GST and Tax update

Meet the Google Home Speaker | Brilliant Sound Meets Gemini Magic

Ashwani Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 09:20:28 +0000

Meet the Google Home Speaker | Brilliant Sound Meets Gemini Magic

Introducing the new _Google Home Speaker—coming Spring 2026. Brilliant sound meets Gemini magic.

Use Gemini to have back and forth conversations with a range of natural-sounding voices¹

Ask for the DL on your camera events¹

Pair two Google Home Speakers with a Google TV Streamer for great sound, all around²

Experience beautiful design in a range of colors: Hazel, Porcelain, Berry, Jade

Make your house a smart home.

¹Requires Google Home Premium subscription (sold separately), Google Home app, Wi-Fi, and internet connection. Features subject to change; available in select countries and languages. Gemini features work independently of Gemini apps. Check responses for accuracy; results may vary.

²Google TV Streamer sold separately.

The Google Home Speaker is Google’s first audio device built specifically for the Gemini AI assistant. Available for $99.99, it officially launches and ships on June 25, 2026, and features omnidirectional audio, conversational AI interactions, and a glowing light ring at the base. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Features

Conversational AI: Instead of rigid commands, you can chat naturally, interrupt, string multiple requests together (e.g., “Dim the lights and set a timer”), and even correct yourself mid-sentence. [1, 2]
Gemini Live: Allows for deep, free-flowing back-and-forth conversations and brainstorming sessions. [1]
Enhanced Audio: Equipped with a 58mm driver for 360-degree sound, delivering roughly 2.5× stronger bass than the older Nest Mini. It also pairs with a Google TV Streamer for a spatial surround sound experience. [1, 2, 3]
Smart Home Control: Acts as a Matter controller and Thread 1.3 border router. [1, 2]
Colors: Available in four fabric-knit colors: Porcelain, Hazel, Jade (Google Store exclusive), and Berry. [1, 2]

Pricing & Subscriptions

While the base speaker costs $99.99, unlocking its most advanced AI features requires an add-on. [1, 2, 3]

Buyers get a 6-month trial of the Google Home Premium subscription included with their purchase.
After the trial, the premium service (which enables features like Gemini Live and detailed smart home summaries) requires a subscription starting at $10/month for the standard tier or $20/month for the advanced tier. [1, 2]

You can pre-order the device directly on the Google Store or view more capabilities on the Google Home website. [1, 2]

If you’re considering picking one up, tell me:

Are you planning to pair it with a Google TV Streamer?
Which of the four colors (Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, or Berry) fits your room best?

The brand-new Google Home Speaker brings a massive upgrade to your smart home by merging rich audio with Gemini for Home.

Pre-orders are currently live for $99.99, with official shipping and retail availability starting June 25, 2026.

Brilliant Sound Meet Intelligent Hardware

Google’s first smart speaker in six years packs a punch underneath its sleek, 3D-knit textile exterior:

Omnidirectional Audio: Features a 58mm full-range driver delivering balanced 360° sound that fills the room.
Smart Processing: Powered by a quad-core Cortex A55 processor with a dedicated NPU to handle on-device AI reasoning.
The “Underglow” Light Ring: A new dynamic light ring softly communicates when Gemini is listening, thinking, reasoning, or executing commands.
Living Room Theater: You can pair up to two Google Home Speakers with a Google TV Streamer to unlock spatial surround sound.
Connectivity: Built-in Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and a Thread 1.3 Border Router with full Matter support for seamless smart home control.
Physical Mute Switch: A dedicated hardware toggle to easily cut power to the three far-field microphones when you want total privacy.

The Gemini Magic: What’s New?

Because it runs on Gemini for Home, you no longer have to memorize rigid, robotic voice commands.

Contextual & Conversational Memory: You can change your mind mid-sentence (“Turn off the coffee maker… wait, I meant turn it on!”) or give complex, multi-step requests in a single breath (“Dim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes”).
Gemini Live (“Hey Google, let’s chat”): Available through a Google Home Premium subscription, this allows you to have completely free-flowing, back-and-forth conversations. You can brainstorm ideas, learn complex topics, or interrupt mid-sentence without restarting the prompt.
Deep Reasoning: Ask nuanced questions that require multiple steps. For example, asking about the weather for an upcoming game forces Gemini to look up the game’s schedule, figure out the venue location, and pull the exact forecast for kickoff.
Expressive Choices: Ships with 10 completely redesigned, natural-sounding voices.

Styles & Availability

The speaker is compact (3.4 inches high, 4.2 inches in diameter) and comes in four distinct colorways:

Porcelain
Hazel
Jade (US Exclusive)
Berry (US Exclusive)

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. How universities are preparing students for an AI-powered future

for more refer Gemini website click here

for more refer Artificial Intelligence website click here

How universities are preparing students for an AI-powered future

Ashwani Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 08:10:01 +0000

How universities are preparing students for an AI-powered future

Take a look at universities across North America that are implementing Gemini for Education and NotebookLM on their campuses.

From lecture halls to research labs, universities across the U.S. are bringing Google’s AI tools to campus. Schools are using Gemini for Education and Google NotebookLM to prepare students and faculty for the future, and they’re doing it with a focus on data security, campus-wide training and pioneering academic research. Here’s how.

Prioritizing data security and privacy

Safeguarding student and institutional data presents an ongoing obstacle for universities striving to maintain strict security and privacy standards in an AI-driven landscape. Gemini for Education offers enterprise-grade data protection for campus-wide deployments at no cost, which means your data is your data, and it’s not reviewed or used to train AI models or for ads targeting. Several institutions are already leveraging these secure tools to innovate safely:

Virginia Tech is providing access to AI tools — such as Gemini for Education and Notebook LM — which their IT Security Office approved for use with high-risk data to help ensure institutional information remains protected.
UC Riverside introduced a secure campus AI assistant called The Grove, built on Gemini Enterprise.
UC Irvine approved Google Workspace, Google Cloud Platform and Gemini for Education for secure use with select sensitive institutional data and then put those tools to work through ZotGPT, a free AI platform featuring Gemini among its models, available to the entire campus community.

Building skills and training frameworks

While universities are eager to equip their communities with essential AI skills, providing comprehensive access across diverse campus populations presents a significant logistical hurdle around how people teach and learn with AI. To address this challenge, institutions are developing and deploying training they’ve developed, using industry-recognized materials like the Google AI Educator Series and Google AI for Education Accelerator:

Case Western Reserve University recently deployed Gemini campus-wide and provides training to staff on how to use the new AI tools at conferences and through self-paced online learning.
Indiana University is now offering its flagship generative AI course, “GenAI 101,” developed at the Kelley School of Business to the public for free, using tools and examples built around various AI tools, including the Gemini app.
At the University of Virginia, students are using Google AI Professional Certificate as a starting point for applied work with local businesses and community organizations. Through dedicated 100-hour projects, students are helping businesses think through how AI can streamline operations, build internal capacity, and identify practical use cases.
The University System of Maryland partnered with Google to offer AI Essentials courses, helping learners earn industry-recognized credentials.

Powering research and new ideas

To scale complex technical workflows, higher education institutions are using tailored AI solutions that help faculty and accelerate research.

At the University of Alberta a custom Gemini Gem is helping faculty get 24/7 support for writing research grants.
At the “Build with Google AI” Hackathon at New York University, teams used Google AI tools to build their own functional apps such as TreeRoute, a walking planner that recommends healthy paths based on current pollen levels, weather and urban environmental data.

Looking ahead

Our work with higher education is focused on helping universities adopt AI safely and effectively. That means providing tools with enhanced data protection like Gemini and NotebookLM — at no cost — to help safeguard institutional data, while also offering training to educators that help prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.

Universities are preparing students for an AI-powered future by embedding AI literacy directly across all academic disciplines, launching independent AI degree programs, and shifting focus toward irreplaceable human skills. Rather than trying to restrict these emerging technologies, institutions are moving toward long-term, campus-wide deployment strategies. They are using advanced tech platforms to actively reshape how students study, research, and work. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

The specific ways higher education is evolving to meet the demands of an AI-driven workforce are outlined below. [1]

Curriculum Integration and Specialized Degrees [1]

Cross-disciplinary AI integration: AI is no longer treated solely as a technical subject for computer science majors. Universities are infusing AI tools and literacy into traditional fields like business, healthcare, law, management, and the humanities. [1, 2, 3]
Dedicated AI credentials: Specialized academic pathways are expanding rapidly. Institutions now offer formal Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), and PhD degrees specifically in AI. They have also introduced shorter AI minors and certificate programs for students in other fields. [1, 2, 3]
Independent AI research centers: Schools are establishing dedicated hubs equipped with supercomputers to foster advanced research and tech development. [1]

Shifting Assessment and Teaching Methods

“AI as a collaborator” policies: Instead of outright banning generative tools, schools are implementing policies that treat AI as a thought partner. This shift allows students to use platforms to filter info and test their own logic. [1, 2, 3]
Rethinking academic integrity: Educators are redesigning assessments to bypass basic AI outputs. They are focusing more heavily on testing how students handle data privacy, security, and the boundaries of a tool’s capabilities. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Faculty “train the trainer” initiatives: Recognizing that educators must lead this shift, universities are actively running professional workshops. Industry experts are training professors to confidently redesign coursework around AI applications. [1, 2]

Reinforcing Human-Centric Skills

Elevating human differentiators: Because technical data and knowledge have become easily accessible commodity items, universities are placing a premium on uniquely human traits. Coursework heavily emphasizes critical thinking, curiosity, emotional intelligence, and empathy. [1, 2]
Collaboration and communication training: Strong written communication, stakeholder management, and team conflict resolution are targeted as vital workforce survival skills. [1, 2]
Ethical leadership and governance: Students are actively tracking the social impacts of automated systems. They are learning to build and review ethical governance frameworks to counter systemic bias and inequalities in algorithms. [1, 2]

Industry Alignment and Career Readiness

Hands-on experimental learning: Universities are utilizing corporate partnerships to involve students in paid, real-world tech projects during their second and third years.
AI-simulated career preparation: Modern career services use AI agents to simulate complex workplace scenarios. This helps students evaluate their choices, track labor market demands, and identify critical gaps in their skills before entering the job market. [1, 2, 3, 4]

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. Google Workspace Weekly Recap – June 19, 2026

for more refer Gemini website click here

for more refer Artificial Intelligence website click here

Google Workspace Weekly Recap – June 19, 2026

Ashwani Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:47:01 +0000

Google Workspace Weekly Recap – June 19, 2026

New discoverable space setting in Google Chat

Previously, spaces were either private (invite-only) or open (anyone in the organization can find and join). Discoverable spaces provide a new option between the two: they appear when users browse for spaces within their organization, but the conversation history and messages remain private until an owner or manager approves a user’s request to join. | Learn more.

Carrier Link for Google Voice

Carrier Link allows Workspace customers to easily add phone numbers and calling plans from a certified local carrier, leveraging a pre-configured multi-tenant implementation of SIP Link. | Learn more.

AI note-taking is now available in Google Voice

This powerful new feature records and transcribes calls, summarizes key points, and organizes action items, which are sent via Gmail and stored in the Voice app. | Learn more.

Gemini in Chrome expands to more languages and regions, including Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East

Many of Chrome’s latest AI features are rolling out to users in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and more. | Learn more.

Control whether your users can have temporary chats and delete conversations in the Gemini app

We’re introducing two new administrator controls for the Gemini app (gemini.google.com) that allow end users to manage their own chat activity. Admins can now configure whether users can use temporary chats and delete their conversation history. | Learn more.

Create longer Veo videos and generate multiple at once in Google Vids

These updates provide all Vids users with the ability to create longer videos with consistent characters and generate multiple videos in parallel, enabling you to bring your vision to life faster than ever before. | Learn more.

Enhanced AI avatar features and capabilities in Google Vids

We’re excited to announce expanded language support, a new collection of avatar defaults, and the ability to direct your custom avatars to take action in any generated video. | Learn more.

Custom event colors in Google Calendar

Going forward, users are offered an expanded color palette so they can personalize events and visually organize their calendar with ease, giving each user access to up to 200 custom colors for individual events via both the native web and mobile apps as well as the Calendar API. | Learn more.

Make Gemini more helpful and relevant to your teaching goals with the Google Classroom app in Gemini

Educators have shared that AI is especially helpful when it understands the context of their teaching environment, from tailoring resources toward student needs or building on their existing materials. To support this, Gemini will be able to collaborate with your Google Classroom, using context from your classes to inform its outputs or help complete tasks. | Learn more.

Improved management of secondary calendars via the Calendar API

We’re introducing two enhancements to the Calendar API that make it easier for admins to programmatically manage secondary calendars within their organization: a transfer API and a filter for secondary calendars owned by your organization. | Learn more.

Google Meet now available on Android Auto

We’re bringing the power of Google Meet to your vehicle’s display with our new integration for Android Auto. This update makes it easy to safely stay connected and handle important meetings hands-free from behind the wheel. | Learn more.

Expanded language support for building and editing spreadsheets with Gemini

We’re now expanding support for these features to 28 additional languages, enabling users who speak Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, German, Chinese Simplified, Dutch, Hebrew, Polish, Turkish, Czech, Indonesian, Malay, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Arabic, Finnish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Greek, Thai, Romanian, Russian, Catalan, and Hungarian to collaborate natively with Gemini in their preferred language. | Learn more.

Here are the most recent updates for Google Workspace, bringing powerful AI tools, better app integrations, and improved calendar and chat controls. [1]

Key Updates & Additions

Google Meet: You can now connect to Google Meet directly from your car display with the new integration for Android Auto. [1]
Google Calendar: Users can now personalize events with an expanded color palette, choosing from up to 200 custom colors on the web and mobile apps. [1]
Google Chat: Spaces in Chat are now more customizable with the addition of discoverable spaces. They allow users to browse and find spaces within their organization without necessarily joining them immediately. [1, 2]
Google Classroom: Gemini in Classroom can now use the teaching context of your specific classes to help tailor resources, complete tasks, or aid in lesson building. [1]
Google Voice: Powerful new AI note-taking is available to record, transcribe, and summarize phone calls. These summaries are sent via Gmail and stored directly within the Voice app. [1]
Google Vids: Vids users can now direct custom AI avatars to take action in videos, generate multiple videos in parallel, and create longer, more fluid clips. [1]
Calendar API: Admins now have improved programmatic management of secondary calendars, including a new transfer API and a filter for organizational calendars. [1]
Gemini in Chrome: AI tools in Chrome have been expanded to more languages and regions across Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. [1]

For complete details on all recent rollouts and to track individual app release schedules, check out the Google Workspace Updates Blog or the Google Workspace What’s New Page. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

If you want to know more about how to use these features, let me know:

Would you like tips on using AI for Google Workspace?
Are you interested in the administrative controls for any of these tools?

. Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – May 29, 2026

. Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 5, 2026

. Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 12, 2026

for more refer Gemini website click here

for more refer Artificial Intelligence website click here

Expanded language support for building and editing spreadsheets with Gemini

Ashwani Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:33:37 +0000

Expanded language support for building and editing spreadsheets with Gemini

Earlier this year, we introduced new Gemini in Sheets capabilities that allow you to build and edit entire spreadsheets using simple natural language. Google now expanding support for these features to 28 additional languages, enabling users who speak Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, German, Chinese Simplified, Dutch, Hebrew, Polish, Turkish, Czech, Indonesian, Malay, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Arabic, Finnish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Greek, Thai, Romanian, Russian, Catalan, and Hungarian to collaborate natively with Gemini in their preferred language.

With this update, users can leverage the full functionality of Gemini to build and edit spreadsheets by issuing prompts in their native language. Whether users are updating budgets, building complex financial models, or conducting data analysis, Gemini leverages Sheets tools—such as tables, pivot tables, charts, and formulas—to execute tasks. This enables global teams to manage data more efficiently, automate workflow execution, and extract valuable cross-document insights without confronting language barriers.

Getting started

Admins: This feature is available by default if Gemini for Workspace in Sheets is enabled. Note that enabling Workspace Intelligence expands the range of supported use cases.
End users: You must have Workspace smart features enabled to take advantage of these features. Eligible users will see the Gemini icon in the Sheets side panel. Simply describe the spreadsheet or edit you need to begin collaborating. Visit the Help Center to learn more about building and editing spreadsheets with Gemini in Sheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Consumer: Google AI Pro and Ultra
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

Note: Through July 15, 2026, Workspace customers get promotional access to higher limits for the improved Gemini in Sheets experience. Per-user usage limits will apply after July 15; we’ll provide more information in the Help Center in advance of updated usage limits going into effect.

Resources

Google Docs Editors Help: Build or edit entire spreadsheets with Gemini in Sheets
Workspace Updates Blog: Build and edit complex spreadsheets with Gemini in Google Sheets

Google expanded the AI capabilities in Google Workspace to allow users to build, edit, and analyze spreadsheets entirely in natural language across 28 additional languages. [1]

Newly Supported Languages

International teams and multilingual users can now leverage Gemini’s full functionality in their native language: [1, 2, 3]

Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, and Dutch
Japanese, Korean, and Chinese Simplified
Arabic, Hebrew, and Turkish
Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Greek, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, and Norwegian
Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Malay, and Catalan
Russian [1]

What You Can Do

With Workspace smart features enabled, Gemini acts as a co-pilot to help you execute spreadsheet tasks: [1, 2]

Create & Build: Instantly generate complete tables, trackers, and project planners using natural language prompts.
Analyze & Summarize: Synthesize data across your Drive files, create pivot tables, and visualize data trends.
Edit & Format: Ask Gemini to perform formatting (e.g., conditional formatting), add dropdowns/checkboxes, sort, apply filters, and write complex formulas. [1, 2]

Getting Started

Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
Look for the Gemini icon (Ask Gemini) in the top right or open the side panel.
Make sure you have Workspace Smart Features turned on in your settings.
Type your instructions or prompts in your preferred language. [1, 2, 3]

If you’d like, let me know:

What specific task or calculation are you trying to accomplish?
What language would you like to use for your prompts?

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for more refer Gemini website click here

for more refer Artificial Intelligence website click here

Google Meet now available on Android Auto

Ashwani Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:24:54 +0000

Google Meet now available on Android Auto

Google bringing the power of Google Meet to your vehicle’s display with our new integration for Android Auto. This update makes it easy to safely stay connected and handle important meetings hands-free from behind the wheel.

Users can now access Google Meet directly from their car’s dashboard. This integration ensures your productivity doesn’t pause when you start your engine. From your vehicle’s display, you can check your upcoming meeting schedule and join discussions with a single tap.

You also have the flexibility to make and receive direct audio calls, with a convenient History tab that lets you quickly dial colleagues or clients without taking your eyes off the road.

Please note that when you join a meeting or call, your camera is turned off and you won’t see the incoming video content. You’ll hear the audio from the meeting and have audio input access from your microphone.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature is ON by default for users with the Google Meet app installed on their Android phone. To use it, simply connect your phone to an Android Auto-compatible vehicle. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Meet on Android Auto.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Available now
Scheduled Release domains: Rolling out now, with expected completion by June 26, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Meet Help: Use Meet on Android Auto
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Google Meet is now available on CarPlay

Google Meet is rolling out globally for all Android Auto users. This update enables you to safely join scheduled meetings and make hands-free audio calls directly from your car’s dashboard. [1, 2, 3]

How It Works

Audio-Only Mode: To reduce distractions, video streaming is completely disabled while driving. Your camera will stay off, and you won’t see incoming video feeds.
Two Main Tabs: The interface includes a Scheduled tab for upcoming calendar meetings and a History tab to quickly call recent contacts.
Simplified Controls: Meetings skip the pre-call screen to save you from clicking around. Once in a call, the streamlined interface gives you quick access to mute, unmute, and hang up.
Seamless Handoff: If you start a meeting on your phone before getting into your car, the audio automatically transfers to your car’s speakers once you connect via Bluetooth or USB. [4, 6]

Key Details & Requirements

Availability: Works with personal Google accounts and Workspace customers, though work profiles aren’t currently supported. Instant meeting links only appear if they have been added directly to your calendar.
Getting Started: Ensure your phone is running the latest versions of the Google Meet and Android Auto apps. You may need to open and restart the Google Meet app on your mobile device for it to appear on your dashboard on your first run.
Official Guide: For more details, you can read the Google Meet Help Support Page. [12]

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