Technologies

Strike a Pose: Here’s How to Use Google’s Upgraded Virtual Try-On Feature

The refined Google shopping feature now works without a full-body photo. Instead, it generates one virtually.

Say goodbye to awkward dressing-room selfies. Google is upgrading its existing AI-powered try-on tool, which allows you to skip an in-person shopping trip and view yourself in clothes virtually with the help of AI.

The update, announced on Thursday, adds the option to generate a complete digital version of yourself, rather than providing a full-body photo. So, if you have a great selfie but happen to be sitting down in the image or it’s a head-and-shoulders-only photo, you can now use it. The tool will ask what size body you want it to create, from XS to 4XL+, and create a full-body avatar with your image. So, even if you don’t have a need to wear a full-length, formal satin gown or black leather pants, you can see how you might look if you did.

You must be in the US, so if you are, upload a selfie to the website and select a size, and Nano Banana — Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model — will generate a full-length image, allowing you to click around and try out outfits.

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Google initially introduced its AI try-on feature in May at its I/O developers conference. You’ll still be able to virtually try on clothes using a full-body photo if you prefer.

Technologies

iOS Gets More AI as Chrome Adds Google’s Gemini for iPhones

iPad users also won’t need to go elsewhere for their AI needs.

Google is adding its artificial intelligence tool Gemini to the Chrome browser on iPhones and iPads across the US, meaning you’ll be able to use Google’s AI functionality in Chrome instead of having to go to the Google app on your devices.

The integration comes a few months after Google rolled out Gemini in Chrome to Windows and Mac desktop users in the US in September. At the time, the company said that it would eventually be doing the same thing with iPhones and iPads.

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Before now, if you wanted to use Gemini on your iPhone and iPad, you were not able to do so from Chrome — you would have had to go to the Google app or Google website.

Folks using Android phones already have Gemini on their Chrome browsers, which is the default browser on Android devices.

Chrome is the most widely used web browser in the US; StatCounter said that as of November, Chrome had a 54% market share of browsers in the US, followed by Apple’s Safari (28%) and Microsoft Edge (7%). There are other smaller browsers that people use to search the internet, including Firefox, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi and Arc.

Gemini is Google’s family of AI products and competes with ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity AI, Mistral AI, Meta AI and Grok in the realm of chatbots, content creation and AI integration.

‘Gap’ has been filled

Jason Howell, host of the Android Faithful Podcast and a former CNET staffer, said Google has filled «a noticeable gap» in AI for Chrome for the millions of iPhone and iPad users in the US.

«Giving Gemini awareness of what’s happening inside the Chrome browser has real utility, and placing that spark icon front and center will nudge a lot of people to try it who might not have otherwise,» Howell said. «It’s a smart distribution play. Put your AI in an app that millions already have installed, and you’re giving them an enticing reason to test it.»

Howell said adding Gemini into Chrome for iOS could give Google the edge on, well, Edge.

«Microsoft already brings Copilot to iOS through its dedicated apps and even inside the Edge browser, so this isn’t Google pulling ahead so much as it is Google catching up in an important and highly visible place,» Howell said. «Having said that, Chrome has a much larger footprint on iOS compared to Edge, so it’s using its scale to put Gemini in front of far more iPhone and iPad users, which could meaningfully shift adoption among third-party AI assistants.»

What can you do with Gemini?

Gemini in Chrome is not immediately available to everyone using iOS devices, but it is gradually rolling out across the US. To be able to get it, you need to be running Chrome version 143, sign into your account and make sure the browser language is set to English; you also cannot be in Incognito mode.

Chrome users in iOS will know they have Gemini when the Google Lens icon (which looks like a camera with a dot in the middle) to the left of the address bar is replaced by the Gemini icon (which looks like a sparkle).

When you tap or press the Gemini icon, two options will appear on a «Page tools» screen that slides up: Search screen and Ask Gemini. Two shortcuts that will appear are Summarize page and Create FAQ about this topic.

Let’s say your web page is about the top news events of 2025. You could ask Gemini, «Give me a list of the top events for each month,» or, «List out the top political news of 2025.» Maybe you’re looking at a great meal to prepare but you need substitutes for certain ingredients — you could ask Gemini to provide suggestions. Just remember to double-check everything an AI tool tells you because AIs have been known to hallucinate.

Gemini for Chrome in iOS will also make checkout easier with biometrics instead of a CVC code during online shopping.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Dec. 12, #1637

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Dec. 12, No. 1,637.

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle came fairly easy to me. It’s a common word, and the letters are ones I guess right away. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with T.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with K.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a large motor vehicle used for hauling things or people.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is TRUCK.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Dec. 11, No. 1636 was GUESS.

Recent Wordle answers

Dec. 7, No. 1632: FLUTE

Dec. 8, No. 1633: GRAVY

Dec. 9, No. 1634: SNIDE

Dec. 10, No. 1635: ERASE

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 12, #445

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 12, No. 445.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has some very goofy words in it. It might be tough to sort out. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: A night out.

Green group hint: What’s the score?

Blue group hint: Hit lightly.

Purple group hint: Woof!