On Google Translate, thanks to AI. It took Google 16 years to master its first 133 languages. It learned these 110 in just two years. With the company’s PaLM 2 large language model, Google plans to support 1,000 of the most spoken languages in the world. Lo! (That’s “Wow!” in Swahili.)
Wait, what? 5 amazing things you don’t know your phone can do
Remember when a cell phone was for calls and a round or two of Snake? Today’s phones are pro-grade cameras, PDF scanners and even car keys.
I keep a digital copy of my driver’s license on my phone because it’s just so handy. Here’s how to do that.
Paying with your phone is so easy, too. Late to the party? I have a guide on setting that up.
There’s a ton more your phone can do. Many of these functions are found in the accessibility settings. Developers create them for people who need extra assistance using their phones — but they’re handy for just about anyone.
1. Add captions to your video calls, podcasts or phone calls
Not every video chat happens in a quiet space — or maybe your hearing isn’t great. No problem. You can get real-time captions on video chats, podcasts, calls, music and videos.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captioning.
- Toggle the switch next to Closed Captions & SDH to the on position.
To turn on Live Captions on your Android phone:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Caption preferences.
- Tap Show captions to turn it on.
2. Translate a conversation in real-time
Despite my promise to myself every year to learn a new language, it never happens. Next time you encounter someone you’re having trouble communicating with, whip out your phone to help. No, you don’t need to pay anything to complete this.
iPhone trick: How to copy and paste text and images from your photos
Safety is a selling point of Apple’s latest offering. The iPhone 14 has improved car crash detection and even emergency SOS via satellite. Tap or click here for instructions on sending an emergency text when you have no signal. It could save your life.
Update Chrome! 3 security upgrades baked into the latest version
It’s estimated that over 2.6 billion people use Google Chrome as their primary browser. This makes it a lucrative target for hackers. Tap or click here for seven quick ways to get more out of Chrome on your Android phone.