The new Google comes in two modes, regular and AI.  “AI Mode” takes you on a deep dive.

To try it on your phone or computer, do a Google search on “AI Mode” and turn it on, or if you see a laboratory beaker, tap it. I started by asking:  “Were Native Americans typically more savage on a day-to-day basis than the early colonists?” 

AI Mode pointed me to Historum.com, which suggested that Europeans viewed Native Americans as “savage” due to customs like scalping. But it also said that Native Americans viewed European colonists as “savage,” because they killed or injured Native populations, ignored tribal land rights and tried to convert Natives to Christianity. The second link, from Quora.com, said that for Native Americans, “entertainment consisted of capturing someone from an enemy tribe and torturing him to death. Women and children joined in the fun.” But it also recommended a book from the Indian point of view called “Black Elk Speaks.” 

After typing the same question in a standard Google search, I read that the Europeans and Native Americans were equally savage. But when I tried using it a second time, Google said its usual AI summary wasn’t available for this topic. 

Digital Pets

“Peanuts Tamagotchi” doesn’t arrive in the US until July 12, but it’s already sold out in Japan.

Tamagotchi Snoopy will die if you don’t feed him, play with him, and clean up after him. He hatches from an egg and grows from there. When he’s available this summer, he’ll cost $32.

Like other Tamagotchis, this one is about two inches tall. Snoopy appears on a digital screen. You can carry him in his doghouse or in a holder featuring the Peanuts characters. Both are included. The digital screen seems primitive to me, similar to an early Kindle screen, with black lines on a grayish background. But Snoopy and the other Peanuts characters look authentic and come with mini games.

Excuse for a New Computer

If you’re looking for an excuse to get a new Windows laptop, you might want to take a look at the new “Copilot Plus” PCs.

With their “Neural Processing Units,” Copilot Plus laptops can handle AI requests faster and more efficiently. They also have a new feature called “Windows Recall,” which lets you search for anything you’ve seen on your laptop, such as past conversations, apps and documents. A Copilot Plus PC will also help with photo editing, summarizing texts and other everyday tasks.

But even if you buy a Copilot Plus laptop now, you’ll have to wait for the new versions of Paint, Notepad and Snipping Tool. Those features are slowly rolling out to those in the Windows Insiders Program. Microsoft hasn’t yet said when a Windows Update will bring them to every Copilot Plus owner. 

Once it’s available, the new Notepad will create notes, explain things and even write computer code. The new Paint will generate cartoons, watercolors, minimalist pictures and high-resolution stickers. It will also apply changes to part of an image, if you don’t want to change the whole thing. The new Snipping Tool will offer a feature called “perfect screenshot,” which automatically crops images you want to grab from your screen. 

A Copilot Plus PC ranges from $600 for the HP OmniBook X Copilot Plus to $1200 for the HP Omnibook Ultra Flip. Other models come from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft and Samsung.

Cheaper but Still Great

If you want to save money on a new PC, consider Amazon’s less common brands. My techiest friend bought a Windows PC from AceMagic, now selling for $380. It’s called the “Computer with Windows 11 Pro.” With its 8000 mAh battery, Intel N150 Quad-Core Processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM and a 512 gigabyte SSD, it’s a great deal. Best of all, its screen is huge: 18.5 inches.

Turntable Stands on Its Head

The new Wheel 3 turntable from Miniot is literally standing on its head. It looks almost like a

decorative plate on a stand with a solid wood back. The company says its audio will blow you away. At $3,363, it’d better. Expect its arrival in about nine weeks.

According to Miniot.com, the Wheel 3 has no magnets or coils. Only light shapes its analog audio. Its axial flux direct-drive motor is optically controlled. Albums appear to float on the surface. 

Responding to a review in The Verge, a guy said he waited four years for the earlier version, the Wheel 2, which hangs on his wall. He loves it. The Wheel 3 can hang, lay flat or stand upright. 

Internuts

–“Meet the robot dog that stands, walks, and rolls through extreme environments.” Search on that phrase to see a robot dog on wheels. The Lynx M20 from Deep Robotics, trots into dangerous environments including power substations, tunnels, factories, and disaster zones.

–“Volonaut’s Airbike is like a Star Wars speeder bike.” Search on that phrase to watch an amazing video clip of a bike, powered by jet propulsion, flying through dense forests at a top speed of 124 miles per hour with a rider dressed as a Star Wars storm trooper. Besides looking cool, it’s seven times lighter than a traditional motorcycle. But the video doesn’t show it landing or taking off, and we can’t hear whatever noise it makes. The company has a track record, however. It also makes the Jetson Flying Machine, which also looks cool in the video.

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