Microsoft Build 2023: How to watch and what to expect

Microsoft Build is going back to physical format in 2023 post pandemic (Image credit: Microsoft)

After Google, it’s Microsoft’s turn to take the stage with its annual developer conference, Build. The conference is a hybrid in-person-and-online event that runs from May 23-25. Although this year’s Build may not include major news, Microsoft will still likely show how developers can include AI in their apps. Expect Microsoft to make some big announcements related to AI, Bing and Windows 11.

Here’s what you should expect at Microsoft Build 2023.

Microsoft Build 2023: How to watch

While only select people can attend the event in person, the rest can live to stream the presentation via micro-blog and the same will also be available on platforms like YouTube. Users who wish to attend the physical event have to register themselves online and which costs $1,525 and users who also wish to attend the workshop also need to register on the website by paying an additional $225.

The keynote will be presented by Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft along with 19 other speakers, including Greg Brockman, the President & Co-Founder of OpenAI. Microsoft Build 2023 will commence at 09:00 PM on May 23, where, the company will share news and updates regarding various products and services, and the company is also expected to announce the latest developments in the world of AI.

Besides, Microsoft is also expected to showcase upcoming features of Windows 11. According to the official website, the company will also share details on the latest innovations in code and app development. This indicates that the company might announce a new version of Visual Studio, possibly with AI capabilities.

Ref: https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/microsoft-build-2023-how-to-watch-what-to-expect-8623287/

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Sony Gears Up for Eventual Rebound in Smartphone Camera Demand

 Takashi Mochizuki and Yuki Furukawa

(Bloomberg) -- Sony Group Corp. plans to buy more land near its image sensor factory in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture to expand its market share in the growing business of powering camera smartphones.

The Tokyo-based company, which supplies devices including Apple Inc.’s iPhones, said Thursday it’s in talks to acquire 27 hectares of land for expansion in Koshi, Kumamoto, to the northwest of Sony’s existing factory. It could invest several hundred billion yen on a second factory at the new site, local newspaper Kumamoto Nichinichi reported earlier.

The company now expects its share of the global image sensor market to hit 60% by the business year starting April 2025, the head of Sony’s chip business, Terushi Shimizu, said at an investors relations event. It commands a little over half the market’s revenues now.

That’s despite a “tougher market environment” this fiscal year for image sensors, Shimizu said. The bulk of Sony’s sensors are used in smartphones, which has suffered double-digit declines particularly in China, the world’s biggest mobile market.

“While we are keeping future uncertainties in mind, we are preparing for the long term, to ensure we can capture growth opportunities when the market recovers in the future,” Shimizu said.

Sony is also chasing growing demand for automotive image sensors, whose ability to capture images for analysis are essential for self-driving cars. The company expects revenue for car sensors to double in the year to March, and aims for profitability in one to two years, Shimizu said.

Ref: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sony-gears-eventual-rebound-smartphone-023842807.html

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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is an Android essential—get it for $70 off at Best Buy

 

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. 

Android smartphones are advanced devices that are user-friendly and chock-full of advanced features to make the day easier. The one drawback? You gotta pull them out of your awkward pockets or overstuffed purses to use them right. Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro puts all that Android tech on your wrist without putting a big dent in your budget.

Right now, the advanced smartwatch is available at Best Buy for $429.99. Typically listed for $499.99, the 45-millimeter wrist accessory can be yours for $70 off. You can choose to have the watch's titanium case and hybrid leather D-buckle band in black or gray, both stylish options for any occasion.

The standard Galaxy Watch 5 on its own is a top-tier device, ranking among the best smartwatches we've ever tried. Our testers praised its round design for making it look like a designer watch while still being able to clearly display whatever information you need from it. Speaking of the display, it automatically adjusts its own brightness for whatever environment you're in. It's more than just a pretty face: you'll get improved accessibility features, including a high-contrast font option, color corrections and filters, and appreciated that it had options to remove animations and reduce transparency and blur.

As for the 5 Pro, it's in a bigger overall package at 45 millimeters and holds a bigger battery than the standard model. That means you'll get more time with the watch's outstanding features, including health-tracking apps that monitor your heart rate and sleep patterns. It can also keep an eye on whatever kind of workout you like to do and withstand the toughest outdoor conditions thanks to the durable sapphire crystal display and titanium case.

If you're an Android user and want to put your favorite features out of your pocket, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the best way to do it. Grab the device today with this amazing deal active now.

Ref: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewed/2023/05/23/samsung-galaxy-watch-5-deal/70244681007/

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Amazon Fire Max 11 With 11-Inch Display, Up to 4GB RAM Launched: Price, Specifications

Photo Credit: Amazon US

Amazon Fire Max 11 is sold in two storage configurations

Amazon Fire Max 11 was launched in the US on Tuesday. The new tablet sports an 11-inch (2000 x 1200 pixels) display. The tablet is powered by an octa-core MediaTek processor paired with 4GB of RAM. It is claimed to offer up to 14 hours of battery life and support 15W wired charging. It features up to 128GB of onboard storage. The tablet runs on Android 11-based Fire OS 9 out-of-the-box and is equipped with 8-megapixel front and rear cameras.

Amazon Fire Max 11 price, availability

Amazon Fire Max 11 is priced at $229 (roughly Rs. 19,049) for the 4GB + 64GB storage configuration while the 4GB+ 128GB variant costs $279 (roughly Rs 34,045). It is currently available for sale in the US via Amazon in a single Gray colour option.

Amazon Fire Max 11 specifications, features

The newly launched Amazon Fire Max 11 runs on Android 11-based Fire OS 9. It sports an 11-inch (2,000 x 1,200 pixels) display with a 5:3 aspect ratio and has an unspecified blue light certification. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT8188J processor paired with up to 4GB of RAM.

For photos and videos, the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera with support for 1080p video recording. The tablet features up to 128GB of onboard storage that can be expanded (up to 1TB) via a MicroSD card slot.

On the connectivity front, the Amazon Fire Max 11 supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, and a USB Type-C port. It also supports the USI2.0 stylus protocol. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, hall effect, and a fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. It is claimed to offer up to 14 hours of battery life. The tablet supports charging at up to 15W and is said to take up to 4.2 hours for a full charge. Additionally, it measures 259.1mm x 163.7mm x 7.50mm and weighs 490g. 

Ref: https://www.gadgets360.com/tablets/news/amazon-fire-max-11-price-usd-229-launch-sale-june-specifications-features-4062544 

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7 new Google Ads features include Brand restrictions in broad match, AI in Smart Bidding

 A handful of tactical search features were announced in conjunction with the other AI-driven announcements from Google Marketing Live. Yes, there is more AI coming to elements within search campaigns, but advertisers should look fondly at additional elements like better brand controls for broad match and better asset insights.

Brand restrictions for broad match. Google has been quickly improving broad match over the past few years and a new brand restriction feature should help advertisers feel more comfortable with the match type.

Similar to the announcement with Performance Max last year, this feature will help to leverage broad match with the brand traffic specified by the advertiser.

This feature will be applied at the campaign level which should make testing a breeze.

Google AI in Smart Bidding. Smart Bidding has always been, well, smart. It is getting even smarter by implementing a deeper integration of large language models (LLMs)into bidding, according to Google.

This will allow systems to use LLMs to better understand searcher intent and according to Google “optimize more intelligently for search queries it’s never seen before.”

Top search categories for RSAs. A new feature will allow advertisers to review the top categories at the RSA level. According to Google this will give a deeper transparency into what is driving performance while also giving advertisers better ideas for optimizing ads.

This may be beneficial to those advertisers with few campaigns as they may be able to see segmentation ideas for better campaign construction.

Campaign prefils. Don’t know what budget to start with for a campaign? New campaign prefills will give suggestions on budgets and even assets sourced from your website, past campaigns and Google AI predictions.

If you are a fan of Recommendations, they are coming to the setup flow as well.

New tools for Ads Creative Studio. You’ll soon be able to preview and export Performance Max assets straight into Google Ads in the specifications required for the campaigns.

A new trends explorer will also be added to Ads Creative Studio to help aid creative teams in finding current search trends and getting better ideas for creative.

New Asset Insights. Advertisers have been hungry for better data on which assets work in order to get the best messaging for their campaigns. Better asset insights will allow advertisers to understand which creatives aren’t resonating with certain audiences. Additionally, recommendations will be presented to guide advertisers on what AI-generated assets or stock photography may get better results.

Improved search terms on the Insights page. Coming soon, you’ll be able to find more search term categories within the Insights page. These will be able to be sorted by custom date ranges and will have historical insights that can be downloaded. These insights will be on the web interface as well as accessible in the Google Ads API.

Why we care. More data? Yes, please. Better bidding and targeting. Thank you much. These appear to be big improvements for advertisers that will help guide all the new AI to deliver better results. Additional brand restrictions alone should be a big win for those that are cautious with broad match and if LLMs can make Smarter Bidding smarter, that would be a win for all advertisers.

Ref: https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-improvements-brand-restrictions-smart-bidding-rsa-427445

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15 Google Products That Are So Useful, You Won’t Know How You Lived Without Them

BEST PRODUCTS; COURTESY GOOGLE

When you say the word “Google,” the first thing that comes to mind is likely the search engine, not the vast amount of Google products out there. But if you stop and think about it for a second, Google is a major player in the hardware space — competing with the likes of Amazon and Apple. From new smartphones, smart home gear, laptops, fitness trackers, and even gaming gear at one time, Google always seems to be coming out with something new.

The sleek and versatile Pixel Watch is the latest to join the Google product family, following Google's completion of its acquisition of Fitbit. The smartwatch will help track your activity, keep connected with loved ones, and make contactless payments on the go. Google's Nest smart home platform should also be on your radar. The product family is designed to help you keep an eye on your home — inside and out — and control and interact with other smart home devices.

These are just a couple of the many user-favorite offerings that the tech giant has launched. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking to gift a helpful device to a friend or relative, there’s a Google product for practically everything!

1

A SUPER USEFUL SMART DISPLAY

Nest Hub Max Smart Display

Now 17% Off

$190 AT WALMART$164 AT HOME DEPOT$164 AT B&H PHOTO

PROS

• Perfect for reading and following along to recipes in the kitchen
• Arguably the best smart photo frame you can buy

CONS

• No shutter to cover the camera

The Nest Hub Max Smart Display is a legit multitool for your connected home. It packs a vibrant 10-inch touchscreen, high-quality stereo speakers, and a built-in Nest smart camera.

The Google product's built-in camera is handy for both making Google Meet video calls and monitoring your home while you're away. The device is also a powerful connected home hub — it’s compatible with a host of today's most popular smart home products. It's also earned high review scores from Engadget and The Verge.

The Google Assistant-powered gadget offers countless possibilities to interact with the virtual helper, from streaming YouTube videos to enjoying content from a mobile device via a built-in Chromecast.

More: A Review of the Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display

2

KNOW WHO’S KNOCKING

Nest Doorbell

$170 AT AMAZON$141 AT WALMART$120 AT HOME DEPOT

PROS

• Available in wired and battery-powered variants
• Has a wide field of view

CONS

• Limited to event-based recording (can't record 24/7)

The Google Nest Doorbell will allow you to see and talk to visitors, even while away from home. The device can stream high-resolution video with a wide field of view, including in the dark. Thanks to onboard machine learning, it can alert you if it notices a person, a package delivery, an animal, or a vehicle.

Best of all, the weather-resistant gadget is battery-powered and easy to install. There are several cool colors to pick from. If you want to keep an eye on your package deliveries, the Nest Doorbell is hard to beat.

3

THE SMALL BUT MIGHTY SMART SPEAKER

Nest Mini (2nd Generation) Smart Speaker

$37 AT WALMART$20 AT HOME DEPOT$20 AT B&H PHOTO

PROS

• Made from eco-friendly materials
• Doesn't take up much room
• Better at answering questions than Amazon and Apple's speakers

CONS

• Isn't as loud as competing smart speakers

The tiny and affordable Google Nest Mini smart speaker delivers impressive sound and surprisingly powerful bass despite its small shape. The gadget’s voice-recognition capabilities have also been improved over its predecessor. Unlike the Home Mini, the Nest Mini also has a wall mount, so it can integrate even more effortlessly into any home.

The attractive fabric cover of each Google Nest Mini is entirely crafted from recycled bottles and comes in a variety of color options, including charcoal, chalk, coral, and blue.

4

THE PERFECT SMART DISPLAY FOR THE KITCHEN

Nest Hub 2nd Generation Smart Display

Now 17% Off

$83 AT WALMART$50 AT HOME DEPOT$100 AT B&H PHOTO

PROS

• Affordable
• Small footprint and easy to set up
• Has apps for Netflix and Disney+ for watching videos

CONS

• No camera for video calls

The Google Nest Hub has a 7-inch touchscreen, which brings you a whole new world of interactions with the Google Assistant. You can ask it to play YouTube videos, show recipes and cooking videos, give you the weather forecast, set timers, reminders, and play music.

One of our favorite Google Nest Hub features is its ability to sync with your albums on Google Photos and display the photos when not in use. We also like that it has a motion sensor so you can pause or play a song or stop a timer just with a wave of your hand. If you're looking for a smaller and more affordable smart display, this is the one to buy!

5

AN EASY-TO-USE STREAMING DEVICE

Chromecast with Google TV

$30 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Great design with an intuitive remote
• Affordable price
• Wide app selection

CONS

• Best suited for Google users

The Google Chromecast is a compact and powerful streaming player, capable of delivering HD or 4K and HDR content from the likes of Netflix and YouTube. It hangs from one of the HDMI ports on your TV and gives you access to all your favorite streaming apps, including Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and more.

The Chromecast comes with a remote for navigating its all-new user interface. There's even a Google Assistant button that you can press for voice searches.

6

A SLEEK ROUND SMARTWATCH + FITNESS TRACKER

Pixel Watch

$350 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Reasonably priced
• Sleek and comfortable design

CONS

• Battery life is subpar

What I love most about the Pixel Watch is that it doesn't look like a smartwatch. It has a curved shape, a round face, and actually will look good on smaller-sized wrists. It has all the bells and whistles you could want. There's GPS on board, a microphone for asking the Google Assistant question or quickly replying to texts, a speaker, and NFC compatibility for tap-to-pay functionality.

Since it is equipped with a heart rate sensor, the Pixel Watch also doubles as a fitness tracker. A reviewer at the Verge said it's suited for casual activity and is a good buy for beginners looking to build better fitness habits.

“Unlike Apple and Samsung, Fitbit also has a much more useful metric for gauging whether you’re getting enough exercise in Active Zone Minutes (AZM),” they wrote.

7

A SMART WATERPROOF CAMERA

Nest Cam 2nd Generation Outdoor or Indoor Battery-Powered Camera

Now 22% Off

$140 AT AMAZON$120 AT WALMART$120 AT HOME DEPOT

PROS

• Excellent video quality
• Has facial recognition tech

CONS

• Subscription plan is required for the best features

The battery-powered Nest Cam by Google is an elegant, versatile, and smart Wi-Fi security camera. Unlike its rivals, the water-resistant gadget can recognize faces — meaning, it can alert you if there's a stranger in your home. In addition to people, the camera can detect animals and vehicles, too.

The Nest Cam's daytime and nighttime video quality are excellent, although the resolution could be higher. You need to sign up for a Nest Aware plan (starting at $6 per month) to make the most of the product’s capabilities and access facial recognition. Nest also offers an indoor-friendly, wired version of the camera for less, along with one that packs a nifty floodlight.

8

A SLIM AND USEFUL SMARTWATCH

Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch

$195 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Long battery life
• Comfortable to wear for extended periods
• Does an excellent job at tracking exercise and sleep

CONS

• Doesn't work with Google Assistant

The Fitbit Versa 4 is packed with plenty of features to keep you on track to achieve all your fitness and wellness-related goals. For starters, it has a built-in GPS chip for tracking stats during a workout. It offers heart rate monitoring, will help you track your sleep, and assigns you a "Daily Readiness Score" which gauges recovery by comparing your activity sleep and heart rate variability, letting you know if you're ready for a higher-intensity workout.

We like that the Versa 4 has smartwatch features on board, too. You can easily set timers, check the weather report, and even interact with Amazon's voice assistant Alexa.

The device's battery lasts up to 6 days on a single charge making this an excellent fitness smartwatch to help hold you accountable to your fitness goals.

9

A RELIABLE MESH ROUTER SYSTEM

Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E Mesh Router

$222 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Easier to set up than other mesh systems
• Small footprint and modern design that blends in most interiors

CONS

• Base model only includes one wireless beacon

The Google Nest Pro Wi-Fi Router is an elegant and reasonably priced router that's capable of covering up to 2,200 square feet with a speedy and reliable wireless internet connection. Setting up and managing the device is as easy as it gets, courtesy of the Google Home app.

Depending on the size of your home, you can connect multiple Nest Wi-Fi units in a mesh network. Google also offers bundles with multiple beacons in case you have a large floorplan that you need to blanket with Wi-Fi. Each add-on point can cover an additional 1,600 square feet of space.

10

AMAZING SOUND ANYWHERE

Nest Audio

$91 AT WALMART$50 AT HOME DEPOT$50 AT B&H PHOTO

PROS

• Premium and modern-looking design
• Reasonably priced

CONS

• Bass is good but not great

Priced at only $100, Google's Nest Smart Speaker delivers impressive audio performance despite its compact size. During my tests with the Nest Audio speaker, I found the device easy to set up and extremely useful. I loved that I could turn my living room lights off despite being in the bedroom, and I frequently relied on the smart speaker for listening to music on Spotify, getting the weather, and setting timers.

When it comes to acoustic capabilities, the Nest Audio is incredibly impressive for its $100 price tag. Powered by a 75-millimeter woofer and a 19-millimeter tweeter, it offers a crisp and detail-rich sound with just the right amount of bass. You can even pair it with a second Nest Audio speaker for an even fuller stereo sound.

Available in a variety of fabric finishes, the Nest Audio will match any decor. Its enclosure is even made from 70% recycled plastic, making it an option you can feel good about using.

11

THE BEST SMART SMOKE DETECTOR

Nest Protect Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm

$109 AT AMAZON$119 AT WALMART$119 AT HOME DEPOT

PROS

• Easy to install
• Lets you disable alarms from your smartphone

CONS

• Expensive

If you're tired of flapping a towel around above your head like someone at a football game, consider investing in this smart smoke alarm. In the event of a false trigger, you can just disable the alarm from your smartphone.

The Google Nest Protect smoke detector has a cool design and gesture controls, as well as the ability to send alerts to your smartphone while you're away from home.

The device's built-in sensors are made to last up to 10 years, and you can choose between a battery-powered or a hardwired variant.

More: Check Out Our Favorite Smart Home Products

12

OUR FAVORITE SMART THERMOSTAT

Nest Thermostat

$122 AT AMAZON$90 AT WALMART$90 AT HOME DEPOT

PROS

• Offers an easy DIY install
• Modern design looks great while still being easy to use

CONS

• Not compatible with Google's external temperature sensors

Designed to blend in with your home decor, the Nest Thermostat is a Google product with the ability to learn your heating and cooling preferences. This means that in time, it won't need programming — the gadget will automatically set itself and save you money on utility bills.

The Nest even pays attention to the weather forecast to determine when it should start heating or cooling your home to achieve your preferred indoor climate.

Of course, you adjust the temperature directly on the thermostat or via a smartphone app and with Google Assistant voice commands.

13

A STELLAR SMARTPHONE

Pixel 7 5G Android Phone

$560 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Packs a powerful processor lets you juggle multiple apps
• Durable design
• Base model is equipped with 128 GB of storage space

CONS

• Display is only 90Hz

For those looking for a feature-filled smartphone at a reasonable price point, look no further than the new Pixel 7 from Google. The device is equipped with an excellent OLED screen, a powerful battery, and an industry-leading camera. It also has a durable body that’s completely waterproof and made from Gorilla Glass Victus — so it can withstand drops.

The device's 6.3-inch display is vibrant and brighter than most smartphones. We like that its front-facing camera offers a wide 92-degree ultrawide field of view for fitting more friends in your selfies, but we were most impressed by the Pixel's better-than-average battery life. You can get by two days without needing to plug it in!

It's worth mentioning that Google also sells a smartphone called the Pixel 7 Pro that has a triple camera setup compared to this device's dual cameras. One of the lenses is a telephoto lens with a 5X optical zoom.

It also has 12GB of RAM (memory) compared to this model's 8GB. If image quality is extremely important to you, we recommend opting for the 7 Pro over the Pixel 7.

14

A SOLID AIRPODS PRO COMPETITOR

Pixel Buds Pro

$200 AT AMAZON$150 AT WALMART$150 AT B&H PHOTO

PROS

• Comes in a bunch of fun colors
• Excellent audio quality and noise cancellation
• IPX4 water-resistant

CONS

• Microphone isn't as clear as competing wireless earbuds

If you're an Android user, the Pixel Buds Pro are hands-down the best earbuds you can buy. They promise lengthy battery life, offer an incredibly comfortable fit, and pair instantly to your smartphone.

My co-editor Stefan Vazharov remarked in his review of them that they are worth every penny. "Not only did the Pixel Buds Pro have outstanding noise cancellation and call quality, but they also deliver high-quality sound with a balance between deep bass, detailed midrange, and vibrant treble," he wrote.

Google's Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds are a solid option if you're looking for an alternative on a tighter budget.

15

THE BUDGET-FRIENDLY PIXEL TO BUY

Pixel 6a Smartphone

$345 AT AMAZON

PROS

• Equipped with Google's flagship processor
• Excellent camera performance and battery life

CONS

• No wireless charging

The Pixel 6a is essentially a smaller and more inexpensive Pixel 6. It still has a fully waterproof build and has the same distinct design as the other smartphones in Google's lineup. We recommend the Pixel 6a to any value-seeking buyer in because of its pocket-friendly design and performance.

The Pixel 6a is powered by Google's chart-topping Tensor chipset, which helps power real-time transcription, HDR video recording, and achieve its notable battery endurance.

My co-editor Stefan Vazharov tested the Pixel 6a and remarked in his review that he could instantly open and switch between multiple apps while I tested the phone without issue and that it could run graphic-intensive games with no problem.

"The Pixel 6a's design, camera, and hardware upgrades have taken the Pixel A-series of phones upmarket, making an even more convincing argument that this is the smartphone to get if you're looking for an upgrade below $500," he wrote.

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