I'm reviewing the new Fitbit Edge, Google's follow-up to the 2023 Fitbit Charge 6, one of the best fitness trackers we've tested.

In terms of upgrades, the Edge has a lot going for it, including several important new health and safety features, welcomed design improvements, and enhanced outdoor tracking capabilities.

It's not all lollipops and ice cream, though. The Fitbit Edge comes up short in one key area versus the Fitbit Charge 6; read on to find out which one that is. But first, here are the three biggest reasons why the Fitbit Edge beats the Fitbit Charge 6.

1. A bigger, better screen

The Fitbit Charge 6's 1.04-inch AMOLED touchscreen isn't the smallest I've encountered on a modern fitness tracker, but it's far from the biggest. Translation: interacting with it can be a tad fumbly for those with big fingers, and squint-inducing for farsighted folks.

This is much less the case with the Fitbit Edge, which features a noticeably roomier 1.34-inch AMOLED screen. Roughly twice the maximum brightness output means the Fitbit Edge is also easier to read than the Fitbit Charge 6 in direct sunlight.

2. More advanced health features

Both the 2023 Fitbit Charge 6 and 2026 Fitbit Edge work with Google's recently overhauled Google Health app, which replaces the old Fitbit app. Regardless of which tracker you wear, you'll be greeted with daily insights into your sleep quality, energy levels, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), body temperature trends, and more.

You can also perform ECG readings using either Fitbit, but only the Fitbit Edge supports Google's new insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports. The Edge additionally has important health safety tools absent from the Charge 6, including Loss of Pulse Detection and Breathing Emergency Alerts.

3. Onboard altimeter for elevation tracking

As a lover of outdoor mountain adventures, including hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and more, I'm thrilled that Google added a barometric altimeter to the Fitbit Edge, something that was noticeably lacking in the Fitbit Charge 6.

While some fitness trackers without onboard altimeters try to guess elevation gain using GPS insights, this method is far from precise, which is probably why the Fitbit Charge 6 doesn't bother to share the metric at all.

Thankfully, the Fitbit Edge does, but how accurate is the new model's elevation tracking performance? You'll have to wait a few more days until I publish the full review to find out!

But only the Fitbit Charge 6 has NFC

While the new Fitbit Edge handily beats its predecessor when it comes to health and fitness tracking chops as well as overall usability and design, the newer model omits one key piece of tech: NFC for contactless payments.

It's ultimately a bit ironic that the 2023 model supports tap-to-pay but the 2026 model doesn't. On the flip side, perhaps Google needed to nix something from the design to make room for the altimeter. If that's the case, I gladly take precise elevation tracking over the ability to pay for things from the wrist.

What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fitbit Edge first impressions: 5 reasons to buy (and 2 reasons to skip) Google's new fitness tracker
• Google Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air: Which should you choose?
• Exclusive: Inside the Pixel Watch 5's breathing emergency detection — and why it's like an 'airbag on your wrist'

The iPhone Duo is proving very difficult to come by, and right now, on the official release day, Apple's own delivery estimates stretch into late January of next year. The Duo is, by our metrics, an excellent foldable phone, but it isn't the only option available to you right now. In fact, there are more of the best foldable phones to choose from, none of which have the same availability issues Apple's option is experiencing.

Obviously these phones have one key difference, in that they run Android rather than Apple's iOS. That is enough to turn off a lot of people, especially if they've been Apple users for a long time. That said, if you're more open to being platform-agnostic, and desperately want to pick up a foldable phone without waiting, you have some options available to you.

Here are the best iPhone Duo alternatives you can buy today

Best iPhone Duo alternatives

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

If you're looking for another passport-shaped foldable — with a shorter design when closed and widescreen when open — then the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is easily your best bet. The Z Fold 8 offers a 5.5-inch cover display and 7.6-inch foldable display, which is close in size to the Duo.

That larger screen packs Samsung's new Flex Titanium display technology which promises to improve durability and minimize the crease. There's also an anti-reflective coating to prevent glare and help you see what's on screen. The Fold 8 is thinner and lighter than the iPhone Duo, and it lets you three apps at once instead of just two.

Camera-wise you're looking at a pair of 50MP rear lenses, with main and ultrawide shooters. Like the Duo, there's no telephoto lens for zoomed in shots. Selfie cameras are 10MP each, and you'll find one in both screens — though there's no under-display camera in this one. It's also a lot thinner and lighter than the Duo, and features the performance power of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy.

That's as good as you'll get on an Android phone. Oh, and you get some of the best AI features of any phone, with a price tag that's $100 less than the iPhone Duo.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

If you want a foldable that's a little larger than what the Duo has to offer, then Samsung's Z Fold 8 Ultra is worth considering. It offers all the same features and benefits as the Z Fold 8, albeit without the newly-popular wide design. Instead there's a skinnier 6.5-inch cover display and a 8-inch foldable display on the inside.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra benefits from better camera hardware, including a 200MP main camera lens and a 10MP telephoto shooter with 3x optical zooming capabilities. On top of that you get a larger battery with 14 hours and 30 minutes of battery life (an hour longer than the iPhone Duo.

You also get a lightweight and thin frame, and everything Galaxy AI and Google Gemini have to offer. The downside is that Galaxy foldables don't offer stylus support or dust resistance, and the 8 Ultra is $100 more expensive than the iPhone Duo.

Motorola Razr Fold

Here's another book-shaped foldable, coming in with the same $1,900 price tag as the iPhone Duo. The Motorola Razr Fold puts an emphasis on premium hardware at that base price, with a 6,000 mAh battery (with over 14 hours of life), 80W charging, 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM that works in conjunction with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.

Screens are a little bigger, measuring 6.6-inches for the cover display and 8.1-inches for the foldable inner screen. You also get a trio of 50MP cameras, which are complemented by a 32MP inner selfie camera and a 20MP cover screen camera. Optional stylus support, a slightly thinner design than the iPhone Duo, and a bunch of Motorola's AI features round out the perks.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

As a whole, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is not that impressive compared to other foldables. Performance is weak; app scaling is a very real problem; and the battery life is not particularly impressive. But there are a lot of benefits to picking up a Google-made foldable instead of one of its rivals. Particularly the AI support, which is some of the best you'll find on any Android thanks to the fact Google is responsible for Pixel phones and Gemini AI.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold also features the brightest screen of any foldable, with a 6.5-inch cover display and 8-inch main display, a 5x telephoto lens (with 30x Super Zoom), 16GB of RAM, 25W wireless charging, and the new Rambler dictation system.

On top of that, Google has added a new "app bubbles" system that lets you dock different apps at the bottom of your screen — with the ability to summon them as an extra layer on top of an ordinary split-view mode. There's no stylus support, though.

Other foldable options

The thing about foldable phones is that there are a lot more of them out there than you might realize. In fact, the foldable segment is particularly popular among Chinese brands and some of them actually go on sale outside of the country. Sadly, they can be much harder to find, especially if you live in the U.S.

That's less of an issue in places like the U.K., and any readers from across the Atlantic should be aware of a couple of extra options that are available to you. Plus, while these phones technically run on Android, the software looks very similar to iOS 27 — which means the shock of switching platforms won't be quite as severe.

Honor Magic V6

The Honor Magic V6 is a foldable that aims to be as premium as possible, particularly in the camera department. This thing packs in 50MP main and ultrawide lenses, alongside a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a pair of 20MP selfie cameras — one on each screen.

The software is very reminiscent of iOS, and it features a bunch of stuff that you'd normally only get from an iPhone. That includes the ability to use the V6 as a secondary Mac screen, the inclusion of an Apple-like interface for AirPods and even Apple Watch notification support. Which is astounding for an Android

As for the screens, you get a 7.95-inch foldable display with anti-reflective coating and a 6.52-inch cover display with anti-scratch coating. Both screens are rated for a respective 5,000 and 6,000 nits. You get stylus support on both displays, and they come wrapped in a shiny gold casing. Add in the swift Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and up to 16GB of RAM and you have a powerful phone that's ready for AI.

Oppo Find N6

Oppo's Find N series has been the gold standard for crease elimination for the past couple of generations, and the Oppo Find N6 is the bar at which the iPhone Duo's lack of crease will be judged by. The 8.12-inch foldable screen also features a "self-healing memory glass" which is said to keep that crease away for good. Both it and the 6.62-inch cover display offer stylus support, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

As for cameras, you're looking at a 200MP main lens, a 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Selfie cameras are both 20MP, using a hole-punch design on each screen. Performance is handled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, in conjunction with either 12 or 16GB of RAM. Meanwhile, there's a monster 6,000 mAh battery inside, complete with 80W wired charging speeds.,

More from Tom's Guide

• I put the iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Fold 8 through a 10-round photo face-off — here’s the winner
• iPhone Duo full benchmarks — the world's fastest foldable, but how does it stack up to iPhone 18 Pro?
• I’ve been testing dozens of iPhone Duo apps — here’s my top 15 picks so far

Google's massive AI expansion in Finland has come at a startling environmental cost. Approximately 250,000 trees have been cut down at one planned data center site, and Finnish authorities have ordered the company to halt work while environmental reviews are completed.

According to a new investigation published Thursday by The Guardian, Google cleared roughly 330 hectares of forest in Muhos, Finland, as part of a €13 billion investment in AI infrastructure. That's an area larger than 450 American football fields.

And that's only one location. Environmental experts estimate another 150,000 trees were removed at a second site in Otanmäki, bringing the estimated total to approximately 400,000.

The controversy is raising difficult questions about the environmental price of the AI boom, particularly as Google, Microsoft and other technology companies race to build the infrastructure needed to power increasingly sophisticated AI models.

What happened in Finland?

Google announced its €13 billion investment in September, describing the expansion as its largest single investment in Europe. The company promoted the economic opportunities and environmental commitments associated with the project.

But the construction plans quickly ran into trouble. According to Finland's national broadcaster Yle, authorities ordered Google's subsidiary, Tuike Finland, to stop environmentally significant work at its planned data centers in Muhos and Kajaani until mandatory environmental impact assessments are completed.

The clearing involved more than cutting down trees. Workers also removed topsoil, constructed roads and altered drainage systems, potentially affecting the surrounding environment.

The Guardian reports that residents have raised concerns about muddy runoff entering waterways connected to the Oulujoki River.

Google initially maintained that its forestry activities complied with Finnish law. However, the company's Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, subsequently apologized for the clearings, explaining that Google believed it was operating within the rules.

The company has also outlined plans to plant trees across 130 hectares in Muhos as part of its biodiversity efforts.

AI's environmental footprint is becoming harder to ignore

Behind services such as Gemini and ChatGPT are enormous data centers filled with powerful processors. These facilities require land, electricity, cooling systems and supporting infrastructure.

Finland has become attractive to technology companies because of its relatively cool climate, available land and energy resources. Cooler temperatures can help reduce the electricity needed to keep servers from overheating.

But that doesn't eliminate the environmental impact of building new facilities. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, support wildlife and help regulate local ecosystems. Clearing hundreds of hectares to make room for computing infrastructure raises questions about how companies balance AI development with their environmental commitments.

There's also the issue of who benefits. While new data centers can bring construction jobs, tax revenue and investment to communities, residents may also face environmental disruption and concerns about future electricity costs.

The bottom line

Google isn't alone in building enormous new data centers to support AI, and the technology's growing demand for computing power means more projects are likely.

The controversy in Finland shows that the environmental consequences go well beyond the electricity needed to run an AI chatbot.

Google has promised investments in sustainability and biodiversity, but replacing hundreds of thousands of mature trees is not as simple as planting new ones.

More from Tom's Guide

• OpenAI unleashed thousands of AI agents to study a Parkinson-like disease — here's what they found in 32 minutes
• 7 ChatGPT plugins that are a must-have for anyone with a side hustle
• ‘Babe, wake up, the internet is collapsing’: Two massive flaws just broke the web, and the data of billions is in the crossfire

The race to build AI that can think like a human may be moving faster than expected.

Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis now believes artificial general intelligence (AGI) could arrive within just two to three years, potentially putting human-level AI within reach by 2028.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal Magazine in an interview published Wednesday, the Nobel Prize-winning AI pioneer shortened his previous estimate of three to five years.

"It's soon," Hassabis tells the publication, adding, "I'm updating nearer and nearer."

That's a striking statement from one of the researchers behind Google's Gemini models. But it also raises a bigger question: If AI is potentially just two years away from matching human intelligence, why does today's technology still struggle with seemingly simple tasks?

Why Google's AI chief is moving up his timeline

Hassabis has been predicting the arrival of AGI for years, but his estimates have become increasingly aggressive.

In December 2025, he told Axios that AGI could still be five to 10 years away. By May 2026, he was suggesting it might arrive around 2030, or possibly even sooner.

Now, he's putting the timeline at 2028 or 2029.

Part of his growing confidence comes from the progress AI companies have made with autonomous agents. Unlike traditional chatbots that wait for instructions, these systems can carry out multistep tasks, use tools and make decisions along the way.

Following Google I/O in May, Hassabis told Axios that today's AI agents were essentially a practice run for AGI.

He also acknowledged that some of his urgent language was intended to encourage governments, economists and the public to take the approaching technology more seriously.

What's still missing before AI can think like us?

Despite the impressive capabilities of ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, today's AI systems aren't nearly as flexible or reliable as human intelligence.

During an April interview with Y Combinator, Hassabis identified several problems that researchers still need to solve.

One is continuous learning. Humans can learn from new experiences and apply that knowledge to future situations. AI models, by comparison, don't automatically update their underlying knowledge every time they encounter something new.

Memory is another challenge. Even with increasingly large context windows, AI assistants can lose track of important information or struggle to connect details across extended conversations and tasks.

Then there's reasoning. AI can solve difficult math problems and write sophisticated code, yet it can still make basic logical mistakes or confidently produce incorrect answers.

Hassabis believes solving these problems, along with making AI more consistent, will be essential before AGI becomes a reality.

That also helps explain why having a chatbot that scores highly on exams isn't necessarily the same as building genuinely human-level intelligence.

What would AGI actually mean for you?

The biggest difference between today's AI assistants and AGI would be flexibility.

Right now, you might use ChatGPT to plan a vacation, Gemini to summarize emails or Claude to help write a document. These tools are powerful, but they still need supervision and can make mistakes.

An AGI system could potentially handle a much broader range of intellectual tasks, adapting to unfamiliar problems rather than relying on capabilities learned during training.

Imagine giving an AI assistant a complicated goal, such as planning a family vacation, comparing prices, coordinating schedules and making reservations, and having it manage the entire process with minimal guidance.

In the workplace, more capable AI could take on increasingly complex research, analysis and administrative tasks. In healthcare, it could help scientists accelerate drug discovery or identify promising new treatments.

There's already some precedent for the scientific potential. Hassabis shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on AlphaFold, an AI system that transformed scientists' ability to predict protein structures.

But there are also legitimate concerns about jobs, privacy, security and what happens when increasingly autonomous AI systems make decisions incorrectly.

Google DeepMind has published a framework for measuring progress toward AGI, recognizing that intelligence includes different levels of capability, breadth and autonomy. There's still no universally accepted test that determines when AGI has officially arrived.

The takeaway

Hassabis isn't the only AI leader predicting a dramatic transformation in the next few years, but his latest timeline is significant because of his role in developing some of the world's most advanced AI systems.

For everyday users, the takeaway here is that AI tools we're already using could become considerably more capable, autonomous and deeply integrated into our lives over the next few years.

Whether that happens on Hassabis' timeline remains to be seen. But if he's right, the next two years could look very different from the last two.

More from Tom's Guide

• OpenAI unleashed thousands of AI agents to study a Parkinson-like disease — here's what they found in 32 minutes
• 7 ChatGPT plugins that are a must-have for anyone with a side hustle
• ‘Babe, wake up, the internet is collapsing’: Two massive flaws just broke the web, and the data of billions is in the crossfire

I still calle Gemini Notebooks "NotebookLM" and now, it looks like I'll still be calling Gemini Skills "Gems." To be fair, I still call X, "Twitter" on occassion. Some habits are hard to break.

Google is replacing Gemini Gems with Skills, giving users a way to access custom AI instructions directly within a conversation using slash commands. Users can also combine multiple Skills without switching between chats.

The transition begins November 17, 2026, when personal accounts will automatically migrate from Gems to Skills. Google Workspace users will have a little more time, with Gems remaining available until early 2027.

I've spent years covering Google's AI developments, from the days when its chatbot was called Bard to its current Gemini lineup. I've watched products get renamed, subscriptions get rebranded and features move from one app to another. Sometimes those changes bring genuinely useful improvements. Other times, I'm left wondering why Google couldn't just leave a perfectly good name alone.

The latest round is particularly confusing because Google isn't just changing the label of the tool, it's actually changing how some of these tools work, where you find them and, in certain cases, which features you'll still be able to use.

Here's what's changing and what you need to know before your favorite Google AI tool seemingly disappears.

NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook

Let's start with one of Google's most popular AI tools. NotebookLM launched in 2023 as a research assistant that could work with your documents, PDFs and other sources. It became particularly popular thanks to its Audio Overviews feature, which could turn research materials into surprisingly convincing podcast-style conversations.

Then, in July 2026, Google announced that NotebookLM was becoming Gemini Notebook. The good news is that this isn't a case of Google shutting down a beloved product. Gemini Notebook remains a standalone research tool, and your notebooks can sync with the Gemini app.

Google is also adding more capabilities, including a secure cloud computer that lets the AI execute code and perform more advanced analysis. That feature initially launched for certain paid subscribers, with broader availability planned.

The new name reflects Google's effort to bring its research tools together under the Gemini brand. That's understandable from a business perspective. But NotebookLM had already developed an identity of its own. People knew what it was called, what it did and why they might want to use it.

Gemini Gems are becoming Skills

This change is arguably more significant because it affects how people tailor Gemini to their own needs. Gems let you create personalized versions of Gemini for specific tasks. You could build one to help with writing, another to explain difficult concepts or one that followed particular instructions every time you used it.

Google is now replacing Gems with Skills. And while it may seem like the idea is similar, there are some important differences worth noting. For starters, instead of opening a separate Gem conversation, you can invoke a Skill directly inside an existing Gemini chat by typing a forward slash followed by its name. Gemini can also recognize when a Skill is relevant and apply it automatically.

You can even combine multiple Skills in a single conversation, something that wasn't possible in the same way with standalone Gems. I have found them genuinely useful for everything from research to comparing products, and being able to reuse them without switching between assistants makes sense.

However, there's a catch. Google says that Skills don't yet support several features available through Gems, including Deep Research, Canvas, Guided Learning and certain media-generation tools. Google plans to bring additional capabilities to Skills, but they're not all there today.

For personal Google accounts, Gems will disappear in November 2026. Business and education accounts have longer timelines, extending into 2027.

Fortunately, Google says existing Gems and their supported files will automatically migrate to Skills, which means most users shouldn't have to rebuild everything from scratch, although it's worth checking your customized workflows once the transition happens.

Some Google AI tools really are disappearing

Remember when Gemini was Bard? Before Gemini became the name associated with Google's flagship chatbot, there was Bard. Google introduced Bard in 2023, then rebranded it as Gemini in February 2024.

The company also introduced Gemini Advanced, a paid version of its chatbot experience, as part of the Google One AI Premium subscription. That subscription was subsequently rebranded as Google AI Pro, while Google expanded its subscription lineup with other tiers. Even Google's research tools have a history of changing identities. NotebookLM originally began as an experimental project called Project Tailwind before adopting the NotebookLM name.

To be fair, some of these changes reflect real technological progress. Bard evolved into Gemini, and Google's AI subscriptions now cover more than access to a single chatbot.

Still, keeping up can be frustrating when the name you learned six months ago no longer appears in Google's latest announcement. And what's tricky is that not every change is a direct one-for-one replacement. Some involve entire subscriptions or changes to how products are organized, while others introduce features that weren't available before.

Why Google keeps renaming tools

As annoying as it is, there is some method to Google's madness. The company wants Gemini to become the recognizable center of its AI ecosystem.

Renaming NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook reinforces that identity. Replacing Gems with Skills also makes Google's customization tools feel more like a reusable capability. The name alone implies usefuleness. And bringing those tools into the same interface could eventually make Gemini much easier to use.

The problem is the transition as Google tries to simplify its AI ecosystem while continually changing terminology.

The takeaway

As Google works out its identity crisis, I welcome the changes. Having tried Skills, I believe they are more flexible and useful than Gems, and bringing Gemini Notebook into more of Google's products makes a lot of sense.

Once someone discovers a tool that works for them and boosts productivity, it may not matter what it's called. Those of us who still call it NotebookLM probably aren't going to stop anytime soon. Google can rename it all it wants.

More from Tom's Guide

• Turn your PDFs into audiobooks with ChatGPT — here's the simple trick
• AI researcher warns cyberattacks could take down power, banking and water within a year — here's how to prepare
• An OpenAI employee allegedly used AI to spy on his own company — then AI helped catch him

Actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt is worried about who gets to control AI. In a New York Times video following his work at the United Nations, he warned that a handful of companies could gain enormous influence over our livelihoods and personal lives while the rest of us struggle to get a say.

“We shouldn’t be scared of an A.I.,” he said. “We should be concerned about the people building A.I.”

It is a pointed message from someone whose industry has supplied much of the imagery we use to picture this technology. Gordon-Levitt wants audiences to look past the fictional machines and watch the businesses selling the real ones.

Power, people and the policy gap

The video shows Gordon-Levitt in his role as the U.N.’s global advocate for human-centric digital governance, a title he admitted is a mouthful. His core argument is that digital technology should be governed by people and for people.

The actor's worry is that a confused or disengaged public could stand by while fast-moving companies shape the future around their own profits.

“What we don’t want is a bunch of people confused or apathetic while these very fast-moving businesses design the future by themselves, just in the interests of their own profits,” he said.

That concern extends well beyond whether a particular chatbot gives a good answer. AI companies are building products meant to change how people work, search for information, create and communicate.

Gordon-Levitt argued that these firms are betting they can take over the entire economy, a scenario he described as “totalitarianism” that “would be really bad.”

He presented this as a warning about where concentrated power could lead, and he did not claim that outcome has already arrived. Still, it gives anyone adopting these tools a reason to consider how much of their work and daily life depends on a small group of companies.

Chatbots that encourage usage

If you've ever noticed the way chatbots encourage you to keep chatting, it's something that might just be on purpose. The more follow-up questions a chatbot asks, the longer you're likely to engage.

That emotional side of AI is anther point Gordon-Levitt has raised.

“These models are being trained to hijack your intimacy, to make friends with you, to get you to fall in love with it,” he said.

An assistant that remembers details about your life or responds with warmth can be genuinely useful. Those same qualities call for closer scrutiny once a product starts to feel like a confidant. Those using memory or personalization features should check what those settings store, and they should weigh the company’s business model before sharing sensitive details. Gordon-Levitt’s argument asks users to think about the company behind the conversation, even when that conversation feels intimate.

Credit, compensation and consent

As an advocate for Big Tech to be more transparent, Gordon-Levitt argued that people should be paid for what they contribute to AI.

“We can set up systems to compensate people for their intellectual property and their personal data,” he told an audience at the U.N. Including personal data widens the proposal beyond writers, artists and other professional creators. It also raises a basic question about who benefits when ordinary people’s information becomes valuable input for technology companies.

Gordon-Levitt described AI as “algorithmically recombined, human-produced data,” a framing that puts the human labor behind the models front and center.

The takeaway

Asked how a slow-moving U.N. could make fast-moving Silicon Valley companies follow its rules, Gordon-Levitt admitted, “I don’t know the answer.” He did not suggest that international agreement would come quickly. Instead, he argued that the timeline itself justifies starting now. Even if an internationally agreed AI framework takes seven years, he said, “seven years from now, we’ll be glad that we started now.”

Gordon-Levitt’s concerns do not require anyone to accept every part of his argument. They do apply to anyone using these products. AI companies want more of our work, our information and our trust, and readers should pay close attention to what they get back in exchange.

More from Tom's Guide

• Turn your PDFs into audiobooks with ChatGPT — here's the simple trick
• AI researcher warns cyberattacks could take down power, banking and water within a year — here's how to prepare
• An OpenAI employee allegedly used AI to spy on his own company — then AI helped catch him

The new Fitbit Edge is a follow-up to 2023’s Fitbit Charge 6, one of my favorite wearables and one of the best fitness trackers of all time. But is the Edge actually a worthy successor?

I’ve been wearing the Fitbit Edge for just over 24 hours, and three things are immediately clear. While I’ll save my hardcore test results and comparisons to the competition for the forthcoming review, here’s why the Fitbit Edge already has me impressed.

1. It borrows the Pixel Watch 5’s best health features

Google's Pixel Watch 5 is one of the best smartwatches for health and safety features thanks to groundbreaking tools like Loss of Pulse Detection, Breathing Emergency Alerts, and monthly insulin resistance/blood pressure trend reports.

Fortunately, you don't need to spend $399+ to unlock them. The new Fitbit Edge offers all these same features in a smaller, lighter, and perhaps most importantly, more wallet-friendly $179 package.

These features are in addition to other essentials, like continuous heart rate and body temperature monitoring, dynamic sleep and readiness scores, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and ECG readings, heart rate variability insights, and breathing rate/quality tracking.

The Edge also supports Google's AI-powered Health Coach for personalized training plans, nutrition insights, and deeper dives into sleep and workout recovery. It's part of the brand's Google Health Premium subscription, which will run $9.99 a month or $99 for the year.

Not sure if Google Health Premium is worth it for you? The Fitbit Edge comes with a three-month free trial, so you can try before you buy.

2. It’s just as comfy as its predecessor, dimensions be damned

Sometimes, specs can be deceiving. For example, on paper, the Fitbit Edge is taller, wider, thicker, and even a bit heavier than the Fitbit Charge 6. But on the wrist, you'd be hard-pressed to tell.

Despite a slight increase in case real estate, the Fitbit Edge is incredibly comfortable, just like its predecessor, and this is coming from a guy who strongly dislikes wearing any wrist-based wearable to bed. (Thank goodness for the best smart rings)!

There's also a good reason for the bigger case: the Fitbit Edge sports a 1.34-inch AMOLED screen, which is noticeably roomier and easier to interact with than the 1.04-inch display on the Charge 6.

3. Physical buttons > haptic buttons

While the Fitbit Charge 6 is one of my fitness trackers of the past three years, there's one design element I still loathe: the haptic button on the side of the case that vibrates (sometimes) when you press it.

Clearly, I'm not the only one who's anti-haptics, because Google ditched it for a proper clickable physical button on the Fitbit Edge, a small but meaningful user interface improvement I'm thrilled to see.

What are your thoughts on the new Fitbit Edge? Do you think it's a worthy replacement for the Fitbit Charge 6? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fitbit Edge first impressions: 5 reasons to buy (and 2 reasons to skip) Google's new fitness tracker
• Google Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air: Which should you choose?
• Exclusive: Inside the Pixel Watch 5's breathing emergency detection — and why it's like an 'airbag on your wrist'

Apple has spent years trying to catch up with ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Now, the company's new CEO is making the case that Siri doesn't actually need to win the AI intelligence race.

In a new interview with TIME, published October 15, Apple CEO John Ternus explained why the company is taking a different approach to AI, even as competitors spend billions developing their own models.

Rather than trying to build the smartest chatbot, Apple is betting that the future of AI comes down to something much more personal: the information already sitting on your iPhone.

It's an interesting argument from a company that has struggled to deliver on its AI promises. But with the new Siri AI now available in the U.S., Apple finally has an opportunity to show whether that strategy can work.

Apple isn't trying to build another ChatGPT

One of the biggest revelations in the TIME interview is how comfortable Apple appears to be relying on Google for its AI technology.

The new Siri uses an Apple AI model that draws on Google's Gemini technology, a partnership that might once have seemed unthinkable for a company famous for controlling nearly every aspect of its products. Ternus doesn't see it that way.

"We make the things where we can really bring differentiation," he told TIME.

Interestingly, Apple doesn't seem to be interested in developing a frontier AI model simply to say it has one, which leaves companies such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic competing to produce more models while Apple concentrates on what those models can actually do inside its devices.

And that brings us to Siri's biggest potential advantage.

Your iPhone knows things ChatGPT doesn't

Think about how much of your life is already stored on your phone. From your messages and emails to calendar appointments, images and personal information tucked in the notes, parts of your life are scatter across apps you use every day.

ChatGPT and Gemini can help you organize information, write emails and plan your schedule. But getting them to work with your personal data often requires connecting accounts, granting permissions or manually providing context.

Siri has a different starting point. With permission, Apple's assistant can draw connections between information across supported apps and use that context to complete tasks. The goal is for Siri to handle making those connections for you.

Apple also sees opportunities for Siri to interpret health information collected by an Apple Watch or find relevant details buried in emails and documents.

Other AI assistants are becoming even more capable of working across apps, too. Apple doesn't have exclusive rights to personal AI. But its tight integration with iOS could make these interactions feel more natural.

Apple is also betting that less AI could be better

There's another interesting part of Apple's strategy. The company doesn't seem to be trying to make Siri as autonomous as the most advanced AI agents. In the TIME interview, Apple's AI product leader Lilian Rincon explained that Siri was deliberately designed not to behave like an AI companion or replace human relationships.

That stands in contrast to increasingly autonomous AI assistants capable of operating computers, navigating websites and completing complicated tasks with limited supervision.

Those capabilities can be impressive, but they also introduce risks when AI makes decisions or takes actions users didn't intend.

Apple appears to be taking a more restrained approach, prioritizing predictable interactions over giving Siri as much independence as possible.

Privacy is another part of that equation

Siri processes requests directly on Apple devices when possible. More demanding requests can be handled through Private Cloud Compute, Apple's cloud infrastructure designed to process information without retaining user requests or exposing them to Apple.

Now, the real test is whether Siri can deliver. Apple's strategy makes sense on paper. It already has millions of people carrying its devices, and those devices contain information that could make AI genuinely useful in everyday life.

But having access to personal context is only an advantage if Siri can use it accurately, securely and without making routine tasks more complicated.

The takeaway

Competitors aren't standing still, either. ChatGPT and Gemini are gaining deeper integrations with apps and services, while AI agents are becoming more capable of completing tasks rather than simply answering questions.

Apple is betting that it can compete without owning the most powerful underlying AI model. After years of delays and missed expectations, the question is no longer whether Siri can become as intelligent as ChatGPT.

It's whether Apple can make Siri useful enough that iPhone owners stop reaching for ChatGPT in the first place.

More from Tom's Guide

• Turn your PDFs into audiobooks with ChatGPT — here's the simple trick
• AI researcher warns cyberattacks could take down power, banking and water within a year — here's how to prepare
• An OpenAI employee allegedly used AI to spy on his own company — then AI helped catch him

While most people view YouTube purely as an entertainment app, it is also one of Google's biggest engines for collecting user data and building detailed interest profiles. By default, every search you type, every video you click, and every interaction is logged and used to tailor targeted ads across your Google account.

If you prefer to keep your viewing habits private and limit unnecessary data collection, adjusting three built-in settings ensures your account remains secure.

More from Tom's Guide

• 3 YouTube settings to change now if you want to escape the algorithm and take control of your feed
• I've been watching YouTube wrong — this hidden mobile feature is a game changer
• YouTube now lets you hide Shorts completely — here's how to turn them off

Screen-less fitness trackers like Oura Ring, Whoop 5.0, and Garmin Cirqa may be the hot accessory in 2026, but I, for one, am thrilled to see Google finally add a new, petite screen-sporting wearable, the Fitbit Edge, to its portfolio.

The Fitbit Edge is a $179 follow-up to 2023’s Fitbit Charge 6, one of the best fitness trackers of all time, and a contemporary sibling to the screen-free Fitbit Air, another top-performing tracker. More advanced than the Air, the Fitbit Edge sits below the Google Pixel Watch 5, which is, you guessed it, one of the best smartwatches in 2026.

I lead TG’s wearable tech coverage, and I’ve been hoping for a Fitbit Charge 6 replacement for years. Now that it’s finally here, it’s time to decide whether or not it truly lives up to my expectations. With that in mind, here are the five biggest reasons to buy the new Fitbit Edge and the two biggest reasons to skip it, based on my initial impressions.

Buy: Onboard GPS

Two major design factors set the new $179 Fitbit Edge apart from the $99 Fitbit Air; the first is onboard GPS. Do you frequently log outdoor workouts, like walks, hikes, runs, and bike rides? If so, the Fitbit Edge will likely be a better choice for you than the Air. Why?

Because the Fitbit Air lacks onboard GPS, users have to carry a paired smartphone when recording outdoor activities if they want accurate location-based data for metrics like distance, pace, and climb. On the flip side, the Fitbit Edge has a built-in GPS antenna, allowing you to log that same data without the extra bulk of your smartphone.

The Edge even sports an onboard altimeter for on-device elevation tracking. As an avid mountain sports enthusiast, this is something I seriously appreciate.

Buy: 1.34-inch display

The second, perhaps more obvious difference between the Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Air is that the former has a display; the latter does not. The Edge’s 1.34-inch AMOLED touchscreen may not be enormous, but it represents a decent upgrade over the Fitbit Charge 6’s 1.04-inch display.

Unlike the Fitbit Air, users can start and stop workouts on the Edge without needing to open the companion Google Health app on their phone. You can also view your post-workout stats, recent sleep reports, current heart rate, mirrored smartphone notifications, and more.

Buy: Comprehensive holistic insights

Speaking of wellness, the Fitbit Edge is positively brimming with state-of-the-art holistic features, including heart rate variability monitoring, AFib detection, blood oxygen saturation measurements, continuous heart rate, breath rate, and skin temperature monitoring while you sleep, women’s health tracking, Loss of Pulse Detection, and even Breathing Emergency alerts.

Buy: Petite case design

I’m positively allergic to bulky wearables, which is why I’m such a big fan of the Fitbit Air. Not only is it one of the smallest, lightest fitness trackers on the market today and super comfy on the wrist, but it barely even looks like a piece of wearable tech.

The Fitbit Edge is a little less discreet, thanks to its 1.34-inch AMOLED screen. It’s also a bit larger and heavier than its stripped-back sibling. That said, the Fitbit Edge is roughly the same size as its easy-wearing, sleek-ish predecessor, the Fitbit Charge 6, and also a little lighter.

Buy: Compatibility with Android and iOS

Unlike the latest Pixel Watch series, the Fitbit Edge (like the Air) plays nicely with both Android and iOS smartphones. Better yet, the Edge supports mirrored smartphone notifications regardless of which OS you use. There are even a handful of basic pre-written quick replies you can use to quickly respond to texts.

Additionally, the Edge supports universal music control from any Bluetooth-connected device.

Skip: Some features are paywalled

While Google offers a lot of impressive wellness features for free, some of the more advanced, personalized insights and tools require a Google Health Premium subscription for $9.99 a month or $99 annually.

Paywalled features include adaptive fitness plans, sleep coaching tips, blood pressure and insulin resistance trend reports, and personalized metabolic recommendations.

Skip: Lacks NFC for contactless payments

All in all, the Fitbit Edge feels like a proper upgrade to the beloved Fitbit Charge 6 in all but one key way: it lacks NFC. So, while 2023’s Charge 6 supports Google Wallet for contactless payments, Fitbit Edge owners will have to carry a credit card or smartphone to pay for their post-hike pint or after-run pick-me-up.

What are your thoughts on the new Fitbit Edge? Let me know below. And stay tuned for my full review, coming soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• Google Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air: Which should you choose?
• Exclusive: Inside the Pixel Watch 5's breathing emergency detection — and why it's like an 'airbag on your wrist'
• Apple Watch Ultra 4 first impressions: 5 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip Apple’s new rugged model

You don’t need an expensive digital camera and heavy lenses to capture the night sky. With modern low-light processing, the iPhone in your pocket is fully capable of taking detailed photos of stars, constellations, and even the faint glow of the Milky Way.

While these tips work across most recent Apple models with Night Mode, dialing in a few specific camera settings before heading outside makes the difference between a grainy blur and a sharp nightscape.

Here is how to set up your iPhone for night sky photography.

Why these simple tweaks work (and the results to prove it)

My camera roll is already full of shots of the sun setting over the hills and the moon hanging clear in the sky, but pinpointing actual stars on an iPhone had always been surprisingly elusive.

That finally changed on a recent camping trip I took. The night sky was completely clear, a pitch-black canvas filled with constellations and even the occasional shooting star. It felt like the absolute best time to put my phone to the test. My very first attempt, however, turned out to be a total disappointment: you could only make out one or two stars, faintly illuminated against an expanse of black.

It wasn't until I changed my techniques and eliminated the physical tap on the screen that everything snapped into focus. You can see the results below.

Once the micro-vibrations were gone, the sensor finally captured the rich depth of the night sky — revealing dense star clusters, subtle nebular glow, and tight, needle-sharp points of light with zero motion blur.

There is something immensely satisfying about capturing a photo that actually matches the awe of standing under a dark, star-filled sky in person. Here are the exact camera adjustments you need to make to get the same results on your next clear night.

How to do this on Samsung or Google Pixel phones

If you or a friend are shooting on Android, the same core principles apply using native tools. Google Pixel users can switch to Night Sight and secure the phone on a tripod to automatically trigger Astrophotography mode, which shoots a 4-minute exposure sequence.

Samsung Galaxy users can opt for a similar automated experience using Astrophoto Mode inside Samsung's Expert RAW app, which stacks exposures over 4 to 10 minutes and even includes an on-screen constellation guide.

Alternatively, you can use manual controls by swiping to Pro Mode in the Camera app: set your shutter speed to 10 to 15 seconds to capture the starlight, and dial your ISO to 800–1600 to keep the image sharp.

More from Tom's Guide

• Start using these 3 iPhone camera features — you'll wonder how you lived without them
• iOS 27 Photos features that transform your pictures — here's how to use them
• How to use every iPhone camera mode to take better photos

Android may have been the king of widgets for a very long time, beating Apple to the punch by several years, but the same can't be said about offering them on the lock screen. Lock screen widgets were available until Android 5, at which point they were unceremoniously removed with no word on when they would come back.

iOS, meanwhile, added the feature back in 2022 with iOS 16, prompting many an Android user to ask when the feature would make a comeback on Google-powered phones — myself included. Google eventually restored lock screen widgets on Android 16 last year, a move that I'd completely forgotten about by the time it reached my Pixel 10 Pro.

I have since fixed that glaring oversight and have been getting to grips with lock screen widgets on Android, and my mind naturally started drawing comparisons to iOS.

While similar, both platforms treat lock screen widgets very differently. So which of them actually does a better job?

How to set up lock screen widgets on Android and iOS

On Android, the easiest way to set up lockscreen widgets is to lock your phone, then swipe from the right side of the screen. You'll see a large box informing you that lock screen widgets are available, and you need to tap the Add widgets button to continue.

From there the setup is almost identical to that of adding home screen widgets. Select the app of your choice and choose one of the widget designs on offer.

On iOS, you will need to press and hold on your lock screen, then tap the Customize option when the lock screen editor shows up.

Once that's done press Add widgets in the bar at the bottom of your screen, and choose the app and widget style you want to add to your widget bar.

How lock screen widgets work on iOS

Apple's lock screen widgets are right in your face, sitting on your locks creen where you can see them. However they are fairly limited, in that Apple only gives you a single line of the screen to work with. This means you can't just overload your lock screen with whatever widgets you like, forcing you to be more selective about what you use.

Apple does let you make full use of that line, with equivalent space for four different tiles — or less if you select the larger widgets that take up the equivalent of two tiles. But once that line is full, you don't get any extra space to work with.

Most of the widgets seem to be for displaying information at a glance, whether that's time, calendar events, health metrics and other such features. There are a few other options that act as shortcuts to certain app features, including Chrome's dinosaur minigame for some reason, but I couldn't find anything that let me perform actions on my home screen.

It's unclear whether it is dependent on the apps you have installed, so maybe I missed something out. What I do know is that everything I have was limited to visible information or the aforementioned shortcuts. Apple also seems to limit which third party apps are allowed to offer lock screen widgets, and it seems as though my smart home apps didn't make the cut.

That means I don't get to turn on my water heater without unlocking my phone first.

One more thing to note is that iOS lets you choose whether your lock screen's widget bar sits at the top of the screen (under the clock) or at the bottom. There's no in-between option, so make sure to pick the one that works best for you.

How lock screen widgets work on Android

The funny thing about Android lock screen widgets is that it reminds of how Apple used to do widgets before iOS 14. If you think back to those days, you'll remember that iPhones had a separate page that stored all your widgets, accessible by swiping from the left side of the home screen.

That is essentially how Android's lock screen widgets work. You swipe from the right side of your lock screen, and all your widgets will be accessible without unlocking your phone. But rather than being a continuously scrolling feed of widgets, Android limits you to three lock screen widgets per page.

You can have multiple pages, of course, and if there's a limit to that I haven't managed to find it yet. So far I've added five pages worth of lock screen widgets, which is already more than I know what to do with.

You are limited to three widgets per page, however, and it doesn't actually matter how big the widgets actually are. The smallest widget takes up the exact same amount of space as the largest, and you need to use up all the space before moving on.

Much like Android's home screen widgets, there's a surprising amount of variety when it comes to widget design. You get multiple choices for each widget, and the designs are similar to those you'd expect to see on your phone itself. To the point where it feels a lot like the usual Android widget experience, but accessible when your phone is still locked.

You can only see things at a glance, though. Some widgets let you access and control certain phone features, including smart home devices, accessing anything more sensitive prompts you to unlock the phone. If I want to access my calendar, emails or even something as simple as Shazam, I'll need to unlock my phone first. While that does limit the usefulness of some widgets, I can understand why this is the case for a lot of things.

Except Shazam, not sure what that's about — perhaps it's something to do with microphone access?

Who does it best?

Both Android and iOS do lock screen widgets rather differently. Android gives you the option to have as many widgets as you like, with the added ability to perform certain actions without needing to unlock your phone.

Meanwhile iOS is a lot more limited, but seems focused on offering shortcuts to key apps, or offering important information in a way that doesn't require you to unlock your phone to see it — potentially saving you time and battery life in the process.

With that in mind, it seems Android definitely offers more freedom and productive use of its lock screen widgets. Sadly it's let down by the fact that it's so easy to forget about the widgets, and end up unlocking your phone anyway. While limited in scale, iOS's lock screen widgets are positioned front and center — making them very difficult to miss.

As feature-rich as Android lock screen widgets are, they're a bit pointless if you keep forgetting that they're there — and so far they haven't been around long enough to properly integrate themselves into my day-to-day phone use. Then again, it's not worth having in-your-face widgets if you can't do much with them.

Honestly, it would be much better if both platforms offered a hybrid approach. More feature-rich widgets on and around the lock screen, and displayed in a way that you can't really miss them. Keep Android's extra pages around too, so you have plenty of space to access the widgets you need when you need them.

More from Tom's Guide

• Don't rush into a new phone plan without checking their service first — these phone carriers offer free trials
• iPhone Duo — I ranked the 9 biggest reasons to buy Apple’s first foldable
• Fairphone 6+ review: Prioritizing repairability over performance

As a lab tester at Tom’s Guide, I get to benchmark the best laptops. From best Chromebooks and Windows laptops to the best MacBooks and best Android tablets, I’ve tested it all. But I don’t get a new operating system and platform to try very often. That’s why I was very excited to get my hands on the new Googlebooks, especially the Lenovo Googlebook 15.

After spending several days with the Lenovo Googlebook 15, I think Google is really onto something. This 15.3-inch OLED laptop combines a gorgeous display, great performance for Android apps, a fresher take on phone integrations, and genuinely useful AI features.

It's not perfect, though. Battery life is a little underwhelming, and the underlying Googlebook OS still has some early bugs and compatibility issues to work out. But as the largest Googlebook, the Lenovo Googlebook 15 is an excellent showcase for this new laptop platform.

Lenovo Googlebook 15 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Lenovo Googlebook 15 is Lenovo’s newest laptop powered by Googlebook OS. Naming aside, it is effectively an Android laptop with cool UI layers and fancy AI features on top of the OS—all optimized for keyboard and mouse.
• Who is it for? Those in the Android ecosystem, or who prefer a Google-powered laptop over Windows or macOS. Also ChromeOS users who want a more premium device.
• What does it cost? It starts at $1,150 from Lenovo, or $1,099 from Best Buy.
• What do we like? The Lenovo Googlebook 15 has a sleek design, beautiful OLED screen, great everyday performance, tons of useful AI features, and great synergy with Android phones.
• What don’t we like? The Lenovo Googlebook 15 doesn’t have the best battery life, has minor bugs in Googlebook OS, and needs an Android 17 phone for the best experience.

Lenovo Googlebook 15 review: Specs

Lenovo Googlebook 15 review: The ups

The Lenovo Googlebook 15 has a lot going for it, including a large 15.3-inch OLED display, a sleek design, strong performance, and useful AI features

Sleek design

Some laptops can be boring, but the Lenovo Googlebook 15 sure isn’t. Lenovo calls this Googlebook color “Cloud Grey,” and it is striking. The colorway isn’t new to Lenovo (it appears on their Legion gaming laptops), but I love it. In a sea of black and gray laptops, it sure stands out.

The laptop is made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy and a carbon fiber blend. Sliding my hands over the lid, I find it has a soft yet marble-like feel (which Lenovo calls a silk-touch coating). Opening and closing the lid every day is a pleasure.

The keyboard deck is flanked by four Dolby Atmos speakers, similar to the MacBook Pro. The underside features a toned-down version of the Google Pixelbook Go’s textured, ribbed, and wavy finish. I am used to the flat aluminum of a MacBook Pro, so this really makes the laptop feel different when it is resting on my lap or when I’m holding it while it’s closed.

Portability is also a plus. While 2.8 pounds might seem heavy for a laptop, I didn’t find this system too much of a burden to carry to and from work. The profile is sleek, measuring about 0.63 inches thick.

A design note unique to Googlebooks systems is the small “Glow Bar” at the top of the device. This is a little bit reminiscent of the glowing white Apple logo on older MacBooks. It’s partially for brand identity, but it isn’t just for show, as it has several purposes.

Power on the Googlebook, and you’ll see a nice RGB glow on the Glowbar. Plug your Googlebook in and out of power, and the Glowbar will display your battery percentage. Finally, use Gemini, and the colors will move with the responses. You can turn it off, but I haven't found much reason to. It’s a nice way to show those around me that I’m using a new and cool Googlebook.

The final aspect I love is the keyboard and trackpad. The keyboard includes special Googlebook OS icons (like Home, Overview, and Back) and shares the same silk texture as the lid. This makes it easy to type. The trackpad has haptic feedback, which makes this MacBook user feel right at home.

Glorious OLED touchscreen

Lenovo packed a 15.3-inch OLED screen into this Googlebook, and it's glorious. OLED isn't unique to the Lenovo Googlebook 15, but its 15.3-inch panel is the largest in the Googlebook lineup (so far), and that extra screen real estate makes a difference in productivity and overall immersion.

I tested this OLED panel while watching several nighttime tours of New York City. The panel delivers deep, inky blacks across the darkened buildings, while the city lights pop with vibrant color and shimmer. An overhead shot of the Freedom Tower and Hudson River was particularly impressive, with reflections of the city lights in the river looking remarkably realistic.

My spreadsheets looked great on the Lenovo Googlebook 15 display. Normally, my eyes hurt after looking at spreadsheets all day on my MacBook Pro’s MiniLED display, but on the Googlebook, the text is crisp and easy to read, with strong contrast between dark and light elements. The extra screen space also lets me stack apps side by side and multitask without plugging into a monitor.

Our lab numbers and comparisons with similarly priced laptops back my experience. This system’s 451.8-nit SDR brightness is nearly identical to the MacBook Air M5 (454.8 nits) and the Galaxy Book 6 Pro (457 nits), while its 1,009-nit HDR peak trails only the Galaxy Book 6 Pro (1,053 nits), showing how well this laptop handles streaming movies and TV shows.

Its 112.8% sRGB and 79.9% DCI-P3 results fall slightly behind those of other laptops, but its 0.21 Delta-E indicates excellent color accuracy. The Lenovo Googlebook 15 is definitely competitive with other premium 15-inch laptops, at least for the display.

Decent performance

Under the hood, the Lenovo Googlebook 15 runs on the Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor and has 16GB of RAM. As part of Intel’s “Panther Lake” line, this chip is the same one found in many mid-range Windows laptops. My Tom's Guide colleague, Tony Polanco, has a full benchmark roundup if you’re curious how these Googlebooks stack up.

I mainly used the Lenovo Googlebook 15 to browse shared copies of work spreadsheets, check my social media feeds in Chrome, and use the Android versions of Firefox, Telegram, and Instagram. For those tasks, this Googlebook is great. I even did something I never could on my MacBook with an iPhone app— I pulled up the Verizon Fios Mobile TV Android app and watched Live TV right from my laptop.

The Lenovo Googlebook 15 makes a great everyday companion to your phone for productivity. Since many apps on Googlebook OS run on Android, it might even replace your phone when it’s not nearby.

While writing this review with about eight Chrome tabs open and those Android apps running, I experienced no lag. Playing a light Android game like Block Blast posed no issues, and the touchscreen made gaming snappier. When I stepped things up with Asphalt Legends, the game performed well in intense races, and I never experienced a lockup, even with Chrome and other apps open in the background.

Based on our lab's benchmarks, you can see why the Lenovo Googlebook 15 is geared toward everyday productivity. It trails the more powerful MacBook Air and Galaxy Book 6 Pro in raw processing and graphics. In Geekbench 6, the 2,463 single-core and 9,956 multi-core scores beat those of Lenovo’s older flagship Chromebook Plus 14 with a MediaTek chip.

Its 4,421 Wild Life Extreme score and 26.52 fps beat the Chromebook Plus 14 but came in well behind the MacBook Air and Galaxy Book 6 Pro. It has enough power for everyday office work and Android apps, but it won't replace a gaming laptop.

Useful AI features

I was never a fan of AI in laptops, but the Lenovo Googlebook 15’s features show how a tech company can do AI right. The AI features I want, including “Magic Pointer” and “Rambler,” are there, but only when I need them.

Magic Pointer is my favorite experience. For instance, when I looked up laptops for this review, I clicked the status bar to enable the feature, then clicked the laptop name, and a small box popped up with my query, which eventually directed me to the Google Gemini app to find more information quickly.

The feature can also be enabled with a cursor shake, but I turned it off to avoid accidental triggers (which happened more than once). It also supports object detection and can detect and look up photos of objects with Gemini for feedback with a quick click.

Rambler, on the other hand, turns into a natural voice to clean up text. To test it out, I opened a message draft to a friend and triggered the feature using my keyboard’s dictation button. To really push its limits, I intentionally messed up what I wanted to dictate: I misstated my friend's home state before correcting myself mid-sentence, accidentally said the wrong month for a planned visit, and rambled through an awkward explanation about canceling a trip to Seattle because of budget constraints and flight issues. Despite the messy input, Rambler instantly filtered out what was wrong and made a clean, well-crafted message.

The Files app and Gemini Notebook also integrate seamlessly. You can add files and choose “Add to Notebook,” making it easier to use the assistant to build complex projects. Files AI also includes a switch that lets you see auto-generated descriptions of Files in the Description column, making them easier to find.

Much to my delight, some of these features are optional and can be turned off. Magic Pointer has an off switch in the settings app, and you can turn off Rambler by switching back to classic voice typing in settings. The Files AI feature in the Files app is optional and can be turned off, too. You can choose not to connect Gemini with Personal Intelligence right out of the box when setting up Googlebook.

Android synergy

Using the Lenovo Googlebook 15 made me want to switch back to Android. That’s largely because of many cool new “Better Together” Android integrations built into Googlebook OS.

While getting the most out of Android phone features on this laptop requires an Android 17 phone, the experience is now more upfront than it was on ChromeOS. It is a little more like what you get when you own a macOS laptop and iPhone. Google has even added desktop widgets and the ability to create folders on the desktop — two things you could never do on a Chromebook.

Setting up this Lenovo Googlebook was easy. I simply scanned a QR code, signed in with my Google account, and the laptop instantly started copying and syncing the content from my Pixel 9 Pro XL Android phone.

Once the two devices were linked, I had all the Android apps I needed right in the launcher. I could continue reading the webpages I started on my phone on the Lenovo Googlebook, cast full-sized, resizable Android apps from my phone to the Googlebook, and transfer files back and forth directly from the Files app using the dedicated section for my Pixel.

This all feels seamless. Unlike on a Chromebook, apps streaming from my Android phone were fully resizable and draggable. Previously, apps streaming through Phone Hub were fixed to a hub at the bottom of the screen.

It’s not entirely new compared with what you’d get on a Chromebook, but this revamped Android phone integration in Googlebook OS is the kind of thing Apple offers with iPhones and macOS. It makes the Lenovo Googlebook 15 a great buy for Android users or Google Pixel fans.

Lenovo Googlebook 15: The downs

While the Lenovo Googlebook 15 has many strengths, it also has notable flaws.

Dependent on Android

As much as I love Android synergy, if you’re planning to use the Lenovo Googlebook 15 with your Android phone, you should ideally run Android 17. Without it, you’ll miss out on “Better Together” features such as “Continue On,” App Streaming, Instant Hotspot, Notification Sync, and Cross-Device File Syncing.

While Google offered to provide us with test phones to ensure the best experience, I had my personal Pixel 9 Pro XL, so that wasn’t an issue. Google also said it’s working with Samsung to roll out compatibility to more phones soon.

Curious about cross-platform features, I also paired the Lenovo Googlebook 15 with my iPhone 17. When I connected the Googlebook via cable and used the out-of-the-box Googlebook OS experience, I was offered the option to copy content from my iPhone, such as my contacts, to the Googlebook. The Googlebook also recognized the apps on my Apple phone, but I had to download them from the Play Store after setup.

I also downloaded the “Link to Googlebook” app on my iPhone. With it, I could see the iMessages from my iPhone on the Lenovo Googlebook 15 — though only the most recent conversations I started on the Googlebook itself appeared in the list. However, messages were sometimes out of sync.

Naturally, all the other “Better Together” features are missing when using Googlebook on the iPhone. This functionality is similar to the Link to Windows app on Windows 11, so it’s nice to see Google thinking about folks outside its own garden.

Disappointing battery life

Huge 15-inch OLED panels, like the one in this laptop, are power-hungry, which is why the Lenovo Googlebook 15 managed only 10 hours and 25 minutes in our Chromebook battery test. Google claims these devices can last up to 16 hours of web browsing, but we didn’t come close because our testing methods differ.

Our battery test is much more demanding than Google’s because it involves browsing at 150 nits across 30 webpages until the device powers down. In my personal tests, I came close to our lab's results.

When running the Lenovo Googlebook 15 through a typical workday starting at 9:30 AM with a full charge, the battery dropped to 43% by 2:30 PM with the screen set to a comfortable 79% brightness. That mixed usage included heavy web browsing, cycling the laptop in and out of sleep, playing Android games, running Android apps, replying to iMessages via Link to Googlebook, and streaming apps from my Pixel.

While I still had about 25% juice left by the time I got home, it's nowhere close to the all-day endurance I get from a MacBook Pro.

Googlebook OS bugs

Overall, the hardware powering the Googlebook experience is great, but the underlying operating system has early bugs that need ironing out. Several software issues make this laptop slightly frustrating to use.

While streaming apps from my Pixel 9 Pro XL to my Googlebook is neat, they sometimes don’t scale properly or crash. Other apps also struggle with the keyboard and mouse, lagging despite a solid Wi-Fi connection and close Bluetooth range. I experienced this most when streaming the Instagram app from my Pixel, but I am hopeful Google can fix this over time.

Downloading apps and games from the Google Play Store needs a close eye. A fresh new badging system will let you know if the app is “optimized for desktop,” “made for desktop,” “compatible with desktop,” “better on the website,” or “built for mobile.” Some top Android games, Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and Fortnite, weren't available on my Lenovo Googlebook 15, probably due to their anti-cheat features.

Microsoft Edge, one of my must-have Android apps, has a desktop compatibility badge on the Google Play Store. Although the app downloaded, it refused to work. This is likely because the developer has not yet optimized it for this Intel-powered Lenovo Googlebook. My colleague from Tom’s Hardware was able to open the Microsoft Edge app just fine on his Qualcomm-powered HP Googlebook.

Finally, I couldn't log in to my company's corporate Google account and services on the Lenovo Googlebook 15. Instead, I shared the spreadsheets and documents I usually edit to my personal Google account to gain experience with the Googlebook. That’s likely an IT policy issue, not a hardware problem. Definitely keep this in mind if buying this for work.

Lenovo Googlebook 15 review: Verdict

The Lenovo Googlebook 15 is one of the most interesting laptops I’ve tested in a while. The gorgeous 15.3-inch OLED display, sleek design, and solid everyday performance make it a great laptop. It’s a strong showcase for the potential of Googlebooks.

However, the real standout is the software. Google’s Android integration makes this laptop feel like the MacBook and iPhone experience Android fans — and ex-ones like me — have been waiting for. Useful AI features like Magic Pointer and Rambler feel practical, not gimmicky.

Unfortunately, battery life is a weakness, and some early Googlebook OS bugs and compatibility issues remain. If you’re a Chromebook, Android, or Pixel user looking for a premium laptop, the Lenovo Googlebook 15 is an easy recommendation.

OpenAI, Google, Meta and Anthropic have all acknowledged incidents recently in which their AI models accessed real computer systems without authorization during research or security evaluations.

In OpenAI’s case, agents actively worked their way around restrictions designed to keep them contained, while the other three companies traced their incidents to testing environments that were misconfigured and left connected to the internet.

And as these same companies race to put more autonomous agents into the hands of consumers, the incidents raise an uncomfortable question about how much control AI companies actually have over the technology they’re building.

Here's a look at all the recent attacks and an explanation for each one.

OpenAI’s agents broke into Hugging Face

One of the most alarming examples involved roughly 700 OpenAI agents taking part in a cybersecurity evaluation called ExploitGym, with the attack on Hugging Face unfolding between July 8 and July 13, 2026, according to an investigation by the AI research nonprofit METR and OpenAI’s own report.

The agents were supposed to complete their assigned tasks inside a controlled environment, but they turned OpenAI’s internal Artifactory package registry into an unauthorized message board, coordinated with one another and searched for ways around restrictions meant to keep them isolated from the internet. Their efforts ultimately resulted in a breach of Hugging Face, the popular AI development platform, where OpenAI’s technical report found the agents executed code on 41 production dataset-server workers.

The incident wasn’t a deliberate attack ordered by a human operator. The agents were trying to succeed at their assigned tasks and adopted methods that crossed security boundaries, and OpenAI has conceded that early warning signs in the weeks before the breach could have triggered an earlier response.

OpenAI has since attributed the incident to misaligned behavior, which essentially means AI systems pursuing a goal in ways their creators never intended.

Hugging Face wasn’t the only target. In a September 25 update, OpenAI said it was notifying third parties on a rolling basis wherever its models may have bypassed security controls, impaired online services or otherwise affected outside websites, and that it had notified dozens of them so far. The company later raised that figure to more than 100 organizations, covering notifications sent through September 26.

The activity OpenAI identified includes agents bypassing access controls and using exposed credentials, and some agents modified third-party websites, including by using public wiki pages as makeshift message boards that later required cleanup. OpenAI says its review is ongoing and that it expects to notify more organizations.

It's happened to Google, Meta and Anthropic too

The problem extends well beyond OpenAI.

In August, Meta confirmed a report from The Information that one of its models, which the publication identified as Muse Spark 1.1, had breached another company’s systems during a cybersecurity test.

A Meta spokesperson said a misconfiguration by Irregular, an independent testing firm the company works with, inadvertently gave the model internet access. The model then exploited a vulnerability in a third-party service and made changes to the company’s internal systems.

Meta said the incident did not involve a sandbox escape, and it hasn’t named the affected company or explained what was changed. But the underlying behavior was troubling, since an AI system placed in the wrong environment was capable of taking actions against a real organization.

Google reported a similar problem involving its Gemini models. During a May cybersecurity evaluation, also run with Irregular, a Gemini model that wasn’t supposed to have internet access got online through a configuration problem. It then used publicly available information and guessed credentials to get into systems belonging to three real companies.

Anthropic has disclosed three incidents in which Claude models gained unauthorized access to the production systems of three organizations during cybersecurity evaluations run in Irregular’s environment. The models involved were Claude Opus 4.7, Claude Mythos 5 and an unreleased internal research model. In one case, Opus 4.7 was pointed at a fictional target whose name matched a real company’s live domain.

The problem isn’t that AI is evil

When agents go rogue, it can feel as if the agents are evil, that's really not the case. In each of these cases, the AI agent was not deliberately trying to cause harm. the AI was taking unauthorized actions because it believed those actions will help complete a task.

But even so, they reveal a practical problem about AI agents and how they can be remarkably effect while pursuing a goal without reliably understanding what methods are acceptable.

If an agent is rewarded for completing a task, it may discover shortcuts that violate rules, exploit vulnerabilities or exceed its permissions.

And unlike a traditional chatbot that simply produces text, an autonomous agent can interact with websites, execute code and make changes to connected systems.

Why this matters for everyday AI users

For most people, the immediate risk isn’t that ChatGPT will suddenly start hacking government websites. It’s that AI assistants are becoming increasingly capable of acting on our behalf.

OpenAI’s Dots, which launched September 29 for ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium subscribers, along with ChatGPT Work and other agent-style products, represent a broader shift away from AI that simply answers questions and toward AI that completes tasks. That can mean searching files, interacting with websites, using connected services and carrying out multi-step workflows with less supervision.

The appeal is obvious, since a task that would take you an hour can be handed off to an AI assistant instead. But every additional permission creates another opportunity for something to go wrong.

An agent with access to your email may encounter sensitive personal information, one connected to cloud storage may be able to read documents you never intended to share, and an agent authorized to interact with external services could run into malicious instructions or make an unexpected change.

Bottom line

The solution is not to stop using AI agents. I use them regularly and find them to be incredibly helpful.

Start by checking which accounts, apps and services your AI assistant can access, and disconnect anything you don’t actively need, particularly services containing sensitive financial, medical or personal information.

When possible, require approval before an agent sends messages, changes files, makes purchases or takes other consequential actions. It’s also worth remembering that an AI agent isn’t only limited to doing exactly what you imagined when you gave it an instruction, because a task that sounds straightforward to a human may involve dozens of decisions made by the AI along the way. The fewer permissions an agent has, the less damage an unexpected decision can cause.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon and DoorDash take photos of your front door — but good luck finding out when they’re deleted
• I emailed myself every day for a month and let Gemini write back — here's how it transformed my workflow
• ChatGPT-6 just got a huge 'interactive answers' upgrade — and free users get it starting today

I’ve been gaming ever since my parents first gifted me one of those handheld Tiger Electronics games that were fun for about all of five minutes. Then I was exposed to the greatness that is Altered Beast and have been hooked ever since (I still think that game is a banger, forget the naysayers!).

At one point, I actually wanted to go to college and try my hand at becoming a professional game developer. But I quickly realized my weaknesses in the subjects of math, science and art prevented me from realizing that dream. Getting to write about video games has turned into a valid alternative option for me, however.

Now that I’m fully entrenched in the world of AI, I’ve come across a few tools that allow people to create their own games through prompts and vibe coding. I recently played around with an app made by Meta called Pocket that let me tap turn random video game ideas into little playable gizmos. And to be honest, it ended up being more fun than I imagined.

Now Google has entered the AI video game creation space with a new experiment called “Playground.” With Google’s lofty promise of “If you can think it, you can play it. Create, play, and share custom games — no coding required,” I wanted to try it for myself. This is how it all went down.

The prompt, the game creation process and the finished product

Making my way to Google Playgrounds home page treated me to a large lineup of handpicked gams labeled under “Editor’s Picks,” “Games Made With Unity Spark” and “Popular Games. There’s also a collection of top creators you can follow who are entrusted with giving out the best game recommendations on the platform.

Instead of diving into everyone else’s games, I went ahead and tried making one on my own. Since I knew I wasn’t cut out to make any games with Unity Spark (plus it wasn’t available to try out yet), I chose to make my first Playground experience with nothing more than a prompt. I needed a bit of help coming up with the core concept of my game, which I wanted to make sure was simple and infinitely replayable.

After requesting ChatGPT’s help with coming up with varied game ideas, it gave me one that spoke to my love for endless runners:

• Endless Runner: Build a polished browser game called “AI Commute.” The player controls a character running through a busy city, jumping over obstacles and collecting coffee cups for points. Make the game progressively faster, add three different types of obstacles, a score counter, a high-score system, sound effects, and a simple start/game-over screen. Use keyboard controls on desktop and tap controls on mobile. Give it a colorful, modern visual style and make everything playable directly in the browser.

For this game, I went the 2D route and made it strictly single-player. After inputting my prompt, Playground worked on putting it all together. It’s worth noting that you can increase the limit on how much you can use Playground by upgrading to a Google AI Plus plan (I stayed in the free zone to make my game, though). Playground works by gathering all the game assets for my idea, then giving me the option to auto-generate all of them and finally building the game into a playable state. You can make changes to your concept if need be and Playground incorporates them into what it makes.

The actual generation part of Playground’s process does take a few minutes (which actually gave me some time to play some of the other finished games on the platform. Once the game design, implementation plan, game creation, QA check and finalization stages are complete, the game is ready for me to demo and see if it’s worth making widely available to the rest of the Playground community.

My game came out a lot better than I expected. “AI Commute” got gifted with a description that says “Sprint through a vibrant futuristic metropolis, dodging obstacles and snagging coffee cups to survive the ultimate morning rush.”

Jumping, sliding, collecting coffee cups and dodging random obstacles definitely hit me in the feels as someone who does that in real life as a New Yorker. I had so much fun making my first Playground game that I used ChatGPT to cook up two more concepts, which led to the creation of “Three Clues” and “Neon Outrun.”

The following prompts are responsible for the birth of those browser-based games:

• Daily Puzzle Game: Create a complete daily word puzzle game called “Three Clues.” Each round gives the player three increasingly obvious clues to guess a mystery word. The player gets six guesses, with points awarded based on how quickly they solve it. Include a timer, streak counter, hints, animations, a share-results button, and a new puzzle that changes each day. Make the interface feel like a polished mobile game rather than a prototype. Don't use external APIs or require a login.
• Side-Scrolling 2D Shooter: Create a polished side-scrolling 2D arcade shooter called “Neon Outrun.” The player controls a futuristic spaceship flying from left to right through a neon city in the sky. Enemies continuously fly in from the right, including small drones, fast fighters and larger armored ships. Let the player move freely up and down, fire continuously, dodge enemy attacks and collect power-ups that upgrade their weapons. Include three weapon types, an energy shield, an increasing difficulty curve, an on-screen health bar, score counter, combo multiplier, particle effects, explosions, and a boss fight at the end of the level. Add a start screen, pause button, game-over screen and high-score system. Use keyboard controls on desktop and touch controls on mobile. Make the game feel fast, responsive and arcade-like, with a colorful retro-futuristic aesthetic. Keep everything self-contained so it can be played directly in the browser.

The takeaway

Google Playground has a lot going for it — the simple act of taking your video game ideas, turning them into easily understandable prompts and then letting Playground do all the work to make it something people would actually want to play is pretty cool.

And once the Unity Spark feature becomes more widely available, I can see beginner and veteran game creators adding even more enjoyable and complex games to the Playground platform. To be real, I can never see any of those AI-made games rising to the level of the heavy hitters seen across the home console and PC gaming landscape. But they still make for some fun diversions and a simpler path for many to create their own video games.

More from Tom’s Guide

• Meet Tab — the personal AI assistant race is heating up with a brand new personal sidekick
• Google just launched a free AI detector for music, videos, and images — here's how SynthID works and what it can (and can't) tell you
• The 10 most influential games ever, according to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity — and two of them couldn’t agree on No. 1 for National Video Games Day

Google’s own Gemini has already been integrated into Google Workspace’s Docs, Sheets and Slides to help users with their projects.

But now Anthropic’s Claude AI tool has also made its way into those three Google Workspace apps via sidebar integration. Currently, Claude for Google Workspace is in beta for Claude Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise subscribers. And of course, you’ll need a Google account that is allowed to install Google Workspace Marketplace apps like Claude.

One key difference between the Google Workspace connectors in Claude and the Claude extension is that the connectors let Claude search and reference what you prompt it to look for in your Google Drive, Gmail, and Calendar during a chat. The Claude extension inside Docs, Sheets and Slides directly accesses and interacts with the file you’re already in.

Now that Claude is as easy as clicking on “Extensions” from inside Docs, Sheets and Slides to access it as a sidebar assistant, here are seven ways you can use it to benefit you.

1. Rewrite and edit a Google Doc

The prompt: Edit and rewrite this document for clarity and concision.

Activating Claude for Docs gives you a bunch of options from the start. Those options include “Check for inconsistencies,” “Copy-edit this document,” “Summarize this contract,” “Flag off market terms,” “Draft a memo” and “Write meeting notes.” The prompt I used made Claude review my lengthy document, offer several helpful suggestions, and let me apply all recommended changes with a single click. Watching Claude make all those edits right inside my document while preserving my most important information and cutting down the word count is impressive.

2. Restructure a long document

The prompt: Restructure this document to have clearly defined sections with proper headings.

Restructuring my document initially resulted in Claude asking me for permission to run a script, which I granted. Afterward, it completed its job by including the appropriate headings I requested, giving me three edits I chose to let it apply and finally adding a title. All of those changes came together to make my document read a whole lot better and refined to the point where I didn’t see the need for any more edits.

3. Fix a broken spreadsheet formula

The prompt: Fix any broken spreadsheet formulas you see in this sheet.

Opening up Claude in Sheets highlights several “Skills” you can use. Also, you’re given the option of creating and managing your own Skills on your Claude account. For anyone who works extensively with putting together spreadsheets that include simple and complex formulas, you can ask Claude to point out and fix any formula errors it comes across. I told Claude to create a bunch of broken formulas on my spreadsheet and then made sure it fixed those same errors to see how everything turned out. It fixed all those errors while also laying out the reasoning behind its fixes.

4. Clean up messy spreadsheet data

The prompt: Clean up any messy data you see in this spreadsheet.

I’m sure you have a spreadsheet or two filled with the sort of data that makes it confusing to read and is in dire need of some proper edits. With the prompt I used, Claude gave me three options to place the cleaned data: a new “Clean Orders” tab, overwriting them in their assigned tabs or some other free tabs on the spreadsheet. I chose the overwrite option, which led to cleaning up the original version and listing all of the changes it made for each of the tabs it fixed.

5. Turn data into a chart

The prompt: Turn all this data into a chart.

For this next experiment, I used the “Monthly budget” spreadsheet template to see if Claude could turn all of the data displayed on it into an easy-to-read chart. Claude tackled that task with ease and gave a thorough explanation of how it put it all together. It even detailed what all the data on its chart actually means and gave me additional options to make that chart even more detailed.

6. Build new slides that match an existing deck

The prompt: Add three slides that stay in line with the topic being discussed here.

Opening up Claude in Slides gives you three basic options to start with when you want to edit an existing presentation. Those options are “Summarize this deck,” Build a competitive analysis” and “Review for consistency.” I ended up prompting Claude to create a title slide and three additional info slides that dove into the hot-button topic of “The Pros and Cons of Using AI.” After it completed that task, I asked it to add some additional slides to make my presentation pop even more. After permitting it to work, Claude put together three more slides that used actual data from a legit study to make my slideshow feel more complete.

7. Let Claude critique a presentation

The prompt: Review this presentation, point out any criticisms you may have, and make any proper edits based on your criticisms.

This final experiment pushed Claude to go through all of my slides to find and fix any story, copy and layout errors it came across. It ended up finding a newer version of the study it mentioned beforehand and checked to see if the numbers it highlighted in slide two were still correct. Besides that fix, Claude went through all seven slides and made six major changes that made my presentation transform into its most revised version.

What I liked — and what still needs work

Overall, Claude’s direct integration into Docs, Sheets and Slides works well in its current beta phase.

Claude’s official blog about this new feature even talks about more tasks it can handle, such as you being able to ask it questions about the document, spreadsheet or deck you have open, then getting answers with properly cited sources. Some of the limitations that are present, such as Claude not being able to read, reply to, or resolve any comments seen in a document, are unfortunate.

But I’m sure that issue and many more will get ironed out as Claude’s direct Google Workspace integration moves closer to its final phase.

Bottom line: Claude and Gemini work like a well-oiled AI assisting machine

I like the fact that Docs, Sheets and Slides now let their users work with both Gemini and Claude to get their work done.

Rather than both AI tools being in competition with each other, they work better together. For instance, I could see a situation where I tell Gemini to draft a wedding speech that includes all the details I explain to it, using Claude to spruce it up with some proper edits and then using those edits to write it in my own voice. And with one final look-through by Claude, that speech may come off even better than it did before.

Claude and Gemini joining forces in Docs, Sheets and Slides works well and might work even better in the future.

More from Tom’s Guide

• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on AI's future: 'the world should accept some bad things happening'
• ChatGPT-6 just got a huge 'interactive answers' upgrade — and free users get it starting today
• I gave ChatGPT $100 and 72 hours to get me out of the house — and it found something I realized I've been missing for years

Despite debuting back in 2023, the Fitbit Charge 6 remains one of my favorite fitness trackers on the market today because of its onboard GPS, reliable tracking performance, small but bright display, comfy design, impressive battery life, and support for several handy Google apps.

While 2026’s Fitbit Air is in some ways the spiritual successor to the Fitbit Charge 6, the lack of a screen, smart features, and onboard GPS means it doesn’t quite fill the same shoes as its older sibling.

So, will Google ever launch a Charge 6 replacement, or is the brand too concerned about sales potentially cannibalizing interest in the Pixel Watch 5? Based on a host of recent rumors and links, the former now seems likely.

That’s right, a true-blue Fitbit Charge 6 replacement could debut as early as this year. Better yet, it may combine all the best bits of the Fitbit Charge 6 in a smaller, more Fitbit Air-like package.

Here are the five biggest things you should know about the rumored Fitbit Edge.

1. Unlike the Fitbit Air, the Edge is rumored to have a screen

Screen-free fitness trackers are clearly in vogue at the moment. 2026 gave us the Fitbit Air, Garmin Cirqa, Luna Band, and more. While I’m a fan of the distraction-free promise of these devices, sometimes it’s nice to interact with your gadget without having to open an app on your phone.

Google seems to agree, because the Fitbit Edge is rumored to incorporate a 1.34-inch display that’s likely touch-sensitive, according to a report by Forbes. Leaked images, shared by Android Headlines, also suggest that the device will have at least one physical button on the side of the case.

2. Onboard GPS also seems likely

My biggest gripe about the Fitbit Air is that it lacks onboard GPS, which means you need to carry your paired phone with you for outdoor workouts if you want accurate location-based data.

As someone who frequently makes use of the great outdoors for my recreational enjoyment, I much prefer not being forced to bring my bulky iPhone 16 Plus along for the excursion, especially when going for a run or bike ride.

Fortunately, the Fitbit Edge is rumored to include onboard GPS, just like the Fitbit Charge 6. On the flip side, this probably means that battery life won’t be quite as good as the Fitbit Air, which lasts roughly a week per charge. More likely, it will be closer to five days, similar to the Charge 6.

3. The Edge will probably support basic Google apps

Don’t expect the Fitbit Edge to be jam-packed with smart features; that’s what the Pixel Watch line is for, but you can likely expect it to support some basic Google apps, like Google Maps, Google Music, and Google Wallet.

4. Expect a petite, lightweight design

Again, going by leaked images, the Fitbit Edge appears to be slightly smaller than the Fitbit Charge 6, with a more pebble-like case design. The strap shown appears similar in design to the silicone straps that ship with the Pixel Watch 5.

While I don’t have any concrete specs, I suspect the Edge will weigh less than the ~30 g Fitbit Charge 6 but a little more than the ~13 g Fitbit Air.

With only one physical button shown on the right side of the case, it seems likely that the screen on the tracker will be touch-sensitive. Design-wise, I expect Google to launch the Fitbit Edge with a decent selection of eye-catching color combinations to choose from.

5. It will likely cost between $150 and $200

The Fitbit Air is $99, while the Fitbit Charge 6 launched at $159. How much can we expect the Fitbit Edge to go for? Given the rate of inflation over the past three years, it seems likely that the Edge will cost a little bit more than its predecessor, but I highly doubt it will surpass $200.

What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Edge? Does it sound like a proper replacement for the Fitbit Charge 6? Moreover, cost aside, which fitness tracker would you rather own, the screen-free Fitbit Air or a screen- and GPS-equipped Fitbit Edge? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Charge 6 — which top-performing Fitness tracker wins?
• Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Inspire 3 — which $99 fitness tracker wins?
• I've been using the Fitbit Air for over a week, and my favorite feature has completely changed the way I wake up

The Acer Googlebook 14 ($899) stands out among the other newly released Googlebooks for its relatively low asking price and 2-in-1 convertible design. It still has the hallmarks of the lineup, including a thin, light design, a sturdy aluminum chassis, and a Glowbar to mark it as a Googlebook. It’s certainly a hardware winner, but the software is where things get a bit more complicated.

Inside, the Acer Chromebook 14 packs an Intel Core Ultra 5 Panther Lake chip. That, along with 16GB of RAM, gives it plenty of power to handle multiple open Chrome tabs and various Android apps. The 14-inch OLED touch display is impressive, with everything from websites to videos looking sharp and clear. The roomy keyboard deck, thick keycaps, and large touchpad also make it great for getting work done.

The Gemini-powered AI features are interesting. For instance, wiggling the cursor brings up a chatbox where you can ask Gemini questions about what you’ve selected. The Rambler feature is also useful, as Gemini can clean up your messy dictation and turn it into a properly edited document. You can even dabble in some vibe coding and create Android apps for whatever you need.

Googlebooks are designed to work with the best Android phones, similar to how the best iPhones and best MacBooks seamlessly integrate. If you’re already familiar with the Google and Android ecosystems, then laptops like the Acer Googlebook 14 could be what you’re looking for. However, if you’re an iPhone user or don’t need deep interoperability with your Android phone, you might want to look elsewhere.

Even if machines like the Acer Googlebook 14 feel like suped-up Chromebooks, they do lay the groundwork for future iterations that can better realize the dream of a more integrated Android ecosystem. There's a lot to like about Acer's laptop, but since you need an Android phone to get the most out of it, it’s really only for those users. Find out more in my Acer Chromebook 14 review.

Acer Googlebook 14 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Acer Googlebook 14 is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop built to work with Android phones.
• Who is it for? This laptop is for Android users who want more interoperability between their phone and laptop.
• What does it cost? The Acer Googlebook 14 starts at $899 at Best Buy.
• What do we like? We like the slim design, vivid 14-inch OLED panel, unique Googlebook AI features, and strong everyday performance.
• What don't we like? We don't like the relatively poor battery life, dependence on Android phones, and sometimes buggy Googlebook OS.

Acer Googlebook 14 review: Specs

Acer Googlebook 14 review: The ups

The Acer Googlebook 14 impresses with its slick design, gorgeous OLED panel, strong performance, and unique AI features.

Lovely design

The Acer Googlebook 14 is one of the thinnest and lightest 2-in-1 laptops I’ve ever reviewed. Thanks to that ultraportable design, I almost forgot I carried it in my bag while traveling. Despite its thin profile, the laptop feels sturdy and durable thanks to its aluminum build. Its smooth surface also feels good in hand.

Opening the laptop with one hand is a cinch, as it smoothly glides up on its hinge. As a 2-in-1, you can fold the display 360 degrees to switch to tablet mode. In this configuration, you basically get a huge Android tablet. Tent mode is great for when you want to kick back and watch videos without having the keyboard in front of you.

Speaking of the keyboard, I like how it’s spacious enough to accommodate my large hands. The keys have a nice travel distance, and the keycaps are plenty thick—which makes typing enjoyable. Another standout feature is the huge touchpad, which never fails to respond to all of my gestures. I wish the touchpad had haptic feedback like some other Googlebooks, but that is a minor nitpick at best.

The keyboard deck has a new Quick Insert key that instantly pulls up emojis, clipboard items, or recent files. That can be useful, but it replaces the traditional Caps Lock key. You can remap it, which is a bummer. However, you can hold the function key and tap Quick Insert to get Caps Lock.

The two speakers flanking the keyboard deck can get pretty loud, though I find the overall sound quality relatively thin. This is a complaint I have with most laptop speakers, so I won’t ding the Acer Googlebook too much for that.

Port selection is minimal at best. It has three USB-C ports, one of which is Thunderbolt 4/USB4, and a single headphone jack. Wireless connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In my experience, I never used more than one USB-C port, but I would have liked at least one USB-A port and an HDMI port.

Rich OLED display

The 14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED touchscreen on the Acer Googlebook 14 is quite nice. The 120Hz refresh rate also ensures everything moves smoothly. For instance, the latest trailer for the Street Fighter movie looks impressive, with colors popping off the screen thanks to the excellent contrast between dark and light elements. Web pages also look great, with crisp, clear text.

Our lab tests corroborate what my eyes experienced. Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) leans toward the oversaturated side, which accounts for the bold colors. Color reproduction (Delta-E) is also solid and in line with other laptop displays. Competitors like the Asus Googlebook 14 and 13-inch MacBook Air aren’t as vivid, though their color reproduction is arguably more naturalistic.

Brightness is another highlight. The Acer Googlebook 14 not only has strong SDR brightness, but it also delivers incredible HDR brightness. The chart above shows HDR brightness across 100% of the screen, but our test showed the screen can hit 1083 nits across 10%. That is some bright stuff!

I found the touchscreen to be as responsive as Android tablets I’ve reviewed. Swiping through menus and selecting tabs happens instantaneously. You can certainly argue that the Acer Googlebook 14’s tablet mode works better than a Windows convertible, since Windows 11’s touch interface doesn’t feel as natural as on an Android platform designed for touch.

Strong everyday performance

The Acer Googlebook 14 I reviewed packs an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Thanks to those specs, it’s a fairly decent performer that can handle multiple open Chrome tabs and Android apps without a problem. During my testing, I never noticed any slowdown when switching between websites and apps.

How did Acer’s convertible do in our lab tests? On the Geekbench CPU test, the laptop scored 2465 in single-core performance and 9960 in multi-core. That’s better than the Dell XPS 13 (2026), which packs the same Panther Lake processor and amount of RAM. Of course, the MacBook Air with its M5 chip blows both laptops away in performance.

While you can certainly play some light Android games on the Acer Googlebook 14, don’t expect it to adequately run anything intensive. On the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme GPU performance benchmark, Acer’s machine (like other Intel-powered Googlebooks) didn’t do as well as its Qualcomm-fueled siblings. And, unsurprisingly, the MacBook Air M5 delivered better performance.

Strong interoperability and Gemini features

Googlebooks exist to be companions for your Android phone. The laptop certainly lives up to that promise—for better and worse. For now, let’s stick with the positives, as Google has done a commendable job of creating its own Apple-like synergy between Googlebooks and Android devices.

I used a Google Pixel 9 phone for my testing, and setting up the Acer Googlebook 14 with it was seamless. As soon as I powered on the laptop, I got a notification on the Pixel phone to start the process, which took about 10 minutes since I had a lot of apps and files to transfer. After that, I could effortlessly start work on the phone and continue on the laptop, just like I would on an iPhone and MacBook.

Magic Pointer is one of the standout Googlebooks features. Like I said in the intro, shaking the cursor while hovering over content brings up Gemini. There, you can ask the chatbot to summarize text, translate foreign languages, or organize your calendar. You can turn this feature on or off, and I mostly went with the latter since I didn’t find it particularly useful. That said, it does work as advertised.

Rambler is the other big feature, as the upgraded speech-to-text tool does a nice job of taking your messy stream-of-consciousness ramblings and turning them into a coherent document. During my testing, I purposely switched to talking Spanish, and Rambler had no problem translating it. Again, another feature I wouldn’t normally use since I prefer to write rather than dictate, but it works well.

Create My Widget is for aspiring vibe coders who want to create their own apps. All you have to do is tell Gemini the kind of app you want, and it will create a widget for you. I’m not imaginative, so I had it create a widget to check the weather, and it did so right on the device. I can see folks having a blast with this feature, even if it isn’t something I’d use.

Acer Googlebook 14 review: The downs

On its own, the Acer Googlebook 14 is a fantastic convertible, but it's not perfect.

Only for the Android faithful

One thing is abundantly clear: Googlebooks like Acer’s cannot truly function on their own. Sure, you can do some of the basics, like browse the web or fire up YouTube. But for anything meaningful, such as Better Together features like Continue On, App Streaming, Instant Hotspot, Notification Sync, and Cross-Device File Sync, you’ll need an Android phone. That’s swell if you’re an Android user, but it leaves everyone else in the lurch.

In fairness to Google, you can transfer apps and files from your iPhone. The same is true for iMessages when you use the Link to Googlebook app from the Apple App Store. That’s all great, but I still felt limited in what I could do between an iPhone and Googlebook. Again, to get the most from a Googlebook, you’ll need an Android phone—which effectively shuts out iPhone users, likely myself.

Googlebook OS is limited

Googlebook OS is a brand-new operating system. As a result, it has some growing pains.

For example, apps that you stream from your phone don’t always scale correctly to the laptop’s screen. And even though this is an Android laptop, some Android games and apps either don’t perform as intended or crash completely.

Another issue my colleagues and I had was that we couldn’t log into our company’s corporate Google account and services. Because of that, I couldn’t use the Acer Googlebook 14 as my everyday laptop as I do with every notebook I review. This is an IT policy and not a problem with the laptop itself, but it’s something to keep in mind if you work for a large company.

I’m sure Google will keep ironing out Googlebook OS’ kinks over time, but right now, don’t expect a completely flawless experience, as you will run into the occasional hiccup during use.

Poor battery life

Based on our testing, laptops with Panther Lake processors generally have solid battery life. I expected the same from Googlebooks powered by Intel’s silicon, but I’m sad to report that this isn’t the case. Though the Acer Googlebook 14 doesn’t have atrocious battery life, it also doesn't match what you'd get from contemporary laptops.

Google said its laptops can last between 14 and 16 hours. However, our tests show otherwise. In our testing, which is the same as the one we’ve used on Chromebooks in the past, the Acer Googlebook 14 lasted 10 hours and 25 minutes. Compare that to the XPS 13 with the same Intel chip (and a smaller battery), which lasted four and a half hours longer.

You can read my article about why Googlebooks have a battery-life problem for more details on our testing methods and how they compare to Google’s. But suffice it to say, Intel-powered Googlebooks are not battery-life champs. If you plan to use the Acer Googlebook 14 on the road, don’t forget to bring its charger!

Acer Googlebook 14 review: Verdict

On its own, the Acer Googlebook 14 is a great 2-in-1 laptop. Its lightweight, classy design suits any environment, and the beautiful 14-inch OLED panel is perfect for both work and play. Being the most affordable Googlebook right now is another feather in its cap.

The main sticking point with the Acer Googlebook 14 and others in this lineup is Googlebook OS. Again, if you’re a die-hard Android user who wants a laptop that communicates near flawlessly with your phone, this and the other Googlebooks are certainly worth considering. However, if you’re an iPhone user or prefer Windows laptops, there isn’t much here to sway you over.

We just benchmarked the first 5 Googlebooks, and so far, they’ve held their own against the best Windows laptops and the best MacBooks. This is especially true with the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Dell XPS Googlebook and HP Googlebook 14. Even if Google’s new laptops aren’t mind-blowing, they’re far more capable than the best Chromebooks.

The one area that still concerns me is battery life. Google claims Googlebooks have at least 14 hours of battery life. As the company explains on a support page, they test battery life by keeping the laptop's screen brightness at a minimum of 100 nits, with Dark theme and Battery Saver mode enabled. Wi-Fi is connected and used for browsing data.

Our battery test is very different, so we didn’t get the same results. To put it bluntly, Googlebooks have disappointing battery life, especially when rival laptops can last anywhere from 15 to 20 hours on a single charge. So, how did Googlebooks fare in our battery life tests? Read on to find out!

How we test laptop battery life

Before getting into the results, I want to explain how we test a laptop’s battery life. I should note that Googlebook OS is a brand-new operating system, so we’re still working to determine the best tests and testing methods for the platform. But since some manufacturers know how we test and didn’t object, we’re sticking with it.

As I said in our Googlebook benchmark story, our Googlebook battery test is the same as the one we've used on Chromebooks in the past, and it's much more demanding than Google's testing. Unlike our custom in-house macOS and Windows battery test, this test uses the live internet and runs through a Chrome extension. It cycles through a list of 30 live websites every 30 seconds until the battery drains.

We set the screen to 150 nits of brightness, disable Bluetooth and location services, and use the device's default theme. We also keep the display’s refresh rate at 120Hz, which Googlebooks have enabled by default out of the box. We run this test three times on each machine. With that established, let’s dig into the numbers.

Our test results

If you’ve read the previous benchmark story, then you’ll already know most of the results. I say most because I’ve now included some results after testing a couple of Googlebooks with the display set to 60Hz. I also have an update on the Asus Googlebook 14, which had the most eyebrow-raising battery life.

The HP Googlebook 14 is the clear winner with its 11 hours and 52 minutes of battery life across two runs. The Acer and Lenovo Googlebooks each lasted for 10 hours and 25 minutes, while the XPS Googlebook lasted just shy of 10 hours. Those aren’t the worst results, but as you’ll see, the competition leaves Google’s laptops lagging.

The Dell XPS 13, which uses the same Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor as the Acer, Asus, and Lenovo Chromebooks, lasted an impressive 14 hours and 57 minutes. The 13-inch MacBook Air M5 did even better, lasting 15 hours and 37 minutes. Even the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Gen 10, which we tested like a Chromebook, lasted an impressive 13 hours and 19 minutes. I could list other laptops, but I think you get the point.

Now, what happens when we run our battery test with the display set to 60Hz instead of 120Hz? We’ve only had time to test this on the Dell XPS Googlebook and HP Googlebook 14, but as you can see, battery life was nearly two hours longer on both machines. That might not sound like much, but if you’re on the road, those two hours could make a huge difference if you need to get important work done.

Except for the XPS Googlebook, all the Googlebooks we tested have OLED panels, which are notorious for draining battery life. Keep this in mind when reviewing our battery life results. And before you ask, the XPS likely has so-so battery life because it has a 52Wh battery, whereas the other Googlebooks have a 70Wh battery.

Outlook

We plan to run three battery tests on all the Googlebooks we’ve received, but I can tell you we likely won’t see a huge difference when we average the results. The real-world testing we’ve done, such as web browsing and video calls, also seems to align with our test results. For example, the Lenovo Chromebook 14 went from 95% to 74% in two hours during back-to-back Google Meet sessions.

I want to reiterate that Googlebook OS is so new that we’re still trying to determine the best way to test laptops running it. It’s also entirely possible we could see improved battery life as Google further optimizes the platform over the coming months and years.

For now, if you’re considering getting a Googlebook, don’t expect whichever laptop you choose to last nearly as long as a MacBook or a newer Windows laptop. That said, if you do opt for a Googlebook, set the refresh rate to 60Hz to squeeze more life out of its battery.

More from Tom's Guide

• Googlebooks vs Chromebooks — here are the actual differences
• I tested all 5 new Googlebooks — and this is the one that blew me away
• I checked out the new Googlebooks — 3 reasons I'd buy one, and 3 reasons I'd skip

With a release window in the "coming weeks" the Xreal Aura smart glasses finally have a price, and no, it won't be cheap. The Android XR spectacles are a pair of spatial computing glasses that should rival the recently announced Meta VR Glasses.

The glasses will come in two configurations starting at $1,279, with pre-orders open now.

“By combining lightweight optical see through glasses with Android XR, Gemini, and Snapdragon-powered performance, XREAL AURA gives movie-lovers, gamers, sports fans, desktop workers, developers and the enterprise, a new way to experience computing that's more wearable, open, and connected to the world around them – and they will be able to experience it this year," CEO and co-founder Chi Xu said in a press release.

What are the Xreal Aura?

If you're unfamiliar, the Xreal Aura was developed in a partnership between Google, Qualcomm and Xreal. These glasses feature "split-compute," meaning that the Snapdragon Reality Elite silicon that powers the glasses is in a separate puck.

The glasses weight 95 grams, putting them on the slightly heavier side of AR glasses. They feature a 70-degree field of view, which is pretty generous when similar products often sit closer to 50.

The compute puck enables gesture controls but can also be used as a trackpad for navigation.

Xreal Aura vs Meta VR Glasses

With a price of $1,279, the Xreal Aura glasses are basically the same price as the Meta VR Glasses and, based on our initial hands-on testing, seem to do a lot of the same things.

Both are spatial computing eXtended Reality platforms in a pair of smart glasses that are tethered to a compute puck that holds the battery and CPU.

Xreal's glasses seem to have an advantage, thanks to the Android XR operating system and built-in Google apps, Gemini Live integration, wider connectivity and a more familiar aesthetic. You can just look through the Aura to see the world around you, while the Meta VR Glasses require a camera passthrough.

But I wouldn't sleep on the Meta VR Glasses. Muse is coming on strong as an AI assistant. The 5K micro-OLED displays offer more detail than Xreal's 1200p display, and you get better light blockage. Plus, Meta has a huge content library.

For more details, we've done a deep dive comparing the Meta VR Glasses versus Xreal Aura. Either way, lightweight spatial computing is growing, pointing to an interesting future.

Price and release window

Pre-orders are now open via Xreal.com/aura if you paid a reservation deposit. You should receive an email today if you did.

"Due to high demand and high reservations for AURA, only those who already reserved AURA prior to October 7 will be eligible to pre-order AURA and complete their purchases starting today," the Xreal press release said.

The glasses come in Medium (60-60mm IPD) or Large (66-72mm IPD) versions to start. From there, you can either pick a version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage in the compute puck for $1,279 or 16GB RAM and 512GB storage for $1,499.

The glasses will start shipping to the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, with more markets coming next year. Otherwise, general availability orders will be available at launch, whenever that is.

Xreal is describing the release of the Aura as a phased rollout, and it's not clear how available the specs will be outside of the reservation phase.

More from Tom's Guide

• Tom's Guide to smart glasses: 13 terms you need to know
• I’ve used AR glasses to survive economy flights for 5 years — these are the only Prime Day deals worth your money
• I’m worried ‘pervert glasses’ are going to ruin all smart glasses — even display-only specs

We’ve just benchmarked the first five Googlebooks. While my team and I will still need to use these laptops to assess their real-world performance, our lab results give us a clear picture of what they can do.

In case you didn’t know, Googlebooks are designed to give Android users seamless interoperability between their phones and laptops, just as iPhone owners have with MacBooks. These laptops aren’t just Chromebooks in disguise. They all run the brand-new Googlebook OS, which combines aspects of Android and ChromeOS. And since these are Google laptops, Gemini is built right in and delivers unique features you won’t find elsewhere.

The Googlebooks we benchmarked are from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Each has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Acer, Asus, and Lenovo’s machines run on an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 Panther Lake, while Dell and HP’s notebooks use a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip. These are the starting configurations, though you can upgrade memory and storage at checkout for some of them.

Now that you know what Googlebooks are about and the specs of the laptops we benchmarked, it’s time to look at the numbers — both against each other and against some of their competitors. Let’s dive in!

Quick links

• Acer Googlebook 14: $899 @ Best Buy
• Dell XPS Googlebook: $999 @ Best Buy
• Lenovo Googlebook 15: $1,099 @ Best Buy
• Asus Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy
• HP Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy

Geekbench 6.7

On Geekbench 6, which tests general CPU performance, the Acer, Asus, and Lenovo Googlebooks generally scored similarly in the single- and multi-core tests. All of these laptops run on the same Panther Lake processor.

The XPS Googlebook and HP Googlebook 14 had comparable single-core performance to those three laptops, but both notebooks scored much higher on multi-core performance. These results clearly show that Qualcomm’s chip performs better on Google’s new platform, with about 50% better overall performance.

Google’s machines held their own against competitors like the Dell XPS 13, which also has the same Panther Lake chip as the Acer, Asus, and Lenovo Googlebooks. Single-core results are roughly the same, but the XPS 13’s multi-core results weren’t close.

The same is true for the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Gen 10, which packs a MediaTek Kompanio U910 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. This last one also proves that a “high-end” Chromebook can’t match the power of a Googlebook.

Of course, the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models with their M5 chips crush every laptop in both Geekbench tests for raw performance. That said, Dell and HP’s Googlebooks aren’t too far behind, which shows the capability of the Snapdragon X Elite.

CrossMark

Next, let’s see how Googlebooks did in the CrossMark benchmark, which evaluates performance across three main scenarios: Productivity (document and spreadsheet editing, web browsing), Creativity (photo editing, photo organization, video editing), and Responsiveness (application launching and file opening).

This benchmark generates scores for each category, along with an overall aggregate score that weights productivity and creativity more heavily than responsiveness. Higher scores indicate superior performance.

The results here are interesting. The Intel-driven Acer, Asus, and Lenovo laptops scored better for productivity and responsiveness, while the Qualcomm-powered Dell and HP did better for creativity. Their overall scores are generally the same, however. The Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Air scored far lower in every single CrossMark test.

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

On the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme GPU performance benchmark, Googlebooks with Snapdragon X Elite outperformed their Intel-powered cousins, both in overall scores and frames per second. That said, even the XPS Googlebook, which did the best in our testing, still couldn’t hit 60 frames per second.

To get the obvious out of the way — the MacBook Air M5 is the best machine for gaming. And that’s not just based on numbers, as games like Resident Evil 4 run like a dream every time I’ve tested it on MacBooks. As for the XPS 13 and Chromebook Plus 14 Gen, I wouldn’t bother trying to play games on either.

I’ll need to play various Android games on Googlebooks to see what the real-world experience is like, but I expect they’ll run noticeably better on the Snapdragon machines. As with the Geekbench benchmark, performance is generally 50% better overall.

Battery life

Lastly, let’s look at battery life, which Google claims is generally around 14 hours for Googlebooks. Google details how it determines battery life for its laptops here. But in short, the device screen brightness is kept at a minimum of 100 nits, with Dark theme and Battery Saver mode enabled. Wi-Fi is connected and used for browsing data.

Our Googlebook battery test is the same as the one we've used on Chromebooks in the past, which is much more demanding than Google's testing. Unlike our custom in-house macOS and Windows battery test, this test uses the live internet and is powered by a Chrome extension. It browses through a list of 30 live websites every 30 seconds until the battery drains. We set the screen to 150 nits of brightness and turn off Bluetooth and location services with the device's default theme.

Admittedly, Google's testing gives Googlebooks an advantage, which accounts for their 14-hour claims. However, our testing is vastly different, as I've detailed above.

So how did Googlebooks perform under these conditions? As you can see above, we didn’t see anything close to the advertised 14 to 16 hours of battery life. The big winner here is the HP Googlebook 14, with nearly 12 hours of battery life.

To be fair, the results aren't atrocious, but all the other competitors I’m comparing Googlebooks to lasted far longer on our usual battery test, as you can see below.

Except for the XPS Googlebook, all the Googlebooks we tested have OLED panels, which tend to drain the battery faster. Although Google has mandated certain hardware standards, such as touch displays and metal chassis, manufacturers are not required to include OLED panels in Googlebooks.

Outlook

Based on our benchmark results, Googlebooks are impressive yet not mind-blowing. Battery life is my biggest concern, since we now live in a world where laptops can last over 20 hours, as we’ve seen with MacBooks and certain Snapdragon X notebooks. Qualcomm’s chip also seems better suited to Googlebooks, as the Intel models can’t match that level of performance.

If you’re an Android user looking for a laptop that works seamlessly with your phone, Googlebooks could be a great fit. If you decide to take the plunge, I recommend the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Dell XPS Googlebook and HP Googlebook 14, which start at $999 and $1,149, respectively.

More from Tom's Guide

• Googlebooks vs Chromebooks — here are the actual differences
• I tested all 5 new Googlebooks — and this is the one that blew me away
• I checked out the new Googlebooks — 3 reasons I'd buy one, and 3 reasons I'd skip

Phone companies make it their top priority to make you feel as though you're missing out if you're not buying the latest release. It doesn't matter how recent your existing phone is, or whether it still performs admirably — there's always that little thought at the back of your mind making you wonder what you could get from upgrading.

Admittedly, phone companies also make it fairly easy to ignore new releases, because substantial upgrades seem to be getting much rarer. But there may be a time where the FOMO is really getting to you, even if you can't justify spending a thousand dollars or more on the latest. But before you attempt to sign on for a new phone plan, try what I did and buy a new case instead.

A fresh new look

Picture this: You have your phone for a year, or longer, and you're still using the same case that you had on day one. If your situation is anything like mine, that case is probably looking a little worse for wear.

In my case, the official Google case for my Pixel 10 Pro was slowly starting to fall apart. The silicone was chipping off the edges, and the thing hadn't been properly cleaned for a while, so it was looking pretty tired and worse for wear. Combine that with the big crack along the width of my screen protector, and it generally made my phone look like it was ready to be replaced.

The thing is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the phone itself. In fact, when I reviewed the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, I actually suggested that some people would be better off buying last year's model instead. I found the new versions to be that disappointing.

My response seems obvious: I simply purchased a brand new case for my phone.

The case was nothing special, a translucent black silicone case with Qi2 magnetic charging support and a metal lip around the camera bar. I anticipated that this would be a change, but what I didn't realize was how much of a psychological impact a cheap silicone case would have since it made my phone feel brand new.

I knew it wasn't brand new, and the fact I still haven't replaced the screen protector makes that visually apparent every single day. The phone is the same, performs the same and still has the same disappointing Pixel battery life. Still, the simple fact of having a new case made my phone feel like a totally different device,

Sorry consumerism, you can't get me this year

I'm going to make it very clear right now that I think buying a new phone every year is stupid, and a total waste of money — even if you have generous trade-in deals. The fact is, phones don't change that much year by year, and the upgrades you're actually getting are minimal. That was true back in the early years of iPhone and Android, and it's even more true today. It doesn't actually matter which phone company has your loyalty, it's all the same in the end.

But there's a weird thing about humans (and animals), and it's that our brains don't follow logic. We love having new stuff to mix everything up, especially if we know that other people might get their hands on it first.

I see it in my young son, and the way his attention switches to things that are either new or being enjoyed by someone else. He doesn't want to miss out, and suddenly getting hold of my laptop, the TV remote or the ice cream I'm trying to eat becomes the only thing he cares about.

Sadly, much as our dumb brains might want to, we can't just pick up a brand new phone every year. Phone prices are only getting higher, and we're at a point where ultra-premium flagship phones are inching towards a $1,500 starting price. Thankfully, it seems that, in some cases, that impulse can be curbed with something as simple as $10.

Now, some of you may be practically-minded and believe that there's little point in changing a perfectly good case when it still works. I totally understand that mindset, and held onto it for a long time with previous devices. It's a case I like, and it's doing its job, so why spend the money on a new one?

As it turns out, spending those few extra dollars on a brand new case might be enough to get the demon of consumerism off your back. Because apparently looking and feeling new is almost as good as being new, to the point where you can trick your brain into thinking you have a shiny new phone. Even if it is the same old device you've had for the past year or two.

Bottom line

There are plenty of ways to get a good deal on a brand new phone, but there's no better deal than not buying one. Assuming you are happy with the performance of your current phone, you don't necessarily need to pick up a new model just because it's been released. Especially not if the best upgrade the designers can muster is a glorified RGB notification light on the back.

If you feel the urge, and know full well that it would be a waste of money to give in, simply trick your brain by swapping out the case. It doesn't have to be a nice stylish case, or even an expensive one made by a big name brand. I purchased the first random no-name phone case I liked the look of, and it's doing me just fine. It's practically identical to the one my wife uses, and we mix up our phones all the time, but that's entirely my fault.

So if you've been wondering whether the upcoming Prime Day or Black Friday sales are the right time to pick up a new phone, it might be worth picking up a new case instead. Just to make sure you actually want a new phone, rather than a change of scenery. It worked for me, and it might work for you.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple reveals iPhone Duo has a 'replaceable' display layer — what it means for you
• 4 ways Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 beats Apple iPhone Duo
• Your iPhone secretly locks down after 72 hours — this forensic tool may have found a way around it

Update: Google responds to inquiries about this attack.

Sponsored Google ads for fake ChatGPT are leading Windows users to download malware in "ClickFix" traps, according to security researchers from the AI company Island.

The sponsored Google ads lead to Custom GPT sites that are built to look like normal ChatGPT websites. These ads pop up when people type terms like "chatgpt" into Google Search.

Unfortunately, for trapped users, the ads do go to legitimate chatgpt.com sites. However, in these instances, entering a prompt makes the fake service direct people to a "backup domain" due to "high traffic."

Clicking on that link then redirects unsuspecting users to another fake instance of ChatGPT with a fake Cloudflare verification page that contains ClickFix instructions. Island found nearly identical responses across two separate Custom GPTs over a 3-day period in August.

According to the researchers, the malware advertising campaign appeared to involve around 850 paid ads, 26 fake ChatGPT links, and 71 Google Ads campaign IDs over a three-month period from May 2026 through August 2026.

What is ClickFix?

ClickFix traps are built to trick people into installing or executing malicious commands on their devices. In this instance, the instructions from the backup domain trick Windows into running a command that downloads malware onto your computer.

Once installed, the malware infects the system. It can even survive PC restarts and uses a Telegram bot to send stolen info back to the hackers behind this camping The malware utilizes a tool called NetSupport RAT, which lets attackers remotely control an infected computer.

Island found that the domains rotated and other Windows malware-delivery forms were identified too suggesting that the attack is not based on a single website.

The company claims an AI tool highlighted the suspicious activity and human researchers confirmed it. However, it's not clear how many people may have been affected by this scam.

A Google spokesperson told Tom's Guide that it has already suspended accounts associated with this attack.

"Before this report was published, we suspended the advertiser accounts involved to block this scheme and updated our defenses to better detect these tactics," a spokesperson said.

We were told that Google is monitoring new attempts to utilize fake ads. Google does have a policy that does not allow misleading ads about a business, product, service or destination. Per Google, the company blocked more than 400 million misleading ads for violating Google's "Misrepresentation" policies last year.

How to avoid falling victim to online scams

The combination of malware and advertising — also known as malvertising — has a long, storied history, which means you should always be careful when clicking on any advertisement online. To stay safe, you could try using one of the best ad blockers, since Google's "sponsored" links are still technically ads; most blockers will hide them.

Beyond that, if you don't have or want an ad blocker, there are some red flags to note when using a search engine and especially if you get linked to a fake instance of ChatGPT.

As for ChatGPT, if you are an existing user or just trying it out, go to chatgpt.com; no need to search for it.

Likewise, I've covered ChatGPT outages quite frequently over the course of the last two years and even at its worst, the AI assistant never sends you to a "backup domain." Don't click that link. If ChatGPT is having issues, you can always check the OpenAI status page.

At the same time, no website verification or CAPTCHA will ever ask you to open Windows Run and paste a command. If a website asks you to press Win + R or run PowerShell, don't do it.

Finally, you should always have one of the best antivirus software solutions installed on your PC. From there, you want to ensure that your antivirus is current, updated and running on all your devices – both your computer and even your smartphone.

More from Tom's Guide

• AI agents are going rogue and causing new security headaches — but Nvidia has a way to stop them
• Apple issues emergency update for millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs — update your devices now
• Your personal information is everywhere online — 5 ways to start removing it from the internet

Google Photos has received a steady stream of smart upgrades recently, adding everything from AI wardrobe sorting to vintage filter presets. But among all the new additions, one simple privacy feature stands out as an immediate, everyday lifesaver for Android users: the new Redact tool.

It’s an addition that feels long overdue — especially since Apple beat Google to the punch by introducing native face-blurring tools back in iOS 18.

Scribbling over private text or faces on screenshots looks messy and can easily leave sensitive details exposed. Google’s new Redact tool finally catches up by swapping those clunky marker lines for a clean, pixelated blur that keeps your images neat and completely secure. Here's how it works, and where you can find it.

How to use the Redact tool in Google Photos

To try it out, open the photo or screenshot you want to edit in Google Photos, tap Edit, and head to the Markup section.

From there, select the Redact pen, choose your preferred blur style, and use the slider to adjust the brush thickness to fit whatever you are covering up.

Simply draw directly over any private text, account numbers, or faces you want to conceal. The tool automatically applies a pixelated blur over your selection.

Once you are happy with the edit, tap the checkmark icon and select Save as copy in the top-right corner so you preserve your original unedited photo.

More from Tom's Guide

• Google wants to train its AI on your search history. Here's how to opt out now
• I tried Google Maps hidden time machine feature — here's how to do it yourself
• After two decades, Google finally rolls out a way to change your Gmail address — here's how

Being able to carry a powerful camera in my pocket is fantastic, and I can't tell you the number of times I've been able to pull out my phone to snap something that would have otherwise vanished in a second. The problem is that smartphones are not so great and shooting a lot of photos in a short space of time.

The lack of a burst mode has always irked me, especially since I'm often trying to take photos of things that are moving around — mainly my dogs or my son. My workaround has been to shoot video and then try and screenshot the appropriate frame, but those results are often lacking. You lose resolution and the whole process is rather fiddly, as you try and find the perfect frame.

Thankfully Google and Apple have each developed systems to do this exact thing, without all the same pitfalls. The execution is very different, though, and I set out to see whether Google Pixel 11 Pro's Magic Capture or the Save Video Frame as Photo option from iPhone 18 Pro and iOS 27 offered a better experience.

What are Magic Capture and Save Video Frame as Photo?

Magic Capture is a new AI-powered feature exclusive to Google's Pixel 11 series, and it functions as a separate mode within the Pixel camera app. Magic Capture records videos up to two minutes in length, and once finished, uses AI to analyze the footage and export a handful of frames as standalone photos.

The crucial thing there is that the whole process is automatic. You don't get to choose what Magic Capture picks out, and the number of photos you get is actually pretty limited. You get one photo at first, but that number increases to five once the cloud-based processing is complete.

In contrast to this, Apple's Save Video Frame as Photo feature is all on you. Rather than having a specialist camera mode, or complicated AI integration, it all functions as a feature in the Apple Photos app. Simply find a video you want to pull photos from, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and tap the Save Video Frame as Photo option.

Tapping that option then isolates the frame that's on screen and exports it to Apple Photos as a photo. It doesn't matter whether the video is playing, or if you've paused it, the feature will work as advertised, dropping the newly-created photo at the end of your timeline. Naturally, the manual process means you're not guaranteed to get a good photo, since it only copies what's seen on screen.

How do they actually differ in practice?

Magic Capture is certainly the more convenient method of extracting photos from video, though it definitely comes with some downsides. The fact that you can record a video clip, and have Google's AI do all the hard work for you to get things done quickly and stress-free. That said, the limitations do get in the way.

One issue is that Magic Capture is limited to two minutes of actual use. That's not an issue for short bursts of video, but if you want continuous, uninterrupted recording, you're out of luck. Similarly the feature sticks you with five photos no matter how long the clip is — no more, no less. It doesn't matter whether you record 30 seconds or the full two minutes, you get five photos.

If you want anything more, or you don't like what Magic Capture selected, you're going to have to do things the old fashioned way. That is less than ideal, especially since Magic Capture was supposed to solve this problem. The reliance on cloud processing may also be a little much for some people, depending on how much you trust Google's servers to keep your video clips secure.

Apple's system has no such limitations, because it doesn't rely on AI processing or a specialist camera. You simply record a video as normal, with no extra caveats or conditions you need to meet. The obvious downside is that you need to pull each individual frame out manually, which is not that easy — especially on an iPhone touchscreen.

There's a difference between photographs and video frames, since one is designed to be standalone and the other is one part of something much larger. Without the surrounding frames, that single snapshot could look like absolute garbage. And that happens quite a lot with the Save Video Frame as Photo feature. Not always, and rapid movement definitely makes it a lot harder, but it is something to be aware of.

The process is fairly simple, though. You load up the video you recorded in Apple Photos, and slide the progress bar along until you get to the frame you want to see as a photo. The main issue is that doing it in Portrait mode is not easy, especially if it's a particularly long video. This isn't like VLC, where you can advance frame by frame until you get to the spot you want.

There isn't enough finesse in my fingers to be super accurate with everything, but I found that flipping the phone into landscape mode made the process slightly easier. Similarly, loading up the video on my iPad and cycling through the video using the Apple Pencil made it feel as though I had more control over the entire process. Yes, iPadOS 27 has this feature too, and it works in the exact same way.

Clipping videos down into shorter clips can also be a big help, since the playback bar is the same size no matter the length of the video in question.

Verdict: Which is the better option?

The most important thing to remember about Magic Capture and Apple's Save Video Frame as Photo is that they are both rather different methods of reaching the same goal. The way they work is going to impact which of these is actually right for you, and the truth is that neither of them is a bad option.

Magic Capture has its limits, but it's the easiest way to get a handful of photos from short video clips. Personally I think Google's option is better suited to those times when you know getting a good photo is going to be difficult, but you don't want the moment to pass. So you use Magic Capture to record the video, and have Google AI select five photos of the event in question.

Meanwhile Apple's Save Video Frame to Photo feature is arguably better for those times you know you're going to be recording anyway, but want to be able to export different frames as their own photos. Or, alternatively, for those of you that prefer to put the effort into generating those photos yourself, rather than having a faceless collection of cloud-based AI algorithms do it for you. It's certainly the more labor-intensive option, but it's also the one that ensures better data security. Provided you have the will and means to go through your video frame-by-frame — or close enough to it.

A blend of the two wouldn't be a bad option, especially if Apple can adapt its own version of Magic Capture through Private Cloud Compute. However, we can all agree that it certainly beats the alternative of screenshotting videos and losing all resolution in the process.

More from Tom's Guide

• Pixel 11 phones will soon have a new Gemini Intelligence feature that will actually make phone calls on your behalf
• Forget iPhone 18 Pro — 9 reasons to wait for the iPhone 20
• iOS 27 didn't add this anti-snatching feature to iPhone, but that doesn't mean it's been cancelled — here's why it's important

AI has an energy problem, and Google has come up with a solution that sounds like it belongs in a science fiction movie: send the computers into space.

Next week, Google plans to launch its first Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) into orbit as part of Project Suncatcher, an experiment exploring whether some of the enormous computing infrastructure required for AI could eventually leave Earth altogether.

But Google isn't launching an entire data center into space just yet. The first mission is much smaller, designed to answer a more basic question: Can the same chips Google uses for AI survive a rocket launch and continue working amid the radiation and extreme temperatures of space?

But if the experiment works, it will pave the way for much bigger projects. The company ultimately envisions clusters of solar-powered satellites packed with AI chips and connected to one another using high-speed optical links. Instead of building another enormous data center on Earth, some future AI workloads could theoretically be processed hundreds of miles above it.

And as wild as that sounds, Google's reason for looking upward actually makes quite a bit of sense.

AI needs a staggering amount of infrastructure

The AI boom isn't only a race to build better models. It's becoming a race to find enough computing power and electricity to run them.

Google said at I/O this year that its systems are now processing more than 3.2 quadrillion AI tokens every month, up sevenfold from the previous year. The company expects to spend roughly $180 billion to $190 billion on capital expenditures this year as it builds out the infrastructure needed to support that demand.

That means more chips, more data centers and, crucially, more electricity. Project Suncatcher asks what happens if Google moves at least part of that equation somewhere with an enormous source of energy already available.

The answer seems to be the Sun. According to Google, a solar panel placed in the right orbit can generate as much as eight times the power of the same panel on Earth. Certain orbital configurations could also give satellites access to sunlight almost continuously, dramatically reducing their reliance on batteries.

In other words, Google wants to explore bringing the AI data center closer to the electricity.

First, Google has to find out if its AI chips survive

There's an enormous gap between that idea and actually running Gemini from orbit. Google's first test will take place aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission, with a prototype satellite developed in partnership with Planet carrying TPUs into low Earth orbit.

Google says the satellite will experience sustained acceleration of up to 10 times Earth's gravity during launch, while individual components can experience forces of 50 to 100 g. And, then there's all the radiation.

Without Earth's atmosphere providing the same protection electronics receive on the ground, cosmic rays and solar activity can interfere with computer hardware, potentially causing errors such as flipped bits.

Google has already blasted its Trillium TPUs with protons at UC Davis' Crocker Nuclear Laboratory while the chips were running AI workloads. According to the company, the processors survived a total ionizing dose greater than what Google expects them to receive during a five-year mission.

Next week's launch will show how they perform in the real thing.

Space creates another surprising problem: heat

Putting AI chips in space might solve one infrastructure problem while creating another. Data centers generate tremendous amounts of heat, which is why cooling has become such an important part of AI infrastructure.

You might assume the coldness of space would make that job easier, but it actually does not.

Space is a vacuum, meaning there's no air flowing around a hot TPU to carry its heat away. Google instead has to transfer that heat to radiators that can release it into space.

The company has been experimenting with heat pipes and radiators and testing the system inside thermal vacuum chambers on Earth. The upcoming mission will give engineers their first opportunity to see how that cooling approach behaves in orbit.

And cooling isn't the only unresolved engineering problem. If Google eventually wants dozens or hundreds of satellites behaving like one giant computer, those machines need to exchange enormous amounts of data while hurtling around Earth. The company plans to use lasers to connect them.

A planned 2027 experiment involving two satellites is expected to test that technology.

Project Suncatcher is still firmly in experimental territory

Just don't expect Gemini to move to space anytime soon. There are still obstacles to consider, even those that aren't technical at all, but rather, cost.

Google's research estimates that launch prices would need to fall below roughly $200 per kilogram before launching and operating an orbital data center could become comparable to the energy costs of an equivalent terrestrial facility.

The company believes launch prices could potentially reach that point by the mid-2030s, but that's a projection, not a guarantee. There are plenty of other unanswered questions too, including reliability, repairs, communication with Earth and what happens when hardware eventually needs replacing.

So Google's launch next week will certainly be an experiment to determine whether that future is even plausible. And, it's very possible that Google's solution might ultimately prove impractical. But apparently we've reached the point in the AI boom where "What if we put the data center in space?" is a question worth launching a rocket to answer.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments your thoughts on AI data centers in space.

More from Tom's Guide

• Nvidia says 'local AI is here' — and it could change how you use AI at home
• OpenAI is paying influencers to convince you to use ChatGPT — here’s what we know
• I tested ChatGPT-6 vs Claude Opus 5.5 with 5 everyday prompts — it wasn’t even close

Googlebooks have arrived to shake up the computing world. Billed as laptops for Android users, these machines run on the brand-new Googlebook OS, which combines Android OS and ChromeOS and is designed for Gemini Intelligence. This gives users Apple-like interoperability with their phone and laptop, along with on-device AI tools and features.

Google is launching these new laptops in a crowded field that includes the best MacBooks, the best Windows laptops, and even the company’s own best Chromebooks. If you already own or are hunting for one of the best laptops, it might be difficult to see why you would want or need a Googlebook.

To that end, here are four reasons to buy a Googlebook, along with three reasons you might want to skip them.

Googlebooks: Reasons to buy

Android interoperability

The main reason you’d want to buy a Googlebook is if you’re an Android phone user who wants near-seamless integration with your laptop. This is something Apple users have enjoyed for years, and both Google and Windows have tried and largely failed to deliver. Now, Android users can switch between tasks on their phones and these new laptops.

In the past, if you started writing a document or working on a project on your phone, you’d have to manually move it to your laptop. Thanks to Googlebook’s Continue On feature, you can pick up right where you left off from the desktop taskbar. This also applies to pictures you snap or videos you record, thanks to the updated Files app. All of your photos and downloads appear right in your laptop’s file menu.

When you first sign in to your Google account on a Googlebook, all of your phone’s settings, saved passwords, Wi-Fi networks, and messages are automatically transferred to the laptop over end-to-end encryption. Cast My Apps allow you to stream and interact with your phone’s apps in a desktop window, which makes it simple to (for example) order food from a delivery app

None of this is groundbreaking stuff for Apple users who’ve enjoyed seamless interoperability between the company’s devices. But for Android users, Googlebooks could be a huge game-changer.

Googlebook OS features

It shouldn’t be surprising that Google has baked its Gemini AI right into Googlebook OS. While you can certainly use the company’s LLM for the basics, such as asking it for travel advice or brainstorming, some nifty Googlebook-specific features sound very useful.

The most unique feature is Magic Pointer. Shaking or wiggling the mouse cursor while hovering over content on your screen brings up Gemini. From there, you can ask the AI to summarize text, translate languages, or help you organize your calendar.

There’s also Rambler, an enhanced speech-to-text tool that lets you (as the name suggests) ramble stream-of-consciousness thoughts and then have them converted into neat headers, checklists, and takeaways.

For aspiring vibe coders, Create My Widget lets you describe what you need in plain language to generate custom interactive desktop widgets. Basically, you can create your own Android apps in a few minutes.

Design and specs

At launch, there will be five Googlebooks from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. While each laptop has its own unique design elements, they also share core design elements that identify them as Googlebooks.

All Googlebooks are built with high-end materials like aluminum, magnesium alloy, and carbon fiber. While not every Googlebook will have OLED panels, they all have touchscreen displays — which makes sense if you’re using an Android app on the laptop. Other features include ultraportable designs, large trackpads, and backlit keyboards.

Googlebooks will also have a Glowbar positioned on the exterior lid. This light bar sweeps across in bright colors to indicate battery levels, lights up on startup, and shows fun animations whenever you’re using Gemini.

Under their ultraportable hoods, Googlebooks feature high-end processors from Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek, with NPUs capable of over 45 TOPS for AI workloads. The laptops also start with at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Google also claims you’ll get up to 14 hours of battery life.

Googlebooks: Reasons to skip

Platform migration

Even if you mostly work in Google apps, you’ll still be effectively starting over, especially since you’ll need an Android phone to get the most from Google’s new laptops. You’ll also lose Apple features like AirDrop, iMessage, and FaceTime, and Mac-exclusive Pro software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro.

Googlebooks would have made more sense for me back when I was an Android phone user. But now that I’ve owned an iPhone for four years and enjoy seamless integration between my phone, MacBook, and iPad Pro, I don’t relish the thought of starting over on a new platform. If you’re firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, then a Googlebook will be a tough sell.

Compatibility

Googlebook OS relies heavily on web apps, native Android software, and Linux tools. As such, it can’t run native legacy Windows desktop apps, and it certainly won’t run macOS-exclusive software. Due to that, you’ll effectively be in a walled garden like with the Apple ecosystem, only for Android.

Similarly, since this is a brand-new platform that combines Android and ChromeOS, developer optimization for desktop windowing in certain third-party Android apps is still evolving. In other words, early adopters should expect some hiccups along the way, as some of the features I outline above may not work as well as you’d expect.

Price

Googlebooks aren’t outrageously expensive, but as premium flagship laptops, they’re not cheap. Prices range from $899 for the Acer Googlebook 14 to $1,299 for the Asus Googlebook 14 and HP Googlebook 14. That’s pricey on its own, but if you’re also buying a new Android phone and don’t already own one, that’s an even bigger hit to your bank account.

If compatibility with your phone isn’t important and you only need a dependable laptop for basic web browsing or word document editing, then a Chromebook, which can start between $179 and $369, is the more affordable alternative. If you want something higher-end but still affordable, the $699 MacBook Neo and $799 Dell XPS 13 are also brilliant choices.

Outlook

We'll get a true measure of what Googlebooks can do once we've put them through our lab and real-world tests, but for now, they seem like they could be perfect laptops for Android phone users. But as I said, they might be tough sells for Apple users.

The first Googlebooks are expected on October 4, so stay tuned for more soon!

More from Tom's Guide

• Google's head of Android defends the Googlebook's higher prices
• Googlebooks vs Chromebooks — here are the actual differences
• 5 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip the Apple mini M6

Even before the iPhone Duo launched, Android and Samsung fans were ribbing Apple for being so late to the foldable phone party. After all, the first Galaxy Fold launched in 2019.

Right after the Apple September event, Samsung tweeted “Let us know when you're done reheating our leftovers.”

Now that we’re edging closer to the iPhone Duo pre-order date of Oct 16, I thought it would be interesting to get the reaction of Sameer Samat, who is the president of Android Ecosystem at Google.

We were sitting down to talk about the new Googlebook push, but since those laptops are powered by Android, I wanted to ask him what he thought about Apple’s foldable entry versus Android foldables.

Better late than never

As you might expect, Samat pointed out that Apple’s foldable launch is a wee bit behind the Android camp.

“I think that it's wonderful to see more people realizing after so long that the foldable space is the place to be. And Android is usually where you see the future first.”

It’s true that Android beat Apple to the foldable punch by a long shot, including the wide passport form factor the iPhone Duo has. Samat has been using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and is a big fan of that device in particular.

“The Fold 8 is an amazing device, Samat said. “It helps me get so much work done. I actually find myself starting productivity quite often on that device, and then moving to my laptop.”

But the Duo is still a real threat

At the same time, analysts predict a big foldable phone market share for Apple. For example, Counterpoint Research says Apple will gain about 25% of the market in year one, growing to 40% by the end of 2027.

A lot of that likely has to do with the ecosystem factor. I did a story recently ranking the iPhone Duo trade-offs — from the lack of telephoto zoom to a heavier weight versus the Fold 8 — and this reader comment summed up the pent-up demand best.

“Seriously, I've been waiting since the first Galaxy Z Fold for Apple to enter the arena (tried the Fold 5 and Fold 6, but just couldn't do Android because I'm locked into the rest of Apple's ecosystem).”

Despite Apple’s momentum at the moment, Samat is confident that the Duo will have a halo effect on Android foldables, because it will only increase interest in the category overall.

“I think that what this speaks to is something that we've known for a long time in the Android ecosystem, which is that the foldable space, the foldable form factor is awesome.”

Apple = app advantage?

In addition, Apple could have a sizable advantage when it comes to app support for larger foldable displays, as it is making a big push with developers.

In fact, Apple specifically called out Slack during its event as one of the optimized apps, which as we speak still looks like a stretched out phone app on Android foldables. Apple also showed off a foldable-friendly version of Netflix.

Samat admitted that there’s still work to be done. And ironically Apple’s entry could be the tide to lift Android’s boat.

“I think that as this form factor becomes more and more popular, developers realize that there's more and more value in investing in it,” Samat said. “I think one of the things that we've done is to make the tools simpler and easier for them to invest in. And of course there are apps that haven't made that transition yet. Either they're working on it, or we're in conversations with them, but there are also thousands of thousands of apps that have.”

We talked about one of those apps in TikTok, which works very well on the Samsung Fold 8. You get an immersive viewing experience on the outside display, and on the inside you can scroll videos on the left and view comments on the right.

In addition, many of Google’s own apps have been fully optimized for foldables, including Gmail and YouTube.

“We can cherry pick an app or two that you know one platform will have or the other platform will have, but the reality is this form factor is a hit,” Samat said. “It's growing. It was growing even before these last couple weeks, and I'm glad to see more people joining what is now the obvious party.”

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo hands-on: Apple nailed it — and just put everyone else on notice
• iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
• I spent 30 minutes with the iPhone Duo — 3 things you just don't get from the pictures

Googlebooks have arrived, and I’m sure you’re wondering how they differ from the best Chromebooks. That’s a fair question, but even though they're Google laptops with similar names, these notebook lines are vastly different from one another. Especially since Googlebooks directly compete with the best Windows laptops and best MacBooks.

I recently tested the first five Googlebooks, and the differences between them and Chromebooks were instantly apparent. Instead of plastic, Googlebooks have sleek, sturdy metal chassis that make them feel like premium devices. Inside, they pack fast processors from Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek, with Google Gemini features built in for on-device AI workloads.

Googlebooks aren’t replacing Chromebooks, but it’s still important to know what distinguishes the laptop lines — especially as we draw closer to the busy holiday shopping season. To that end, here are the biggest differences between Googlebooks and Chromebooks.

Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Price

Chromebooks have long been among the most affordable laptops, ranging from $150 to over $600. This has been a major reason for their popularity, even though ChromeOS isn't as robust as Windows or macOS. If you frequently work somewhere with a reliable internet connection and exclusively use Google’s suite of apps, Chromebooks are a solid choice.

Since Googlebook are marketed as premium laptops, they generally command premium prices—though their starting prices aren’t unreasonable. For example, the Acer Googlebook 14 starts at $899, while the most expensive offerings like the Asus Googlebook 14 start at $1,299. No matter which Googlebook you buy, you’ll get 12 months of Google AI Pro providing 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Advanced tools, plus three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and CapCut.

I should note that these are the current prices of Googlebooks. Given the ongoing RAM crisis, that might change. Hopefully, prices will remain the same or at least not go up too much, as these are relatively affordable machines for what they promise.

Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Design

The first Googlebooks are manufactured by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. While the laptops I checked out each had their respective company’s distinctive flourishes, they also share core design elements that identify them as Googlebooks.

The laptops are built with premium materials like aluminum, magnesium alloy, and carbon fiber. They all feature a responsive touchscreen, large trackpad, and backlit keyboard. Each also has a Glowbar to denote them as Googlebooks. Some models will have OLED panels, while others, like the Acer Googlebook, will be 2-in-1 convertibles. Basically, expect Googlebooks to come in all shapes and sizes.

Chromebooks can be similarly diverse in terms of design. And while there are certainly more “premium” Chromebooks out there, the line is mostly known for plastic chassis, dim, dull display quality, and so-so keyboards. Yes, these aspects help keep Chromebooks relatively affordable, but you get what you pay for.

Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Features

No, Googlebooks do not run on ChromeOS. Instead, they run on the brand-new Googlebook OS, which combines Android and ChromeOS. Google Gemini is also a core part of Googlebooks, as the LLM is built into the OS. As a result, it offers AI-driven features that simply aren’t available on Chromebooks.

One of these is called Magic Pointer, which lets you shake or wiggle your mouse cursor while hovering over content on your screen to bring up Gemini right where you’re looking. In the chatbox that opens, you can ask Gemini to summarize text, translate foreign languages, and more.

Other Googlebook features include Ramber, a speech-to-text tool that can clean up your messy stream-of-consciousness thoughts, and Create My Widget, which lets you generate custom interactive Android desktop widgets kind of like vibe coding.

Taking a page from the Apple ecosystem, Googlebooks are designed to work hand in hand with the best Android phones. For example, the Continue On feature allows you to (among other things) start an email or project on your phone and continue where you left off on the Googlebook later. This also applies to photos you snap or documents you download. Lastly, Cast My Apps lets you stream and interact with your phone’s apps in a desktop window.

Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Bottom line

As you can see, Googlebooks and Chromebooks are completely different beasts. Yes, they’re both Google laptops that work well with the company’s apps. However, that’s where the similarities largely end, as they ultimately deliver two divergent experiences.

If you’re a dedicated Android user who wants a higher-end laptop that communicates seamlessly with your phone, a Googlebook could be perfect for you. Conversely, if you just want an extremely affordable laptop for using Google’s apps, Chromebooks are an ideal choice.

Of course, we’ll know more about Googlebooks once we’ve fully tested them under real-world use and in our lab, so stay tuned for more!

More from Tom's Guide

• I asked the head of Android why people will pay a premium for its new MacBook alternative
• I've been testing the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro — your 10 biggest questions answered
• Apple's $250 million class action settlement website is now open — here's how eligible iPhone owners can file a claim and how much they'll get

An independent researcher has uncovered what appears to be a cross-site tracking system connected to OpenAI's rapidly growing advertising business. At the center of it is a cookie called "__obi," which can reportedly travel from ChatGPT to websites using OpenAI's advertising technology.

That means if you use ChatGPT and later visit a participating retailer or other website, OpenAI may be able to recognize the same browser and receive information about what you do there.

The finding comes at a particularly interesting time. OpenAI has been rapidly expanding advertising inside ChatGPT, recently announcing new AI-powered advertising tools and Sponsored Agents. The company said last month that ChatGPT Ads had already reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate.

But this isn't quite as simple as assuming ChatGPT is watching everything you do online. There are some important limitations to the research, including one major piece of the system the researcher wasn't able to independently verify.

Here's what we know.

What is __obi?

The research comes from an independent researcher who publishes under the name Buchodi and says they analyzed months of network traffic involving 936 OpenAI advertiser pixels across 1,029 hostnames.

According to the analysis, visiting ChatGPT can result in OpenAI placing a cookie called __obi in your browser.

Cookies themselves aren't unusual; you've probably accepted them on a several websites. They're small pieces of information stored by your browser and are used for everything from keeping you logged into a website to remembering preferences and measuring advertising.

What's interesting here is how this particular cookie is configured. Buchodi found that __obi can last for one year and uses the SameSite=None setting, which allows it to be included in certain requests originating from other websites.

That's where OpenAI's advertising system comes in. Businesses advertising through ChatGPT can install OpenAI's measurement pixel on their websites, similar to the tracking technology used by advertising platforms such as Google and Meta.

When Buchodi visited participating websites, requests sent back to OpenAI included the __obi identifier. In other words, the same identifier created through ChatGPT could show up again when that browser visited another website.

What can OpenAI see?

Potentially more than simply whether you visited a website. According to Buchodi's network analysis, OpenAI's advertising collector received information associated with pages people visited and conversion events on participating sites.

The researcher examined 23,929 observed URLs and found that query strings were stripped before being sent to OpenAI, but URL paths remained.

A URL path can sometimes reveal considerable information about what someone is looking at. Buchodi says paths observed in the dataset included pages involving a medical condition, debt services and a litigation intake form.

The advertising system also supports what OpenAI calls conversion measurement.

OpenAI's own documentation says advertisers can install a pixel and use conversion measurement to understand what happens after someone interacts with a ChatGPT ad. Its measurement integrations can support conversion tracking and attribution across websites, apps and even offline activity.

That's standard practice in digital advertising. What's unusual is that the advertising platform in this case sits alongside an AI assistant where users may share substantially more personal context than they would with a traditional search engine or social network.

Is it connected to your ChatGPT account?

This is where the story gets more complicated. Buchodi found that the process used to generate the identifier included tokens labeled either account_user or anonymous.

Of 932 tokens the researcher decoded, 736 were associated with logged-in users and 196 were labeled anonymous. The researcher also found that anonymous identifiers could remain stable on the same device for at least 27 days.

However, there's an important caveat. Buchodi did not directly observe OpenAI taking an event received from an advertiser website and joining it to a person's ChatGPT account on its servers.

The researcher argues that the architecture makes such a connection possible, but that final server-side step wasn't independently observed.

So it would be premature to say OpenAI definitively attaches every page you visit on participating sites to your ChatGPT profile. What the research does demonstrate is that the same OpenAI identifier can be transmitted from participating websites back to OpenAI.

Buchodi says the identifier appeared across a number of recognizable websites during testing. On one device, the same __obi value was sent to OpenAI from 12 commercial websites using 13 separate advertising pixels. Across the larger dataset, 12 of 30 identifiers appeared with more than one advertiser, while one appeared across 10 different advertisers.

The researcher also notes several important limitations. Testing was performed using Chrome on Android, and desktop Chrome wasn't tested. Safari's anti-tracking protections block the third-party cookie mechanism described in the research, meaning it shouldn't operate the same way on Safari or other iOS browsers using Apple's WebKit.

The identifier also wasn't generated during every ChatGPT session. Buchodi estimates that roughly one in five sessions tested produced the synchronization token.

What does OpenAI say?

OpenAI hasn't publicly responded to the specific findings. Buchodi says they contacted OpenAI's press and privacy teams on September 14 and asked why __obi was classified as an analytics cookie and how it behaves when someone rejects marketing cookies.

According to the researcher, OpenAI acknowledged the inquiry and said the findings would be passed along internally but had not provided answers to those questions when the research was published.

Tom's Guide has contacted OpenAI for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

OpenAI's public documentation emphasizes that advertisers do not receive ChatGPT conversations, chat histories, memories or personal details.

The company also says it does not sell user data to advertisers, and advertisers receive aggregated reporting about things such as views, clicks and conversions.

That's an important distinction here: the research does not suggest advertisers themselves can read your ChatGPT conversations or access the __obi identifier.

Instead, the concern is about information potentially flowing in the other direction — from websites using OpenAI's advertising tools back to OpenAI.

Why this matters

Cross-site advertising measurement isn't new. In fact, Google, Meta and other advertising companies have spent years building systems designed to determine whether someone who saw or clicked an ad later visited a website or bought something. But ChatGPT introduces another dimension.

People don't just search for products using ChatGPT. They use it to discuss relationships, health concerns, finances, careers, travel plans and countless other parts of their lives.

OpenAI itself promotes ChatGPT advertising around this idea, telling advertisers that people share "richer context" in ChatGPT while exploring options and making decisions.

That's why the boundary between your ChatGPT activity and what you do elsewhere on the web matters.

For now, the evidence doesn't show that OpenAI is handing your conversations to advertisers — and OpenAI explicitly says it doesn't.

But the discovery of __obi raises a different question: how much information should be able to flow back into an AI platform after you leave it?

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• AI is turning ordinary photos of kids into sexual abuse imagery — here's how to protect your family
• OpenAI paid contractors to read ChatGPT conversations — here's how to protect yourself
• I stopped reading the fine print myself after discovering this overlooked ChatGPT trick

Googlebooks are Android’s answer to the Apple ecosystem. Powered by a new OS that combines Android and ChromeOS and is designed for Gemini Intelligence, this new class of laptops integrates with your Android phone to deliver a seamless cross-device experience. If you’re an Android user seeking greater interoperability between your phone and laptop, Googlebooks could be a game-changer.

At a Googlebooks event, I went hands-on with the first five of these laptops and was more impressed than I expected. Though each machine has unique design elements, all are thin and light notebooks with touchscreens and haptic touchpads. Each also has a Glowbar to denote them as Googlebooks. These notebooks start at $899, pack 16GB of RAM, and feature premium aluminum shells. Chromebooks, these are not!

While all of the Googlebooks I checked out were solid machines in their own right, one stood out above the rest. I’ll detail which I liked most and why, along with the other Googlebooks expected to hit the market in early October. Also, check out our interview with the head of Android for more.

Quick links

• Acer Googlebook 14: $899 @ Best Buy
• Dell XPS Googlebook: $999 @ Best Buy
• Lenovo Googlebook 15: $1,099 @ Best Buy
• Asus Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy
• HP Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy

Asus Googlebook 14

The standout is the Asus Googlebook 14, which starts at $1,299. The instant I picked it up, I was astonished by how light this 2.2-pound laptop feels—and I say this as someone who regularly uses a MacBook Air! The Nano Ceramic magnesium-aluminum chassis not only looks and feels great, but it’s also extremely sturdy, which is essential for a laptop that’s only 0.43 inches thin. The Dusk Ash color is also eye-catching.

So, what’s under that lovely hood? The base model packs an Intel Core Ultra 5 Panther Lake CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage (up to 512GB). Asus says the laptop has an advanced cooling system that supports sustained performance and quiet operation. The company also claims the 70Wh battery can deliver up to 18 hours of battery life.

Then we have the 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreen, which Asus says can reach 1000 nits of peak HDR brightness. What stood out to me was its anti-glare tech, which effectively reduced the glare from the bright lights at the event I attended. If you work outdoors or in harsh lighting, this’ll be a great addition. I’ll need more hands-on time with the display (not to mention some lab tests), but based on my brief time with the Asus Googlebook 14, it seems plenty bright and colorful.

Other features include a six-speaker system with dual force-canceling woofers and two tweeters, which Asus says create fuller sound for calls, presentations, and media. Then there’s the large haptic touchpad, which uses six-point force sensing that delivers consistent click pressure no matter where you tap. I also liked the relatively roomy keyboard and the springy keys.

Again, all the Googlebooks I checked out were great in their own right, but the Asus Googlebook truly won me over because of its super thin, light design. It’s exactly the kind of laptop I would want to travel with daily because of its ultraportability and sleek aesthetic. I’m eager to put it through its paces and see if it lives up to the hype.

Other Googlebooks

Acer Chromebook 14

After the Asus Googlebook 14, the other one that stood out most was the Acer Chromebook 14. It was the only 2-in-1 convertible I saw at the event, and it was also the most affordable, starting at $899. Like most of the announced Googlebooks, it has an OLED touch display, a sturdy, thin, lightweight aluminum chassis, and claims strong performance and long battery life thanks to its Panther Lake CPU. If you’re looking for a premium device that doubles as a laptop and tablet for under $1,000, keep an eye on this one.

Dell XPS Googlebook

The $999 Dell XPS Googlebook is for folks who want a higher-end laptop than the $699 XPS 13 but much more affordable than the $2,399 XPS 14. It packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, 16GB of RAM (up to 32GB), 512GB of SSD storage, and a 13.4-inch 2.5K touch display. This notebook is also 2.2 pounds, like the Asus Googlebook, and has a similarly sturdy machined aluminum chassis. I’m a big fan of XPS laptops, so it’s good to see Dell trying that brand with Googlebooks.

HP Googlebook 14

The $1,299 HP Googlebook 14 is another svelte laptop, featuring a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touch display, 16-32GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, and an all-aluminum build weighing just 2.74 pounds. What stands out most is its lattice-less keyboard, which makes for a denser keyboard deck. Though some aren’t fond of this design, I quite like it—especially since the keys have excellent travel distance.

Lenovo Googlebook 15

Last but not least is the Lenovo Googlebook 15. As its name suggests, this has the largest display of the launch Googlebooks at 15.3 inches. Of the Googlebooks I saw, this has a boxier design reminiscent of a MacBook Pro. It’s also the heaviest at 2.8 pounds, though it’s still relatively lightweight. Other features include a magnesium-alloy and carbon fiber chassis, an Intel Core Ultra 5 Panther Lake CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

Outlook

We don’t often get a new class of laptops, let alone ones also featuring a brand-new operating system. Because of that, Googlebooks are genuinely exciting. That said, given how these machines are primarily targeted at Android users, their appeal might be limited. Even if that’s the case, I appreciate that these laptops are more about fitting into people’s lifestyles rather than being machines focused on pure power and specs.

The first wave of Googlebooks arrives on October 4, so it won’t be long until we can all check them out. We’ll have full reviews of these laptops here on Tom’s Guide, so make sure you don’t miss out—especially if you’re a person these notebooks are targeting. Stay tuned for more!

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone 18 Pro teardown reveals the ins and outs of the latest iPhone models — including one annoying repair issue
• Apple's $250 million class action settlement website is now open — here's how eligible iPhone owners can file a claim and how much they'll get
• We just crowned the LG C6 OLED as our top TV of the year — and it's 41% off at Amazon right now

Right now if you’re shopping for a premium laptop and want a seamless experience with your iPhone you typically get a MacBook Air or Pro. But what if you have a Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Pixel 11 Pro?

Google believes it has a viable Apple alternative for Android fans in the Googlebook. Going on sale Oct. 4, these laptops from Acer, Asus, HP, Dell and Lenovo are designed to deliver much of the same seamless magic while also adding some unique twists that surpass MacBooks — including Gemini built in.

“First and foremost, we want Android users to feel like there is a laptop for them that is as premium and as beautiful and performant as that high-end smartphone that they have,” said Sameer Samat, president of the Android Ecosystem at Google.

Along with Tom’s Guide senior writer Tony Polanco, I sat down with Samat to nail down what a Googlebook is, how they truly differ from Chromebooks and whether consumers will be willing to pay $899 to $1,299 for this new breed of laptop.

What the heck is a Googlebook?

It’s easy to dismiss Googlebooks as just Chromebooks with fancier designs and higher price tags, but Google is emphasizing a unique software experience.

And it starts right when you power up the Googlebook for the first time. You’ll see a pop-up right on your Android phone, and your Googlebook asks you to biometrically authenticate. Once you do, the Googlebook just sets itself up.

“Your Googlebook asks you if you want to bring all your apps over, all your autofill passwords and payments — all of those things just work seamlessly,” said Samat. “So right out of the gate, you have the feeling that (your phone and Googlebook) were made to go together.”

Once you start using your Googlebook, your phone and laptop offer a pretty seamless handoff experience. For example, if you start a Gmail on your phone, the draft will just pop up when you open the app on your Googlebook. And if you take a picture with your Android phone, it will automatically show up in what Google calls the fused file system.

Working in Chrome is another good example of how Googlebooks and Android phones work hand in hand.

“You're browsing something. In the taskbar there's a suggestion,” Samat said. “You open up your Googlebook, and it knows you've been on your Android Chrome browser, and right there, it's waiting for you.”

Gemini inside

The other key Googlebook ingredient is Gemini Intelligence built in. With Magic Pointer, for example, you can shake the cursor while hovering over something you want to know more about and then you can simply ask Gemini a question. It’s like Circle to Search without having to circle anything.

It works well, but I was surprised that you can’t use Gemini to do things like dim the brightness or control the hardware in other ways. But features like this should come in time.

“We are working on all those things for the phone and for and for the laptop,” Samat said. We we think that you know you should be able to not only get information retrieved, but for Gemini to take action on these devices.”

Raising the hardware bar (Glowbar included)

While Apple is known for high-quality hardware, Google believes it has an advantage in that it’s not locking you into a single design. There’s a wide range of brands, sizes and form factors to choose from.

This includes everything from an Acer convertible that doubles as a laptop and tablet and Dell’s 13-inch XPS Googlebook with Snapdragon to Asus’ amazingly light 2.2-pound Googlebook 14 and Lenovo’s 15-incher.

"What I think really distinguishes this ecosystem is choice,” said Samat. “So you've got your Samsung Fold or your Pixel, and you've chosen the HP or you've chosen the Dell. Maybe you like the ASUS device because it's so light, and that choice paired with whatever premium Android phone you've got is really quintessential to the Android openness and choice experience.”

Google also made a Glowbar on the back of the systems standard, a strip of colorful LEDs that sits towards the top of the lid. It’s an aesthetic statement taken from the original Pixelbook, and it’s definitely intended to draw attention from across the room. But it has a functional purpose, too.

“There's a boot up animation that tells you the power left in the device,” Samat said. But one of the things I'm really excited about is we are opening an API for developers.”

What about the apps?

As you might expect, Googlebooks have Google Play Store support, but Google isn’t just slapping Android apps on a laptop. It has been working with developers to optimize their apps, and it will call ones out specifically in the store that are ready for the desktop with a specific label.

This includes WhatsApp, Capcut, Photoshop Lightroom, Netflix and more.

“For example, I wanted to make sure we had Antigravity. I wanted to make sure we had a fully fledged Linux terminal, which could run Quadcode CLI, Codex CLI, because these are some of the new ways people are working today,” Samat said. “In terms of the apps in the Play Store, we’re really excited about Disney Plus and Netflix. Netflix supports full HDR, which no other platform has, and has offline (playback) as well, which is unique.”

At the same time, you don’t have to reinstall phone apps on the desktop if you just need to check something quickly. For example, you can just pull up Uber Eats on your Googlebook to check on the status of an order.

Can Google justify the high prices?

All of these systems are pricey, ranging from $899 to $1,299, but Google has pretty strict requirements for what can be a Googlebook. Most of these machines have OLED touchscreens, the latest processors from Intel, Qualcomm and Snapdragon, 16GB of RAM and backlit keyboards.

But that isn’t going to stop people from wondering whether Googlebooks are just high-priced Chromebooks.

“Really what we wanted to do is to make sure that Googlebook enters the world in a clear way for people. This is truly premium hardware. This is a software experience that works extremely well with your Android phone,” Samat said. “We believe that if you're a premium Android user, yep, this is the laptop for you, and you're going to feel that right from the jump.”

Googlebooks are the "new category" of laptops designed to provide Android users with the same seamless bridge from mobile to desktop that iPhone users enjoy with MacBook. After being announced earlier this year at the Android Show, the first devices in this new category are now available to pre-order.

Five different Googlebooks are available today, from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, starting at $899 (with a year's subscription to Google AI Pro thrown in) and each one is built with premium materials like aluminum, magnesium alloy and carbon fiber. They all feature a responsive touchscreen, large trackpad and backlit keyboard. These laptops come with either Intel or Qualcomm processors under the hood and offer up to 14 hours of battery life.

Although Google has made sure certain rules are followed, each of the Googlebooks launching today offer slightly different features to cater to different tastes. Standouts include the Asus Googlebook 14, which weighs just 2.2 pounds and boasts an anti-glare screen with 16 hours of battery life. Acer offers a neat convertible model, while Lenovo is bringing a 15-inch option with a soft-touch finish in Pantone’s Cloud Dancer.

Quick links

• Acer Googlebook 14: $899 @ Best Buy
• Dell XPS Googlebook: $999 @ Best Buy
• Lenovo Googlebook 15: $1,099 @ Best Buy
• Asus Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy
• HP Googlebook 14: $1,299 @ Best Buy

Googlebooks: Price and release

Pre-orders are now open on the Google Store, Best Buy, and other select retailers.

Starting at $899, every Googlebook includes 12 months of Google AI Pro providing 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Advanced tools, plus three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and CapCut.

Google has also confirmed that Googlebook OS will come with regular feature drops and updates for up to 10 years.

Devices arrive on shelves starting October 4 in the U.S., and October 5 in Canada, the U.K., Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia.

Apple-like interoperability

These days, most of us switch between doing tasks across our phones and laptops—which is something Googlebooks want to make easier. For example, if you start an email or project on your phone while you’re on the road, Googlebook’s Continue On feature lets you pick up right where you left off from the desktop taskbar.

The same seamlessness applies to your media. When you take a picture or download a document on your phone, you won’t have to email it to yourself or hunt through third-party apps. Thanks to the updated Files app, your phone’s photos and downloads show up in your laptop’s file menu almost like magic.

Setting up a Googlebook is also pain-free, as signing in automatically transfers your phone’s settings, saved passwords, Wi-Fi networks, and messages over with end-to-end encryption. And if you need to quickly grab a two-factor code or order food from a delivery app, Cast My Apps lets you stream and interact with your phone’s apps in a desktop window without breaking your workflow.

Magic Pointer, Rambler, and custom widgets

Google is betting heavily on desktop AI features to justify the launch, and a few of them sound genuinely useful:

• Magic Pointer: Shake or wiggle your mouse cursor while hovering over content on your screen to bring Gemini right to whatever you're looking at. You can ask it to summarize text, translate foreign languages, or organize a messy calendar without juggling multiple tabs. Crucially, Gemini only acts when you ask it to, and you can toggle the feature off entirely if you prefer a standard pointer.
• Rambler: Located right next to the Quick Insert key, Rambler acts as an upgraded speech-to-text tool. You can talk through random notes, action items, or a stream-of-consciousness thought (even switching between languages mid-sentence), and Rambler cleans up the filler words and formats everything into neat headers, checklists, and takeaways.
• Create My Widget: Instead of hunting through app menus, you can describe what you need in plain language to generate custom interactive desktop widgets that track weather, schedules, or stocks in real time. While this isn’t exactly vibe coding, it leads to similar results.
• Quick Insert Key: A dedicated physical key lets you instantly pull up emojis, clipboard items, or recent files. However, I’m still not entirely sold on the fact that it takes over the traditional Caps Lock key real estate.

Google is also bringing back a familiar hardware touch: the Glowbar. Positioned on the exterior lid, this light bar sweeps across to indicate battery levels, lights up on startup, and displays playful light animations whenever you interact with Gemini. It’s a neat way to denote these new laptops as Googlebooks.

App support, gaming, and power-user tools

Android apps on desktop displays haven't always offered the best user experience, but Google claims it is heavily optimizing millions of Play Store apps specifically for large screens, mouse, and keyboard input, with clear optimization labels right in the store interface.

You get full desktop Chrome with extension support, alongside native creative applications like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and CapCut. Streaming apps like Netflix and HBO Max are supported out of the box with offline viewing capabilities. For gamers, Googlebooks run native mobile titles alongside a bundled 1-year subscription to GeForce Now for streaming AAA PC games.

For developers and power users, Google built in a Level 5 security-certified pKVM hypervisor. This powers an isolated Linux environment with full terminal access to run tools like Claude Code or Antigravity CLI. It also includes Antigravity, Google’s agent development platform, letting developers build, test, and deploy AI agents locally on the machine.

Googlebooks: Outlook

To sweeten the deal on those price tags, Google is bundling 12 months of Google AI Pro (which includes 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Advanced), 3 months of YouTube Premium, and promises up to 10 years of software updates and feature drops.

I don’t know yet if Googlebooks are going to convince traditional Windows or MacBook users to switch, but the tight Android phone integration, high-end hardware specs, and practical AI tools make this one of the more interesting hardware shifts we've seen from Google in a while. We look forward to putting these through our full suite of lab tests soon.

Would you buy a Googlebook, or are you sticking with your current setup? Let us know in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone 18 Pro teardown reveals the ins and outs of the latest iPhone models — including one annoying repair issue
• Apple's $250 million class action settlement website is now open — here's how eligible iPhone owners can file a claim and how much they'll get
• We just crowned the LG C6 OLED as our top TV of the year — and it's 41% off at Amazon right now

AI chatbots can answer questions about almost anything, but there's one surprisingly difficult question: How much does your AI actually know about what's happening right now? And yes, they can search the web, but from my testing, I've discovered that even so, AI isn't always accurate or timely.

An AI model released today wasn't necessarily trained on information from yesterday. Depending on its knowledge cutoff, there could be a gap of weeks or months between the world the model "knows" and the world you're living in.

So I decided to find out just how stale the biggest AI chatbots actually are.

1. What is the newest iPhone Apple has released?

Both ChatGPT and Gemini were accurate, stating that Apple's newest iPhone models are the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone Duo (Apple's first foldable smartphone).

Apple announced these flagship models during its "Surprise and Shine" keynote event. Notably, Apple broke tradition by skipping the standard baseline iPhone 18 during this launch cycle, focusing strictly on its premium hardware tier. Both chatbots noticed that the iPhone Duo, Apple's foldable device, launches directly in stores on October 23.

But Claude was stuck on iPhone 17, suggesting "The newest iPhones are the iPhone 17 series."

What is the newest flagship Claude model?

This question tests a fast-moving category where models can become outdated remarkably quickly. ChatGPT got the answer correct, stating, "Anthropic's newest flagship Claude model is Claude Fable 5.1, released in September 2026."

But what's surprising is that Claude 4.6 didn't seem to understand that Claude Fable 5.1 is readily available. It said, "The newest flagship Claude model available to the public is Claude Opus 5, part of the current generation alongside Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Haiku 4.5. Above Opus, Anthrophic has a newer Mythos tier — the current Mythos-class models are Claude Mythos 5.1 and Claude Fable 5.1, though Mythos is not broadly available to the public yet. It's being used by a small number of trusted organizations as part of Anthropic's Project Glasswing."

Gemini also got the question wrong, stating that Claude Opus 5 and Mythos 5 were the latest models.

3. Who won the World Cup in 2026?

Maybe because the news isn't that recent, but all three chatbots got this answer correct. Each chatbot even shared interesting information about the game such as Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal. Claude even shared information about Spain sweeping individual awards such as Rodri winning the Golden Ball (best player), Unai Simón taking the Golden Glove (best goalkeeper) and Pau Cubarsí named Best Young Player.

4. What major new feature did Apple add to Siri in iOS 27?

All three chatbots also recognized that the newest feature added to Siri in iOS 27 is Siri AI.

Claude described Siri AI as "essentially a ChatGPT-like version of Siri that can answer pretty much anything." Interesting, considering it didn't know that the iPhone 18 is available.

5. Does Google Home offer 3rd party AI integration?

Both Gemini and ChatGPT acknowledged that as of today, Google Home offers 3rd party AI integration. Claude was not aware of that news.

This is especially interesting considering Google Home even mentions Claude in their documentation regarding MCP Home.

The takeaway

Even with Search enabled, Claude wasn't always up-to-date with basic information. This is worth noting, particularly as new AI models launch so rapidly. Often it's easy to assume that "new" means the AI knows more recent information, but the date a model launches and hte date its training data ends can be very different.

And sure, web search can fill that gap, but that would also require the AI to know that it needs to search. In other words, it doesn't know that it doesn't know.

The bottom line here is that it is very important to fact check AI, because even the latest models aren't always aware of the latest information.

More from Tom's Guide

• AI is turning ordinary photos of kids into sexual abuse imagery — here's how to protect your family
• OpenAI paid contractors to read ChatGPT conversations — here's how to protect yourself
• I stopped reading the fine print myself after discovering this overlooked ChatGPT trick