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Google I/O 2026 kicks off today, with the event’s keynote presentation slated for 10AM PT / 1PM ET on May 19th.  Gemini is expected to be front and center once again at this year’s developer conference, with Google potentially introducing new versions of AI models and more agentic AI features. Google already showed off a bunch of AI features coming to Android 17 , including AI-generated widgets, during the Android Show . The keynote is likely to bring similar updates to Search and other Google properties.  We could also get an update on Google XR and potentially even a glimpse at some new smart glasses, with models from Samsung and even Gucci reportedly in the works.  Follow along for the latest updates. The Vergecast is going live right after I/O. Some wild Verge alumni appear at I/O. Google I/O 2026 live blog: On the ground at Google’s keynote Google I/O 2026: How to wat...

It's not just you - the Google Workspace apps are getting a new look. The redesigned app icons, leaked last month , are now rolling out widely, as we started noticing this morning. Users with the redesigned icons will notice they now have a gradient look that fades from lighter to darker shades, rather than being the same flat tone throughout, similar to the redesigned Google logo that launched a year ago . Some of the icons switched from a rainbow design to a single color, like Google Chat, Meet, and Calendar, which could help all of the icons stand out a bit more from one another - or make them harder to recognize. Others haven't changed a … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932417/google-gmail-docs-cal-sheets-workspace-icon-redesign

Alexa Plus, Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, can now generate podcasts on "virtually any topic," according to an announcement on Monday . With the update, Amazon says you can give Alexa Plus a topic, and the AI assistant will offer an overview of what its AI hosts plan to talk about, allowing you to steer the conversation and adjust its length before it starts generating the episode. Some "Alexa Podcast" examples shared by Amazon have two AI-generated hosts talking about the history of the Roman Empire, new music, and expectations for the World Cup. Amazon says you can also ask Alexa Plus to generate audio lessons about the Apollo missions, o … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932375/amazon-alexa-plus-ai-podcasts

Zero Parades: For Dead Spies wants you to question the price of forgiveness. After leading a crew of spies through a failed operation, protagonist Cascade is willing to pay whatever amount is needed to reestablish contact not just with fellow agents, but with the friends she let down. After being "frozen" for five years and forced to do desk work, Cascade is sent to the city of Portofiro with an assignment and a chance to redeem herself. Zero Parades highly resembles Disco Elysium , the critically acclaimed 2019 RPG featuring a disastrous detective dealing with generational heartbreak and a hangover that split his psyche into dozens of voice … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/931629/zero-parades-for-dead-spies-review-disco-elysium

Microsoft launched Teams' Together Mode during the pandemic to give the illusion of a bunch of people sitting in a conference room together, even if they were really sitting at home without pants on. But times have changed, and it's now being retired in favor of a more simplified Teams experience. The feature used AI to cut your head and shoulds out, and place you in a virtual space with others in the meeting. It could definitely feel gimmicky - especially when you'd tap co-workers on the shoulder, or give virtual high fives - but it did limit visual distractions. The changes are being rolled out gradually, but as they are, the Together Mo … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932215/microsoft-teams-together-mode

Apple is hoping that its record on privacy can be the differentiator on the AI front, and maybe even buy it a little slack as it continues to lag behind the competition. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the more chatbot-like Siri set to debut in iOS 27 will include the option to autodelete chat histories. Users will be able to save conversations for 30 days, one year, or forever. That's in stark contrast to the other major players in the space that generally only offer temporary incognito chats, if that. It appears Apple is betting that people are willing to give up some convenience in the name of greater privacy, as anxiety around AI … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932207/siri-apple-intelligence-auto-deleting-chats