Google’s Circle to Search Gets a Major Upgrade with 'Scroll and Translate'.

Google is expanding the capabilities of its popular Circle to Search feature on Android with a significant update to its translation function. This new enhancement, dubbed "Scroll and Translate," brings a seamless, continuous real-time translation experience that eliminates the need to restart the process every time you scroll.

What is Circle to Search?

Circle to Search is an AI-powered feature that allows you to quickly search for anything on your phone's screen without switching apps. You can circle, highlight, scribble, or tap on text or images to get instant search results by simply long-pressing the home button or navigation bar. The feature integrates with Google Lens and provides a powerful, intuitive way to get information on the go.

The New "Scroll and Translate" Feature.

Previously, using Circle to Search to translate text was a one-off action. If you were scrolling through a social media feed, a long document, or a webpage and wanted to translate content, you would have to trigger the translation for each new section of the screen that appeared. This could be frustrating, especially when reading through long articles or feeds.

The "Scroll and Translate" update changes this entirely. The new feature creates a continuous translation experience. Once activated, the translation will keep working as you scroll down the page or even switch to a different app. This is a game-changer for users who frequently consume content in different languages, as it provides a fluid and uninterrupted reading experience.

How to Use Google Circle Search.

Using the new feature is straightforward:

1. Activate Circle to Search: Long-press the home button or navigation bar on your compatible Android device.
2. Tap the Translate Icon: Look for the "Translate" icon that appears on the Circle to Search overlay.
3. Enable Continuous Translation: Tap the "Scroll and translate" option.

Once enabled, the feature will automatically translate the text on your screen as you continue to scroll, making it easier than ever to read foreign-language content.

Availability.

The "Scroll and Translate" feature is a significant improvement for Google's ecosystem and is a great example of how AI can be used to make everyday tasks easier. The update is beginning to roll out this week on select Samsung Galaxy devices and will likely expand to other Android devices, including the Pixel lineup, in the coming weeks.

This update not only improves an existing tool but also showcases Google’s commitment to using AI to break down language barriers and enhance the user experience. You can use this information to write a comprehensive article, perhaps with a hands-on guide, for your readers.

Also Read: Google Translate Introduces AI-Powered Live Translation and Language Learning.

Gboard New AI Powered Writing Tool For Better Messaging.

Google is fundamentally changing how we type on our phones by integrating advanced artificial intelligence directly into Gboard. This new feature, officially called "Writing Tools," leverages the on-device Gemini Nano model to provide a seamless, private, and powerful writing experience. As this update rolls out to more Android phones, here is a comprehensive look at what the feature does, how to use it, and what it means for mobile communication.

What Are Gboard's New AI Writing Tools?

The Gboard Writing Tools are a suite of generative AI features designed to assist with drafting and refining text. Unlike cloud-based tools, all processing happens securely on your device, ensuring that your data remains private. This feature is a significant leap beyond simple autocorrect, offering a range of capabilities that can be accessed with a single tap.

The primary functions include:

• Proofread: Instantly scan and correct your text for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues. This is a one-tap solution for cleaning up your messages.
• Rephrase: Offers alternative phrasing for your text. This can be used to improve clarity, make a message more concise, or simply find a better way to express an idea.
• Tone Adjustment: Adjust the tone of your writing to fit the context. Options include making your text more Professional, Friendly, or adding Emojis for a more expressive tone.

How to Use the New Gboard Feature: A Step-by-Step Guide

Using the AI writing tools is designed to be intuitive. If your device supports the on-device Gemini Nano v2 model (found in flagship phones with chipsets like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and MediaTek Dimensity 9400), you can follow these steps:

1. Look for the Icon: Open any app where you can type, like Gmail or Messages. A new pencil with a star icon will appear in the Gboard toolbar, either next to the microphone icon or within the menu.
2. Tap to Activate: After typing or selecting a paragraph of text, tap the Writing Tools icon.
3. Choose a Function: A menu will pop up with options like "Proofread," "Rephrase," and various tone adjustments.
4. Review and Apply: The AI will generate a suggestion. You can then review the new text and, if you like it, tap "Use this" to replace your original text.

It's important to note that the first time you use the feature, it may require a brief one-time download and a stable internet connection for setup, but all subsequent processing is done offline.

Roku and YouTube TV Join Forces for an Enhanced Sports Experience.

Roku is enhancing the sports-watching experience for its users by officially integrating YouTube TV content, including NFL games and NFL Sunday Ticket, directly into its Roku Sports app. This new integration, which began rolling out to all Roku devices in the U.S. on September 5, 2025, marks a major step in making it easier for sports fans to find and stream live games.

How the Integration Works.

The Roku Sports app, a centralized hub for discovering sports content, previously highlighted content from services like Fox One, DAZN Live Sports, and Xfinity Stream. Now, it will also surface live sports games from YouTube TV. This means that if you are a YouTube TV subscriber, you can use the Roku Sports app as a starting point to quickly find and launch the games you want to watch without having to manually open the YouTube TV app.

This partnership is part of a broader strategy by Roku to tailor its operating system to better surface content from various third-party services. Joe Franzetta, Roku's Head of Sports Media, stated in a press release that the move is a "major step in delivering a comprehensive fan-centered experience that simplifies sports discovery."

More than Just Football.

While the integration is timely for the start of the NFL season and prominently features NFL Sunday Ticket, the partnership will also extend to other live sports and programming. Roku has indicated that in the future, YouTube TV will be accessible in other content discovery destinations across the Roku platform, giving viewers broader access to a variety of live content.

This collaboration is a win-win for both companies. For Roku, it solidifies its position as a leading streaming platform by making its sports hub more valuable to users. For Google, it helps drive engagement and viewership for its flagship live TV streaming service. This strategic timing, just as the NFL and NBA seasons are getting into full swing, ensures millions of sports fans can take advantage of the seamless integration.

Find out more about the new features coming to Roku in this video from CFL-TECH, which also covers the recent Roku-Google TV integration.

YouTube TV Quietly Offers a $66 Discount to Subscribers.

In a move that's sure to please cord-cutters and budget-conscious consumers, YouTube TV is offering a significant, albeit unadvertised, discount to a number of its subscribers. As reported by tech news outlets, the streaming service is providing a $33 monthly discount for two months, resulting in a total savings of $66.

This promotion effectively lowers the price of the YouTube TV Base Plan from its standard rate of $82.99 per month to $49.99 per month for the duration of the offer.

A "Hidden" Deal for Eligible Users.

Unlike many of the service's other promotions, this discount is not being broadly advertised. Instead, it appears to be a targeted offer available to select users. Subscribers who have found the deal report that it is located within their account settings, and it's not a deal that requires any special promo codes or an immediate threat of cancellation.

For users interested in checking their eligibility, the process is straightforward:

1. Log in to the YouTube TV website.
2. Click on your profile photo in the top-right corner.
3. Navigate to Settings and then the Membership section.
4. Under the Base plan, click on the Manage option.
5. If you're eligible, you should see the offer for $49.99/month for two months.

This promotion is notably more generous than a recent $10/month discount that was offered for a six-month period. For those who are eligible for both, the new $66 total savings offer represents a better short-term value.

Why the Discount?

The timing of this promotion is strategic. It comes as YouTube TV recently secured a carriage deal to keep Fox channels on the platform and continues to expand its offerings, including new "multiview" features. The move could be seen as a way to retain existing subscribers and keep them engaged amidst growing competition in the live TV streaming market from services like Hulu + Live TV and FuboTV.

It's important to note that the discount is for a limited time, and after the two-month promotional period ends, the price will revert to the standard $82.99 monthly rate. Subscribers are encouraged to check their accounts soon, as the availability of this "hidden" deal may be limited.

Gemini App Gets a Major Upgrade with the Nano-Banana AI Model.

Google has rolled out a significant update to its Gemini app, bringing a host of new features that enhance its creativity, privacy, and utility. The highlight of the update is the introduction of a powerful new image generation model, internally codenamed "Nano-Banana," which allows users to create and edit images with unprecedented consistency and control.

The Power of "Nano-Banana".

Officially known as Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, the new model is designed to solve one of the biggest challenges in AI image generation: maintaining a consistent subject. With this new feature, users can generate a series of images featuring the same person, pet, or object in different settings, outfits, and poses. 

The model's intelligence also allows for prompt-based editing, enabling users to make precise, local changes to an image using simple, natural language commands. The model can even fuse elements from multiple photos into a single, cohesive scene, showcasing a powerful new level of AI-driven creativity.

More Than Just Images: New Privacy and Productivity Features

The "Nano-Banana" model is just one part of a broader update to the Gemini app. Google has also introduced several new features designed to improve the user experience:

• Temporary Chat: For enhanced privacy, a new Temporary Chat mode ensures that conversations are not used for AI training and are automatically deleted after 72 hours.
• Upgrades to Gemini Live: The live assistant feature is now more integrated, with on-screen guidance and the ability to connect to other Google apps like Calendar, Keep, and Tasks.
• Searchable Chat History: Users can now easily search through their past conversations with Gemini to quickly find information or revisit previous ideas.

These updates collectively transform the Gemini app into a more versatile and intelligent tool for a wide range of creative and productive tasks.

XGIMI Unveils Horizon 20 Series at IFA with Google TV.

XGIMI has officially unveiled its new Horizon 20 series of home theater projectors at IFA 2025. This lineup, which includes the Horizon 20, Horizon 20 Pro, and the flagship Horizon 20 Max, brings significant upgrades over previous models, focusing on enhanced picture quality, integrated smart features, and a powerful new focus on gaming.

The New Benchmark in Home Theater.

The Horizon 20 series is engineered to deliver a premium viewing experience with support for some of the most sought-after video formats. All three models feature Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Filmmaker Mode, and IMAX Enhanced, ensuring that content is displayed with exceptional brightness, color accuracy, and cinematic flair. The projectors also boast new optical features like lens shifting and optical zoom, providing users with greater flexibility and precision when setting up their home theater.

The most notable feature of the new lineup is the X-Master Red Ring lens, which, when combined with a new RGB triple laser light source on the Horizon 20 Max, allows the flagship model to achieve a cinema-grade brightness of up to 5,700 ISO lumens. This marks a significant leap from previous models and is designed to deliver a stunningly bright image even in rooms with ambient light.

Designed for Gamers.

XGIMI has made it clear that the Horizon 20 series is built with gamers in mind. In a strategic partnership with Ubisoft, the new projectors are being launched alongside the highly anticipated game, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. The projectors are optimized for a superior gaming experience, featuring a low-latency gaming mode with an input lag as low as 1 ms, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).

As an incentive for early adopters, customers who pre-order a projector from the new series will receive a free projector stand and a game code for Assassin's Creed: Shadows.

Pricing and Availability.

The new Horizon 20 series projectors are available for pre-order, with full availability expected to begin on October 15, 2025. The pricing is as follows:

• Horizon 20: $1,699 (Early-bird price: $1,189)
• Horizon 20 Pro: $2,499 (Early-bird price: $1,749)
• Horizon 20 Max: $2,999 (Early-bird price: $2,399)

The company also hinted at a new enterprise-focused projector called "Titan," but details on its pricing and release date remain under wraps. With its impressive specs and a clear focus on both home entertainment and gaming, the Horizon 20 series positions XGIMI as a major player in the high-end projector market.

Google Revives 'Androidify' with AI, Turning Selfies into Bots.

Google has relaunched its popular 'Androidify' tool, this time with powerful artificial intelligence at its core. The new app, available on the web and as a standalone Android app, allows users to transform a selfie or a text prompt into a personalized Android bot.

How It Works: The Magic Behind the Scenes.

The new Androidify app is a showcase for Google's latest AI models. When you upload a photo, it first uses Gemini 2.5 Flash to analyze the image, generating a detailed caption that describes your appearance, clothing, and accessories. This detailed description is then fed to a fine-tuned version of Imagen 3, which creates a unique Android bot that reflects your style.

Alternatively, you can skip the selfie and simply enter a text prompt to design your bot from scratch. This gives you complete creative freedom to create a custom character.

The app also serves as a demonstration for developers, highlighting how to use modern Android development practices and libraries such as Material 3 Expressive components and the ML Kit Pose Detection API.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Android Bot.

Creating your own Android bot is a simple and fun process. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the App or Website: Download the Androidify app from the Google Play Store or visit the official Androidify website.
2. Start Creating: Upload a selfie or enter a text prompt to describe your desired bot.
3. Generate Your Bot: The app will use AI to generate your unique Android bot based on your input.
4. Customize and Share: Once your bot is created, you can personalize it by selecting from various formats (e.g., 1:1, Wallpaper, Banner), and backgrounds.
5. Animate Your Bot (Fridays Only): On Fridays in September, a limited number of users can animate their Android bot into an 8-second video using Veo 3, Google's video generation model.

You can then share your custom Android bot on social media using the hashtag #Androidify.

What Makes Androidify Stand Out?

The new Androidify experience is infinitely personal, letting you transform yourself into an Android bot in countless ways. Whether you upload a selfie or craft a fun, imaginative prompt, the AI ensures your creation feels unique and deeply customizable.

At the same time, the app is creative and fun, designed to be playful and expressive. It’s perfect for sharing with friends, showing off on social media, or simply giving your digital identity a fresh look.

For developers, Androidify is more than just a toy; it’s developer-friendly. The app has been built using the latest Android design frameworks and tools, offering a practical showcase of how modern Android UI and AI integration come together seamlessly.

And to top it off, Androidify adds a daily surprise factor. With weekly animation features powered by AI, users can see their avatars come alive, keeping the experience engaging and exciting every time they return.