Latest news with #Assist
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I tried Hold Assist in iOS 26, and it solves one of the most annoying things about phone calls — here's how it works
iOS 26 promises to put a stop to those seemingly endless waits on hold — or at least, it will put a stop to you having to stay on the line and being driven slowly mad by the jarring hold music. Instead, a new Hold Assist feature in iOS 26 does the waiting for you, buzzing you with a notification when there's a live person ready to talk to you. Hold Assist isn't necessarily a ground-breaking feature. Google has offered a Hold for Me feature dating back to 2020. But it's a new iPhone feature that you'll certainly appreciate whether you download the iOS 26 public beta now or wait for the full release coming later this fall. Hold Assist in iOS 26 is the very best kind of iPhone feature, in that it requires no intervention on your part to kick into action. Unlike call screening — another iOS 26 addition to the Phone app — you don't even have to turn on a setting. Hold Assist just works from the minute you install the update. There's another bonus to the Hold Assist feature: it works on any iPhone that supports iOS 26. In other words, this is not an Apple Intelligence feature but one every upgrader can turn to. After testing the feature on an iPhone 15 Pro for my iOS 26 preview, I've now tested Hold Assist on an iPhone 12, and the feature works just as well on the older device. Even though Hold Assist requires minimal effort on your part, there still is some effort involved. So here's what to expect once you upgrade to iOS 26 and someone tries to put you on hold. Let's say you're on a phone call, and you get put on hold. It happened to me with this test call to Best Buy's customer service number when I opted to speak to a live agent. While Hold Assist won't launch right away, it does launch automatically — on my call, I was maybe on hold for 10 to 15 seconds before a notification appeared on the screen. "Hold this Call?" the message reads. There's a Hold button to tap to activate Hold Assist or an X to dismiss the message and stay on hold. Once you tap Hold, you'll leave the Phone app and go back to your iPhone's home screen, where a Call Assist notification will appear, explaining that you're on hold and you'll be notified when it's time to pick up the call. After a bit, that notification will disappear, but you'll still see visual proof that the call is continuing. On my iPhone 12, the time in the upper left corner of the screen appeared in the same green bubble that shows up when I exit the phone app during calls. On iPhones with a Dynamic Island, the phone icon appears as a live activity. When Hold Assist detects that a live person has picked up your call, you'll get a notification. Tap it to return. Maybe you hastily dismissed Hold Assist when the notification in Step 1 first appeared, but now you're wishing you had taken up your iPhone's offer to monitor the line for you. No worries — just tap the More button on the call screen, and tap Hold Assist from the menu that appears. Hold Assist isn't flawless at this point. Those notifications that appear when you're taken off hold can be easy to miss. If there was an alert noise that sounded during any of my tests calls, I missed it — instead, I knew that I had been taken off hold because I happened to be looking at my iPhone screen on around the time the notification popped up. I'd like the alert to be a bit harder to miss. I do appreciate the fact that Apple gives you two ways of triggering Hold Assist — the manual way as well the automatic detection. That provides some flexibility in case you miss your first prompt to enable the feature. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The nice thing about this being a beta is that there's still opportunity to fine-tune the feature ahead of its fall release. So we could get that more prominent alert or a quicker way to return to calls once you're no longer on hold. But even in its present format, Hold Assist is a great iOS 26 addition. It takes one of the more frustrating things with modern communication and handles it for you. And isn't that what good technology does?
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Bicycles to all govt high school students in Addanki
Addanki: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar announced that bicycles will be distributed to all government high school students in the Addanki constituency to reduce dropout rates and encourage education. With the help and support of donors, the minister distributed bicycles to 137 students at Zilla Parishad High School in Vellalacheruvu of Santhamaguluru on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, the minister explained that the bicycle distribution programme aims to encourage students toward high school education while reducing dropouts in government schools. He announced that they will provide bicycles to all boys and girls in government high schools within the Addanki constituency. Minister Gottipati emphasised that today's students will become excellent citizens for the state tomorrow only if they study well. He stressed that students should focus on their studies during their academic years and engage in politics at the appropriate time. He thanked his friends, various companies, and voluntary organisations like Assist for their financial support in distributing bicycles to students. The minister highlighted that Minister Lokesh has introduced several reforms in the education system to provide quality education to government school students in Andhra Pradesh. He observed that Minister Lokesh intends to separate politics from education. He said that students have already been provided with quality uniforms, shoes, bags, and books. The coalition government has no intention of using colours on the bags or other material, the minister noted. Minister Gottipati also participated in the 'Suparipalanalo Tholi Adugu' at the village and inaugurated CC roads and side drains constructed at Rs 30 lakh. He also inaugurated a new black burley tobacco purchase centre at Tammavaram of Korisapadu mandal in Bapatla district on Tuesday. He assured farmers not to worry and promised that the government would purchase tobacco up to the last leaf sent by farmers. The minister clarified that even low-grade tobacco rejected in the name of quality will be purchased through Markfed.
Tom's Guide
14-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Your Questions Answered: How Galaxy AI Streamlines Your Workflow
In today's fast-paced world, finding ways to optimize your daily routine and keep a steady pace is more crucial than ever. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the aid of Galaxy AI*, can help you stay focused and accomplish tasks efficiently. Galaxy AI works behind the scenes on the Galaxy S25 to help you organise meetings, easily access essential information, and move through a to-do list without stumbling. How does this all work in practice? Here are some of the most common questions about using Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S25 to streamline your workflow. Browsing Assist** helps you cram by summarizing the most important parts of what you're reading. The feature is available in the Samsung Internet browser app. Once it's turned on from the settings, Browsing Assist will sprout up the Summarize button, which you can press to get the key takeaways from the text in easy-to-scan bullet points. The Galaxy AI keyboard on the Galaxy S25 gets the gist of what you're trying to say, even when you're not in the mood. Once it's toggled on, Galaxy AI Writing Assist*** uses predictive text to analyze what you're typing and suggests the appropriate words and phrases to give a sentence or paragraph a friendly tone. If you need a photo studio-quality image in a pinch, the Galaxy S25 can help capture it with its high-resolution camera system and Galaxy AI. Use the Galaxy AI Portrait**** mode in the camera app against a plain backdrop, and it will automatically blur the edges in the right spots to mimic a shallow depth of field and help the subject stand out. Stay present during the meeting by recording it with Voice Recorder, and then transcribe the recording with Note Assist*****. Galaxy AI will process the audio and lay out a full transcription, complete with who said what and the topics discussed. It's a helpful way to keep notes on conversations, and it makes them searchable. Sometimes, hurried note-taking is the only option when moving fast. If you're using the Galaxy S25 Ultra with the S Pen, Note Assist can help summarize your scrawls into concise points. You don't have to worry about formatting handwriting into legible text. Even if you don't have a stylus, Note Assist can also help with transcribing meetings and translating content into other languages. The morning stock reports and business news often sets the tone for the day. Stay informed about what's happening during your commute with Galaxy AI Now Brief****** on the S25. This handy feature delivers you the day's weather, top headlines on subjects you prioritize, and schedule and commute information. If you sync up Samsung Health, use the same feature to check on sleep and other health-related information throughout the day. Find out more about what the Samsung Galaxy S25 can do on the Samsung website - and keep your eyes peeled for the next instalment in the Galaxy Z series coming very soon! * Samsung account login is required for certain AI features.
Fast Company
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Fast Company
Built for the badge: Inside Motorola Solutions' next-gen public safety tech
Police officers' uniforms are an emblem of duty and sacrifice. More than just fabric, they carry up to 40 pounds of gear across 12-hour shifts. From radios and speaker mics to body cameras, every tool adds to the weight—physically and mentally. Now, two new innovations from Motorola Solutions are aiming to change that. SVX and Assist, the company's latest innovations, were co-developed with law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and mark a shift in how public safety technology is designed: less hardware clutter, more real-time intelligence, and tools that work as seamlessly as the officers who use them. DESIGNED FOR THE FIELD, NOT THE LAB SVX is the first-of-its-kind video speaker mic that merges three essential tools into one: secure voice, high-definition video, and real-time AI. By combining the radio and body camera into a single wireless device, Motorola Solutions has cut the weight of these tools by more than half. 'It's 55% lighter than our standard body camera and wired mic together,' says Jack Molloy, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Motorola Solutions. 'SVX eliminates the need for officers to carry separate body cameras, which also helps reduce the total cost of ownership.' Out in the field, an officer's most trusted lifeline is their radio. 'Exceptional audio clarity is non-negotiable,' says Molloy. Integrating seamlessly with the APX NEXT radio, SVX is equipped with the company's latest generation ambient noise reduction, allowing officers to communicate clearly despite blaring sirens or traffic. At the same time, SVX's high-definition video retains all ambient sound to protect the integrity of everything an officer sees and hears through the camera. SVX is also powered by Assist, the company's AI for public safety. Designed to tackle the job's cognitive load, Assist surfaces crucial context and actionable information to support an officer in real-time. For example, Assist can turn SVX into a live language translator with a community member, or guide an officer with steps to administering a life-saving EpiPen. Assist can also automatically tag and organize video footage and pre-populate police reports with data from the entire incident, from the officer's perspective. 'We're not replacing human judgment,' Molloy says. 'We're elevating it.' A SIMPLER WAY TO SERVE These innovations didn't emerge from a whiteboard. They were developed through real-world testing with hundreds of officers and dozens of agencies across the country. 'We don't innovate in a vacuum,' says Molloy. 'Our R&D approach is 'customer first.'' From domestic calls to foot pursuits, Motorola Solutions' teams observed how smarter design could improve speed, safety and awareness. 'We understand that in moments of highest stress—when lives are on the line—less is more,' says Molloy. That's why SVX and Assist are designed to be intuitive, fast and fail-safe. Everything, from the wireless technology to the interface, is stress-tested for optimal performance when it matters most. That philosophy led to critical SVX features like rugged wireless design, swappable batteries for long shifts, and flexible mounting options for different uniforms. For Assist, the focus was on reducing the 30% of an officer's shift often spent on administrative work—and the 40-60% of report writing time devoted to basic data entry. BETTER TOOLS, GREATER TRUST The early response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. Officers cited better audio, improved mobility, and reduced physical burden. Assist is already helping agencies reduce paperwork, freeing up more time for officers to spend in the community, building relationships and trust. Security and ethical use are also core to the design. SVX connects to an officer's APX smart radio via a secure, rigorously tested Bluetooth connection, and Assist is CJIS-compliant, meaning it adheres to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Security Policy—a testament to its robust security. Every innovation undergoes review by the company's technical advisory committee, MTAC, to align with the highest ethical standards and broader community impact. BUILDING THE FUTURE OF SAFETY Molloy says Motorola Solutions' 97-year legacy is a testament to working side-by-side with their customers, understanding their daily realities, and attentively addressing their needs and concerns. 'Their unwavering insight, collaboration, and willingness to iterate are truly at the heart of our progress,' he says. For Motorola Solutions, this is just the beginning. As public safety continues to evolve, Molloy sees a future built around integrated intelligence—where every tool works together, data flows seamlessly, and officers can focus fully on the communities they serve. 'We're solving real problems for real people,' says Molloy. 'That's the kind of innovation that lasts.'
Tom's Guide
06-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I generated 5 AI images with iPhone vs Galaxy vs Pixel — here's the winner
This article is part of our AI Phone Face-Off. If you're interested in our other comparisons, check out the links below. One of the most impressive AI features on phones is the ability to generate images. While there are valid arguments regarding AI and art, there's no avoiding the fact that phones can create some pretty impressive designs. With that being said, the quality and ability of AI features like image generation can vary massively between devices. With that in mind, we here at Tom's Guide are testing some of the best phones to see which offers the best experience in every AI feature. With that in mind, I grabbed my iPhone 15 Pro Max, alongside a Samsung Galaxy S25 and a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, to see which offered the best image generation. So let's see what these phones managed to create, and who deserves to be crowned the winner. This comparison is focused on each phone's native AI image tool, which means I will be exclusively using Apple's Image Playground, Samsung's Drawing Assist and Google Pixel Studio. Also, while I might be using the last generation of iPhone, there's no difference in the images it produces compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max or any other Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone available right now. In some scenarios, the devices won't be able to create certain images, likely due to some underlying rules on appropriate prompts. In such cases, a phone will be disqualified for that round. For the first prompt, I wanted to see how the devices could handle creating several layers, as well as the bones, which can be complex. However, Pixel Studio refused to generate the image. So the first round is immediately down to only two competitors the iPhone and the Galaxy. The iPhone's image has the most intricate background, but the actual skeleton is lacking in a lot of detail. At a glance, you can see that the ribcage melds into the coat for some reason, while the skull's teeth are a mess. Meanwhile, the Drawing Assist version has more detail, with noticeable layers and a much more realistic-looking skull. WINNER: Galaxy S25 For my next image, I wanted to see how the phones handled creating a detailed image while hiding elements within it, rather than having them front and center. The iPhone seemed to have the most issues with this concept. While the goblin is certainly monstrous, it's neither creepy nor very well hidden. Meanwhile, Google Pixel's image was certainly creepy, and it managed to add more than one goblin, but again, it seemed to struggle with the hiding aspect. Drawing Assist's attempt shows off a creepy-looking tree and manages to hide the goblins within its roots. I also really like the use of shading in the entire image, which is an area Samsung seems to excel in. WINNER: Galaxy S25 With this prompt, I wanted to see if the AI could place generated characters into a larger element, in this case, a spaceship. The Galaxy phone opted for stuffed animals on a ship rather than kids. It's stylish and offers some nice shading, but not what I asked for. Apple's Image Playground did work, but only after I tried several different inputs, including a different AI-generated image of a person, to get the desired result. It's certainly the most detailed character in any of the three generated images, but the background is overly confusing and doesn't really sell the idea of a spaceship. The Pixel phone offered the closest to what I asked, and managed to make an image with a lot of little details. For instance, it appears to have made the kids all look like siblings, while also generating something that resembled a Pixar poster. WINNER: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL This one is easily my favourite prompt, as it allows the phones to show off their interpretive ability in how well they can fit the larger dinosaur comfortably into a boat. The Google Pixel, which uses a very lifelike t-rex, but there's a lack of dynamic motion, and the dinosaur just looks placed in the image rather than a part of it. Meanwhile, the iPhone went for a more cartoony design, with some great-looking water surrounding the boat. But unfortunately, it also shows some common generation mistakes we frequently see in AI art. The dinosaur (which is the least t-rex-looking of the trio) has ended up with four nostrils and two tails. Finally, we have the Samsung Galaxy, which also went for a more realistic route. However, the big difference is that it managed to make the T-rex feel like part of the image, rather than something imposed over the top. Even if the oars going under the arms looks a bit odd. WINNER: Galaxy S25 For the final image, I wanted to see how the phones handled creating images with two charaters with different emotions on display. This prompt was the first time that Samsung wouldn't play ball, with the Galaxy S25 failing to generate anything. Apple's iPhone is currently limited to only being able to generate a single person into an image, but it managed to give the old man a suitably sad look. However, the hands of the character are completely off, with missing fingers and an odd arm length. Meanwhile, the Pixel managed to create an image with a subtle play of emotion and a nice blurring effect to help pull focus. However, for some reason, it added what appears to be a pair of metal studs in the old man's forehead. WINNER: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL For the most part, I would say that none of the phones offer foolproof image generation, at least not yet. However, as we've come to expect from Apple Intelligence, Image Playground is certainly the weakest at this point. However, we should see improvements here when iOS 26 launches, plus it was the only phone to create an image for all five categories. Google's Pixel Studio makes some good offerings, but it struggles with more complex subjects. However, the recent addition of the ability to generate lifelike people helps it to stand apart from the others. Therefore, I would have to classify Samsung's Drawing Assist as the winner. Though some of its generated images vary wildly in quality, it was still the most consistent. However, art is purely subjective, so I am curious about what you think: which one is your favorite, or do you think AI should stay out of art entirely?
