Hasta La Gadget!

Google Messages is introducing new features, including an improved gallery, an enhanced camera interface, and an option to send photos in maximum quality. These updates aim to improve the user experience when sharing images via RCS messaging.

One of the key additions is the new quality selector for sending photos. Users can access this option by opening the gallery, selecting an image, and tapping the HD+ icon next to the camera icon in the top-right corner. This brings up a menu with two choices: one to send the image in an optimized (compressed) format suitable for RCS messages and another to send it in original resolution, preserving maximum quality.

Another major update is the revamped integrated camera within Google Messages. The new interface displays the live camera view in the upper portion of the screen, occupying more than half of the display. Below it, users can see the six most recent photos from their gallery, along with quick-access tabs for photos and videos. To remove the gallery preview, users can simply swipe down, while swiping up reveals the full gallery. Additionally, multiple images can be selected at once, including a mix of previously saved photos and new captures.

A small but useful improvement is the addition of a text input box below the selected image. This allows users to type messages alongside their photos, ensuring both are sent together rather than separately.

According to 9to5Google, these new features are already available for users testing the beta version of Google Messages 20250218_01_RC00 and newer versions. With these updates, Google continues to refine its messaging experience, making RCS-based communication more seamless and visually rich.

Google Messages Adds HD Photo Sharing And Improved Camera Interface

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Educational tech company Chegg has sued Google in federal court claiming that its “AI Overviews” that appear ahead of search results have hurt its traffic and revenue. In order to be included in Google’s search results, Chegg alleges, it must “supply content that Google republishes without permission in AI-generated answers that unfairly compete for the attention of users on the internet in violation of antitrust laws of the United States.” 

Previously, publishers like The New York Times have sued AI companies over copyright infringement, accusing them of training large language models (LLMs) on IP material without permission. However, Chegg is taking another approach, instead accusing Google of abusing its monopoly position to force companies to supply materials for its “AI Overviews” on its search page. Failing to do so, it says, means it could effectively be excluded from Google Search altogether. 

Chegg included a screenshot of a Google AI Overview that takes details from Chegg’s website without attribution, though the page in question appears lower down in the search results.

Google told CNBC that it would defend itself against the suit. “Every day, Google sends billions of clicks to sites across the web, and AI Overviews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites,” a spokesperson said.

Google’s use of its monopoly power in this way “amounts to a form of unlawful reciprocal dealing that harms competition in violation of the Sherman Act,” Chegg claimed, while citing a federal judge’s ruling from last year that Google is a monopolist in search. The tech-ed company said that it is particularly affected by these practices because the “breadth, depth, quality and volume of Chegg’s educational content holds enormous value for artificial intelligence applications.” 

Chegg is the latest in a long list of companies suing Google over alleged misappropriation of IP content, though as mentioned, using the Sherman Act is a novel approach. As of January 2025, 38 copyright lawsuits related to AI have been filed in the US, according to a site keeping track of the claims — so far with mixed results. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/educational-tech-company-chegg-sues-google-over-ai-overviews-133017759.html?src=rss

Amazon doesn’t usually do device events in February, but in a year of turbulence, why not? The company is holding a presentation in New York, and, like in the past, Amazon won’t be livestreaming anything.

Engadget will attend, however, and liveblog the event so you’ll know what’s happening. Amazon has teased its next-gen Alexa for what feels like years, promising a conversational vibe and the ability to process and execute complex requests. Is it ready to chat? And what random tech will Amazon cram it into? Clocks? Microwave ovens?

Here’s what we’re expecting.

— Mat Smith

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The biggest tech stories you missed

• Disney+ just dropped an explosive trailer for Andor season 2

• How to get MagSafe charging on an iPhone 16e

• Nintendo Switch 2 is launching soon, here’s everything we know so far

• Slice-of-life soccer game Despelote kicks off on May 1

A fancy camera so minimalist it doesn’t even have a memory card slot

There’s a huge built-in SSD instead.

Sigma

Sigma’s newest camera is the BF, a 24.6-megapixel full-frame, mirrorless camera with a built-in SSD instead of a removable memory card. The BF is compatible with L-mount lenses, and as well as photos, its 35mm full-frame sensor can capture 6K video and supports things like HEVC encoding and capture speeds at up to 120 frames per second. At the highest settings, the camera can cram in up to two and a half hours of video footage — probably enough. The Sigma BF will be available, body-only, for $1,999 in April, in black or silver.

Continue reading.

A second of Google Veo 2 AI video footage will cost 50 cents

A minute will cost $30, then.

Google’s Veo 2 model, announced last December, now has pricing. At the moment, Veo 2 is limited to two-minute clips at up to 4K resolution — a lot more than ChatGPT’s 1080p 20-second snippets. It’s difficult to compare pricing as Sora is part of a subscription-based service. If you’re paying for a $200 ChatGPT Pro plan, that’s 500 videos per month, while the Plus plan caps at 50 videos at 720p and only five seconds.

Even if many don’t bite at that pricing, Google is already testing its Veo 2 AI to generate backgrounds for YouTube Shorts.

Continue reading.

An M4 MacBook Air could be here in just a few weeks

Apple might announce a powerful new Air in March.

Apple

In his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports Apple is readying itself for the launch of the upgraded laptop next month. The company is reportedly winding down inventory of the existing models. The M4 MacBook Air is expected to come in two sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch, like the previous model.

Last year’s M3 MBA launched awkwardly: Apple unveiled the M4 chip just a few months later.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121547503.html?src=rss

The Apple iPhone 16e looks like a solid handset for most consumers. It’s got plenty of power, a gorgeous display and the Action button that first debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro series. It doesn’t, however, offer any way to wirelessly charge the device using MagSafe. 

Just because Apple excluded the feature doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck. Here are a couple of options for using MagSafe charging on an iPhone 16e. The easiest way to get this going is to pick up a MagSafe-compatible smartphone case that has been specifically designed for Apple’s latest handset.

This ESR case seems like a solid entry, and it’s on the cheaper side. We haven’t gotten a chance to review it yet, but an older ESR release with MagSafe functionality easily made our list of the best iPhone cases.

The second option is to go with a simple adapter ring. We recommend this one from PopSockets. It’s budget-friendly, easy to use and allows integration with other MagSafe accessories. Just pop it on a pre-existing case. It’s not compatible with silicone, textured or anti-fingerprint coated cases.

The final option? Charge your phone the old-fashioned way, via USB-C, and just tuck the cable out of the way. This may not fool anyone, but it’ll juice the phone up quicker. The iPhone 16e uses the older Qi1 wireless charging standard and maxes out at 7.5w, while the other iPhone 16 models support Qi2 at speeds up to 25w, provided you have the right charger.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/heres-how-to-get-magsafe-charging-on-an-iphone-16e-201026681.html?src=rss

The Apple iPhone 16e looks like a solid handset for most consumers. It’s got plenty of power, a gorgeous display and the Action button that first debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro series. It doesn’t, however, offer any way to wirelessly charge the device using MagSafe. 

Just because Apple excluded the feature doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck. Here are a couple of options for using MagSafe charging on an iPhone 16e. The easiest way to get this going is to pick up a MagSafe-compatible smartphone case that has been specifically designed for Apple’s latest handset.

This ESR case seems like a solid entry, and it’s on the cheaper side. We haven’t gotten a chance to review it yet, but an older ESR release with MagSafe functionality easily made our list of the best iPhone cases.

The second option is to go with a simple adapter ring. We recommend this one from PopSockets. It’s budget-friendly, easy to use and allows integration with other MagSafe accessories. Just pop it on a pre-existing case. It’s not compatible with silicone, textured or anti-fingerprint coated cases.

The final option? Charge your phone the old-fashioned way, via USB-C, and just tuck the cable out of the way. This may not fool anyone, but it’ll juice the phone up quicker. The iPhone 16e uses the older Qi1 wireless charging standard and maxes out at 7.5w, while the other iPhone 16 models support Qi2 at speeds up to 25w, provided you have the right charger.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/heres-how-to-get-magsafe-charging-on-an-iphone-16e-201026681.html?src=rss