Technology
Google just made it easier to search through photos and PDFs
The Files by Google app streamlined your ability to manage and share documents, photos and other data on your Android, version 5.0 & up.
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Now Smart Search on Google’s Files app takes it a step further by allowing you to find text and objects in images and documents, including PDF files, on your device.
Files by Google app. (Google)
How to access Files by Google app
You can access the app by downloading it from the Google Play Store.
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To download the app on Android
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android
- Search for Files by Google
- Tap Install and wait for the app to download and install on your phone
- Open the app and grant the necessary permissions to access your files
How to use Smart Search to find photos and files faster and easier
The Smart Search feature is particularly helpful for those moments when you can’t remember the exact file name but can recollect an image or similar words in the document or photo you’re looking for.
Now, instead of scrolling for hours for that photo you know you took but can’t remember when or where, it can easily be found by typing in keywords or objects that might be in the photo or file you’re looking for.
For instance, if you remember what you were wearing on a certain occasion but can’t remember where the photo is, you can use Smart Search to look for the company’s name on the t-shirt you were wearing in that photo, like NIKE. Then all the photos and files with that company’s name would populate in the search result — greatly reducing the amount of scrolling and sleuthing you’d otherwise have to do.
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Types of information you can seek out with Smart Search
- Texts from images and PDF files
- Location and objects from images
- Audio & video titles, artists, or album names
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Smart Search uses an advanced algorithm that scans your files in the background of your device, which balances both device performance and privacy. Smart Search only scans within the device that it is on to pull up search results, so that your information doesn’t get shared outside your device.
Google logo and a person holding an Android. (Google)
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How long does it take for your device to learn your files?
There are some slight limitations with Smart Search. According to a help page, it does take a few days for it to “learn” the files on your device and show up as a search result. This means it takes a few days for newly downloaded or added files to be included in search results. The longer the file has been on the device, the more likely it will accurately pull up items in your search.
How to check If Smart Search is available on your Android
Smart Search isn’t available to all users. To check if Smart Search is available on your Android, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Files app on your Android
- Tap on the search icon at the top right corner
- If you see a message that says “Smart Search is here,” then you have access to the feature. You can tap on “Learn more” to get more details on how to use it
- If you don’t see the message, then you may have to wait until the feature is enabled for you
- You can also check for updates in the Play Store or App Store and make sure you have the latest version of Files by Google app
How to search for a file using Smart Search
- On your Android device, open Files by Google
- At the top, on the search bar, enter the name of the file that you want to search
- If you’re not sure of the file name, you can also use the smart filter to search by — Audio, Documents & other, Images, Videos, Large files, SD card, This week
- To deselect the filter, tap on the selected filter again
Steps to search for a file using Smart Search. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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How to turn off Smart Search in the Files by Google app
If you are concerned about the Files by Google app’s access to your personal data and its potential impact on your privacy and security, you might want to turn off Smart Search.
- On your Android device, open the Files by Google app
- Tap three horizontal lines
- Then click Settings
- Turn off Smart Search
Keep in mind if you do decide to turn off Smart Search, you can only use text from file names to search for files.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Smart Search on the Files by Google app can make most files, including PDFs and images, searchable on your device. Smart Search “learns” the files on your device, so it can retrieve files in a search more easily.
How many times have you gotten lost on your phone looking for that one photo or file because you couldn’t remember the name of it? Would you consider using Smart Search on Files by Google? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
Technology
Apple’s $250M Siri settlement: Are you owed cash?
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If you bought a newer iPhone because Apple made Siri sound like it was about to become your personal artificial intelligence sidekick, you may want to pay attention.
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that it misled customers about new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. The case centers on the iPhone 16 launch and certain iPhone 15 models that were marketed as ready for Apple’s next wave of AI. The settlement still needs court approval, and Apple denies wrongdoing.
The lawsuit argues that Apple promoted a smarter, more personal Siri before those features were actually available. For some buyers, that was a big deal. A new iPhone can cost hundreds of dollars, and many people upgrade only when they think they are getting something meaningfully new.
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U.S. buyers of certain iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models may qualify for payments if a judge approves Apple’s proposed settlement. (Getty Images)
What Apple is accused of promising
Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and promoted it as a major step forward for iPhone, iPad and Mac. A key part of that pitch was a more personalized Siri that could understand context, work across apps and help with everyday tasks in a more useful way.
The lawsuit claims Apple’s marketing made consumers believe those advanced Siri features would arrive with the iPhone 16 or soon after. Instead, buyers received phones that had some Apple Intelligence tools, but not the full Siri overhaul that many expected.
That gap is the heart of the case. Plaintiffs say customers bought or upgraded devices based on AI features that were not ready. Apple says it has rolled out many Apple Intelligence features and settled the case, so it can stay focused on its products.
How much money could iPhone owners get?
The proposed settlement creates a $250 million fund. Eligible customers who file approved claims are expected to receive at least $25 per eligible device. That amount could rise to as much as $95 per device, depending on how many people file claims and other settlement factors.
That means this will not be a huge payday for most people. Still, if you bought one of the covered phones, it may be worth watching for a claim notice. A few minutes of paperwork could put some money back in your pocket.
Which iPhones may qualify?
The proposed settlement covers U.S. buyers who purchased any iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Covered iPhone 16 models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. The settlement also includes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not every iPhone 15 model.
The key details are the device model, the purchase date and whether the phone was bought in the United States.
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Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims it misled customers about Apple Intelligence and Siri features on newer iPhones. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)
How will you file a claim?
You do not need to do anything immediately. The settlement still needs a judge’s approval. Once the claims process opens, eligible customers are expected to receive a notice by email or mail with instructions on how to file through a settlement website.
That notice matters because scammers love moments like this. A real settlement notice should not ask for your Apple ID password, bank login or payment to claim your money. If you receive a message about this settlement, do not click blindly. Go slowly, check the sender and look for the official settlement administrator details once they are available.
Why this case matters beyond one Siri feature
This case hits a bigger nerve. Tech companies are racing to sell AI as the next must-have feature. That creates a problem for shoppers. You are often asked to buy now based on what a company says will arrive later.
That can be frustrating when the feature is the reason you upgraded. A smarter Siri sounds useful. A phone that can understand your personal context, search across apps and help with daily tasks could save time. But if those tools are delayed, limited or missing, the value of the upgrade changes.
This settlement also sends a message about AI marketing. Companies can talk about future features, but consumers need clear timing and plain explanations. “Coming soon” can mean very different things when you are spending $800, $1,000 or more.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
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Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle claims tied to its marketing of Apple Intelligence and Siri features. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
What this means to you
If you bought a covered iPhone during the settlement period, keep an eye on your email and regular mail. You may qualify for a payment if the court approves the deal.
You should also keep your receipt or proof of purchase if you have it. Your Apple purchase history, carrier account or retailer receipt may help if the claim process asks for details.
More broadly, this is a reminder to treat AI features like any other big tech promise. Before you upgrade, ask one simple question: Can the feature do what is being advertised today, or is the company asking me to wait?
That question can save you from buying a device for a future feature that may arrive much later than expected.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple has built its brand on making technology feel polished, personal and easy to use. That is why this Siri settlement hits a nerve. People were buying phones they use every day for texts, photos, directions, reminders and everything in between. Many expected AI to make those everyday tasks easier, which is why the delay felt frustrating. The proposed payout may be modest, but the bigger issue is trust. When a company sells AI as a reason to upgrade, customers deserve to know what actually works now and what is still coming later.
Would you still buy a new phone for promised AI features, or would you wait until they actually show up? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Technology
Instagram hits the copy button again with new disappearing Instants photos
Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls “Instants,” which are ephemeral photos that you can’t edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that’s now in testing in select countries.
To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DMs, but after they see it, the photo disappears for them. Instants also disappear after 24 hours, and they can’t be captured in screenshots or screen recordings.
However, your Instants will remain in an archive for you for up to a year, and you can reshare them as a recap to your Instagram Stories if you’d like. You can also undo sending an Instant right after you post it or delete it from your archive.
The Instants mobile app, which popped up in Italy and Spain in April, gives you “immediate access to the camera” and only requires an Instagram account, Instagram says. “Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. We’re trying this separate app out to see how our community uses it, and we’ll continue to evolve it as we learn more.”
Instagram, in its testing, has seen that people “tend to use Instants to share much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day,” according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. “And we know that this type of sharing of personal moments with friends is a core part of what makes Instagram Instagram, but we also know that a lot of people don’t really share a lot to their profile grids anymore.”
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