Latest news with #PixelStudio
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
June's Pixel Drop gives Gboard the power to create stickers without Pixel Studio
TL;DR Pixel users will now be able to generate custom stickers right in Gboard. Stickers are created by typing a prompt and selecting an emotion. The custom sticker function is available for Pixel 9 and newer devices. Back in May, we found code in the Gboard beta that suggested Google could add the ability to generate stickers without having to open Pixel Studio. At the time, it seemed like the feature may have been in the early stages of development due to its lack of UI elements. But it appears it may have been closer to release than we realized, as the feature is arriving on Gboard now. Google's June Pixel Drop is here, and along with it is a plethora of new features. Among those new features is Gboard's new ability to generate custom stickers of whatever you can imagine. Previously, if you wanted to create a new sticker, you would have to go into Pixel Studio first. You could then access your creation by navigating to Gboard's dedicated sticker picker tab. Today's update eliminates the middleman from this equation. Now you can make custom stickers right in Gboard, without having to open Pixel Studio. Google To generate a new sticker, all you have to do is type in a prompt like 'jelly avocado with black eyes,' pick an emotion, and hit send. You'll also be able to make stickers out of the photos in your library. Whatever photo you choose, the background will be automatically stripped away so the main object becomes the focus of the sticker. This feature is coming to Gboard on Pixel 9 devices and later. There's no word on if the feature will eventually trickle down to earlier hardware. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Google just launched Android 16 — plus a bunch of other useful software upgrades
Google promised that Android 16 would arrive early, and it looks like it's kept that promise. The company just confirmed that Android 16 will be launching today, rolling out to Pixel phones with all the latest features and upgrades. But that's not to say non-Pixels will be left out. Those of you with a different Android phone, which can't get Android 16 just yet, will also be able to enjoy new Android ecosystem updates — with extra features coming to various Google apps. The big update coming with Android 16 is the new Live Updates feature. Essentially an Android version of Live Activities on iPhone, this is a special kind of notification that shows you real-time updates from various compatible apps. Google specifically mentions ride shares and delivery apps, but presumably this could also be expanded to more important things like flight status, or less urgent things like sports scores. On top of this, Google will be grouping notifications from the same apps together, to help you from being continually disturbed and having to dismiss a bunch of stuff just because your neighbors keep walking past your doorbell camera. Android 16 also adds support for hearing aids with LE audio, letting you connect them to your phone and enjoy clearer calls in noisy environments. This update also includes native controls for hearing aids, designed to make the control process easier to access and more consistent. Google has promised even strong protection in Android 16, designed to protect you from harmful apps, websites, scam calls and more — with it all activating with a single tap. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It's also been confirmed that Desktop windowing will be coming to "large screen devices" later this year — with a developer preview coming in Android 16 QPR 3 beta 2. That phrase usually means tablets and foldables, rather than big-screen phones. Google likens this feature to Samsung's DeX, which means this is essentially an official desktop mode — complete with resizable app windows and multiple screen modes. This will also come with customizable keyboard shortcuts. Regardless of whether you upgrade to Android 16 or not, Pixel owners also have the June Pixel Drop to look forward to. The big update here is the new Pixel VIP widget, which is tied to your contacts app. This helps you stay better connected with the people you talk to most. This includes seeing your latest calls and messages (which includes WhatsApp support), as well as updates for birthdays and anniversaries. Designated VIPs will also be able to bypass Do Not Disturb mode, which could also be useful to ensure emergency contacts can get through at any time. Pixel Studio is gaining the ability to create custom stickers for your phone, made using generative AI and the same prompts you'd use before. It's not quite Apple's Genmoji feature, but it's pretty close. Also coming is an accessibility feature called Expressive Captions. This adds more detailed captions to videos, with the ability to recognize nuance in a speaker's voice. Better still, it also works with live and streaming content, not just pre-recorded video. The Magnifier app will also start working in real time, thanks to the addition of Live Search, rather than forcing you to take a photo first. Google Photos will now show you all the AI-powered tools available when you circle, brush or tap on something that needs editing. Meanwhile Emoji Kitchen now includes brand new sticker combinations to help remix different emojis that can be shared as stickers. Anyone that signs up for the Public preview will also be able to pin Google Home favorites to their devices to make it easier to manage your home. Updates for those with and without a Pixel phone, regardless of whether you upgrade to Android 16 or not. The first of these is new features for RCS group chats in Google messages. Now you'll be able to set custom icons and mute specific chat notifications for however long you feel like. Safety Check timers can now be extended more easily, with a single tap on your phone or smartwatch, which saves you from creating a new one. Wear OS watches will also get better transit support, meaning Google Wallet is always ready to pay your fares without having to open the app first.
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I put Apple vs Google vs Samsung AI photo editing to the test — and there's a clear winner
Editing photos doesn't take years of Photoshop experience anymore to master, as AI-assisted tools in today's best phones make a breeze for anyone. Like really, you could spend a minute using these photo AI-editing tools and the results will make you look like a pro — it's that easy! For the last year, we've seen a barrage of phone makers coming up with different tools and features to make the process seamless and simple. While Google had a head start with Magic Eraser and Magic Editor, it wasn't long before Samsung and Apple came out with their interpretations. While I've found Google's AI-assisted tools to be some of the best I've tested, like how I've found out that Pixel Studio is superior over Apple's Image Playground for image generation, I want to test how well all three phone makers handle the task of erasing subjects from the scene. Whether it's because of something getting in the way of the shot, or that I simply want a less distracting background, these AI-assisted erasing tools are here to save the day. Below, I've taken photos I've captured previously on a phone and put it through each respective AI-assisted photo editing tool to see which does it best — which consists of Apple's Photo Clean Up, Pixel's Magic Editor, and Samsung's Generative Edit. I take a ton of car photos for my reviews, but there are still times when I can't have a completely empty parking lot to myself. Case in point, the shot of the Rivian R1S above, which is cluttered up by the stop signs and an idle car in the background. I will say that all three phone makers did an excellent job of identifying those distractions, but Google and Samsung do it better because Apple cuts off one of the trees to the left, making it look like it's hanging from a slim branch. Between Google and Samsung, I much prefer Google's result because the area to the left it erases isn't as fuzzy compared to Samsung. Winner: Google Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. When I was at the Amazon Alex Plus event back in February, I snapped this shot of Panos Panay with the telephoto zoom camera on my phone, but it couldn't keep out the people nearby directly in front of him. Clearly Apple's Photo Clean Up has trouble with this shot for some reason. Not only couldn't it identify the distracting elements in the shot, but it proceeded to erase parts of Panos in the process — it just couldn't make a proper generation for those areas. Meanwhile, Samsung and Google clearly look at the entire picture to recreate those parts of Panos. When I zoom into his right arm, they both manage to include the subtle folds of his jacket — while adding enough length to the bottom of it. Between the two, I prefer the Samsung recreation because Panos' jacket and shirt are unrealistically flush at the bottom. Winner: Samsung This one cracks me up because yes, I'm asking AI a whole lot with this request. As much as I loved using the EcoFlow PowerHat to charge my phone while on the beach, I was curious to see how AI could handle this complicated shot of removing it — for something else. I will say that Samsung's the easiest to tell exactly what I want to select, plus it does the best at replacing the hat with an interesting hair style. Google comes in second with this one, but I found it slightly more tedious because it couldn't identify the edges of the hat as well, which required me to manually add selections. Although, the hairstyle isn't as convincing. As for Apple? Well, let's say it was a mess. Winner: Samsung All three manage to remove the tree that's right in the middle of the shot. However, Apple's Photo Clean Up was another tedious process that required multiple selections before it was completely removed from the shot. You can see how some of the smudgy remains of the tree still linger around. Google and Samsung are again the better choices for this, but Galaxy AI's ability to identify the tree with one selection isn't just impressive — it puts to shame Apple and Google. I'm surprised about this because Magic Editor still had trouble identifying parts of the tree when I selected it. For this reason, I'm giving it to Samsung. Winner: Samsung For this final test, I tried removing the colorful sign in the middle of the shot. It's a complicated one, just like the previous tree shot, just because it requires AI to generate the proper elements with the building in the background. Again, Apple's Photo Clean Up proves to be the most frustrating because it couldn't identify the sign when I circled it — so I had to constantly swipe small areas before it started to work. Unfortunately, it's a smudgy mess filled with inconsistent generations. In contrast, Google and Samsung manage to recreate those missing elements to make for a realistic shot. Although, they slightly have different results with Google applying an over-sharpening effect — whereas Samsung softens them. Despite this, I still prefer Samsung. Winner: Samsung Samsung clearly has the best AI-assisted tool for erasing unwanted subjects. Not only does it intelligently know what I'm trying to select, but it fills the gap with realism. Google's Magic Eraser does just as good at using generative AI to erase stuff, but it's not as intuitive or smart as Galaxy AI when it comes to identifying what I want to remove. As for Apple? Well, let's say there's a lot of work needed to get it up to par. Even though Samsung convinces me it's the go-to for photo removal, I would still give Google the overall edge because of the amount of AI photo editing tools it offers. Not only does it have the Reimagine feature that lets me use a text box to change certain parts of a photo, but it even has the ability to extend a scene to make it wider — plus other tools such as autoframing, replacing the sky, and more.
CNET
23-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Memorial Day Sale: Google's Pixel 9 Series Has Up to $300 Off Right Now
Android users who want to upgrade to a shiny new phone are always going to be pleased if they check out the Google Pixel 9 lineup. Right now is a great time to pick one up too, because the Memorial Day deals are in full swing, and they can save you some serious cash. In fact, right now you can get your hands on this line of phones with up to $300 off right now on Amazon, meaning you can get one for as little as $599. You can save even more money if you've got a phone to trade in and go with Best Buy too. There is so much to love about the Pixel 9 series, including its sleek design, the impressive camera setup and even AI features such as the ability to search for content in screenshots, create images from scratch using Pixel Studio app and more. Pricing varies depending on which model you choose, along with the exact configurations, but there are plenty of options for nearly everyone right now. As a rule, the base Pixel 9 lists for $799 -- but right now you can save $200 and score yours for just $599. It's also our pick for the best phone for Android purists. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. However, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL also made the list as the top Google phones you can get. They retail for $999 and $1,099, respectively. However, you can get your hands on the 6.3-inch model for as low as $799 or the 6.8-inch model for as little as $899. Of course, if you're looking for a foldable phone, you'll enjoy the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It typically starts at $1,799, but it's down to as low as $1,499 right now -- a whopping $300 discount. Why this deal matters Right now you can save up to $300 off select Pixel 9 series phones at Amazon. The Google Pixel 9 series is chock-full of great options with a lot of features we loved, but that usually carries a large price tag. Saving up to $300 goes a long way, and as these prices are at record lows, we don't expect the cost to drop any lower any time soon. Getting any of these phones at a discount is a great find, but these prices likely won't stick around for long, so act fast if you're interested.
Android Authority
21-05-2025
- Android Authority
Google may soon bake Pixel Studio sticker creation right into Gboard (APK teardown)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Gboard currently gives you access to stickers generated in Pixel Studio within a dedicated tab in the sticker picker. New code in the latest Gboard beta suggests that the keyboard app may soon allow users to generate new stickers without opening Pixel Studio. The feature may let users create new stickers within Gboard by uploading a photo or using a text prompt. Google rolled out Pixel Studio's Gboard integration last year, giving users quick access to stickers generated using Pixel Studio in the keyboard app. The company now appears to be working on an upgrade that could let users create new stickers right within Gboard, without needing to open Pixel Studio. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Gboard currently has a dedicated tab in the sticker picker that shows user-generated stickers from Pixel Studio on supported devices. Although this tab makes sharing custom stickers in any app incredibly easy, it doesn't support sticker creation. Users can only add new stickers to the tab by creating them in Pixel Studio. However, code spotted in the latest Gboard beta (version 15.4.4.755290236-beta-arm64-v8a) suggests that Google could soon add this functionality to the keyboard app. Code Copy Text +Powered by Pixel Studio. +This will discard the current sticker design +Generated sticker +Imagine anything +Creating with Pixel Studio +Generate sticker +Removing background… +Photo sticker +"Once you're signed in, you can come back to this screen" +Pixel Studio sign-in needed The new strings state that Gboard will prompt users to sign into Pixel Studio before sticker creation becomes available. Once signed in, users will be able to generate new stickers in Gboard by uploading a photo or using a text prompt. Gboard will also let users delete custom stickers and add new stickers to a collection. Code Copy Text +The ability to generate images of humans is coming in the future +"Can't find background in your image" +Add a prompt +Sticker can be deleted in Pixel Studio +Update Pixel Studio to continue +Try a shorter prompt +Sticker saved to collection +"Can't generate this type of image" +"This language isn't supported" +Clear sticker deletion selections +Delete selected stickers +Custom stickers +Create unique stickers for every conversation. Powered by Pixel Studio. Sticker creation in Gboard may have some limitations at launch. The strings indicate the feature may not allow users to generate certain types of images. Additionally, the feature may not support all languages and could gain the ability to create images of humans later on. The feature appears to be in the early stages of development, as the current Gboard beta doesn't include corresponding UI elements. We'll keep an eye out for further changes and update this post as soon as we have more details. In addition to Pixel Studio-powered sticker creation, Google seems to be working on an AI meme generator for Gboard. We first spotted evidence of the same last month, but it has yet to roll out to users. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
