Google's Pixel 8 Pro is $599, and includes a free Pixel Watch 2
The Pixel 8 Pro launched in late 2023, meaning it has just a little over five years of OS updates left before it's no longer supported. In other words, there's plenty of life left in this phone. This model has a 120Hz refresh rate OLED screen that can go down to 1Hz with its always-on display to save battery life. You'll be glad to have the free case, as the Pixel 8 Pro's back glass is matte-textured, which Verge reviewer Allison Johnson found made it more slippery to hold, not less. Read our review.
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15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump pauses export controls to bolster China trade deal, FT says
(Reuters) -The U.S. has paused curbs on tech exports to China to avoid disrupting trade talks with Beijing and support President Donald Trump's efforts to secure a meeting with President Xi Jinping this year, the Financial Times said on Monday. The industry and security bureau of the Commerce Department, which oversees export controls, has been told in recent months to avoid tough moves on China, the newspaper said, citing current and former officials. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House and the department did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside business hours. Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials are set to resume talks in Stockholm on Monday to tackle longstanding economic disputes at the centre of a trade war between the world's top two economies. Tech giant Nvidia said this month it would resume sales of its H20 graphics processing units (GPU) to China, reversing an export curb the Trump administration imposed in April to keep advanced AI chips out of Chinese hands over national security concerns. The planned resumption was part of U.S. negotiations on rare earths and magnets, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said. The paper said 20 security experts and former officials, including former deputy US national security adviser Matt Pottinger, will write on Monday to Lutnick to voice concern, however. "This move represents a strategic misstep that endangers the United States' economic and military edge in artificial intelligence," they write in the letter, it added. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
16 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
I tested ChatGPT Agent on 5 everyday tasks — here's what happened
Since the announcement of ChatGPT Agent, I'd been eagerly awaiting the model to show up in my menu of tools. ChatGPT Plus users should all have the new model now. If you don't see it, try logging out and back in it appeared, I just had to know, could the AI actually do things like cancel subscriptions, plan a family trip and order my lunch? To find out, I tested ChatGPT Agent with five very real tasks from my everyday life. Some were impressive. Others were frustrating. But all of them offered a glimpse into what the future of AI-powered assistance might actually look like. Here's what happened when I put ChatGPT Agent to work. Prompt: 'Help me find the Big Into Energy Labubu near me.'I've already found the Big into Energy Labubu with Google Search, but I wanted to see if using ChatGPT Agent was any easier. As one of the hottest toys on the market, it's nearly impossible to track one of these things followed up questioning whether I wanted more information or to purchase one. In this case, I said purchase because information is much easier to find. From there, the AI went to work. I could actually see it checking various websites, reading information, thinking and more within the chat window. In six minutes, the Agent found the Labubu I requested, added it to the cart, and headed to the checkout. It then asked for my shipping address and credit card information. I was able to take control of ChatGPT's browser to finalize the sale. Verdict: This was much faster and easier than using Google. I will definitely be using ChatGPT Agent in the future for hard-to-find items. Prompt:"Plan a 4-day family trip to San Diego, including flights from Newark, hotel options with a pool, and activities for kids under 10. Book everything using my Google account and save an itinerary in Google Docs." When I attempted to move on to the second task, my entire computer crashed and I got an error. After logging back in again, I was able to start a new prompt was a very ambitious task, but I decided to go big to really see what the ChatGPT Agent could do. The AI truly flexed its potential and its limits with this one. The agent searched Google Flights, compared hotels with kid-friendly amenities, and listed family attractions like the San Diego Zoo, LEGOLAND, and beach days. It created a beautiful daily itinerary in Docs and even embedded links to book the trip. Luckily, booking required my manual approval. For privacy and safety reasons (thankfully), the agent doesn't auto-purchase flights or rooms. Instead, it pre-filled forms and waited for me to hit "confirm." Honestly, I don't think I could ever let AI handle this part for me. I'm too much of a control freak when it comes to vacations and I don't trust AI. Verdict: An incredible planning tool and I think it's fun to see the AI 'working' through the prompt. I don't think that will ever get old. Prompt: "Create a 5-day healthy dinner meal plan under 600 calories per meal. Then generate a grocery list, check prices at my local ShopRite, and export it to a spreadsheet." Meal planning is one of those chores that sounds easy until it's 5 p.m. and your fridge is full of random ingredients that don't go together. ChatGPT Agent solved that problem fast. It generated five balanced dinner recipes (lemon herb chicken, veggie stir-fry, ravioli, etc.) with simple ingredients and clear instructions. Then it built a grocery list categorized by section (produce, pantry, dairy), checked local prices through Instacart data, and exported everything to Google Sheets. It even told me which ingredients were on sale nearby. I emailed the list to myself to use next time I go shopping. Verdict: I often refer to AI as a 'game-changer' sometimes ad nauseum, but it's so wildly helpful for things like this, that I can't think of a better descriptor. This task felt like having a personal nutritionist and assistant rolled into one. 10/10 will use again. Prompt: "Order me a chicken Caesar wrap and a lemonade from DoorDash." Luckily, ChatGPT didn't crash after the first time and I was ready to order lunch. Immediately arriving on DoorDash, the AI asked me to log in. I wanted to make this as 'hands off' as possible so I told it to use the site as a guest. I had read in several forums that ordering food had caused some users to get frustrated at ChatGPT Agent. So I was prepared for things to go awry. The only hiccup I had was the AI not knowing my zip code because it signed in as a guest. Once I told it, everything went ordered my lunch and then handed everything over to me when it was time to pay and enter my address. Because I hadn't specified a restaurant, I was impressed by ChatGPT's ability to find a chicken Caesar wrap on its More of a helpful sidekick than a hands-free solution. This wasn't much of a time saver and I probably will order lunch for myself without using ChatGPT Agent. Prompt: 'I have to renew my license and get a real ID. Can you book an appointment for me at my local Department of Motor Vehicles?'When I got a notice in the mail the other day that I couldn't renew my license online, I got that feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. The thought of spending hours at my local Motor Vehicle office especially in the summer, was overwhelming. But in 19 seconds, ChatGPT pulled up everything I needed to book an appointment and I was all set. Zero hassle. Verdict: Fast, smart and surprisingly effective for a niche errand. ChatGPT Agent isn't perfect, but it's one of the most capable AI tools I've tested to date. It won't replace your human assistant just yet, but if you're like me and don't have a human assistant to begin with, it's the next best thing. It can handle real, time-consuming tasks that go far beyond answering questions or summarizing PDFs. If you're already using ChatGPT Plus or Team, it's absolutely worth trying — just be prepared to step in here and there and occasionally restart the app completely. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Digital Trends
16 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
Remember Ingenuity? NASA's proposed Skyfall mission takes it further in stunning video
NASA's incredible Ingenuity helicopter spent nearly three flying across the surface of Mars, becoming the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on a planet other than Earth. After suffering damage to one of its blades in early 2024, Ingenuity was grounded for good, and now rests on the martian surface as a testament to technological innovation and the triumph of autonomous flight on another planet. In an exciting development, the plucky helicopter has now inspired Skyfall, a mission concept recently unveiled by Virginia-based AeroVironment (AV) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), who worked together to develop the Ingenuity aircraft. As you can see in the video at the top of this page, the Skyfall mission is designed to deploy not one but six helicopters on Mars, each of which would fly off to explore various locations selected by NASA as potential landing spots for the first crewed mission to the red planet, which could take place in the 2030s. The gathered data could also help scientists learn more about Mars, contributing to the expanding database of information collected by other Mars vehicles such as the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers. The video shows the dramatic Skyfall Maneuver, described by AV as 'an innovative entry, descent, and landing technique whereby the six rotorcraft deploy from their entry capsule during its descent through the martian atmosphere.' With the helicopters flying down to the Mars surface under their own power, the Skyfall system would do away with the need for a landing platform, which is one of the most expensive parts of any Mars mission and also carries huge risk. Just like Ingenuity, each helicopter would be capable of operating autonomously, and beam high-resolution imagery back to Earth for analysis, allowing mission planners to select the best possible landing location for the first human mission. 'Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it,' said William Pomerantz, head of space ventures at AV. 'Thanks to a true partnership between industry and government, we're expanding the unprecedented success of Ingenuity.' Pomerantz added that with six helicopters, 'Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct, making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer.' With NASA's first human missions in mind and the need to identify an ideal landing area, AV is already working with NASA's JPL in the hope of getting the green light for the mission before working toward a potential 2028 launch.
