Welcome back to our weekly tech review, where we go through the most amazing innovations making waves in the tech world. This week in august, we’re starting with the much-anticipated Google Pixel 9, along with some other compelling AI developments. Keep reading.
Google Pixel 9: What’s New?
Google just dropped their latest Pixel 9 lineup, and it’s looking good. We’ve got three new models and a foldable phone, all powered by Google’s upgraded G4 Tensor chip. Prices start at $799, with the Pro models going up to $1,099.
And of course, there are some new AI features that come with it. Google also gave us updates on their Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro, so there’s a lot to be excited about. We’ll go deeper into all the details in an upcoming article, so stay tuned!
Google has trained a table tennis player robot
Google DeepMind has successfully trained a robotic arm to play table tennis at an amateur level, marking the first time a robot has competed against humans in a sport at this level. The robot won 13 out of 29 matches against human players.
Sure, it’s not ready to go pro, but it’s a big step forward in AI. While it struggled against more advanced players, the research shows a significant step toward creating robots capable of performing complex tasks in real-world environments.
Players who competed against the robot found the game enjoyable and saw potential in the robot as a practice partner. Take a look at it in action, It’s both impressive and a little bit surreal!:
Rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" model
Acording to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is considering rebranding its upcoming iPhone 17 “Slim” model as the “iPhone Air,” positioning it as a stylish alternative to the standard iPhone. The move is aimed at boosting sales of the fourth model in the iPhone lineup, which has struggled in recent years.
The iPhone 17 “Air” will feature a thinner design, bridging the gap between the regular iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro, much like the original MacBook Air did in 2008. This strategy could help Apple appeal to customers who want a sleeker, more fashionable device without the need for Pro-level features.
What to Expect from the iPhone 16 Series
The upcoming iPhone 16 series is expected to introduce several new features across all models, including the addition of the Action Button, the Apple Intelligence that you can further read about in “Apple Intelligence: AI Revolution 2.0 Is Here” , and potentially larger screen displays.
Apple Intelligence, which will also be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, may not be a compelling reason to upgrade on its own, but it highlights Apple’s ongoing focus on AI. Additionally, the series might feature a new camera control button and also if you’re a fan of rose gold, you might have a new color option to look forward to! Plus, all models are getting the A18 processor and 8GB of RAM.
AI Doctor: Your Future Smartphone Might Save Your Life
Imagine your phone being able to diagnose a disease just by looking at your tongue. Sounds wild, right? Well, researchers in Iraq and Australia have developed an AI that can do just that with 98% accuracy.
A new computer algorithm has predicted various diseases by analyzing tongue color, developed by researchers from Middle Technical University in Iraq and the University of South Australia. Using 5,260 images to train machine learning algorithms, the system can diagnose conditions like diabetes, stroke, anemia, asthma, liver and gallbladder issues, COVID-19, and more by matching tongue color with specific diseases.
This AI model, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, was tested with images from two Middle Eastern hospitals, and a study confirms its potential for real-time, accessible disease diagnosis.
It’s still early days, but this could make healthcare more accessible and convenient for everyone, all through your smartphone.
Deep-Live-Cam: The Viral Face-Swapping Software
Deep-Live-Cam, a new software package, has recently gone viral for its ability to take a single photo of a person and apply their face to a live webcam video, replicating their expressions, lighting, and pose. While the technology isn’t flawless, it highlights the rapid advancements in real-time deepfake capabilities and the growing potential for remote deception. Take a look at how real this deepfake Elon Musk is.
Initially developed late last year, the open-source project gained significant attention after videos surfaced showing real-time imitations of public figures like Elon Musk and J.D. Vance. This surge in popularity briefly propelled the project to the top of GitHub’s trending repositories.
Deep-Live-Cam is built on several existing AI models, including “inswapper,” which was trained on millions of facial images to accurately swap faces under various conditions. Although the software is currently not user-friendly, it’s expected that similar tools will become more accessible, raising concerns about the future of deepfake technology and its potential misuse.
Google’s AI image generator is upgraded
Google’s highest quality image generator, imagen 3 is here, it generates much better detail, less distractions in the image and also better quality lighting, it’s been available on google’s Vertex AI platform only.
There are some security limitations to imagen 3, for example it will not generate images of public figures like taylor swift, but there are ways to get around this by describing the character that you want with detail. The tool is only available in the US right now but over the next months it will be available on google products like the Gemini app and web experience, Workspace, Ads and more.
Final Thoughts
As we zoom into the latest tech developments, it’s clear that the Google Pixel 9 and other innovations are opening the way for an exciting future. Whether it’s Google’s new gadgets, Apple’s next big move, or AI that could change the way we live, there’s a lot to keep an eye on. We will track the latest news in our weekly tech reviews, so follow along for fresh news every week.
