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Google is rolling out new Gemini-assisted functionality to Search and its Translate app. It says its AI can now provide more natural and accurate text translations for phrases that have more "nuanced meanings." Translate will now take slang terms and colloquial expressions into consideration rather than provide sometimes unhelpful direct translations.
The latest update to its text translation feature is rolling out first in the US and India, translating between English and just under 20 other languages, including German, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. It works in the Translate app for iOS and Android and on the web.
Gemini's speech-to-speech translation feature has also been updated, so you can now hear real-time translations in your headphones, like with Apple's AirPods Pro 3. Google says the new functionality, which is now in beta in the Translate app for Android (iOS is coming next year) in the US, tries to "preserve the tone, emphasis and cadence of each speaker" so you better understand the direction of the conversation and who said what. It works with any headphones and supports more than 70 languages.
Finally, Google is adding more tools to its potentially Duolingo-rivaling AI-powered language learning tools, which it introduced to the Translate app in August. Like Duolingo, Translate can now track how many days in a row you've been attempting to learn a new language, so you can check your progress over time. Whether it will nag you as persistently as the Duolingo ow
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Commentary: Here's how I pulled off last-minute, pro-looking shots at home with just my iPhone, Apple Watch and a cheap tripod (no photographer needed).
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Well-known game developer Halfbrick this week launched Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen, an iPhone, iPad, and Mac adventure game that's currently exclusive to Apple's platforms. The game was made for children and adults who are fans of the wildly popular Bluey animated series.
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There's no need to buy a brand-new set of wireless headphones. Just use my tried-and-true tweaks.
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If you want to learn a new skill in the new year or brush up on some skills you already have, MasterClass could be a good option for you. It's even more accessible now that the company is running a holiday promotion that knocks 40 percent off subscriptions. For the top-tier Premium plan, which includes offline mode and use on up to six devices, you'll pay $144 for the year instead of the usual $240. The entry-level plan, which supports just one device and doesn't offer offline viewing, is marked down to $72 from $120.
Over the past few years, MasterClass has grown to over 200 classes, sessions and original series. You can learn about entrepreneurship from Richard Branson, screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, cooking from Gordon Ramsay and heaps more. Each of these offers classes in a one-on-one format with slick instructional videos and often workbooks to accompany them.
MasterClass also appears on our list of the
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 Just a month after introducing GPT 5.1, OpenAI introduced GPT-5.2, the next-generation model that will power its popular chatbot. GPT-5.2 is OpenAI's "most capable model series yet for professional knowledge work."
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Finding the right gifts for everyone on your list this time of year can be a major source of stress. It can be even more daunting if you're trying to stick to a budget all while getting the folks you love things that they will really appreciate. But there's also a good chance you're getting fed bad gift ideas (and just as bad deals) if you're browsing the web frantically searching as we get closer and closer to the holidays.
Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you'll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We've got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more.
Best white elephant gift ideas
According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.
Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas
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