Tech Trends 📰

Google is adding new device-level features for its Advanced Protection program | TechCrunch

Google is adding new device-level security features to its Advanced Protection Program with the Android 16 release.. Device logs will be stored with end-to-end encryption in the cloud for threat analysis.. A new USB protection feature allows only charging when the device is locked—no data transfer.. Devices will auto-restart if locked for 72 hours continuously.. Advanced Protection will block auto-connection to insecure Wi-Fi and detect potential scam calls in real time..

Google unveils a next-gen family of AI reasoning models | TechCrunch

Google launched Gemini 2.5 Pro, a new AI reasoning model available in Google AI Studio and the Gemini app for Gemini Advanced users.. Gemini 2.5 Pro uses advanced reasoning, designed to "think" before answering, helping improve tasks like coding and web app creation.. It supports a 1 million token context window, with plans to expand to 2 million, allowing processing of huge text inputs.. Gemini 2.5 Pro outperforms many rival models in benchmarks like Aider Polyglot and Humanity’s Last Exam but trails Claude 3.7 Sonnet on SWE-bench Verified..

Google will pay a $1.375 billion settlement to Texas over privacy violations

Large Financial Settlement: Google is set to pay $1.375 billion, which is a substantial amount, indicating the seriousness of the violation.. Privacy Violations: The settlement is related to privacy issues, likely involving how Google collected, used, or stored user data in a way that violated state laws.. State-Level Action: The state of Texas initiated this legal action, showcasing how individual U.S. states can hold large tech companies accountable.. Legal and Regulatory Pressure on Big Tech: This is part of a broader trend where major tech firms are increasingly facing scrutiny over data privacy practices..