The Google Store has elevated its support options for Pixel, Smart Home, and Fitbit products. The 'Support' button is now available alongside product categories and offers, taking users to Google Hardware Support. The page features quick links to start a repair, manage orders, and shopping support, as well as grouped pages for common issues and their existing solutions.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/

Google Cloud Storage's client library transfer manager helps maximize throughput for data-intensive applications such as analytics and AI/ML by parallelizing uploads and downloads. The module is generally available for Java, Node.js, and Python, and is designed to add functionality to key client libraries to improve performance.

Source: https://cloud.google.com/blog/

Google Photos will introduce context-aware voice and text prompts to search for specific images or details within images. The new feature, called 'Ask Photos', will allow users to ask specific questions, such as identifying a car license plate number, and receive an output with the specified information.

Source: https://9to5google.com/

Google has released Android 15 Beta 4, which adds advanced Device diagnostics to Pixel devices. The feature allows users to run manual tests, view battery and storage health, and access component status. Users can access the feature from Settings > System > Device diagnosis. The feature includes manual tests, battery status, storage status, and evaluation mode.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/

Pixel Tablet owners have been experiencing issues with smart home-related Google Assistant commands not working in Hub Mode. The commands are transcribed and acknowledged, but then fail to execute, resulting in a gray screen. A server-side fix was implemented by Google on July 18, resolving the issue. The workaround involves unlocking the Pixel Tablet first, which allows Assistant commands to work normally.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/

Google for Education prioritizes the input of teachers, students, parents, and administrators when leveraging generative AI capabilities and features. The organization partnered with Google's Responsible AI and Technology & Society research teams to engage with high school students and their parents to learn how generative AI is shaping their learning experience.

Source: https://blog.google/technology/ai/rss/

Google will stop working goo.gl links on August 25, 2025, after shutting down the URL shortener for consumers and developers in 2018. New link creation, analytics, and management ended in 2019. Starting August 23, 2024, users will see an interstitial page warning that the link will no longer work in the near future.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/

Android 15 Beta 4 is rolling out for Pixel devices, marking the last scheduled update of this preview cycle. The build is officially near-final, with developer APIs and all app-facing behaviors final. App developers should be aware that Android 15 removes the legacy PNG-based emoji font file, with some devices only having the vector-based file.

Source: https://9to5google.com/

Google has teased the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro, highlighting its use of AI to make the device feel 'magical'. The company has released a 30-second video showing the phone's design, including a matte/grainy texture on the camera bar and shiny side rails. The Pixel 9 Pro is expected to come with 1-year of Gemini Advanced and will be available through the Google Store, which is promoting a 'whole new era of phones'.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/

VMware Cloud Foundation on Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE) is now generally available, offering lower costs and incentives for customers. The partnership with Broadcom provides support for VMware Cloud Foundation with 20% lower commitment pricing. Additionally, license portability entitlement support allows customers to preserve their VMware investments by porting on-premises VCF licenses to GCVE, with a VE1 node available at up to 35% lower price on a three-year prepaid commitment.

Source: https://cloud.google.com/blog/