Latest news with #SeanKeach
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Brainy new Google ‘AI Mode' that finds you cheap hols & saves you money launches in UK as boss brands it ‘magical'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MILLIONS of Brits now have access to a supercharged version of Google called AI Mode. A new button is now appearing on UK phones and computers that makes Google more 'powerful' than ever – and insiders told The Sun it could save you time, money and even bag you bargain holidays. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 Google has added a new AI Mode button to its search bar Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 You'll be able to ask far more complicated queries Credit: Google AI Mode is powered by Google's brainy bots and launched in the US earlier in the year. Now the new version of Google has made it to the UK, and will appear for all Brits by the end of the week. It lets you make 'previously impossible' searches, like complicated questions about planning your big summer holiday. You could set exact budgets, explain what each family member likes, the types of places you'd like to visit, and even ask for a full itinerary. But there are concerns over what it means for the rest of the internet, and whether regular web users will end up visiting websites or will simply stay on Google. Google's Hema Budaraju said AI Mode searches are typically two to three times longer than a regular question, and explained: 'It breaks it down into the different component questions, then sends off like dozens, sometimes hundreds of searches. 'We're able to bring back a much deeper, more diverse set of results that previously was just not possible.' AI AM READY Hema is the Google exec tasked with upgrading your search bar using AI. She showed The Sun several demos of AI Mode working in real-time. One example question included: 'Weekend family getaway destinations that can entertain a very hard-to-please teenager who likes wildlife photography, with nice hikes nearby, and is close to a spa so I don't lose my mind.' That sort of search would normally take multiple different questions, but AI Mode can pull all of the info and links you need into a single answer. Google's Gemini AI app lets you chat out loud with shockingly humanlike virtual helper 'In our testing, we've seen that the query length on AI Mode is almost two to three times that on regular search,' Hema told The Sun at Google's London HQ. 'It's like an indication of people's change in behaviour. The willingness to use the technology in different ways, and finding things that previously were probably much harder to find.' The AI Mode is also meant to work like a chatbot – like Google Gemini or ChatGPT – with the option to ask even more questions. So if you're not happy with the results or if you want to know something else, you can go back to any AI Mode search and ask more. 13 Google says that you'll be able to use it to plan holidays Credit: Google 13 AI Mode searches are two to three times longer than a regular search, according to Google Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 'You should be able to retrieve this particular response,' Hema explained. 'And if you wanted to ask follow-up questions on the basis of that, you can pick this up and then do your next step of information-seeking questions on the basis of that.' Hema also said that her own family used AI Mode to plan a trip. 'So my daughter just finished college and has been doing travelling with a friend,' the Google exec told us. 'And she just did the Portugal to Spain trek. 'And we were actually using AI Mode in the US when she was home to help her plan her trip. 'To say: How do you pace yourself? What are some good places to stay? What are budget places to look for? How should you think about food? 'So it was really, really magical.' 13 The Sun sat down with Hema Budaraju, who is in charge of boosting Google Search using AI Credit: Google WHAT IS AI MODE ACTUALLY FOR? Here's the official word from Google, including tips on how to search well... "AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks," Google explained. "Like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. "In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries. "For example, you can now ask questions like: 'Things to do in Edinburgh this weekend with friends. We're big foodies who like music but also chill vibes and exploring off the beaten track.' "Or: 'How do migrating birds know where to go?' "Behind the scenes, AI Mode uses our query fan-out technique, breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. "This enables Search to dive deeper into the web than a traditional search on Google, helping you discover even more of what the web has to offer and find incredible, hyper-relevant content that matches your question." Picture Credit: Google TEXT BEST THING? AI Mode isn't just for typing in text, either. Google is bundling in its Lens tech, which scans snaps that you upload to tell you about them. The Sun recently used it as a "dupe-hunter" to find thousands of pounds in savings. The tech giant said that this could be used as a way to make online shopping much easier. 'In AI Mode, you can take a picture, upload an image, and ask a question – and get a rich, comprehensive response with links to dive deeper,' Hema told us. 'AI Mode can understand the entire scene and image, including the content and the context of how objects relate to each other. 'So in the particular case, where you have a bookshelf and say 'hey, find me recommendations of books like that', it's able to understand the context of the entire image.' She said it would 'come back with recommendations and places where you can have access to those specific books'. 'And then if you have additional follow-up questions to build on, you can do that right there.' 13 You'll also be able to use AI Mode for product comparison Credit: Google 13 Google will serve up text, links, map pins and more with AI Mode Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun The Sun also saw a demo where Google insiders asked AI Mode about how to get into birdwatching. It served up info on what gear you'll need, the best places nearby to spot birds laid out on a map, and general advice. The complicated question was answered in a matter of seconds, and linked out to multiple websites. One notable absence from the demos seen by The Sun was video results. Asked about video in AI Mode, Hema said: 'We will continue to add new features. 'I think at this point, you're likely to see more links and ways to get there – but we'll continue to look at feedback and add features.' CHAT'S GOOD? She said that the main purpose behind AI Mode is to allow for more complicated questions that wouldn't normally be possible. 'If you ask more nuanced questions, add more parameters, add a ton of constraints, you'll be able to ask anything on your mind and get a helpful AI-powered response,' Hema said. 13 You can start a conversation with AI Mode and then tap the clock button to come back to it later Credit: Google 13 The Sun saw Google's new AI Mode in action at the company's London HQ Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun So is this the end for regular Google search? Hema explained that there's still a place for more conventional snippets of info and lists of links. She said: 'I think it depends on the use case, doesn't it? 'So when you actually think of it on a daily basis with billions of search queries – and sometimes these are simpler ones like weather, sports scores, train schedules – just a link to a site that you wanted to go to, search is awesome at it. 'And I think that you would be able to find what was the fastest way that you need to get the information. 'And we think of AI Mode as more complex. The harder questions, the difficult questions that you otherwise probably wouldn't have had a chance to figure out formerly. 'So I think it depends on the use case. You could choose whichever format that you prefer to engage with search.' Hema also revealed that AI Mode isn't meant to replace Google's chatbot Gemini. The ChatGPT-style both is available on phones and computers, and lets you ask almost anything in a conversational style – including with your voice in real-time. The Sun even tried using it as a free tour guide for holidays. A GOOG IDEA? The expert view Brits finally have access to AI Mode, but what does The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach think? It's hard to imagine a time before Google. I use it, unthinkingly, dozens of times a day. Maybe more than that. And I suspect most of you are exactly the same. So when Google makes a big change, it affects billions of people. And AI Mode is a seriously big change. I've had an early look at it in Google's HQ and it's undoubtedly impressive. It serves up rapid-fire responses to very complicated questions, answering them from every angle and serving up loads of very appropriate links, map pins, and suggestions. It doesn't take a genius to see how this could make planning a day out or a holiday much easier. There are clearly loads of ways this will save you time, not least because you don't have to make 15 different searches. One, plus a follow-up question, might do. The real question will be around how it affects all of us. This is Google serving up content, which means it might make mistakes. If those mistakes relate to health or finances, it could be very serious. We'll have to watch it closely. And secondly, anyone making content will rightly be worried that people might not need to visit their websites if the content shows up on Google first. Google seems certain that this won't be the case, and that Brits will be shown more appropriate links than ever before. But again, only time will tell. In the meantime, I'm off to see if AI Mode can book me a cheap summer hol. Croatia, here I come. Picture Credit: Sean Keach Google says that AI Mode won't kill off Gemini. They'll both exist together. 'The role of AI mode is primarily information-seeking journeys,' Hema said. 'And information-seeking journeys that are built on the power of the goodness of knowledge graph, maps, shopping, places. 'That's why you see the presence of these links very strongly. 'The Gemini app is more like your most personal, capable assistant, where you do maybe things that help your creativity and productivity tasks.' GOOG LINKING Google has faced questions over whether AI will make it harder for people who create content, like journalists, writers, and researchers. The Sun asked Hema if the end-goal was to keep everyone on Google's own systems – rather than heading off to different websites. Hema said that Google's AI Mode would still give plenty of opportunity for users to end up on other pages. 13 You can ask complicated questions – or simple questions with complicated answers Credit: Google 13 You can tap the AI Mode button in the search bar – or convert your search after you've already made it Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 'I would think of it in two ways. One is, it's expansionary. People are not asking some of these questions today on search," Hema said. 'But with the capabilities and with the technology, the ability to ask these questions now opens up to everyone. 'Which means that there are newer questions and newer opportunities for traffic and for content to be discovered. 'Secondly, we are very committed to ensuring that there are strong links to figure out the right jump-off points and make it easy.' 13 AI Mode also builds in Google Lens so that you can ask about images too Credit: Google She said the existing AI Overviews feature, which summarises content to provide speedy answers to your questions on Google, is a great example of that. 'We send billions of clicks and with AI Overviews, one of our learnings is that when people go from AI Overviews to the content, they tend to spend more time there, which is a good sign that it's a good thing," the Google exec added. IT'S AI TIME If you want to try Google's AI Mode, it's available in the UK right now. You'll see a new AI Mode button on the right side of the search bar, which you can tap for brainier results. And if you make a search and – in hindsight – wished you'd used AI for it, you can tap the AI Mode button at the top of the screen to convert your request instantly. If you can't see AI Mode right away, don't panic: it'll take a few days for the feature to reach all Brits.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Brainy new Google ‘AI Mode' that finds you cheap hols & saves you money launches in UK as boss brands it ‘magical'
Sean Keach, Head of Technology and Science Published: Invalid Date, MILLIONS of Brits now have access to a supercharged version of Google called AI Mode. A new button is now appearing on UK phones and computers that makes Google more 'powerful' than ever – and insiders told The Sun it could save you time, money and even bag you bargain holidays. AI Mode is powered by Google's brainy bots and launched in the US earlier in the year. Now the new version of Google has made it to the UK, and will appear for all Brits by the end of the week. It lets you make 'previously impossible' searches, like complicated questions about planning your big summer holiday. You could set exact budgets, explain what each family member likes, the types of places you'd like to visit, and even ask for a full itinerary. But there are concerns over what it means for the rest of the internet, and whether regular web users will end up visiting websites or will simply stay on Google. Google's Hema Budaraju said AI Mode searches are typically two to three times longer than a regular question, and explained: 'It breaks it down into the different component questions, then sends off like dozens, sometimes hundreds of searches. 'We're able to bring back a much deeper, more diverse set of results that previously was just not possible.' AI AM READY Hema is the Google exec tasked with upgrading your search bar using AI. She showed The Sun several demos of AI Mode working in real-time. One example question included: 'Weekend family getaway destinations that can entertain a very hard-to-please teenager who likes wildlife photography, with nice hikes nearby, and is close to a spa so I don't lose my mind.' That sort of search would normally take multiple different questions, but AI Mode can pull all of the info and links you need into a single answer. Google's Gemini AI app lets you chat out loud with shockingly humanlike virtual helper 'In our testing, we've seen that the query length on AI Mode is almost two to three times that on regular search,' Hema told The Sun at Google's London HQ. 'It's like an indication of people's change in behaviour. The willingness to use the technology in different ways, and finding things that previously were probably much harder to find.' The AI Mode is also meant to work like a chatbot – like Google Gemini or ChatGPT – with the option to ask even more questions. So if you're not happy with the results or if you want to know something else, you can go back to any AI Mode search and ask more. 13 13 'You should be able to retrieve this particular response,' Hema explained. 'And if you wanted to ask follow-up questions on the basis of that, you can pick this up and then do your next step of information-seeking questions on the basis of that.' Hema also said that her own family used AI Mode to plan a trip. 'So my daughter just finished college and has been doing travelling with a friend,' the Google exec told us. 'And she just did the Portugal to Spain trek. 'And we were actually using AI Mode in the US when she was home to help her plan her trip. 'To say: How do you pace yourself? What are some good places to stay? What are budget places to look for? How should you think about food? 'So it was really, really magical.' 13 WHAT IS AI MODE ACTUALLY FOR? Here's the official word from Google, including tips on how to search well... "AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks," Google explained. "Like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. "In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries. "For example, you can now ask questions like: 'Things to do in Edinburgh this weekend with friends. We're big foodies who like music but also chill vibes and exploring off the beaten track.' "Or: 'How do migrating birds know where to go?' "Behind the scenes, AI Mode uses our query fan-out technique, breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. "This enables Search to dive deeper into the web than a traditional search on Google, helping you discover even more of what the web has to offer and find incredible, hyper-relevant content that matches your question." Picture Credit: Google TEXT BEST THING? AI Mode isn't just for typing in text, either. Google is bundling in its Lens tech, which scans snaps that you upload to tell you about them. The Sun recently used it as a "dupe-hunter" to find thousands of pounds in savings. The tech giant said that this could be used as a way to make online shopping much easier. 'In AI Mode, you can take a picture, upload an image, and ask a question – and get a rich, comprehensive response with links to dive deeper,' Hema told us. 'AI Mode can understand the entire scene and image, including the content and the context of how objects relate to each other. 'So in the particular case, where you have a bookshelf and say 'hey, find me recommendations of books like that', it's able to understand the context of the entire image.' She said it would 'come back with recommendations and places where you can have access to those specific books'. 'And then if you have additional follow-up questions to build on, you can do that right there.' 13 13 The Sun also saw a demo where Google insiders asked AI Mode about how to get into birdwatching. It served up info on what gear you'll need, the best places nearby to spot birds laid out on a map, and general advice. The complicated question was answered in a matter of seconds, and linked out to multiple websites. One notable absence from the demos seen by The Sun was video results. Asked about video in AI Mode, Hema said: 'We will continue to add new features. 'I think at this point, you're likely to see more links and ways to get there – but we'll continue to look at feedback and add features.' CHAT'S GOOD? She said that the main purpose behind AI Mode is to allow for more complicated questions that wouldn't normally be possible. 'If you ask more nuanced questions, add more parameters, add a ton of constraints, you'll be able to ask anything on your mind and get a helpful AI-powered response,' Hema said. 13 13 So is this the end for regular Google search? Hema explained that there's still a place for more conventional snippets of info and lists of links. She said: 'I think it depends on the use case, doesn't it? 'So when you actually think of it on a daily basis with billions of search queries – and sometimes these are simpler ones like weather, sports scores, train schedules – just a link to a site that you wanted to go to, search is awesome at it. 'And I think that you would be able to find what was the fastest way that you need to get the information. 'And we think of AI Mode as more complex. The harder questions, the difficult questions that you otherwise probably wouldn't have had a chance to figure out formerly. 'So I think it depends on the use case. You could choose whichever format that you prefer to engage with search.' Hema also revealed that AI Mode isn't meant to replace Google's chatbot Gemini. The ChatGPT-style both is available on phones and computers, and lets you ask almost anything in a conversational style – including with your voice in real-time. The Sun even tried using it as a free tour guide for holidays. A GOOG IDEA? The expert view Brits finally have access to AI Mode, but what does The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach think? It's hard to imagine a time before Google. I use it, unthinkingly, dozens of times a day. Maybe more than that. And I suspect most of you are exactly the same. So when Google makes a big change, it affects billions of people. And AI Mode is a seriously big change. I've had an early look at it in Google's HQ and it's undoubtedly impressive. It serves up rapid-fire responses to very complicated questions, answering them from every angle and serving up loads of very appropriate links, map pins, and suggestions. It doesn't take a genius to see how this could make planning a day out or a holiday much easier. There are clearly loads of ways this will save you time, not least because you don't have to make 15 different searches. One, plus a follow-up question, might do. The real question will be around how it affects all of us. This is Google serving up content, which means it might make mistakes. If those mistakes relate to health or finances, it could be very serious. We'll have to watch it closely. And secondly, anyone making content will rightly be worried that people might not need to visit their websites if the content shows up on Google first. Google seems certain that this won't be the case, and that Brits will be shown more appropriate links than ever before. But again, only time will tell. In the meantime, I'm off to see if AI Mode can book me a cheap summer hol. Croatia, here I come. Picture Credit: Sean Keach Google says that AI Mode won't kill off Gemini. They'll both exist together. 'The role of AI mode is primarily information-seeking journeys,' Hema said. 'And information-seeking journeys that are built on the power of the goodness of knowledge graph, maps, shopping, places. 'That's why you see the presence of these links very strongly. 'The Gemini app is more like your most personal, capable assistant, where you do maybe things that help your creativity and productivity tasks.' GOOG LINKING Google has faced questions over whether AI will make it harder for people who create content, like journalists, writers, and researchers. The Sun asked Hema if the end-goal was to keep everyone on Google's own systems – rather than heading off to different websites. Hema said that Google's AI Mode would still give plenty of opportunity for users to end up on other pages. 13 'I would think of it in two ways. One is, it's expansionary. People are not asking some of these questions today on search," Hema said. 'But with the capabilities and with the technology, the ability to ask these questions now opens up to everyone. 'Which means that there are newer questions and newer opportunities for traffic and for content to be discovered. 'Secondly, we are very committed to ensuring that there are strong links to figure out the right jump-off points and make it easy.' She said the existing AI Overviews feature, which summarises content to provide speedy answers to your questions on Google, is a great example of that. 'We send billions of clicks and with AI Overviews, one of our learnings is that when people go from AI Overviews to the content, they tend to spend more time there, which is a good sign that it's a good thing," the Google exec added. IT'S AI TIME If you want to try Google's AI Mode, it's available in the UK right now. You'll see a new AI Mode button on the right side of the search bar, which you can tap for brainier results. And if you make a search and – in hindsight – wished you'd used AI for it, you can tap the AI Mode button at the top of the screen to convert your request instantly. If you can't see AI Mode right away, don't panic: it'll take a few days for the feature to reach all Brits. 13
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I found £6,000 of savings in 10 MINUTES with two dupe-hunting Google tricks that transform your home, garden & wardrobe
I LOVE a deal and there are loads online – but who has the time to scour the web looking for savings? That's why I got a robot to do it for me. 27 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been hunting for deals online Credit: Sean Keach To see if I could save some cash, I set Google's AI systems to work, hunting for product alternatives, "dupes", and lookalikes . It managed to track down thousands of pounds of savings in a matter of minutes using a clever combination of free online features . I used two different tricks – one using Google Gemini and the other using Google Lens. Gemini is Google's chatbot. You can find it And Google Lens is a special version of Google Search that you'll find inside the official Google app on your phone. You can take or upload a photo, and then Google will hunt for it (and lookalikes) online. Just tap the camera icon in the app. Both of these tools are perfect for dupe-hunters looking to save a bit of cash. They can identify your product and trawl the web to find items that look just like it – only at a much lower price. First, I tried it on a few products in my house to see if I could find places where I would have saved money . But I also had a go with ritzy items I'd seen online – all in a bid to find bargain versions of the same products. Let's start with what I had at home first. Google's Gemini AI app lets you chat out loud with shockingly humanlike virtual helper HOME ITEM #1 – LIVING ROOM LAMP I love my living room lamp. It's the Made Java Arc Overreach Floor Lamp, which normally retails for £179. That's a fair sum of money, but it looks great. For this, I had better luck with Google Gemini. I asked for lookalike lamps that didn't cost as much, and it served me up with three decent options. 27 You can chat to Google about products – and hunt for cheaper ones Credit: Sean Keach 27 Google's Gemini chatbot can serve up lookalike products Credit: Sean Keach 27 This isn't an exact dupe but it's far cheaper than the one we bought Credit: Studio / The Sun Two looked reasonably similar and came in at £59.99 and £84.99. Honestly, I would've been happy with either. But there was a near-identical one up for £109.99 that would easily double up as the real thing. Nice work, Gemini. Potential Saving: £119.01 27 This attractive lamp is similarly styled but far cheaper Credit: Online Light / The Sun 27 This looks almost identical to the lamp we actually bought Credit: Mano Mano / The Sun HOME ITEM #2 – BROWN JACKET Next up, I snapped a pic of my Wrangler Buffalo Trace jacket. This one cost me about £120. This time, I plugged it straight into Google Lens. What I thought was interesting here was that I took a pretty rubbish photo of the jacket. And not only did it find a very similar alternative on Asos, it also identified the actual jacket and listed that too. Spooky. The Asos option was just £45. An absolute steal. It's not whiskey-themed, granted – but what a bargain. Potential Saving: £75 27 Google Lens can quickly identify an item in an image Credit: Sean Keach 27 Google Lens quickly serves up cheaper alternatives Credit: Sean Keach HOME ITEM #3 – ORANGE POUFFE We have an orange pouffe that works as a footstool or a spare seat if we've got a load of people round. It's the Dunelm Eliza Pouffe Orange Umber, which goes for £40 online and in stores. 27 We bought this pouffe, but there were cheaper options online Credit: Sean Keach 27 This similar pouffe is on sale for just £25.99 Credit: RUComfy / The Sun Google Lens managed to find one that looked almost identical (but a slightly different shade of orange) for £25.99. But I actually prefer a slightly different design that showed up on Google Lens via Etsy, which was only £22.99. So there's a small saving, but the original was already pretty cheap, in my opinion . Potential Saving: £17.01 27 There was en even cheaper Etsy option that looks very stylish Credit: Etsy / Kosiproducts / The Sun HOME ITEM #4 – DINING CHAIRS Another Dunelm buy for us was our dining chairs. We've got the Dunelm Shea Set of 2 Dining Chairs, which are £119. We have six chairs, so that's £357. 27 Google Lens gets to work right away, hunting for similar products Credit: Sean Keach Google Lens managed to find a fairly similar-looking pair from Debenhams for £100 – so that would've been £300 for six seats. If we'd gone for those, it would've saved us £57. It's not a massive saving, and honestly, I prefer the ones I bought. But if I were really sticking to a budget, every little helps. Potential Saving: £57 27 Debenhams had a pair of very similar chairs for just £100 Credit: Debenhams / The Sun ONLINE ITEM #1 – GREEN SOFA We recently went sofa hunting, and it was hard not to be impressed by Swoon. They've got some lovely gear. I was just looking online and found a very tempting three-seater Swoon sofa in green (or "fern") velvet, sold by John Lewis. I love it, but it's hardly cheap at £2,139. 27 This Swoon sofa is dreamy – but it's priced very high Credit: John Lewis / Swoon / The Sun My first attempt was with Gemini, but it struggled to come up with much, no matter how I worded my prompt. It showed a couple of sofas that didn't look similar enough. 27 Google Gemini suggested this sofa, but it wasn't quite right Credit: Daals / The Sun 27 Another Google suggestion missed the mark – although it was cheaper Credit: Habitat / The Sun But when I tried it with Google Lens, I spotted two very nice options. There was a pricier sofa from Brand Alley at £1,599 that looked good. But my favourite was the even cheaper Lutyens Moss Green three-piece sofa from Daals, which was a thriftier £1,399.99. It's beautiful, and far closer to the original Swoon sofa. Potential Saving: £739.01 27 Google Lens tracked down this bargain offering, though it's not quite as stylish as the Swoon one Credit: Brand Alley / The Sun 27 This Daals option undercut Swoon significantly, and it's beautiful to boot Credit: Daals / The Sun 27 Google Lens is a savvy shopper's dream Credit: The Sun ONLINE ITEM #2 – OUTDOOR DINING SET Next, I went really posh. We recently moved and we haven't got any garden furniture yet. There's a very roomy outdoor set from Bridgman called the Richmond Modular Sofa Set, but it costs a frankly bank-breaking £5,299. Ouch. 27 This posh garden set would look you've got the room for it Credit: Bridgman / The Sun 27 You'll need a big budget for it too Credit: Bridgman / The Sun Straight to Google Lens I go. One option was a decent (but smaller) option for £1,399 from another retailer. 27 This one cost £1,399, but I was hopeful I'd find something even cheaper Credit: Honeypot / The Sun But I was more impressed by a similarly spacious £1,185 alternative that included a fire pit table. Sadly, I couldn't find anything that matched the original bang on. So maybe I went too posh here. However, I do think that the cheaper set looked very nice, and I could do a lot with the spare £4,000 if I were buying this. Potential Saving: £4,114 27 This more budget-friendly option included a fire pit Credit: House of Glitz and Glamour / The Sun 27 Google Lens looks for products at a whole range of prices Credit: The Sun ONLINE ITEM #3 – COFFEE TABLE After the dining set drama, I thought I'd look for something quite fancy – but that might be dupe-friendly. I found an extremely pretty Porta Marble Coffee Table, which retailed at a whopping £999. Come on Google, sort me out - and of course, it did. 27 This is a gorgeous marble creation but few people have £1,000 to spare on a coffee table Credit: Luxura Home / The Sun 27 The price is very high for most Brits – so I went looking for a cheaper buy Credit: Luxura Homa / The Sun It instantly surfaced an Erie coffee table for £675, but that was still too high. So I scrolled on and found a stellar bargain from Daals. It's the Maru Round Oak Pedestal Coffee Table in Washed White for £189.99. This obviously isn't marble, but it has a lacquer effect that gives it a white shine like the original. 27 This oak coffee table gives off a similar effect to the posh marble one – but at a fraction of the price Credit: Daals / The Sun This is a brilliant example of a lookalike with a massive saving. Importantly, it's unlikely I would've found this – as I wouldn't have searched for oak while looking for an alternative to a marble coffee table. Potential Saving: £809.01 That brings the grand total savings to £5,930.04, courtesy of Google's online brain. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU USE GOOGLE GEMINI FOR? Here's the official tip list from Google... Go Live with Gemini to brainstorm ideas, simplify complex topics, and rehearse for important moments. Connect with your favourite Google apps like Search, Youtube, Google Maps, Gmail, and more Study smarter and explore any topic with interactive visuals and real-world examples Unlock a world of expertise and get tailored information about any topic Plan trips better and faster Create AI-generated images in seconds Get summaries, deep dives, and source links, all in one place Brainstorm new ideas, or improve existing ones Picture Credit: Google / The Sun
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I test mind-boggling 4mm thin Samsung phone that folds in HALF – & it has huge perk your posh iPhone is missing
THIS is it. Samsung has finally done it. For years, phone makers have been trying to make foldable phones work. Well, I've been trying out the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a few weeks – and it actually delivers on the dream. Advertisement 13 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been testing out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 At a glance, it just looks like a regular mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 But it folds out into a tablet in the blink of an eye Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Foldable phones are meant to fit in your pocket like a regular mobile, and then fold out to give you a massive screen. The idea is that you get a phone and a tablet in one. But so far, the bulk of these devices have had a load of compromises. The main one? They're usually as thick as tree trunks. Now Samsung has managed to slim down its latest foldable to just 4.2mm thick unfolded. It's shockingly thin. I reckon you could use it as a frisbee if it didn't start at £1,799. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month And even folded, it's just 8.9mm thick. That's only marginally beefier than the 8.25mm Advertisement Read more on Samsung SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 DESIGN – THE LOOKS If I was using this mobile on the tube, folded over into a smartphone, no one would look twice. It looks just like a regular Samsung phone. There's a line down the side, but you'd ignore it as a design quirk. At the same time, if I unfolded this and lay it out flat on the table, you'd think it was a tablet. There's no visible crease down the middle (unless you tilt it to a sharp angle). It just looks like a regular Samsung slate. You'd probably remark on the svelte side profile, but that's it. And this is the magic to Samsung's new phone. Advertisement Most read in Tech Breaking It doesn't look like a rubbish version of a phone and a similarly dodgy tablet. This looks good no matter which way you're holding it. I'm using the Blue Shadow colour option. It's eye-catching and I really like it – but you might prefer the safer Jetblack or Silver Shadow versions instead. Sun's tech editor shows NEW 4mm thin folding Samsung – & teases 'flip iPhone' too It also comes in a very fresh Mint option but you can only get that directly from Samsung. There's not much else to note on the outside. There's a very prominent camera bump on the back, which is possibly the only disappointing design aspect – but there's no real way around it. If you want top pics, you need big sensors and lenses. Advertisement The exterior smartphone-style screen is a 6.5-inch OLED panel with a 2,520 x 1080-pixel resolution. This is high-end stuff – no scrimping. And inside you've got an enormous 8-inch OLED display with a 2,184 x 1,968-pixel resolution. Again, that's high-end tablet territory. 13 Lay it down while closed and it's only marginally thicker than an iPhone Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun It's still dwarfed by full-size tablets, of course, but this puts it in iPad Mini territory. You're meant to use it for watching telly, or reading an ebook, or playing a video game. Advertisement And when you're just texting or scrolling through Instagram, you'll be fine with the regular mobile display. But ultimately, the choice is yours. Fold and unfold at will. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PERFORMANCE & FEATURES – THE POWER AND PERKS Alright, so it looks good – but does it work well? Performance is a non-issue. It has a blisteringly fast Snapdragon 8 Elite processor made by US chip giant Qualcomm. Chuck whatever you like at it – browsing, gaming, the works. Advertisement Computing speed hasn't been an issue on top-end phones for years now, and it's the same story with Samsung's latest mobile. It comes with 256GB of storage as standard, but you can upgrade this. And for memory – that's the active space for whatever you're doing in the moment – you get 12GB, with an option to pay for 16GB. 13 The only thick part of the phone is the hefty rear camera array Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Advertisement The 16GB is chucked in with 1TB of storage. So it's the storage space you're more likely to be paying for there, as the 12GB of memory will be plenty for most people. Multi-tasking is no problem at all. And because you've got a tablet here, you actually can multitask. You can have several apps open at once. Just drag and drop them from the tray into your desired position. So you could have a YouTube video and your messaging app stacked on top of each other on the left, and a web browser taking up the full right-side of the screen. Advertisement 13 The cameras are impressive and taking stunning snaps Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun That's the sort of thing that simply isn't possible on a regular phone screen. This phone is also running on Google's Android software (albeit skinned with Samsung's own look), so you get access to all of those perks too. That means the vast array of apps on the Google Play Store, and Google's anti-malware protections. Advertisement But you'll also bag access to Google's extremely powerful Gemini AI assistant. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE KEY SPECS Here's the list of specs you need to know about... Cover display: 6.5 inches (2,520 x 1080 AMOLED) Main display: 8 inches (2,184 x 1,968 AMOLED) Weight: 215 grams Main Camera: Wide (200MP) / Ultra-Wide (12MP) / Telephoto (10MP) Front Cameras: 10MP / 10MP Operating System: Android Battery: 4,400mAh Processor: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Picture Credit: Samsung I've used a load of AI chatbots and virtual helpers, and I've generally been most impressed by Gemini. I love my iPhone, but we've still yet to see the best version of Siri. For instance, I've used Gemini as a the voice chat feature that lets you have a live conversation with it. It's a free tour guide in your pocket. Gemini is powerful, easy to use, and keeps getting smarter. And you can access it at lightning speed just by holding down the lock button on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Neat. Advertisement If you've used an Android phone before then the whole Galaxy Z Fold 7 interface will feel very familiar. It's very customisable, works based off of apps, and is snappy and performant. 13 When unfolded, the gadget is strikingly thin – at just over 4mm thickness Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Battery life is great, all things considered. And by all things, I mean having two large and pixel-dense screens plus a phone body that's wafer thin. Samsung has managed to stuff a fairly sizeable 4,400mAh battery inside this thing. You can easily get through a day with this device, which is all that matters. Advertisement And finally, let's talk about the camera. This mobile isn't just for show. The days of foldable phones being just a gimmick seem increasingly to be behind us. 13 You only see the crease on the 8-inch AMOLED tablet display when you're viewing it at an off-angle Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And that means Samsung has also fitted this mobile with a proper high-end camera that rivals the best. Advertisement Or rather, five cameras. You've got a 10-megapixel one on the front, and another inside when the tablet opens up. And on the back of the phone (usable in all views) is a series of three powerful shooters. That includes a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel snapper for ultra-wide capture, and then a 10-megapixel telephoto lens for zoom. The selfie cameras are fine and capture very respectable snaps. Of course, the real photography comes from the rear camera array, which takes brilliant pics even in rubbish lighting conditions. The pics are sharp, detailed, and colour-accurate. Advertisement And if you're into zooming (always fun!) then you can go right up to 30x. Only 3x is optical zoom (so actual zoom from the camera lens) and then the rest is digital. So you will get a quality drop off the deeper you zoom in – but it's still pretty effective. You won't win any photography awards at 30x zoom, mind. If there was one downside, it would be that I wish the optical zoom was higher – even at 5x. For a high-end smartphone, this feels like a slight misstep. 13 When the phone is flipped open, you can take selfies using the rear camera while enjoying a face preview on the outside screen Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Advertisement I should also note: there's a preview mode when you're snapping in tablet view. So as you're shooting pics, you can have them appear on the left half of the screen. So you can instantly see if your pic was rubbish and you need to go again. And there's something called Cover Screen Preview. So if you want to take a selfie with the main camera, you can spin the phone around and see your face on the exterior display. Then you can snap yourself easily using that preview, while getting the full heft of the main camera array (which is also facing you, because you've got the phone flipped open as a tablet). Advertisement 13 The phone is very easy to open and close – and it's lightweight in the hand too Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PRICE – SHOULD YOU BUY IT? It all sounds pretty dreamy, right? Well that's until you get to the checkout. You come crashing down to Earth and realise you're about to spend £1,799 on a phone – or £1,899/£2,149 if you want 512GB or 1TB of storage. Even without any mobile add-ons or interest, the base price divides up to £74.95 a month over two years. Advertisement Even Apple's top iPhone can only be customised up to £1,599 (that's £66.62 a month). Of course, that doesn't fold. 13 Samsung has managed to cram in a fairly large battery, so you'll get through a day of use without much bother Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And there's not really anything as strikingly thin as this on the foldables market. I've reviewed dozens of mobiles over the years, and it's rare that I'm shocked by a phone. This Samsung mobile wowed me. Advertisement And everyone that I've let hold this thing has been impressed too. I haven't had a single person say: "What's the point?" It's finally thin enough that people get it. It's clearly pocketable. The inner screen has an obvious use. The whole package makes sense. 13 The only giveaway that this is a foldable phone is the gap on the side of the mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun This is the bleeding edge of smartphone design, so it makes sense that it Advertisement If you want a cheaper foldable, Samsung certainly has thriftier options. And rival gadget makers like Google and Huawei have very nice foldables too. But it's impossible to deny that Samsung has crafted something very beautiful here, and it feels special. I can't recommend this mobile to absolutely everyone. It's an expensive device that won't fit in with a lot of budgets. If you're a gadget fan on the Android side of the mobile divide, I've got no doubt you'll love this. I think even Apple die-hards would struggle not to be impressed by Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. Advertisement And if this is just too expensive for you, feel safe in the knowledge that this tech will trickle down. Svelte foldables won't always cost mega money , but breakthroughs like this will always be pricy at first. Samsung has achieved something brilliant here, and phone enthusiasts among you should (and undoubtedly will) consider buying one you've got the spare cash. This device can very effectively replace both your phone and tablet. And so in some ways, that means the price isn't as intense as it might first seem. It's also something that the iPhone hasn't managed – SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE PROS AND CONS Here's what you need to know... Pros: Thin enough to function as a phone and a tablet Looks brilliant – a real showstopper Powerful processor, great camera, and stunning displays A multi-tasking powerhouse Cons: Very expensive for most people Large camera bump Optical zoom could be better There are loads of times during a day where I'm using my phone and wish it had a tablet-sized screen, but I can't be bothered to pull my actual tablet out of my bag. Advertisement This solves that issue with ease. And for some phone fans, that'll make the price feel bang on. The Sun says: A foldable phone to convert the doubters – Samsung has crafted an impossibly thin (and endlessly tempting) super-phone that comfortably doubles as a tablet. It's a top buy, if you can afford it. 4.5/5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month 13 This is a brilliant example of how useful foldable phones can really be Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Advertisement All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I test mind-boggling 4mm thin Samsung phone that folds in HALF – & it has huge perk your posh iPhone is missing
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is it. Samsung has finally done it. For years, phone makers have been trying to make foldable phones work. Well, I've been trying out the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a few weeks – and it actually delivers on the dream. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been testing out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 At a glance, it just looks like a regular mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 But it folds out into a tablet in the blink of an eye Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Foldable phones are meant to fit in your pocket like a regular mobile, and then fold out to give you a massive screen. The idea is that you get a phone and a tablet in one. But so far, the bulk of these devices have had a load of compromises. The main one? They're usually as thick as tree trunks. Now Samsung has managed to slim down its latest foldable to just 4.2mm thick unfolded. It's shockingly thin. I reckon you could use it as a frisbee if it didn't start at £1,799. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month And even folded, it's just 8.9mm thick. That's only marginally beefier than the 8.25mm iPhone 16 Pro Max that I usually carry with me. Wow. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 DESIGN – THE LOOKS If I was using this mobile on the tube, folded over into a smartphone, no one would look twice. It looks just like a regular Samsung phone. There's a line down the side, but you'd ignore it as a design quirk. At the same time, if I unfolded this and lay it out flat on the table, you'd think it was a tablet. There's no visible crease down the middle (unless you tilt it to a sharp angle). It just looks like a regular Samsung slate. You'd probably remark on the svelte side profile, but that's it. And this is the magic to Samsung's new phone. It doesn't look like a rubbish version of a phone and a similarly dodgy tablet. This looks good no matter which way you're holding it. I'm using the Blue Shadow colour option. It's eye-catching and I really like it – but you might prefer the safer Jetblack or Silver Shadow versions instead. Sun's tech editor shows NEW 4mm thin folding Samsung – & teases 'flip iPhone' too It also comes in a very fresh Mint option but you can only get that directly from Samsung. There's not much else to note on the outside. There's a very prominent camera bump on the back, which is possibly the only disappointing design aspect – but there's no real way around it. If you want top pics, you need big sensors and lenses. The exterior smartphone-style screen is a 6.5-inch OLED panel with a 2,520 x 1080-pixel resolution. This is high-end stuff – no scrimping. And inside you've got an enormous 8-inch OLED display with a 2,184 x 1,968-pixel resolution. Again, that's high-end tablet territory. 13 Lay it down while closed and it's only marginally thicker than an iPhone Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun It's still dwarfed by full-size tablets, of course, but this puts it in iPad Mini territory. You're meant to use it for watching telly, or reading an ebook, or playing a video game. And when you're just texting or scrolling through Instagram, you'll be fine with the regular mobile display. But ultimately, the choice is yours. Fold and unfold at will. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PERFORMANCE & FEATURES – THE POWER AND PERKS Alright, so it looks good – but does it work well? Performance is a non-issue. It has a blisteringly fast Snapdragon 8 Elite processor made by US chip giant Qualcomm. Chuck whatever you like at it – browsing, gaming, the works. Computing speed hasn't been an issue on top-end phones for years now, and it's the same story with Samsung's latest mobile. It comes with 256GB of storage as standard, but you can upgrade this. And for memory – that's the active space for whatever you're doing in the moment – you get 12GB, with an option to pay for 16GB. 13 The only thick part of the phone is the hefty rear camera array Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun The 16GB is chucked in with 1TB of storage. So it's the storage space you're more likely to be paying for there, as the 12GB of memory will be plenty for most people. Multi-tasking is no problem at all. And because you've got a tablet here, you actually can multitask. You can have several apps open at once. Just drag and drop them from the tray into your desired position. So you could have a YouTube video and your messaging app stacked on top of each other on the left, and a web browser taking up the full right-side of the screen. 13 The cameras are impressive and taking stunning snaps Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun That's the sort of thing that simply isn't possible on a regular phone screen. This phone is also running on Google's Android software (albeit skinned with Samsung's own look), so you get access to all of those perks too. That means the vast array of apps on the Google Play Store, and Google's anti-malware protections. But you'll also bag access to Google's extremely powerful Gemini AI assistant. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE KEY SPECS Here's the list of specs you need to know about... Cover display: 6.5 inches (2,520 x 1080 AMOLED) Main display: 8 inches (2,184 x 1,968 AMOLED) Weight: 215 grams Main Camera: Wide (200MP) / Ultra-Wide (12MP) / Telephoto (10MP) Front Cameras: 10MP / 10MP Operating System: Android Battery: 4,400mAh Processor: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Picture Credit: Samsung I've used a load of AI chatbots and virtual helpers, and I've generally been most impressed by Gemini. I love my iPhone, but we've still yet to see the best version of Siri. For instance, I've used Gemini as a great money-saver on holiday, by taking advantage of the voice chat feature that lets you have a live conversation with it. It's a free tour guide in your pocket. Gemini is powerful, easy to use, and keeps getting smarter. And you can access it at lightning speed just by holding down the lock button on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Neat. If you've used an Android phone before then the whole Galaxy Z Fold 7 interface will feel very familiar. It's very customisable, works based off of apps, and is snappy and performant. 13 When unfolded, the gadget is strikingly thin – at just over 4mm thickness Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Battery life is great, all things considered. And by all things, I mean having two large and pixel-dense screens plus a phone body that's wafer thin. Samsung has managed to stuff a fairly sizeable 4,400mAh battery inside this thing. You can easily get through a day with this device, which is all that matters. And finally, let's talk about the camera. This mobile isn't just for show. The days of foldable phones being just a gimmick seem increasingly to be behind us. 13 You only see the crease on the 8-inch AMOLED tablet display when you're viewing it at an off-angle Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And that means Samsung has also fitted this mobile with a proper high-end camera that rivals the best. Or rather, five cameras. You've got a 10-megapixel one on the front, and another inside when the tablet opens up. And on the back of the phone (usable in all views) is a series of three powerful shooters. That includes a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel snapper for ultra-wide capture, and then a 10-megapixel telephoto lens for zoom. The selfie cameras are fine and capture very respectable snaps. Of course, the real photography comes from the rear camera array, which takes brilliant pics even in rubbish lighting conditions. The pics are sharp, detailed, and colour-accurate. And if you're into zooming (always fun!) then you can go right up to 30x. Only 3x is optical zoom (so actual zoom from the camera lens) and then the rest is digital. So you will get a quality drop off the deeper you zoom in – but it's still pretty effective. You won't win any photography awards at 30x zoom, mind. If there was one downside, it would be that I wish the optical zoom was higher – even at 5x. For a high-end smartphone, this feels like a slight misstep. 13 When the phone is flipped open, you can take selfies using the rear camera while enjoying a face preview on the outside screen Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun I should also note: there's a preview mode when you're snapping in tablet view. So as you're shooting pics, you can have them appear on the left half of the screen. So you can instantly see if your pic was rubbish and you need to go again. And there's something called Cover Screen Preview. So if you want to take a selfie with the main camera, you can spin the phone around and see your face on the exterior display. Then you can snap yourself easily using that preview, while getting the full heft of the main camera array (which is also facing you, because you've got the phone flipped open as a tablet). 13 The phone is very easy to open and close – and it's lightweight in the hand too Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PRICE – SHOULD YOU BUY IT? It all sounds pretty dreamy, right? Well that's until you get to the checkout. You come crashing down to Earth and realise you're about to spend £1,799 on a phone – or £1,899/£2,149 if you want 512GB or 1TB of storage. Even without any mobile add-ons or interest, the base price divides up to £74.95 a month over two years. Even Apple's top iPhone can only be customised up to £1,599 (that's £66.62 a month). Of course, that doesn't fold. 13 Samsung has managed to cram in a fairly large battery, so you'll get through a day of use without much bother Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And there's not really anything as strikingly thin as this on the foldables market. I've reviewed dozens of mobiles over the years, and it's rare that I'm shocked by a phone. This Samsung mobile wowed me. And everyone that I've let hold this thing has been impressed too. I haven't had a single person say: "What's the point?" It's finally thin enough that people get it. It's clearly pocketable. The inner screen has an obvious use. The whole package makes sense. 13 The only giveaway that this is a foldable phone is the gap on the side of the mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun This is the bleeding edge of smartphone design, so it makes sense that it If you want a cheaper foldable, Samsung certainly has thriftier options. And rival gadget makers like Google and Huawei have very nice foldables too. But it's impossible to deny that Samsung has crafted something very beautiful here, and it feels special. I can't recommend this mobile to absolutely everyone. It's an expensive device that won't fit in with a lot of budgets. If you're a gadget fan on the Android side of the mobile divide, I've got no doubt you'll love this. I think even Apple die-hards would struggle not to be impressed by Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. And if this is just too expensive for you, feel safe in the knowledge that this tech will trickle down. Svelte foldables won't always cost mega money, but breakthroughs like this will always be pricy at first. Samsung has achieved something brilliant here, and phone enthusiasts among you should (and undoubtedly will) consider buying one you've got the spare cash. This device can very effectively replace both your phone and tablet. And so in some ways, that means the price isn't as intense as it might first seem. It's also something that the iPhone hasn't managed – not yet, anyway. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE PROS AND CONS Here's what you need to know... Pros: Thin enough to function as a phone and a tablet Looks brilliant – a real showstopper Powerful processor, great camera, and stunning displays A multi-tasking powerhouse Cons: Very expensive for most people Large camera bump Optical zoom could be better There are loads of times during a day where I'm using my phone and wish it had a tablet-sized screen, but I can't be bothered to pull my actual tablet out of my bag. This solves that issue with ease. And for some phone fans, that'll make the price feel bang on. The Sun says: A foldable phone to convert the doubters – Samsung has crafted an impossibly thin (and endlessly tempting) super-phone that comfortably doubles as a tablet. It's a top buy, if you can afford it. 4.5/5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month 13 This is a brilliant example of how useful foldable phones can really be Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
