How to Use Photoshop’s New AI-powered Image Tools

 Although AI pictures are nothing new to Adobe, the company that makes Photoshop, today represents a significant advancement in its attempts to provide ethical, accessible generative AI. Users may now create whole photos from scratch in the Photoshop app for the first time ever without ever having to exit the application. The Firefly picture 3 model, which the business just released, powers the innovation along with features like backdrop generation, reference picture uploading, and iterative AI art. 

 

 

What is Adobe Firefly?

Adobe's version of an AI art generator, Firefly, has been gradually incorporated into Photoshop since last year, allowing for features like aspect ratio stretching generative expand. However, up until now, the only place to create original artwork has been the Firefly web app (aside from a few tricks involving generative fill on a blank canvas).

By restricting its training data to stock photos and artwork owned by Adobe, Firefly sets itself apart from other AI art models in an effort to make it safer for usage in commercial applications. The most recent model upgrade, Firefly Image 3, promises "higher-quality images" with an emphasis on lighting and composition as well as improved rapid comprehension. 

How to start generating AI images in Photoshop

 

 Download the Photoshop desktop beta first, as these features are still in the testing stages. Next, launch a new project, select "Generate Image" from the Contextual Task Bar. If it's not there, try searching in your Tools panel or going to Edit > Generate Image.

Next, type your prompt. Additionally, there have to be buttons in the Contextual Task Bar that allow you to apply Style Effects to your output and switch between Photo and Art as the Content Type. These can be used both before and after generation; the Properties Panel should also display them.

 

 

How to use Photoshop to generate an AI image with a reference

 You are not limited to creating photos from scratch with Photoshop. To help the AI decide what to create, you may also utilize an already-existing image.

Create a foundation image using the preceding steps before utilizing it as a reference while creating AI art in Photoshop. Next, choose Reference Image from the Properties Panel or Contextual Task Bar. To make your image more in line with your reference, upload it and then run your prompt again. In addition, Photoshop has several built-in reference photos that you may use in place of uploads.

 

 

 

 

How to tweak AI art generated in Photoshop

 The most recent Photoshop beta has a function called "Generate Similar" that lets you make minor adjustments to AI pictures that have previously been generated. This function basically functions similarly to the "Reference Image" functionality, except instead of forcing you to download and re-upload photos, it lets you utilize newly produced ones.

To create similar AI art, start by creating an AI image from scratch using the instructions in the second subheading of this article. Next, pick your photo and select Generate Similar from the Variations Panel's three dots icon or the Contextual Task Bar. From the Properties Panel, you can see the variants that you have produced.

 

 

 

How to generate an AI background in Photoshop

 Additionally, you may change the backgrounds in current photographs with newly created ones produced by AI. In order to accomplish this, first choose Import Image on an empty canvas, and then in the Contextual Task Bar or Discover Panel, pick Remove background.

After that, choose Generate Background from the Edit Menu or Contextual Task Bar. From there, you may create a picture from scratch using a procedure that is similar to this one.

 

 

How to enhance detail in Photoshop

The final AI feature in the new Photoshop beta is the ability to Enhance Detail. This is an adjustment to Generative Fill, which you can select in either the Contextual Task Bar or Edit Menu. Unlike Generate Image, Generative Fill will generate objects only in specific parts of your canvas.

Once you’ve generated an object with Generative Fill, navigate to the Properties Panel and then Variations, where you can pick a specific version of that object and click the Enhance Detail icon to increase its sharpness and general detail.

 

New non-AI features in Photoshop

 

 

Joining this new suite of AI features is the Adjustment Brush, which can apply non-destructive, non-AI-powered color and lighting edits to specific parts of an image. For instance, turning a section of blue hair into green hair.

To use the Adjustment Brush, select it within the Brush Tool in the Tools Panel. From there, choose your adjustments and paint where you’d like them to be applied. They’ll show up in a new layer that won’t change the underlying image file.

Alongside the Adjustment Brush, the new Photoshop beta also includes an improved font browser that will allow direct access to fonts stored in the cloud without requiring the user to leave the program.

 

 

 

 

 

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

 After more than 14 years since the iPad's inception, Apple is finally preparing an app for the gadget, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. 

All iPad devices that are compatible with iPadOS 18—which is anticipated to be presented on June 10 during Apple's annual developers conference WWDC—will come with a built-in calculator app.

A recurring joke on social media is that there isn't an official Calculator app on the iPad, despite users waiting for it to come out. iPad users have been using apps like PCalc and Calcbot, which are calculators available in the App Store, in the meantime.

The Calculator app on macOS 15 will be redesigned with interaction with the Notes app, a resizable window, a sidebar that displays recent computations, and other features, according to a report published by AppleInsider last week. It's probable that the new iPad software will serve as the model for the revised Mac version, even if we haven't independently verified those elements.

After the WWDC keynote, iPadOS 18 is anticipated to release its first beta. The upgrade is scheduled for general release in September.

If only Instagram and WhatsApp were available on the iPad.

iPhone 16 Pro: 5 biggest rumored camera upgrades

 

Come September, shutterbugs will have a lot to cheer about. At that time, we anticipate Apple will introduce the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, the company's newest high-end flagship models, which are expected to include more significant camera improvements than their predecessors.

Nothing on our ranking of the greatest camera phones to date has surpassed the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but that may change when the iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max is released. Apart from the anticipated incorporation of new image processing algorithms, further hardware modifications may enable Apple to close the gap in terms of photo and video capture.

We can't wait to see what new features iOS 18 has in store, which may be unveiled this summer at Apple's WWDC 2024 conference, in addition to the hardware. AI is expected to have a more significant role in the history of the iPhone 16 Pro, which means it may tip the scales.

Larger camera sensors

 

Larger sensors are expected in the iPhone 16 Pro variants, which makes sense given that the primary camera will handle the most of the hard lifting. The primary 48MP will have a 1/1.14-inch sensor, up from the 1/1.28-inch sensor found in the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, according to Digital Chat Station.

Larger sensors often record more light, which leads to higher resolution and noticeably improved low light performance. Based on the numerous low light shots we took during our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max picture session, we can say with certainty that this is accurate.

An upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera with a larger 1/2.6-inch sensor is another major upgrade rumored to be included in both models. This is an interesting rumor because, in addition to producing better photos overall, Apple may be able to use the same pixel binning technique used in the main camera of the standard iPhone 15 to provide optical quality if you plan to crop photos taken with the ultrawide camera later on.

Tetraprism telephoto lens design with iPhone 16 Pro

 

 

One of the biggest incentives to get the iPhone 15 Pro Max is because of its tetraprism telephoto camera design, which delivers a 5x optical zoom. That’s a longer reach over the iPhone 15 Pro’s shorter 3x optical zoom, but rumor has it that the iPhone 16 Pro will share the same tetraprism telephoto lens as the iPhone 16 Pro Max — effectively bringing 5x optical zoom to both new iPhone 16 Pro models.

 

 

Although this is fantastic news for the iPhone 16 Pro, it does take some of the enchantment away from those who were thinking about getting the iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, because the current iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are $200 apart, it will be intriguing if Apple decides to raise the price of the iPhone 16 Pro. Apple may raise the price of the 16 Pro if both versions have the same telephoto reach.

 

6x telephoto zoom on iPhone 16 Pro Max

 

However, if a rumor about the iPhone 16 Pro Max getting a "ultra" telephoto lens turns out to be true, the existing price may remain. One of the first speculations about the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera was that the larger iPhone will have a somewhat longer 6x telephoto zoom.
It would make sense to properly separate it from the iPhone 16 Pro once more, and the larger zoom range would make it a terrific exclusive for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. As we've seen, the 5x telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max regularly produces crisper, more detailed photos than the 3x telephoto camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

 

 Because of this, the 25x digital zoom that the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers may not be surpassed by the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This small improvement in the telephoto camera over the previous year would be significant.

 

 

Reducing lens flare

 

 In photos shot with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, lens flares still appear, albeit they might not be a major distraction for some. We experienced this firsthand when attempting to photograph the solar eclipse in April 2024 with the iPhone 15 Pro, however there are rumors circulating that Apple is attempting to resolve this problem.

To enhance the quality of the photos, Apple could cover the cameras of the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max with a new anti-lens flare material. A novel atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology would be used to apply this coating, shielding images from lens flares.

 

Capture button

 

 Lastly, it appears that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max (as well as maybe the remainder of the iPhone 16 series) will have a capture button. The Capture button differs from the Action button, which was initially included with the iPhone 15 Pro models, in that it is directly related to the camera.

It is thought that the Capture button is a capacities button, capable of detecting various pressure levels to carry out certain camera-related tasks. For instance, you may designate a gentle push for capturing pictures and a longer, harsher press for starting videos.

 

 It's unclear if the Capture button would have any purpose other than using the camera after that. The Capture button's capacitive nature may allow it to serve as a camera focus function as well. Holding the button down slightly would lock in focus, and pressing it further would shoot a picture. The Action button may be configured to carry out similar functions.

 

Google Wallet for Wear OS might soon require PIN code before tap-to-pay

 

Google Wallet for Wear OS may be requesting the insertion of a PIN code prior to enabling tap-to-pay transactions, in line with more frequent authentication on Android phones.

There are currently very few instances of this kind; Wear OS users were never asked for a PIN prior to making a Google Wallet payment. All they had to do was launch the watch app and press.

 

Since we haven't been able to reproduce this on many Pixel Watch 2 transactions today, it could still be a test, a rolling release, or simply an app problem. Nevertheless, this shift makes some sense given that it follows the new phone behavior.

This move is obviously motivated by security concerns, yet it feels rather abrupt. One advantage of having a watch is that it is constantly with you. Wear OS is already rather cautious when it comes to requesting the PIN if it senses that the watch has been taken off your wrist excessively. This adds to the confusion around today's shift, suggesting in a way that Google Wallet doesn't trust Wear OS security.

This new behavior probably implies that tapping an app for the first time will always fail unless you know to launch it first (if there is a prompt or user interface) either through the app list/grid, the Quick Settings Tile on the Pixel Watch, or by having it as a shortcut on your watch face.

In contrast, you have to double-tap the side button if you want to pay with the Apple Watch.

You have three minutes after first unlocking your phone to utilize Google Wallet. After that, unless you open the app to "Verify it's you" or unless you always lock/unlock your smartphone before making a payment, tap-to-pay will not work and you will need to verify and tap again.

Google revealed earlier this week that this was a deliberate phone upgrade that was formally released under the title "Google Wallet enhances in-store payment experience with new authentication update": "Google Wallet contactless payments have never been safer. You may now choose to disable identity verification for transit fares and be requested to verify your identity before completing a payment using a PIN, pattern, fingerprint, or Class 3 biometric unlock.

Nevertheless, the form factor is not specified in the new support document. It doesn't specifically address smartwatches; it's obviously talking about phones.

Wear OS may have offered an option for those irritated by the phone transition, but not with this new behavior. There is no doubt that using your fingerprint to unlock is more convenient than using a PIN on a tiny screen. (In relation to Wear OS and PINs, the Pixel Watch ought to start supporting more than four numbers.)

EV charger locations and intelligence-powered summaries are now available on Google Maps.

 

Driving an electric car that isn't a Tesla and leaving your house to go on a vacation might be stressful if you don't know if there will be a charger nearby. We are aware of no retail category in which a motorist may count on the availability of an EV charger. Google Maps, however, appears to be paying attention, as it is rolling out new features that will provide EV drivers precise information about where EV chargers are located as well as tools for scheduling charging stops.

When you intend to refuel, Google Maps will provide recommended charging points, estimated energy use, and availability information, much like the navigation choices on a Tesla. According to the firm, those who drive electric vehicles will be the first to receive these capabilities in the upcoming months. This is because the company's driver-assistance software, "Google Built-In," will be made accessible to EV owners first. The changes will be implemented worldwide.

 

 A online service called Google Maps offers comprehensive data about locations and areas all around the world. Directions for automobiles, cyclists, pedestrians, and public transit users going from one place to another are already provided by a route planner. Updates will now provide EV drivers with more information, greatly simplifying long-distance driving.

 

 Artificial intelligence-powered summaries and maps on Google

Due to the fact that it might be challenging for drivers to find chargers in multilevel parking lots, one function that is already accessible on mobile devices is artificial intelligence-powered summaries that provide precise charger locations. The company generated the summaries based on millions of reviews posted in Google Maps by other users, including what kind of plug they used and charging time. Google claims to use AI to summarize customer reviews of EV chargers, including displaying more precise directions to certain chargers.

 Drivers will receive comprehensive details in Maps that direct them directly to the charger.

AI summarization offers a number of advantages, including reduced costs and increased information accessibility. Important data may be extracted from sources including papers, technical literature, and—most importantly—customer feedback using AI-powered summarization. Rather to spending time sorting through information, summarization encourages more time acting on it.

 

Difficulties with intricate areas and finding the charger: The updated Google Maps features should make it simpler to locate the chargers precisely in unfamiliar and complex spaces, such as multilevel parking lots. In the upcoming months, Google Maps summary driven by artificial intelligence will pinpoint the precise location of chargers using valuable data gleaned from user ratings. It will assist you in determining your exact location.

Maps will show that a user is nearing the finish of their trip in a phone picture. The graphic has two words that provide precise instructions on where to find the charger, followed by a line that reads "summarized by AI" underneath.

 

 Issues with charger reliability information: This occurs when there is insufficient knowledge available in advance on the dependability of a charging station along your path. Google Maps provides reliable and current information on charging stations based on millions of ratings that are made daily. Maps will display the review page for a charging station, which will assist to make these even more beneficial. After that, it will ask you a series of questions regarding whether the charging process was successful, what kind of plug you used, and how long you had to wait for the charging to finish. Google Maps users will be prompted to provide information on the success of the charging session before they can exit.

Having trouble finding lodgings with charging facilities: You want to stay at hotels and other places that allow on-site charging, but you're never quite sure which ones do or if they're trustworthy. Now, if you're looking to stay overnight, you can identify hotels on Search that have on-site EV charging by using the new EV filter on google.com/travel.

Issues with long-term travel planning: Multi-stop journeys require a different strategy when it comes to charging: you schedule segments of your trip based on rural vs urban routes and the facilities that will be available close to future charging stations. Depending on how much battery life you have left, the updated Google Maps will recommend the best places to charge along the route. In the upcoming months, this capability will be accessible for cars with Google integrated across the world.

 

 What Constitutes an Effective Charging Map?

 I looked into trustworthy and educational charging station maps more than a year ago to assist EV drivers in finding stations along their travels. We desired the assurance that we could easily find a charger and rely on reliable information on its availability and functionality. It appeared then, as it does today, that there are specific characteristics that set superior charging station maps apart from inferior or even inaccurate ones.

Possessing a top-notch map of charging stations implies:

 The planning of the route is simple and transparent.
    Its goal need to be simple to read and comprehend.
    Important elements are a title, legend, and size.
    The information offered need to be understandable and practical.
    Contrast in color aids in producing unique images.
    It presents facts in a very clear and well-structured manner.
    Its metadata and sources need to be correct.
    Attractive icons should be used in the map to show distinct points of reference.
    Not too many symbols should be used, even if they indicate a wide geographic area.
    It is advisable to map EV charging stations in a straightforward format, even when there are several criteria.

At the time, my study showed that far too many charging maps were only beginning the process of collecting data.

AI devices in the future will just be phones

 There are always five or eight phones on my desk at any given moment. And I refer to any arrangement of tables and counters in my home as "my desk." So I did what any rational person would do and grabbed the nearest phone to try making my own AI wearable when I saw the Humane AI Pin reviews start rolling in last week.

Humane wants you to think that their AI Pin embodies the most advanced consumer technology available. Reviews and the internal components of the pin indicate otherwise: it appears to run a customized version of Android 12 and is powered by a Snapdragon processor from four years ago. 

"This is a mid-tier Android phone." At the following team meeting, I made this declaration while symbolically brandishing a mid-range Android phone. "Gemini is easy to download and stick on your shirt!" Easy. Insignificant. I said, "Give me ten minutes, and I'll whip up a more powerful AI gadget."

You guys, hardware is hard.

My ideal device would have an external camera and a good hands-free voice assistant. Although it was an interesting idea, the idea of having an iPhone in a shirt pocket never worked out since, 1) none of my clothes had pockets, and 2) Siri isn't that intelligent. So my first prototype was just a Motorola Razr Plus around my shirt collar. Naturally, this did not work, but not for the reasons I had thought.

First off, a foldable phone cannot be used to download Gemini from the Play Store. I was unaware of that. However, I still encountered difficulty using a voice assistant from a flip phone's cover screen, even after I had sideloaded it and made it my default assistant. Before you can do much more than say "Hey Google" to grab the Razr's attention, it needs you to flip the phone open.

 

 

I found what I was looking for when I ran Gemini in Chrome on the cover screen. However, using Google Lens out of the corner of my eye and attempting to press buttons on the screen to activate the assistant weren't working so well. Furthermore, Gemini mistook the term "recycle" on a toothpaste tube for the word "becicle," which it assured me was a bygone euphemism for spectacles. It's not!

The second prototype was the same Razr flip phone with the cover screen running ChatGPT in conversation mode. This meant that the app was not practical because it meant that it was always listening and operating. I nevertheless decided to give it a try, and speaking with an invisible AI chatbot was an odd sensation.

Due to complaints, Apple stops making FineWoven watch bands and cases.

 With great excitement, Apple unveiled its line of FineWoven iPhone covers and Apple Watch bands last fall as a more eco-friendly option than leather accessories. Customers, however, rapidly voiced their displeasure over the material's propensity to gather dirt, scuffs, and other durability problems. Even though Apple charged the same pricing for FineWoven and its replacement, the latter seemed just less premium.

Kosutami, a Twitter leaker, claims that FineWoven's production lines are closing and that Apple is abandoning the project. The business will most likely give another go at using an alternate leather, such as Alcantara.

 

 

 

 The fact that Apple played down the introduction of FineWoven last week while promoting the environmental advancements it has made in the past 12 months may have had some significance.

Since Apple is expected to update its case and watch band range next, we'll have to wait until the next Apple Watch and iPhone 16 appear in September to find out if the firm has a successor in store for FineWoven.