We’re in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a “Help me create” option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.
You aren’t just limited to what’s in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.
Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up like Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys ‘R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.
Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss
We’re in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a “Help me create” option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.
You aren’t just limited to what’s in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.
Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up like Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys ‘R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.
Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss
We’re in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a “Help me create” option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.
You aren’t just limited to what’s in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.
Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up like Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys ‘R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.
Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss
We’re in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a “Help me create” option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.
You aren’t just limited to what’s in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.
Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up like Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys ‘R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.
Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss
We’re in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a “Help me create” option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.
You aren’t just limited to what’s in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.
Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up like Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys ‘R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.
Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss
The November update for Google Pixel devices running Android 15 is rolling out now. This batch doesn’t include exciting new features, like the AI-powered theft protection in the October update, but it has bug fixes and the latest security patches to tighten things up.
The new software includes fixes for known intermittent issues with Bluetooth range, camera tilt when zooming between cameras and unexpected flashing or flickering of white dots or screen brightness. It also has fixes for adaptive brightness not activating, the keyboard dismiss button not working correctly and the performance and stability of some UI transitions and animations.
Android 15 arrived last month for Pixel devices, following the Pixel 9 lineup’s debut in August. The annual software jump focuses on security and privacy, like AI-powered theft detection lock and extra authentication requirements for removing SIMs and deactivating Find My Device.
Google says the November Pixel update is rolling out today and will continue in phases over the next week. You should see a notification when it’s ready for your device and carrier.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-november-pixel-update-is-rolling-out-212243796.html?src=rss
The Quality and Performance modes have both been tweaked to “achieve crisp console visuals without sacrificing smooth performance.” Quality mode can now run at native 4K at 30 fps while Performance mode upscales 1440p to 2160p at 60 fps, thanks to Sony’s proprietary PSSR upscaling technology.
The company has also massively improved the split screen multiplayer experience, which might be worth the price of admission for some. Split screen mode will now allow players to choose from 30 fps or 60 fps, depending on if Quality or Performance mode is engaged.
This update for the PS5 Pro even includes some minor tweaks for the regular PS5 version of the game. For instance, Larian has fixed an issue that prevents people from downloading or subscribing to mods when loading into another player’s multiplayer game with mods enabled.
For the uninitiated, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic RPG that prioritizes player choice above all else. It’s as close a video game has ever come to duplicating the feeling of sitting at a table playing Dungeons and Dragons. Also, you can have sex with a bear.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/here-are-all-of-the-enhancements-for-baldurs-gate-on-ps5-pro-194530443.html?src=rss
The Google Nest wired indoor camera is $70 via Amazon as part of an early Black Friday deal. The cam is normally $100, so this represents a savings of 30 percent. This is close to a record low price, which is never a bad thing. The sale includes three colorways, including white, beige and light blue.
The second-gen wired device is designed for indoor use, thus the name, and is capable of capturing 1080p HDR video. It’s motion sensitive and uses a bit of AI trickery to discern between people, animals and vehicles. The camera also includes night vision and an hour of event recording on the device itself, which comes in handy in the case of a Wi-Fi outage.
There’s a two-way audio function, as the camera includes both a microphone and a speaker. People can boot up the affiliated Google Home app to spark up a conversation. This app also lets you instantly call up emergency services if the conversation doesn’t go as planned, though that requires a Nest Aware subscription.
This brings us to a fairly significant caveat, though this one pops up with most modern security cameras. A whole lot of stuff is locked behind that aforementioned Nest Aware paywall, which costs $8 per month or $80 each year. This plan gives purchasers 60 days of video history and the ability to watch live streams on smart displays and even smart TVs. Subscribers will even receive alerts when familiar faces are recognized by the camera.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-bring-the-google-nest-wired-indoor-camera-down-to-just-70-160944871.html?src=rss
Apple’s excellent MacBook Pros are faster than ever with its new M4 chips. That’s it, that’s the review. Their screens are slightly brighter, and the 14-inch model now starts with 16GB of RAM, but otherwise these are the same laptops that have been around since the M1 Pro redesign in 2021. Really, though, it’s not as if Apple had much to improve on. The MacBook Pros have been among our favorite premium laptops for years — now they’re just better.
When I last reviewed Apple’s MacBook Pros, I concluded by saying, “Just try to save up for 16GB of RAM.” Now, thanks to the increasing memory demands of Apple Intelligence, that’s not something anyone will have to worry about again. That makes the $1,599 14-inch MacBook Pro a far better deal than before (you previously had to add on another $200 to get to 16GB). The 16-inch model, which starts at $2,499 with 24GB of RAM, is also a better choice for big-screen fans since its M4 Pro chip is a tremendous upgrade over last year’s hardware.
What’s new in the M4 MacBook Pros?
The star of the show this year are Apple’s new M4, M4 Pro chips and M4 Max chips. The M4 features a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, while the Pro bumps up to a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU. The Max model, as usual, goes even harder: It features a 16-core CPU and a whopping 40-core GPU.
As you’d expected, the prices for those more powerful chips escalate dramatically: The M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 ($400 more than the base model), while the M4 Max model starts at $3,199. At least you get slight RAM and storage bumps with those pricier chips, the M4 Pro starts with 24GB of RAM, while the Max model includes 36GB RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Aside from dramatically better chips, all of the new MacBook Pros feature MiniLED Liquid Retina XDR screens that can reach up to 1,000 nits for SDR (standard dynamic range) content. That’s a 400-nit increase from before, and it should help make content far more visible in daylight or in very bright rooms. (HDR content, as usual, can push the display even further to a peak of 1,600 nits.) There’s also a nano-texture glass option (for a $150 surcharge) that can make the screens more glare resistant, which is useful for working in bright environments. Note, however, that it can also make the screen appear less sharp.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Apple also upgraded the MacBook Pros’ webcams to 12-megapixels, a major leap over the previous 1080p camera. (Apple hasn’t confirmed the megapixel figure for that camera, but it’s likely around 2MP, the bare minimum to reach 1080p). Having a higher resolution camera also opens the door for Center Stage, which can keep you in focus as you move around your room.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
I didn’t hate Apple’s previous webcams, but mostly that’s because I remember how mediocre its older 720p webcams used to be. The new models look far sharper with more accurate colors, and the overall image doesn’t look as heavily filtered as the previous cameras. They also support Desk View (above), Apple’s helpful feature for showing off objects below your screen.
If you’re often dealing with large file transfers, you might also appreciate support for Thunderbolt 5 on the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. It can support up to 120 Gb/s speeds, up from 40 Gb/s in Thunderbolt 4, which the standard M4 chip includes. That could make a huge difference if you’re moving terabytes worth of 4K and 8K videos onto external drives – just note you’ll need to invest in similarly equipped Thunderbolt 5 storage. Thunderbolt 5 could potentially allow for external AI accelerators (unfortunately, Apple Silicon doesn’t support external GPUs).
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
In use: The best MacBook Pros yet
I didn’t really expect much from the new MacBook Pros, especially since the previous M3 models were already very impressive. But, once again, Apple managed to surprise me with its mobile hardware. The M4 chip, which was in our 14-inch review unit, was a solid performer. But the M4 Pro in our 16-inch MacBook Pro was an astonishing leap ahead of its predecessor, and it’s also faster than every other computer we’ve tested this year (aside from the new Mac mini, which also had a M4 Pro chip).
Unfortunately, we didn’t have an M4 Max-equipped MacBook Pro to test, but given that it’s filled with more M4 CPU and GPU cores, I’d expect another major performance jump.
Computer
Geekbench 6
Geekbench 6 GPU
Cinebench 2024
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
3,797/14,571
37,869
172/979 GPU: 3770
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)
3,925/22,456
70,197
178/1,689 GPU 9,295
Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite)
2,797/14,400
19,963
123/969 GPU N/A
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2024)
3,202/21,312
92,344
143/1,686 GPU 13,182
In Geekbench 6’s CPU benchmark, the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro scored 1,000 to 1,500 points higher than other recent laptops when it came to single-threaded work. Its multi-threaded performance lead was more slim, but it still beat out Intel’s new Lunar Lake chips and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite. The M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro scored similarly for single-threaded work, but it blew the competition by 9,000 to 12,500 points. That performance gap alone is equivalent to the multi-threaded Geekbench 6 scores from other laptops this year! (It’s also slightly faster than last year’s M3 Max chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, another major achievement.)
Cinebench 2024 scores tell a similar story. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro scored well above the competition in the single-threaded test. The M4 system was on-par with the best multi-threaded scores we saw from the Surface Laptop 7 (powered by a Snapdragon X Elite chip) and HP Omnibook Ultra 14 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375). But the M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, once again, handily outclassed other systems with its multithreaded score, which was nearly double what we’ve been seeing throughout the year.
Cinebench’s GPU benchmark puts the M4 Pro’s graphics performance in line with NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 in Dell’s XPS 16, while the M4 chip is in line with the Framework Laptop 16’s Radeon 7700S. That’s all about what I expected after testing the Mac mini with an M4 Pro chip, and it’s simply astonishing to see that level of performance from a mobile-focused GPU.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
When it comes to games, the M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro was able to maintain 60fps in Lies of P, Resident Evil 4 and Myst while playing in 1,440p with the graphics settings cranked to the max. 4K was possible, but typically slowed things down to around 30fps, which isn’t very playable on a computer. The M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, meanwhile, handled those same games in 1080p at 60fps. We typically wouldn’t recommend gaming much on Macs, but Apple’s graphics hardware is hard to ignore at this point, and the company is also working to get more high profile titles in the App Store, like Remedy’s Control.
To put Apple’s Neural Engine to the test, I also used the Whisper Transcription app (AKA MacWhisper) to turn an hour and nine-minute long podcast episode into a transcript. The M4 14-inch MacBook Pro took three minutes and two seconds, while the M4 Pro 16-inch model took two minutes and 11 seconds (similar to what I saw on the M4 Mac mini). In comparison, an M3 14-inch MacBook Pro took three minutes and thirty-seven seconds.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
While the speed upgrades are more than welcome, in my testing I noticed that both of the MacBook Pros’ screens were easier to see in bright sunlight. That alone isn’t enough to upgrade for if you’ve already got an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, but it’s definitely something to look forward to. And even though Apple’s keyboard and enormous trackpad haven’t changed, they’re still among the best in the industry. I also still appreciate having a wide variety of ports on these systems: three USB-C connections (Thunderbolt 4 with the M4, Thunderbolt 5 with the M4 Pro), an HDMI port, a headphone jack, a MagSafe power connector and an SD card reader.
Both MacBook Pros also continue to deliver excellent battery life. The 14-inch lasted for 34 hours and 15 minutes while looping an HD video, whereas the 16-inch went for 30 hours and 16 minutes. That’s the first time we’ve seen our video rundown test go beyond 30 hours. In real-world usage, I could typically use both machines for general productivity work for two days without needing a recharge. That’s the benefit of relying on power-sipping mobile hardware.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Should you buy the new M4 MacBook Pros?
There’s no doubt these new MacBook Pros are compelling, especially if you need the raw power of the M4 Pro (or conceivably, the M4 Max). If you’re running an M1 MacBook Pro, or still trucking along with an Intel model, you’ll definitely see some notable performance gains from these machines. But if you’ve got an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the M4 hardware is less of a qualitative leap. You’re probably better off waiting for the eventual OLED refresh, which is rumored to happen in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-14-inch-and-16-inch-review-2024-brace-yourself-for-m4-speed-140057584.html?src=rss
Camera companies are starting to get the hang of marketing entry-level cameras with features that help beginners take great photos right away. Nikon’s $910 Z50 II mirrorless joins that trend with a dedicated “Picture Control” button that produces fun, social media-ready looks. The new model also promises faster shooting speeds than the five-year-old Z50, improved autofocus and better-quality video.
There’s no question that the Z50 II is aimed at the creator crowd with a host of new features borrowed from Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic. That starts with the Picture Control button (not a dial) that offers 31 presets like Denim, Toy Camera and Carbon, for both photos and video. It also lets you download “Imaging Recipes” from the Nikon Imaging Cloud, with custom presets for color, brightness, hue and more, à laPanasonic’s S9. On the video side, it now offers a Product Review Mode that immediately focuses from a creator’s face to a product they hold up, exactly like Sony’s Product Showcase feature.
Nikon
At the same time, the Z50 II is surprisingly powerful. You can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps (JPEG only) in electronic mode or 11 fps (RAW/JPEG) with the mechanical shutter. Autofocus has been overhauled to be more responsive and now includes 3D tracking with AI modes for animals, birds and vehicles — along with an auto mode that selects the subject for you.
Video is also much improved. It offers oversampled 4K 30p (no crop) and 4K 60p (1.5x crop), compared to just 4K 30p before. Better still, it now offers N-Log 10-bit shooting compared to just 8-bit with no log on the Z50. That should greatly improve dynamic range and give video shooters more room for creativity in the edit suite.
Steve Dent for Engadget
One downside to this camera is the resolution, which is on the low side in this price range at 20.9 megapixels. It also lacks in-body stabilization, so you’ll need to rely on electronic stabilization for video (which adds a small crop) or purchase lenses with built in stabilization (VR, as Nikon calls it). I’m also not a fan of the boring body, but I imagine that Nikon will be releasing a Zfc II later with the same features in a retro design.
Other features include a built-in flash, flip-out display, brighter 2.36-million dot EVF (now 1,000 nits), a single UHS-II card slot, mic and headphone jacks, a tally lamp, waveform display, USB streaming support and a wider ISO range up to 512,000. The Nikon Z50 II is now on pre-order for $960 (body only) or $1,050 with a Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-z50-ii-targets-creators-with-a-dedicated-film-simulation-button-133037492.html?src=rss
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