Soon, you might just talk to your phone and let it handle the rest

Plus: Apple’s big AI moment, cheaper 5G home internet, and the travel tools I actually use

Greetings and welcome to another newsletter! It’s Memorial Day weekend, so I hope you get some downtime with friends, family or just in general.

This week I was in Mountain View for Google I/O, Google’s big annual developer conference.

Yes, it’s aimed at developers, but the keynote is really for everyone: regular users, businesses, investors, employees and, of course, the people building all this stuff.

This year, there wasn’t necessarily one giant “wow” moment. Instead, the message was clear: Google is getting really good at AI, and they’re building it into just about every product they make.

For the average person, though, a lot of it can feel overwhelming. There were so many demos, features and AI buzzwords flying around that it’s easy for your eyes to glaze over.

But here are the things that stood out to me.

First off, Google says five of its products now have more than 3 billion users each: Search, Android, Chrome, YouTube and Gmail.

Google is turning Gemini into something that can generate just about anything from anything. Text to video. Video to text. Photos into music. Music into video. One demo even had someone rolling dice with random objects on each side, taking a picture and having Gemini turn it into a video clip. The editing tools are getting much better too, including the ability to restyle videos or swap backgrounds with a couple taps.

Google also says Search is changing in a big way for the first time in 25 years. The classic search box is evolving beyond simple text input. Now you can search with your voice, photos, video or basically whatever you want to throw at it.

The Gemini app itself also got a major redesign. It’s much brighter, more colorful and more welcoming, with a bunch of new tools tucked behind the plus button and menus.

One feature that caught my attention is something called Daily Brief. Gemini looks across your inbox, calendar and tasks to create a personalized rundown of what you should be thinking about that day: travel, meetings, projects, interviews and more. It feels like the beginning of a real AI assistant, even if it still gets things wrong sometimes.

Another new feature lets you create your own AI avatar. I tried it myself. You scan your face, record a few clips of yourself talking and Google creates a highly realistic digital version of you and your voice. Then you can insert yourself into AI-generated videos just by tagging your avatar’s name. Yes, this one is potentially dangerous if misused.

Google also showed off its answer to the growing trend of AI agents. The company is working on one called Spark, which is designed to run in the background 24/7 and complete tasks for you automatically. Think of it as Google’s version of OpenClaw, except it’s cloud-based instead of tied to a single computer. The catch? Access costs $100 a month, at least for now.

What makes Google’s AI strategy especially compelling is how much information already lives inside its ecosystem. Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs and more suddenly become a lot more useful when AI can actually understand and organize what’s inside them.

For example, Google is introducing Gmail Live, which basically lets you talk to your inbox and ask questions about your email like you would with a real assistant.

Another feature rolling out more widely is AI Inbox. It automatically groups your emails into topic-based summaries and to-do lists around things like vacations, kids, home projects and more.

On the AI safety side, Google is continuing to push SynthID, its watermarking system for AI-generated images, audio and video. The interesting part is they’re getting other major players on board, including OpenAI, Nvidia and ElevenLabs. At the same time, competing standards like C2PA, backed by Adobe, Microsoft and Sony, are also gaining traction. Cue the standards war!

I also got hands-on with Google’s new creative tools. Flow Music is like a mini music studio in your browser. You can start with your own music or create something completely from scratch using AI.

Then there’s Flow, Google’s AI moviemaking tool. This thing is wild. It can generate highly realistic video clips up to 10 seconds long, remix them, restyle them and stitch them together into longer scenes. You can even create reusable AI characters that stay consistent across clips.

And finally, there were the smart glasses.

Google says smart glasses with Gemini built in are launching this fall with partners including Samsung, Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. This is clearly Google’s answer to Meta’s Ray-Bans, but with much deeper integration into Google services.

The glasses include a camera, microphones and speakers, and future versions will even have a display built into the lens. The idea is that Gemini becomes an assistant that’s literally with you all day long, able to answer questions about what you’re seeing, play music, make calls and tap into your Gmail, Drive and other Google apps in real time.

The bigger theme I kept seeing throughout I/O was this shift away from typing, searching and digging through apps manually. Google wants AI to understand whatever you throw at it and respond however you need, whether that’s text, video, music, code or actions completed on your behalf.

We’re moving toward a world where you talk to your devices more like you’d talk to another person, and increasingly, they’ll just handle the task for you.

One final interesting note: Google has been known for free products and services for a very long time, but many of these new AI features, or at least the best versions of them, are now reserved for paying customers.

The company introduced several new AI subscription plans ranging from $8 a month all the way up to $200 a month, depending on how much access and computing power you want.

Apple’s AI moment is almost here

Not to be outdone, Apple made some news this week too.

The company officially announced that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the equivalent of Google I/O, kicks off June 8 with a keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific from Cupertino.

The stakes feel especially high this year because everyone is wondering the same thing: What is Apple going to do about AI?

Yes, Apple Intelligence exists, but so far it hasn’t come close to the capabilities people are seeing from ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.

At WWDC, we’ll get our first look at iOS 27 and, more importantly, Apple’s next attempt at making Siri actually smart. Apple has already hinted at deeper AI integrations, including using Google Gemini for some features.

And of course, there’s always the hope for a surprise. Maybe we finally get a preview of the foldable iPhone that’s rumored for later this year.

Apple is also entering a major transition period. Tim Cook is going to retire, with longtime hardware executive John Ternus stepping into the CEO role later this year, right around the next iPhone launch. That’s a huge leadership shift for one of the world’s most valuable companies.

Even though Apple has moved slowly on AI, I still wouldn’t count them out.

With well over a billion active iPhones worldwide, Apple sits on an enormous amount of personal data stored directly on devices and in iCloud: messages, emails, phone calls, calendars, photos and more.

That’s where Apple could have a real advantage.

If the company can build an AI-powered Siri that actually understands natural language and can intelligently sort through all the information already on your phone, it could become incredibly useful very quickly.

It may not be happening fast, but when Apple finally gets this right, I think people are going to be very impressed. And knowing Apple, privacy will likely be one of its biggest selling points.

Sponsored: Get your personal data off the internet

Ever searched your name online and been surprised by how much personal information pops up?

Your address, phone number, age, relatives and more can end up on data broker and people-search websites that collect and sell your information, often without you realizing it. That data can fuel spam calls, scam texts, phishing emails and endless marketing.

One of the privacy services I’ve used myself is Incogni.

Instead of manually tracking down dozens or even hundreds of sites to opt out one by one, Incogni automates the process. They send removal requests to data brokers on your behalf and continue checking regularly so your information doesn’t just reappear later.

I checked my own dashboard this week and Incogni has already suppressed my information from 227 broker sites, while monitoring another 98 and processing removals from dozens more. The average resolution time has been about nine days.

If privacy has been on your mind lately, this is one of the easiest ways I’ve found to take action without spending hours doing it yourself.

🔗 Get 60% off Incogni annual plans with the code RICHONTECH and start removing your personal information from data broker sites.

Is 5G home internet finally good enough?

Recently on my radio show and via email, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about 5G home internet. You’ve probably seen the commercials on TV. T-Mobile offers it, Verizon has been pushing it hard and now even smaller carriers and MVNOs are getting into the game.

For years, the internet service available at your house was determined by whoever ran wires to your neighborhood. Cable, DSL or fiber. That was pretty much it.

But now wireless carriers have built such robust 5G networks that they can use those same cellular signals to deliver internet to your home. The box sits in your house, picks up a signal from a nearby tower and then rebroadcasts it as Wi-Fi throughout your home. Think of it like a giant hotspot for the whole house.

And right now, as carriers try to grow this business, the pricing is pretty compelling.

For instance, I’ve been testing Mint Mobile’s “Minternet” service. Mint’s bundle - including home internet and phone service - works out to $45 a month, but you pay $540 upfront for the year.

Whether you should switch really comes down to two things.

First, how you use the internet. If you mostly stream video, browse the web, scroll social media or do basic work-from-home tasks, you’ll probably be just fine. But if you’re a serious gamer or someone who needs ultra-low latency all the time, traditional cable or fiber is still the better option.

Second, the signal strength at your home. If you’ve got a strong 5G signal indoors, the experience should be good. If your signal is weak, it’s probably not going to work out very well.

One easy way to test things before switching? Invite friends or family over and ask what carrier they use. If they have T-Mobile or Verizon, run a speed test on their phone inside your house. Apps like Meteor (iOS, Android) make it easy to check upload and download speeds and can give you a pretty good idea of how 5G home internet might perform at your location.

🔗 Read my full blog post on 5G home internet

Tech Tidbits: Travel Edition

With Memorial Day weekend here and so many people hitting the road, I figured it was the perfect time to share some of my favorite personal travel bookmarks!

AutoSlash - A rental car price tracker that monitors your reservation and alerts you if it finds a cheaper rate later.

AwardWallet - Automatically organizes your flights, hotels, rental cars and restaurant reservations into one easy-to-follow travel timeline.

Bounce and LuggageHero - Handy services that let you store your luggage while exploring a city before check-in or after checkout.

Costco Travel - One of the best places to book vacation packages because they often bundle in perks you won’t get elsewhere, plus many trips come with a Costco Shop Card afterward is worth a percentage of what you spent.

Faye Travel Insurance – A great app-based option for tech-savvy travelers. They’re known for quick reimbursements and even give you a debit card, making it easy to get your cash fast when you’re stranded or on the go.

Google Flights - My favorite way to search for flights when I know where and when I want to travel. The calendar view makes it incredibly easy to spot the cheapest travel days, even if those dates never seem to line up with my schedule.

Google Hotels - One of my favorite hotel search tools because it pulls listings from across the web with powerful filters, though I still double-check prices directly with the hotel.

Mindtrip Flights - One of my newest favorite travel websites because it lets you search for flights using natural language and build itineraries simply by forwarding or pasting in your booking details.

pAIBack - Tracks your flights after booking for fare drops and automatically claims travel credits.

PointsYeah - Helps you search and maximize airline and hotel point redemptions with lots of useful filters and free tools.

Rooms.aero - A search engine for award travel that helps you find flights and hotel rooms you can book with points.

The Points Guy points vs. cash calculator - Helps you decide whether it’s smarter to use points or just pay cash for a trip.

Travel Weekly - A travel industry site that’s useful for checking when hotels were last renovated.

Turbli - Predicts turbulence on your flight route so nervous flyers know what to expect before takeoff.

If you have a favorite travel tool, let me know!

Q&A: Cheap Tablet Warning

A WOR listener in North Arlington, New Jersey asks:

I saw an ad for a Memorex 10.1-inch tablet bundle on HSN for about $70 with a keyboard and case. Is this actually a good deal for basic Wi-Fi use at places like the library?

My take: These ultra-cheap tablets often look better in pictures than they perform in real life.

They can get slow, laggy and frustrating pretty quickly, especially when multitasking or installing updates. If your expectations are very basic, things like web browsing, email and light streaming, it might be okay.

But personally, I’d spend a little more for something like an Amazon Fire HD or a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+, which will give you a much smoother overall experience and likely last longer too.

I’d also take a look at Walmart’s new Android tablets that recently launched starting around $97. On paper, the specs actually look pretty solid. They run a recent version of Android and appear to offer a pretty clean software experience. I haven’t tested them yet, but based on what I’ve seen so far, I’d consider those before buying the Memorex.

But the gold standard for tablets is still the standard iPad. It offers the best overall mix of performance, battery life, accessories, long-term support and, of course, apps that are truly optimized for tablets. And if you want to save some money, buying a refurbished model is a great option.

Feedbag

Grant from Irvine, CA (who listens on ALT 98.7) wrote in to say:

Thanks for your info on The Woody Show. I’m always impressed with your appearances on the program. I finally checked out your website too.

Jay from Wapakoneta, OH sent an email saying

Hi Rich... love your show. Mainly listen while mowing the grass this time of year!!!! ... Thanks - keep kicking a**

Candice from Encinitas wrote…

I do try not to believe everything AI tells me because you taught me not to. 😄

Cathy writes..

You are awesome! I’ve been a fan for quite a while and always find value in your segments. I really appreciate your help. Thank you again!

Well, that’s going to do it for this edition of the newsletter.

As always, thanks for taking a look.

Don’t forget to tune in to my radio show Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pacific on KFI AM 640. I’ll be live in studio taking your calls and questions at 888-RICH-101.

You can also catch the replay Sunday nights from 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern on 710 WOR.

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you can listen anytime on demand.

Until next time,

Rich