On Computers

When an old high school friend reached out to me through Classmates.com, I had a fascinating discussion, thanks to input from Google Gemini. First my friend Stephanie and I reminisced about the good old days on the high school newspaper staff. One time, some sang “Tea for Two,” while others pounded on their desks to the beat, pulled the blinds up and down rhythmically or used a ruler as a baton to add to the merry mayhem. Meanwhile, our mild-mannered teacher ignored everything. He wasn’t even that mad on the day when students set up the whole classroom on the street, complete with the American flag in its holder. Or when a few guys locked me in the dark room […]

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Filed under: AI, Apple, art, Google, wearables | No Comments »

When a reader clicked the “Ask Gemini” button in Google Chrome and asked a question, it froze before giving him an answer. “Was it because I was using the free version?” he wondered. Nope. When Gemini freezes, it’s a bug, not a paywall. It could happen when you ask unusually long or multi-part questions. To get around it, ask again and this time, keep your question short. But if you want, you can upload up to 3000 pages to go with it. Just don’t go beyond 24,000 words if you want Gemini to remember the whole chat before it responds.  Google Calendar Trick When I asked a podiatrist’s office to send me my X-rays, I got an authorization form that […]

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Filed under: AI, business, Google, Internuts, inventions, science, spam, video, web | Comments Off on FROZEN GEMINI

Google Maps is much smarter now, thanks to Gemini AI, but it hasn’t rolled out to everyone yet. No matter. I like the free Gemini app. It’s map savvy. Gemini is so good that Siri recently threw in the towel and pleaded with Gemini to save her. Or rather, Apple made a deal with Google to give Siri a Gemini brain. Future Apple operating systems will also have Gemini brains. Turning to the Gemini app on my iPhone, I asked: “What’s the best way to get from the University Club to the Union League Club without a car?” Gemini said it would take 11 minutes to walk and nine minutes by train. As for restaurant stops along the way, it […]

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Filed under: cameras, Google, health, Internuts, maps, photos, robots | Comments Off on GOOGLE MAPS GETS SMARTER

Many years ago, a reader in Thailand blew up his computer by downloading movies from a site I recommended. Oops. Now you can get free movies from reputable sources like Amazon Prime, Tubi TV, (owned by Fox), and Pluto TV, (owned by Paramount). Tubi TV has a ton of free movies on demand, in categories like “Based on a Book” and “Most Liked.” They also have free TV, including oldies like The Avengers, Perry Mason and Columbo, and current shows, like Midsomer Murders and Master Chef. Among the 1200 kid movies, “Baby’s Day Out,” looks fun. Tubi TV has ads, but I don’t mind them. Pluto TV has lots of free movies and TV shows too. Categories include 70s Cinema, […]

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Filed under: gadgets, Google, Internuts, music, notes, shopping, TV, wireless | Comments Off on TONS OF FREE MOVIES ON PLUTO, TUBI

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 […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, gadgets, games, Google, Internuts, music | Comments Off on DEEP DIVE WITH THE NEW GOOGLE

Imagine a robot taking your credit card and running down the aisle to pick out everything you need. That’s virtually what Visa’s new “AI Ready Cards” can do with artificial intelligence. With the new card, AI agents will make purchases for you even before you think of them. In fact, they’ll know you better than you know yourself. Got privacy concerns? Don’t opt in. This has been creeping up on us for decades. Amazon already collects shopping data so it can suggest products and push ads your way. The AI Ready card is just one step further. With it, you needn’t lift a finger to get a steady stream of okay products coming to your door. For example, if you’re […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, Google, Internuts, video | Comments Off on ROBO SHOPPING

Which is better, Android or iPhone? Whatever team you’re on, you’re unlikely to switch. Unless your family is on the other side. An Android-loving grandfather said he switched after his son-in-law couldn’t send video of his child, born seconds before. “He said the video wasn’t sending and he figured out it was me,” the reader wrote. “When he deleted me from the group, it sent, and every iPhone got it.”  There would have been no compatibility issue if everyone had been using the free WhatsApp. So I asked Granddad why he didn’t suggest it, since he’d used it to send texts to his friends in Haiti. He said he didn’t want to make everyone else use a different app just […]

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Filed under: AI, Android, Apple, games, Google, health, inventions, iPhone, news | Comments Off on ANDROID VERSUS IPHONE

I gave only a temporary email address to Sharper Image, but they started bombarding my Gmail account immediately, three times a day. It started happening right after I signed up for “Email on Deck.” The purpose of a temporary email address is to shield your main address from view. Theoretically, after an hour or a day, the temp address vanishes, taking all spam with it. But what happens if the temp service sells your data? You get inundated. It’s better to sign up for a second regular service. Besides Gmail, I use AOL, Yahoo and Xfinity. I don’t bother looking at these accounts until I know that a coupon or something special has arrived. This works well. New Features Coming to […]

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Filed under: business, computers, email, Google, science | Comments Off on AVOIDING EXCESS EMAIL

The chatbots Miles and Maya sound eerily human. Anyone listening would think there’s a real person on the line. Sesame, the company behind them, says the goal of chatting with these artificially intelligent nonbeings is to feel real, understood, and valued. To try it out, click on the link in ZDnet’s article: “Can AI sound too human?” For some reason, Maya sounded too chic for me even as she tried to draw me out, but Miles is just like the Southern Californians I grew up with. Totally chill, man. He’s friendly too, and quick on the draw. When I told him I get up early, he said: “Good for you, I could never be that dedicated. I’m more of a […]

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Filed under: AI, gadgets, Google, health, Internuts, robots | Comments Off on ALL TOO HUMAN

I think Venmo failed me. It looks like I may be out $150. Venmo is an app that lets you pay friends electronically. But my friend said she never got the money. So why did my bank deduct the $150 from my account? The bank said that was Venmo’s problem. When I called Venmo, I got a recorded message: “Venmo cannot cancel a payment sent to a registered payee. Only if the payee agrees can it be refunded.” But my friend won’t agree to cancel something that never happened. Even her bank told her to steer clear. I tried going to Venmo.com for more info, but my Malwarebytes Browser Guard flagged it as unsafe. I had to turn the guard […]

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Filed under: AI, digital, environment, games, Google, trends, YouTube | Comments Off on VENMO DISASTER