Technologies

Samsung’s One UI 6 Update Gives Galaxy Phones an AI Camera Boost

Samsung’s new update provides a glimpse at how it will incorporate AI into the cameras of its Galaxy phones.

Samsung’s One UI 6 update will bring a bevy of new camera features to Galaxy phones, some of which are powered by AI.

The update, which is based on Google’s broader Android 14 software, is said to have begun rolling out to certain countries in Europe and will be arriving in the US in the coming weeks. The launch comes as AI is beginning to play a larger role in smartphones, as recent announcements from Google and Qualcomm have indicated.

Samsung appears to be taking a page from Apple and Google when it comes to certain camera-related features in One UI 6. For example, a feature called AI Image Clipping will let Galaxy users cut certain objects out of a photo and turn them into stickers that can be placed on other photos. Apple has a similar feature in its recently launched iOS 17 iPhone update. A GIF within Samsung’s press release also shows the sticker being resized after it’s been pasted onto another image, which is somewhat reminiscent of Google’s Magic Editor tool for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Samsung is also building on its Galaxy Enhance-X app, an existing app with extra photo-editing tools, like the ability to sharpen older photos similar to Google’s Photo Unblur. With One UI 6, that app will get new capabilities such as Sky Guide, which uses AI to identify constellations and stars after taking a photo of the night sky.

You’ll also be able to apply Samsung’s Single Take feature in Enhance-X to videos and images with motion that you’ve already captured. Single Take is a camera mode on Samsung phones that lets you capture multiple images at a time in different styles by tapping the shutter button once. In Enhance-X, it sounds like your phone will be able to extract the best stills and clips from existing images using Single Take. Other features coming to the app include the ability to sharpen blurriness from a smudged camera lens in photos and turn regular videos into slow motion clips by generating extra frames.

Aside from these AI-powered features, the company is hoping to make using the camera more convenient. The update should improve document scanning, and you’ll be able to switch to a higher resolution shooting mode more easily in the camera app. If you have frequent camera modes that you prefer, such as panorama or portrait, you’ll also be able to save them directly to the home screen as widgets. Samsung is also updating the editing tools layout in the camera app and adding undo and redo buttons for toggling between edits.

Samsung’s One UI 6 update is another sign that smartphone makers are seeking new ways to incorporate AI into current and future products. AI has played an important role in smartphones for years when it comes to features like voice recognition, language translation and object recognition in photos. But the boom in generative artificial intelligence, or AI that can create content based on prompts, following the success of ChatGPT, has fueled greater interest in AI.

Qualcomm designed its next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 smartphone chip around AI use cases and applications. The AI-powered photo-editing features in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are the biggest factors that separate them from last year’s Pixel 7 family. And Apple is said to be developing new AI features for iOS 18, according to Bloomberg. Now, we’re getting a sense of how Samsung will incorporate AI into its Galaxy phones with One UI 6.

Samsung’s new software, launched in beta for the Galaxy S23 in August, and social media posts spotted by 9to5Google and Android Authority suggest the software has launched in parts of Europe. A Samsung spokesperson told CNET it will come to US devices in the coming weeks.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.