Latest news with #MagicEraser
Phone Arena
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Phone Arena
Latest iPhone ad promotes new iOS 26 AI feature that is an old Pixel 6 AI feature
In October 2021, Google unveiled the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It was the start of Google's renewed focus on making the Pixel an iPhone challenger. The previous Pixel model, the Pixel 5, was a mid-ranger. The Pixel 6 introduced Google's first application processor (AP), the Tensor, although it was mostly based on an Exynos AP. Still, it allowed Google to make the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro the first smartphones with a native AI and machine learning feature that previously could only be found on a smartphone with an app installed. The feature, the Magic Eraser, allowed users to circle distractions in a photo and have them disappear. As Apple is wont to do, it copied the feature, gave it a new name, and is now promoting it as "Clean Up." We first told you about this feature in June 2024. Now, over a year later, Apple has the feature starring in its latest television commercial for the iPhone 16 series. The ad is titled "Clean Up Photos: Cat." The ad shows a husband looking at his iPhone, sitting in a chair on the left side of the scene, while his wife is on the right side, sitting on a couch, reading a book. The couple's cat Garrett is on the couch near the wife. The husband takes his iPhone, snaps a picture of his wife and the cat. By using his finger to draw a circle around the cat, the feline disappears, turning a photo of the wife and the cat into a picture of just the wife, reading a book. The husband shows the AI-edited photo to his wife, which shows that the cat is gone. Putting on a sad face the wife goes back to her book and says, practically under her breath, "I always knew you hated Garrett." The color drains from the husband's face, and he stares at the cat on the couch. After all, Garrett really didn't disappear in real life of course, only in the photo. The husband taps the screen on his iPhone, and the cat returns to the picture. That makes the wife smile, which makes the husband smile. Poor Garrett can only stare emotionless at the man who dared to remove him from a photograph. To use "Clean Up," pick a photo from the iOS Photos app, tap the "Edit" icon at the bottom of the display, which looks like three slider controls. Make sure the AUTO feature is on (the icon, near the bottom of the screen, looks like a magic wand). The last icon on the right of the display says"Clean Up." Tap on it, use your fingernail to circle the item you want removed, and it is removed on your screen as AI magic creates the new background. The ad is slightly over one minute in length and will probably be edited down to 30 seconds. You'll probably see it this weekend while watching televised sporting events such as Major League Baseball. Google's Magic Eraser later led to the creation of the Magic Editor, which can add content to fill the gaps in the pictures on your compatible Pixel models. It can also remove distracting items from photographs, like the Magic Eraser, and move and resize items. The Magic Editor debuted with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and has since been made available to users of the Pixel 6 series and later. It will be interesting to see if Apple increases the capabilities of "Clean Up" just as Google did with the Magic Eraser. Apple recently took another AI feature that debuted on the Pixel 6 line, added it to certain iPhone models, and gave it a different name. Google's "Hold for me" uses AI to monitor a call when you've been put on hold. With this feature, instead of being forced to listen to horrible muzak or boring announcements, you can do what you want while on hold. Once the other party returns to the call, you'll hear an audible tone to let you know that you are no longer on hold and that the call is resuming. Apple has the same feature inside the Phone app in iOS 26 OS called Hold Assist. Apple will probably make an ad about it once iOS 26 is released in September.
Tom's Guide
29-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Google Photos just tipped to launch most powerful AI photo editing tool ever — here's what we know
Google Photos is already one of the best photo editing apps around, offering incredible tools that make your bland photos look amazing. And it's about to get smarter. In the last few years, Google Photos has been injected with several AI-assisted photo editing tools, like Magic Editor and Magic Eraser, that make complex edits a breeze. But now, it looks like Google's could be working on its most powerful AI editing tool to date. This rumored 'Help me edit' feature, uncovered in code with Google Photos v7.38, appears to offer users the ability to give direct photo editing instructions through a text box. It seems to follow the same premise that already exists with the Reimagine feature that debuted with the Pixel 9 series last year — and eventually rolled out as a feature to Google Photos. What makes 'Help Me Edit' different is that users can explicitly give instructions on what photo editing changes they want to make, rather than how Reimagine simply replaces elements in a shot with something else. One example shown by Android Authority shows how you could change the color of a car from red to blue with a simple command in the text prompt. Anyone that deals heavily with photo editing can appreciate what this feature could do to streamline edits. It'll be interesting what other complex edits this AI-assisted feature could perform, like the ability to brighten up a subject without brightening the entire scene. Either way, this new way of editing in Google Photos with the help of AI could be a game changer. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Google hasn't come out to say it's working on this feature, but it could also be introduced alongside its new Pixel 10 devices — which are tipped to be shown off at the next Made by Google event on August 20. Given how Google's been able to stay ahead of the curve around AI, this would be a ripe opportunity for it to introduce this Google Photos feature. 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.
Daily Mirror
25-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Woman shares 'magic' tool she uses to remove marks from walls and it costs less than £2
It can be hard to remove some stains or marks from walls but one cleaning fan has shared the tool that she uses to easily get rid of them, and it's very affordable Marks and stains on walls can be a nightmare to remove, but one woman has revealed her 'magic' tool for the job. There are several ways to tackle walls that have been stained or marked by things like pens, crayons, dirt or accidental oil spills, including warm soapy water, baking soda and white vinegar. Some methods require more time and effort than others, especially when dealing with tough, stubborn stains. Lese Mmolotsi is a home and cleaning content creator who regularly shares hacks, tips and product recommendations. In a recent Instagram reel, she showed the surprising cleaning power of the Elbow Grease Magic Eraser. This product uses melamine foam which effectively cleans stains with just water. The short clip shows Lese wetting the Magic Eraser under a tap and then squeezing it before scrubbing it over scuff marks on a white wall in circular motions. As she scrubs the marks, they seem to vanish, leaving her with a clean wall. Lese also used it to erase some unidentifiable purple stains on another wall, this time focusing on applying it carefully to each stain to target these areas. In the caption of her Instagram post, she wrote: "My landlord would never know. Scuff marks, fingerprints, mystery stains on your walls? "The magic eraser sponge ACTUALLY WORKS. No chemicals. No damage. Just clean." According to How Stuff Works, Magic Erasers function like extremely fine sandpaper due to their rigid microstructure, whilst melamine foam's open-cell structure enables it to soak up and trap grime in its pockets, creating an efficient cleaning device that works without requiring chemicals. The educational site explains that melamine foam can "dig in and destroy stains that other products can't touch." But, it warns that whilst Magic Erasers are brilliant for eliminating marks, they deteriorate rapidly, similar to pencil rubbers, due to their rough texture and the physical scrubbing motion required during cleaning. How Stuff Works further points out that melamine foam erasers "might work a little too well" on surfaces that are painted, polished or easily scratched, so it's advised to test the eraser on a small, unnoticeable section of whatever you're planning to clean before diving in. Various brands of Magic Erasers can be found in the cleaning aisles of supermarkets, and the Elbow Grease product that Lese demonstrated in her Instagram clip is available as a three-pack from B&M for £1.49. Viewers who watched the footage shared their amazement at the Magic Eraser through their comments, writing "actual magic", "brilliant", "amazing" and "wow great tip." As Lese mentioned her landlord in the post's caption, this cleaning product could be handy for tenants aiming to maintain their home in top shape to get their deposit back at the end of their tenancy.
Sky News AU
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Magic': The $5 Bunnings item Australians just can't get enough of
A US based cleaning expert has detailed a new hack to clean her trainers, and it is found in the aisles of a titan of Australian retail. Caroline Solomon shares cleaning content to her social media channels, including a thread of videos that have show her trying to clean dirty trainers. A But there is one video that she has posted which has led to a popular product sold in Australia repurposed as a cleaner for dirty trainers. 'I'm sharing two easy ways to make your white leather sneakers look brand new again,' Caroline said at the start of the video that she posted to her TikTok. 'The first thing you need of course is a Magic Eraser,' she told her followers on the video sharing sight. In Australia, the item in question is sold as a Mr Clean Eraser pad for $4.98, or a four pack which sells for $7.49. Caroline explained the method to clean dirty white sneakers with the Magic Eraser, starting by first running the melamine sponge under water to get it 'damp, but not soaked'. Then, she demonstrated gently scrubbing the foam block along both 'the sneaker and the rubber sole of the shoe'. The result? Instantly refreshed looking sneakers. Commentators were quick to praise the self-styled home guru. 'This worked for me,' read one reply. Another read 'I cut mine in half to get more use out of them that way! They get worn faster when wet so I also only wet half of sponge.' On the Bunnings website, the Mr Clean Eraser Pod Block has a 4.9 stars rating, with many reviews raving about how it 'works great' to remove scuffs and marks from walls and floors. However, none of the reviews made mention of its bonus use to clean up dirty sneakers.
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
The $5 item that keeps selling out at Bunnings for a VERY specific reason: 'Holy grail'
A cleaning expert has detailed her secret weapon when it comes to breathing new life into dirty white sneakers - and it's surprisingly found in the aisles of Bunnings. Home expert Caroline Solomon regularly shares cleaning content to her social media channels, including a string of videos that highlight different methods to clean a variety of white sneakers. One helpful explainer video about 'how to clean your white leather sneakers' sees her incorporate a cleaning product that's not traditionally thought of as a shoe cleaner. 'I'm sharing two easy ways to make your white leather sneakers look brand new again,' Caroline said at the start of the TikTok video. 'The first thing you need of course is a Magic Eraser.' For the uninitiated, a 'Magic Eraser' is a cleaning block sponge made of melamine foam, and is best known for its ability to remove grime and scuff marks on walls and floors. But as per the Mr Clean website, their melamine sponge is not only superb for 'removing marks from all around the house' but can also be used as a 'sneaker cleaner'. In Australia, Bunnings sell a large Mr Clean Eraser Pad Block for $4.98 - or you could buy a 4 pack of Mr Clean Melamine Eraser Cleaning Pads for $7.49. Caroline explained the method to clean dirty white sneakers with the Magic Eraser, starting by first running the melamine sponge under water to get it 'damp, but not soaked'. Then, she demonstrated gently scrubbing the foam block along both 'the sneaker and the rubber sole of the shoe'. (But always do a patch test to ensure it isn't too abrasive.) The result? Instantly refreshed looking sneakers. To up the ante of, the cleaning expert suggested additionally cleaning your shoelace. She demonstrates this by removing the laces and soaking them in a warm soapy mix for 10 minutes, before using a cleaning toothbrush to further scrub them clean before hanging to dry. The combination of the Magic Eraser cleaned shoes and washed shoelaces made the once-dirty white sneakers look refreshed. The comments section was filled with replies from people who'd tried Caroline's suggestion. 'This worked for me,' read one reply. A 9-pack of he original Mr Clean Magic Erasers can also be found on Amazon for $47.14, which equates to just over $5 per sponge However, one queried the state of the Magic Eraser at the end of the cleaning procedure. 'This worked so good. Thank you! But, my Magic Eraser was completely torn apart once finished. Did yours? Totally worth it.' To this point, Caroline agreed that she'd sacrificed the sponge for the tough cleaning job. 'Yes sadly it will take a toll on your Magic Eraser but agree it's well worth it.' Another person chimed in: 'I cut mine in half to get more use out of them that way! They get worn faster when wet so I also only wet half of sponge.' On the Bunnings website, the Mr Clean Eraser Pod Block has a stellar 4.9 stars rating, with many reviews raving about how it 'works great' to remove scuffs and marks from walls and floors. However, none of the reviews made mention of its bonus use to clean up dirty sneakers. Meanwhile, one of Caroline's other white sneaker cleaning videos offered alternative advice for tackling dirty 'white canvas sneakers'. In one of the videos, Caroline recommended making a paste from 'equal parts baking soda and dish soap in a bowl' - using about a tablespoon of each. Once stirred into a paste consistency, Caroline demonstrated painting the white canvas sneaker with the mix and using a cleaning toothbrush to scrub it section by section. The sneaker was left to sit with the mix applied for a couple of hours before being rinsed off 'with a damp paper towel' and left to dry overnight. For more set-in stains on white sneakers, another one of Caroline's white sneaker cleaning videos suggested a more potent DIY cleaning formula, comprised of '1 tablespoon of baking soda, half a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, and half a tablespoon of warm water'. This mix was spot applied and scrubbed into the shoe with a cleaning toothbrush, before being wiped off with a damp sponge. 'Lay them out to air dry and voila,' Caroline concluded.
