. 'Everybody's kind of like looking at each other from across the room, like, 'Should we dance?''
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Samsung's 'Lightning Fast' Galaxy Smartwatch Is 49% Off During Prime Day, and It's 'Amazing for Health Tracking'
Men's Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Samsung's 'Lightning Fast' Galaxy Smartwatch Is 49% Off During Prime Day, and It's 'Amazing for Health Tracking' originally appeared on Men's Journal. Smartwatches have become more than just fitness trackers over the last decade—they're now more like portable smartphones that can truly improve your efficiency. These watches can get a bit pricey, but in the final hours of Amazon Prime Day 2025, you can get this Samsung smartwatch for nearly 50% off. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is typically $300 (for the 40 millimeter Bluetooth options), but Amazon has just marked it down to $152, essentially cutting the price in half. The best discount is on the green 40-millimeter Bluetooth model, but the 44-millimeter and LTE models are also on sale, along with most other colorways. With a modern smartwatch like this, you're getting all of the essential features like a touchscreen AMOLED display, 32 gigabytes of storage, and seamless Android compatibility (this model doesn't work with iPhones, unfortunately). The real kicker with this watch is the Galaxy AI, which works alongside the health tracking features to learn your routine and give you wellness tips, energy scores, and sleep tracking. You can look at all of this data on your (Android) smartphone, and the watch comes with a year-long warranty for some added peace of mind. 'Performance-wise, it's lightning fast. Apps open instantly, navigation is smooth, and the new health features are next-level. I especially love the updated body composition metrics and the improved sleep tracking. The watch gives genuinely useful health insights, not just generic data,' one shopper said. When it comes to the health tracking features, one reviewer wrote, 'the new AI-powered Energy Score feature is a real standout, offering insights into your daily energy expenditure and recovery, helping you optimize your activities for better overall wellness. It's a fantastic feature for anyone focused on maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle.' The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is available now on Amazon for $150, but Prime Day is coming to a close, so you'd better grab one before it ends. Samsung's 'Lightning Fast' Galaxy Smartwatch Is 49% Off During Prime Day, and It's 'Amazing for Health Tracking' first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 11, 2025 This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
2 Growth Stocks to Buy Now With Less Than $500
Alphabet's investments in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to drive strong growth for the business. Snowflake is well-positioned to benefit from companies investing in advanced data analytics capabilities using AI. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › Growth stocks can help you get ahead of your retirement goals. But you don't have to chase high-risk stocks to achieve this. There are plenty of industry-leading businesses that consistently report above-average growth that can outperform the S&P 500. If you have around $500 or less to commit to a long-term investment strategy, here are two growth stocks benefiting from artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing that can deliver market-beating returns in the next five years. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) continues to win on multiple fronts that is not reflected in the stock's modest price-to-earnings multiple. The company dominates search while its cloud computing business is outperforming the broader cloud market thanks to its AI investments. Alphabet generates most of its revenue from advertising on search, YouTube, and other services. It continues to benefit from the growth of the $700 billion digital ad market. The company's first-quarter earnings report showed strong growth across the business. Total revenue grew 12% year over year to reach $90 billion, exceeding Wall Street's expectations. Earnings jumped 49% over the year-ago quarter. Google's consumer services are the main revenue driver for Alphabet, but the company's hidden gem is its Gemini AI model, which powers the intelligent features across all the company's products, like AI Overviews and Google Lens. The first-quarter launch of Gemini 2.5 was widely recognized as the smartest model on the market, beating out OpenAI's ChatGPT and others. Google's advances in AI continue to be undervalued by investors. Management credited its recent growth to its full-stack approach to AI, including data centers, chips, research (e.g. Google DeepMind), and consumer reach with more than 2 billion users. AI is also driving strong demand and improving profitability in Google Cloud. Cloud revenue grew 28% year over year last quarter, outpacing the industry. The segment's operating income increased by 142%, now making up 7% of the company's total operating profit. Google recently announced the $32 billion acquisition of Wiz that will further strengthen Google Cloud's offering in cybersecurity. Alphabet stock has a long history of beating the market, and its current momentum should keep the streak going. Analysts expect the company's earnings per share to grow 15% on an annualized basis over the next several years, yet investors can buy shares for just 18 times this year's earnings estimate. This valuation should allow shareholders to earn returns comparable to, if not better than, Alphabet's future earnings growth. Companies are shifting their data systems over to platforms like Google Cloud to take advantage of AI services for data analytics and building AI applications. Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) is a data cloud platform that helps companies simplify this process. Snowflake's Data Cloud platform is offered on all the leading cloud services like Google, and it continues to grow strongly. Snowflake's product revenue grew 26% year over year in Q1, reaching $997 million. The company has consistently posted around 25% or better revenue growth since its initial public offering in 2020. Snowflake brings in advanced AI models from all the leading vendors, including OpenAI and Anthropic, to give customers flexibility to use whatever they need. This makes its platform a one-stop shop for advanced analytics. Snowflake rolled out more than 125 new product features last quarter, which management credited for driving demand. A key metric commonly used by software companies to gauge demand strength is the revenue retention rate. Anything more than 100% is generally considered good, but Snowflake reported a 124% retention rate last quarter, indicating healthy demand from existing customers for services on its platform. It might be viewed as a weakness that Snowflake doesn't offer its own proprietary AI models for customers. However, by integrating third-party models, Snowflake can offer companies more flexibility in choice while saving money on AI research, which it can invest in more capabilities for its data cloud platform. This allows the company to report balanced top- and bottom-line growth. Over the last year, Snowflake generated $735 million in free cash flow on $3.8 billion of revenue. Wall Street analysts expect Snowflake's earnings to grow more than 35% on an annualized basis. The stock trades at a high multiple of sales and earnings, but assuming Snowflake delivers on robust earnings growth, the stock could outperform the S&P 500 over the next five years. Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $674,432!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,005,854!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,049% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 7, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Snowflake. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Growth Stocks to Buy Now With Less Than $500 was originally published by The Motley Fool
