Google launches Gemini app for Mac
Google has issued an official Gemini app for macOS. The app is native, and written in Swift. It is compatible with all Apple Silicon computers that run macOS Sequoia 15.0 or later. Once installed, users can reach gemini From the Dock or by clicking the Gemini icon on the menu bar. Alternatively, you can quickly launch Gemini by using the keyboard shortcut Option + Space. This brings up the mini UI of the AI chatbot, so you can interact with it. Pressing Option + Shift + Space opens the full chat experience.
Gemini Nano for Mac supports image creation powered by Banana, and can produce videos, create music, etc. using Vivo. It also has some advanced capabilities, you can share any window with Gemini to get information based on the context of the screen, i.e. documents, data, code, and ask questions about them. To access entire pages in a web browser, Gemini requires users to enable an option under the Mac’s Accessibility settings. Gemini is not the first native AI app for Mac, OpenAI’s ChatGPT And anthropic clouds have been around for a long time. OpenAI recently released an update for ChatGPT on macOS to address some security issues.
Google launches a desktop app for Windows
Google also released a new desktop for PC. The app has a special focus on Gemini, which is not surprising given the current AI trend. Use the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut to quickly activate Google for Windows, and you can ask anything you want with a simple web search, or take a screenshot using the image search option.
It has Lens and screen sharing built-in, so you can ask the AI about anything visible in a specific app window or the entire screen. Google’s app for Windows Comes with an AI mode that can generate AI-powered responses to your questions, allow you to ask follow-up questions, and more. It can also be used to find apps, files on your computer or from your Google Drive. The Google app requires a computer running Windows 10 or later. Can there be an app for Gemini people in the future?
Perplexity releases personal computer app for Mac
Why should Google have all the fun? This week Perplexity also released its own native AI app for macOS. The app is called, personal computer. It is supported on devices running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
The Personal Computer is more than your average AI app, it is an AI agent. It can handle complex tasks and works with your files, native apps, websites. Perplexity says personal computers can help you read your to-do list, act on it, manage and organize your files, analyze data from files against information from web pages, and more. The app also supports voice commands. Perplexity says users stay in the loop about sensitive tasks, and can monitor the AI, and take over if needed. You can trigger Personal Computer by pressing both Command keys at the same time on your Mac.
Unlike Google Gemini, which is free to all users, Perplexity’s Personal Computer for Mac is currently available to users with a Perplexity Max subscription. This is an expensive plan which costs $200 per month.
Google Chrome AI mode makes it easier to open links simultaneously
Let’s talk about what happened in the browser market this week. There is something in Google Chrome New AI powered featuresTo help users find their tabs quickly. The Mountain View company says users struggle when they search for something, click on a link, switch to a new tab, and when these tabs pile up, they get lost when trying to find a specific tab. To fix this, Google has made changes to AI mode. When you search in AI mode, the browser will display information with links to results, and clicking a link will open it in a side-by-side view. It’s also a way for users to interact with the AI, asking follow-up questions about the page’s content.
And to find the tabs that are open, simply click the plus icon on Chrome’s new tab page or in AI mode on desktop or mobile and select Recent Tabs. It allows you to search tabs, images, files, documents, etc. The new Plus menu also includes shortcuts for canvas, image creation. Google says the improved AI mode experience is available to users in the US. comes with chrome 146 Device-bound session credentials (DBSC), a new security system designed to combat session hijacking.
Brave is testing Firefox-like containers to isolate websites
The Brave browser is testing a feature that is similar to Firefox’s containers. This is a privacy-focused feature that differentiates websites from each other. It creates a sandbox to store cookies, data, cached files and limits access to these. Its purpose is to prevent websites from tracking user activities on other websites for advertising, profile creation or other nefarious purposes. Braves Containers Facility Currently available in the browser’s Nightly channel, and users need to enable a flag to access the experimental option.
This is an interesting move and may attract users who are concerned about their privacy.
Netflix will add vertical video to its mobile app
Short-form videos are everywhere. They started gaining popularity on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and have even made their way to Disney Plus. And now Netflix also wants to do the same. The streaming service published its quarterly letter to shareholders. In this, Netflix revealed that it will launch a redesigned mobile app in late April. This new version will add a vertical video feed to the Netflix app. The company believes the redesigned and vertical video discovery feed will better reflect its expanded entertainment offering, and make it easier for users to engage with content.
This isn’t entirely surprising, as Netflix has been testing Portrait Video for about a year. Still, short-form videos have their fair share of fans and critics. Many consider these to be “brain-rotting” and that if left unchecked, doomscrolling can become addictive.
