PCMag – Tech News

OG Conversational Search Engine Ask.com Has Answered Its Last Question

Ask.com, one of the earliest attempts at conversational search engines, has shut down 30 years after its debut. “Every great search must come to an end,” reads the headline on the now-defunct website. “As IAC [parent company] continues to sharpen its focus, we have made the decision to discontinue our search business, which includes Ask.com. After 25 years of answering the world's questions, Ask.com officially closed on May 1, 2026."
https://www.pcmag.com/news/og-conversational-search-engine-askcom-jeeves-has-answered-its-last-question

Is the Vision Pro Dead? Apple Reportedly Stops Work on Its Pricey Headset

Apple has reportedly stopped work on its Vision Pro headset and shifted staff to other teams within the company, MacRumors reports. Some employees who worked on the Vision Pro have been transferred to the company’s Siri team, while others are being moved elsewhere.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/is-the-vision-pro-dead-apple-reportedly-stops-work-on-its-pricey-headset

Brief, Chill, or Sweet? Amazon’s Alexa+ Now Lets You Pick Your AI’s Personality

Amazon is adding three new personalities to its AI-powered voice assistant, Alexa+. Users can tune their voice assistant to be Brief, Chill, or Sweet. If set to Brief, Alexa Plus will provide shorter, more direct responses, with just the details you need. Switching to Chill will make the voice assistant respond in a laid-back, friendly tone, while choosing Sweet will transform it into a constant cheerleader with upbeat responses.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/brief-chill-or-sweet-amazons-alexa-plus-now-lets-you-pick-your-ais-personality

I’m Seeing Ads in ChatGPT, and OpenAI Broke Its Promise. Here’s What They Look Like

Ads have officially arrived, at least in my ChatGPT account. They're larger than expected, and often not relevant to the conversation.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/im-seeing-ads-in-chatgpt-openai-broke-its-promise-what-they-look-like

RIP ChromeOS? Not So Fast. Court Docs Suggest It’ll Be Around Until 2034

Google is currently working on the combined Android-ChromeOS, known as Aluminum OS, but we're probably two years out from getting our hands on it. Court documents tip a testing period later this year and a full release by 2028.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/rip-chromeos-not-so-fast-court-docs-suggest-itll-be-around-until-2034?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=A

Google’s Project Genie Tool Lets You Build Virtual Worlds for Training or Just Fun

Google DeepMind's new Project Genie AI tool is something a little different. Instead of answering chatbot prompts more (or even less) effectively than the last model, this one lets you craft an entire 3D world to explore with just a short text prompt.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-project-genie-ai-tool-build-virtual-worlds-for-training-fun?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=A

Netflix Live Voting Is Finally Here, Kicks Off Tonight With Its Star Search Reboot

The real-time voting tool has been teased for the last few months, but it debuts today on the platform’s new Star Search reality show. Netflix says the votes collected during the show will determine who advances in the competition and who is knocked out.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/netflix-live-voting-is-finally-here-kicks-off-tonight-with-its-star-search