Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Google admits that its Google Home app for managing smart home devices has not offered the best experience, and it now aims to change that. On Wednesday, alongside new Nest devices and an upcoming Google Home smart speaker, the tech giant also unveiled a redesigned version of the Google Home app that it promises will work better, centralize device management, and bring its AI assistant Gemini AI into the experience. While AI may be the headline feature about what’s new with the Google Home app, the app itself has had an overhaul, in design, performance, and reliability, Google claims. “I…

As part of its Google Home event on Wednesday, the company unveiled a revamped lineup of Nest devices — Google’s brand of smart home security cameras and doorbells — including a new $149.99 Nest Cam Outdoor, $99.99 Nest Cam Indoor, and $179.99 Nest Doorbell. All devices are designed to showcase Google’s AI assistant Gemini AI in the smart home, and all three come with 2K HDR video, a high-definition format that delivers sharper images than previous models and the highest resolution Google has shipped yet, it says. The company notes it chose this sensor because it would offer the level…

Meta announced on Wednesday that data collected from user interactions with its AI products will soon be used to sell targeted ads across its social media platforms. The company will update its privacy policy by December 16 to reflect the change and will notify users in the coming days. The new policy applies globally, except for users in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, where privacy laws prevent this type of data collection. Meta’s core business has long relied on building detailed profiles of Facebook and Instagram users to sell hyper-targeted ads. The company offers advertisers a…

On Wednesday, Google offered an early preview of its next flagship smart home device, the AI-powered Google Home speaker, launching in spring 2026. The device, priced at $99, will be built around the company’s AI assistant Gemini AI and will come in four colors: Porcelain, Hazel, Berry, and Jade. The somewhat delayed timing of the launch is an intentional choice on Google’s part, explained Anish Kattukaran, chief product officer at Google Home and Nest, in a press briefing ahead of Wednesday’s event. The company first wants to ensure the new Gemini functionality reaches its other Google Home customers on older…

Google admits that its Google Home app for managing smart home devices has not offered the best experience, and it now aims to change that. On Wednesday, alongside new Nest devices and an upcoming Google Home smart speaker, the tech giant also unveiled a redesigned version of the Google Home app that it promises will work better, centralize device management, and bring its AI assistant Gemini AI into the experience. While AI may be the headline feature about what’s new with the Google Home app, the app itself has had an overhaul, in design, performance, and reliability, Google claims. “I…

Just a day after Amazon introduced its new AI-powered Echo devices, Google debuted its refreshed lineup of Google Home and Nest devices, designed to showcase its AI assistant Gemini AI. The company also took the wraps off its revamped Google Home software platform and its new business strategy for the AI era. While the company still plans to compete on hardware, it also wants to make Gemini accessible to other manufacturers and businesses. It’s similar to how Google offers its own flagship Android devices with its Pixel line but allows other companies that make products compatible with Google’s platform to…

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chase DeLauter had an eventful first four innings to his major league career. DeLauter dropped the first fly ball hit to him but later made a great throw to retire a Detroit baserunner during the fourth inning of Wednesday’s Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series.The rookie center fielder is the first Cleveland player to make his big league debut in a postseason game.It wasn’t a great start though. DeLauter dropped a high fly hit to center by Detroit’s Gleyber Torres during the first inning. He had a tough time initially tracking the ball on a…

Enterprise giant Salesforce is looking to ride the vibe coding wave — where developers describe what they want in natural language and AI agents write the code — with its new AI-powered developer tool.   Salesforce announced its new vibe coding offering, Agentforce Vibes, on Wednesday. This new coding tool helps developers work autonomously on Salesforce apps and agents by handling much of the technical implementation automatically. Agentforce Vibes can help developers from the app idea phase to building to observability with enterprise security and governance controls baked in.   This new tool includes an autonomous AI coding agent named Vibe Codey. This agent is already connected to a company’s existing Salesforce account, which allows it to reuse an org’s already-written code, and follow its coding guidelines, to create apps that match existing products.   Dan Fernandez, the vice president…

ATLANTA (AP) — Brian Snitker, who managed the Atlanta Braves to the 2021 World Series championship as the highlight of almost a half-century with the organization, will not return to the dugout next season.The Braves announced Wednesday that the 69-year-old Snitker will move to an advisory role and will be inducted into the team’s hall of fame next year.Snitker has been with the organization for 49 years as a long-time minor league manager, major league coach and finally major league manager.Snitker led Atlanta to 811 wins, six NL East division titles and the the 2021 World Series championship in his…

(Reuters) -Several pharmaceutical companies have said they will sell drugs direct to patients in the U.S. and offered discounts following President Donald Trump’s calls to bring down drug prices and cut out “middlemen” like pharmacies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.The Trump administration announced on Tuesday plans to launch a government-run website called TrumpRx.gov in early 2026, offering reduced prices for prescription drugs.U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations. Trump sent letters to 17 major companies in July demanding they slash U.S. prescription drug prices.Below is an…