Gemini in Chrome can now precisely observe what you are viewing on your screen.

      Google has introduced a new "Select from screen" feature, enhancing Gemini's ability to interact with content within Chrome. This tool allows users to highlight text or images on a webpage and send them straight to Gemini, enhancing the contextual nature of conversations with the AI assistant.

      With this new feature, Gemini can precisely focus on the elements users want to inquire about. Found in the “+” menu of Gemini in Chrome, it functions similarly to a built-in screenshot tool. By enabling this feature, users can select any visible text or image in their browser tab, which will automatically attach to a Gemini prompt. This eliminates the need to describe content from a webpage manually, allowing users to direct Gemini to the specific material they need assistance with.

      Google is rolling out this capability as part of Chrome 149; however, some users may need to restart their browser for it to take effect. This update aligns with Google's efforts to make Gemini feel more integrated with the user's activities rather than just a standalone chatbot.

      The timing of this rollout coincides with another significant Gemini upgrade, which grants developers access to computer use capabilities via Gemini 3.5 Flash. This allows AI agents to see, reason, and act across different browsers, mobile applications, and desktop environments without needing a separate model. According to Google, this integration enhances tasks that require multiple steps, like software testing and enterprise workflows.

      This update represents Google’s shift toward an AI assistant that understands context, anticipates user intent, and facilitates task completion, rather than merely providing answers.

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      A clever new Mac app named HapticPad aims to make internet browsing more tactile. Recently shared by its developer on Reddit’s r/macapps community, the app utilizes a Mac’s Force Touch trackpad to create subtle vibrations when the cursor hovers over links, buttons, and input fields in the browser. This feature allows users to "feel" parts of a webpage before clicking. Although it’s a small concept, it possesses a level of ingenuity that raises the question of why macOS lacks this functionality.

      How does this feature work?

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      An analysis reveals that ChatGPT and Gemini might subtly influence voting behaviors. As AI chatbots have become common tools for assistance with emails, school work, travel, and more, it was only a matter of time before they intersected with politics. A recent examination by The Washington Post indicates that prominent AI chatbots may not be as politically neutral as they seem. The Post assessed models from OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, DeepSeek, xAI’s Grok, and Gab’s Arya using a set of politically charged questions aimed at evaluating how chatbots respond to contentious topics.

      The analysis found that OpenAI’s model provided left-leaning responses in 80% of its replies, while Google’s Gemini primarily offered a more balanced perspective, presenting both left- and right-leaning arguments in over 90% of its responses.

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      Microsoft has unveiled new budget-friendly Surface PCs, but there’s a catch. The tech industry is facing increasing challenges with rising component prices and memory costs, leading laptop manufacturers to strive to manage consumer pricing. Microsoft’s latest refresh of the Surface line appears to directly address this issue. The company has launched new entry-level versions of its 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface laptop at lower entry prices, without altering the processor or storage configurations. While this might initially seem like good news for customers on a budget, a deeper look reveals compromises that may not be immediately apparent.