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Google’s November 2025 Pixel Drop is available today, and it includes some new features that should benefit more than just the Pixel phones and tablets Google typically targets. A new messaging feature called Remix in Google Messages expands access to Gemini-powered photo editing, and Google’s improving its Scam Detection and Pixel VIP features, too.

Remix in Google Messages is essentially Google’s Nano Banana photo editing tool, but available directly in Google Messages. The feature uses the same image model as Gemini and Google Photos, and lets Messages users tweak photos directly in a chat. Importantly, the edited photos are viewable by anyone in the chat, even if they’re not on Android. The feature is available in English in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, India, Ireland and New Zealand with RCS enabled. Google says remixed images can also be sent over MMS.

In the Google Photos app, those photo editing skills will now also be even more personalized. Google says eligible Android users with Ask Photos and Face Groups enabled, can refer to people in their photos by name while they edit. The Photos app can use past photos of your labelled friends to make tweaks like adding a smile or opening someone’s eyes without having to be provided a previous reference.

Power Saving Mode in action.

For anyone who owns one of the latest Pixel 10 phones, the Pixel Drop includes a new Power Saving Mode in Google Maps that blacks out the screen and only shows essential information and directions. Google claims the feature and extend battery life for up to four hours. The company hasn’t announced any plans, but the feature seems like it could be an equally good fit on Android Auto.

Scam Detection is Android’s built-in feature for identifying scam calls and warning you with a notification. As part of the Pixel Drop, Scam Detection will now also work with messages, warning you in your notifications on Pixel 6 devices and up if you could be dealing with fraud. As part of the update, Scam Detection is also now available in the UK, Ireland, India, Australia and Canada. The update also includes support for Notification Summaries on the Pixel 9 and up, which summarize frequent group chat notifications as a recap in your notification shade. If you’ve marked anyone as a Pixel VIP (a feature added back in June), Android will now also prioritize their messages so you don’t miss them.

Alongside those more practical features, Google is also introducing a new seasonal Wicked: For Good theme pack on Pixel 6 and newer devices. The theme pack is accessible via a new Theme Packs app that was released earlier in November. While it uses existing options like your wallpaper and icon settings to set “Glinda” and “Elphaba” themes, the convenience of Theme Packs is the ability to change all those settings at once. It’s unfortunate Google’s introducing the tool with an ad, but it could prove useful down the line.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/remix-in-google-messages-brings-ai-photo-editing-to-even-more-phones-190000445.html?src=rss 

Lumines Arise, the latest chapter in the popular puzzle game franchise, is out today. It’s available for PlayStation 5, including on PlayStation VR2, and on Steam, with support for both VR and Steam Deck.

I’m a bit of a Tetris fiend. If there’s any game with falling and spinning geometric pieces, be they tetrominoes or pills or puyos, I am here for it. My personal favorite iteration of the formula is Tetris Effect, because good golly is that ever a beautiful game. Normally if I saw reviews bestowing adjectives like “ecstatic,” “euphoric” and “breath-taking” on a video game, I’d roll my eyes and snark, but Tetris Effect merits all the grandiloquent accolades. So when I saw during Sony’s summer State of Play that the same studio was back to give its mesmerizing treatment to yet another puzzle game in Lumines Arise, my hype level was pretty dang high. 

Since the reveal, we had some time with the Lumines Arise demo and the main takeaway was “if you loved Tetris Effect, you’ll adore Lumines Arise.” I’m delighted, but unsurprised, by that reaction. Because I watched that trailer and the tunes, the visuals, the vibes, all of it is exactly what I want to see in another Enhance project. So I am now eagerly counting down the hours until I can settle into a dark room, crank the speakers to max and get lost in yet another gorgeous puzzle flow state.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/lumines-arise-is-out-today-and-i-cant-wait-to-play-it-190936581.html?src=rss 

Google Photos introduced a fresh batch of a half-dozen AI-powered features today. First is personalized photo editing. Using “Help me edit,” you can now make adjustments to portraits and group shots, such as removing sunglasses or fixing closed eyes. Google says that the AI uses other images stored in a user’s face groups to make accurate changes to the people in your photo library. The “Help me edit” voice- or text-controlled photo editing tool is also starting to roll out to iOS users in the US.

Next, the company is integrating its Nano Banana image editor into Google Photos. Users can make open-ended restyling requests in the “Help me edit” tool, such as making a picture look like a Renaissance painting or a mosaic. Nano Banana will also power a new Create with AI section, which will provide templates based on popular requests to jumpstart the AI editing process. This feature will roll out to the Create tab for Android users in the US and India beginning next week. Later on, Google will begin personalizing these templates to the particular hobbies and experiences captured in a person’s photo library. 

Following a “pause” and restart in June, the Ask Photos tool is also expanding. The feature for AI-powered searches of the Google photo library will be available in more than 100 new markets and will support 17 new languages starting this week. 

Finally, Google Photos is getting a new Ask button aimed at delivering more details about a specific image. After tapping the button, a user can type questions about the content of the photo, find similar pictures in their library or begin describing desired edits. This feature is rolling out just in the US for now, but on both Android and iOS platforms.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-photos-now-has-six-more-ai-powered-features-170000125.html?src=rss 

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are trying something a little different with Pokémon Pokopia. It’s a life sim game in the vein of Animal Crossing. Nintendo unveiled the game during a Direct in September, saying that it would arrive in spring 2026. Now, the company has revealed that Pokémon Pokopia will hit Nintendo Switch 2 on March 5.

There’s no new trailer for the game just yet — you’ll have to wait until Thursday, November 13 for that. Nor did Nintendo discuss more details about Pokémon Pokopia, other than to indicate the cartridge will be a Game Key Card (no game files are stored on such a cart, which is effectively a physical key that allows you to download a game). The company announced the release date with the most bare bones of tweets:

Koei Tecmo studio Omega Force is developing Pokémon Pokopia. We learned during the Nintendo Direct a couple of months ago that you’ll play as a Ditto who has taken on the guise of a human. You’ll meet more Pokémon and learn new abilities to help you upgrade your community and make your home just the way you want it.

Last month, there was another leak of files from Game Freak, the main developer of Pokémon games. Among other things, the details indicated that an expansion for Pokémon Pokopia is in the works.

Before Pokémon Pokopia arrives, you’ll be able to warm up for a Pokémon flavor of life sim by dipping back into Animal Crossing New Horizons, which is getting a major update and a Switch 2 version in January. It includes support for mouse controls, visual enhancements and other upgrades on Switch 2. An update that will also apply to the original Switch version will introduce a new hotel location, more cosmetic items, a Lego collaboration and much more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pokemon-pokopia-an-animal-crossing-esque-life-sim-will-hit-switch-2-on-march-5-160000254.html?src=rss