IT General

Chinese EV manufacturer XPENG will introduce its X9 electric car to numerous countries all over the world this year, however the U.S. remains a notable exception. Mashable recently got to check out XPENG's souped-up 2025 flagship car at their global launch event in Hong Kong, and it's a real shame that American drivers won't get to experience it.

Slipping into the supple leather driver's seat of the X9, I can't deny that it felt luxurious. Measuring over 17 feet long, the seven-seater seems almost excessive in the amount of room it affords its passengers, yet still has a spacious trunk.

The XPENG X9 has a large screen for navigation. Credit: XPENG Left: The X9's third row of seats can fold completely down to create significant storage space, Credit: XPENG Right: Credit: XPENG Left: It'd probably be pretty easy to go knee deep in this passenger seat. Credit: XPENG Right: Credit: XPENG So much room for activities. Credit: XPENG

The X9 seems opulent in features as well, including a 21.4-inch ceiling-mounted screen to entertain rear passengers, a storage box that can either refrigerate your food or keep it warm, an air conditioning system that wraps around the entire vehicle, a 23-speaker audio system, and ambient lighting. 

The X9's 21.4-inch ceiling-mounted screen should keep kids entertained. Credit: XPENG An easily accessible compartment can keep food cool or warm. Credit: XPENG The car has air conditioning vents throughout. Credit: XPENG The ambient lighting is a vibe. Credit: XPENG

My phone automatically began to wirelessly charge when I dropped it into the cradle designated to my seat, though I quickly picked it back up again to operate the Chinese-language touch screen by looking at it through my Google Translate app. The seats' massage function was an unexpected novelty as well, though even the hardest setting felt too soft for my preference.

I loved these phone charging cradles — no messing with wires or MagSafe holders. Credit: XPENG The X9 has a large navigation screen right up front. Credit: XPENG The XPENG X9's two middle seats reclined for a relaxing ride. Credit: XPENG The X9's seat controls are extensive. Credit: XPENG

Unfortunately I didn't get to drive the X9 myself, so can't speak as to how it handles. However, I can say that it appears to offer a comfortable throne for a passenger princess. Even stationary, XPENG's flagship certainly has enough bells and whistles to pique potential customers' interest and compete with other EVs.

That is, if it's given the chance. U.S. tariffs have kept Chinese EVs out of the country for years, a situation that appears unlikely to change any time soon.

"We [see the U.S. tariff situation] as an opportunity for us to differentiate from the rest of [the] EV players, because we feel like we're bringing something different," said XPENG vice-chairman and president Dr. Brian Gu. "We're not just another affordable China brand in a foreign market. 

"We want to be viewed as bringing the best in technology, the highest quality, and the coolest brand to these local customers. And that's something I think will position us well when there's actually these difficulties and tensions around the world." 

Disclosure: Mashable traveled to Hong Kong as a guest of XPENG.

TL;DR: Give your photos the professional touch with The Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle, now $89.99 (reg. $682).

Want your photos to look professional? You don’t have to spend a fortune on a fancy photographer or an expensive camera. Luminar Neo, an award-winning AI photo editor, is an easy-to-use way to create stunning images. And right now, a lifetime license to Luminar Neo, a video training course, and six packs of preset photo filters can all be yours for just $89.99 (reg. $682), the best price online, with this Stack-exclusive bundle.

Create stunning photos with this easy-to-use photo editor

Give your photos an upgrade with Luminar Neo. It’s a photo editor that’s actually easy to use, unlike most competitors, with a straightforward interface and basic editing tools including masking, layers, and local adjustments.

Aside from the basic tools, there are also AI-powered ones that can transform your images — from replacing the skies to controlling every aspect of the light in a photo to retouching a person’s skin.

Once you’ve figured out the magic equation resulting in your ideal image, you can use multiform presets that make it easy to achieve a consistent look across all of your photos with just a few taps.

Luminar Neo works with Windows and Mac, and as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. If you need extra help navigating the tools, this bundle includes video training, the Creative Photo Editing Techniques in Luminar Neo Video Course. Taught by photographer and editor Albert Dros, this class shows you how to use Luminar Neo instruments to edit landscapes beautifully.

Six preset photo filter packs complete this bundle, allowing you to transform photos without any manual editing. Emphasize the look of winter with the Frosty Winter LUTs Add-On or add some edge with the Light Reflections Overlay Add-On.

Take advantage of this unique-to-Stack bundle and score the best price on the web right here, just $89.99 (reg. $682) for The Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle for a limited time.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Luminar Neo The Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle $89.99
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TL;DR: Bring home an Apple MacBook Pro 13″ at a deep discount, just $449.99 (reg. $1,799), just in time for summer.

Need a new computer for the summer? You’ll need an escape on those scorching hot days, and this MacBook Pro offers all-day battery life to keep you entertained in the AC. And right now, it’s even on sale for just $449.99 (reg. $1,799).

Plenty of power in a sleek, lightweight design

If you’re looking for a dependable, 3.1-pound laptop that can get you through the dog days of summer and beyond, the MacBook Pro fits the bill. This particular model is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with a 2GHz base speed and 16GB of RAM, letting you multitask the day away. A 512 GB SSD allows you to save your files right on your device for easy access.

The 13.3-inch Retina display includes Apple’s signature True Tone Technology, which automatically adjusts your screen for improved visibility and reduced eye strain. Enjoy responsive typing with the Magic Keyboard, and get access to shortcuts with the Touch Bar. Four Thunderbolt 3 ports are available to handle charging and connectivity needs.

This MacBook Pro has an impressive 10 hours of battery life, so you won’t have to stop and plug in. And it’s optimized for macOS to take advantage of the latest macOS features.

If you’re curious why you’re scoring this model for 74% off, it’s because of its grade A refurbished rating. That means it will arrive in near-mint condition, with virtually no signs of prior use, and you get it for a major discount.

Entertain yourself all summer long and beyond with this Apple MacBook Pro 13″, now only $449.99 (reg. $1,799)

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 13" i5 2GHz (2020) 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports 16GB RAM 512GB SSD Silver (Refurbished) $449.99
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Google has announced its newest subscription plan called Google AI Ultra. This is the new highest tier for the Google AI service that gives users access to all of Google’s AI models and features, much like OpenAI's newest plan.

NVIDIA Shadowplay may seem like the only application available for clipping gameplay, but there is a better solution.

Synology just launched the BeeStation Plus, an upgraded version of its easy-to-use NAS device. It features 8TB of storage, a Celeron J4125 CPU, and curiously, it can function as a Plex Media Server.

We all have those times when we’re sitting in a car that isn’t moving. Maybe you're waiting in the school pick-up line or for your EV to charge, and you wish you could just kick back and watch something. Soon, that will become reality as video apps are making their way to Android Auto.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to switch back to light mode after several years in dark mode? I've been curious about this, and decided to go back to the light for a week—before promptly returning to the dark.

If you're still using a first-generation Fire TV or Fire TV Stick, it might be time to move on to newer and better hardware. Netflix has announced that its app will stop working on some of Amazon's ancient hardware.

Imagine you're settling in to watch a movie on your favorite streaming service when suddenly, a dreaded pop-up asks you to review the app. These pop-ups have been all too common on phones for a while, but these unwelcome interruptions are about to get a whole lot more common.

Elgato annoinced its new Virtual Stream Deck (VSD) software at Computex 2025. This is a major part of its "Stream Deck Everywhere" plan that lets you use a deck's features without owning a physical device.

Android 16 is already about to see the light, which means it's now time for Apple to unveil what it has in store this year for iOS, macOS, and iPadOS. The company's WWDC 2025 event is right around the corner, and we now have a date when we'll be able to check out what's new for Apple.

Google just rolled out a product that might make coding a lot easier.

Google introduced Jules, its AI coding tool, in December in Google Labs. Today, Jules is available to everyone and everywhere the Gemini model is available, without a waitlist.

SEE ALSO: Here's everything AI coming to Google Gmail

"Just submit a task, and Jules takes care of the rest — fixing bugs, making updates. It integrates with GitHub and works on its own," Tulsee Doshi, the senior director and product lead for Gemini Models, said at Google I/O 2025. "Jules can tackle complex tasks in large codebases that used to take hours, like updating an older version of Node.js. It can plan the steps, modify files, and more in minutes."

According to a Google blog post, Jules is an "asynchronous, agentic coding assistant that integrates directly with your existing repositories. It clones your codebase into a secure Google Cloud virtual machine (VM), understands the full context of your project, and performs tasks."

How to sign up for Jules right now

To try Jules out for yourself, you can sign up at jules.google. Click "Try Jules" in the top right corner to create your own account.

Google isn't the first tech giant to use AI to create a coding tool. Coding is one of the more impressive capabilities of AI tools so far, as seen from coding tools from the likes of Anthropic.

The appeal of older Pokémon games, released on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance, is hard to deny. However, it’s not uncommon for longtime fans to feel put off due to the limitations of the technology of that time. While they may seem very different from modern Pokémon games, some modern rule sets can make them a lot more fun.

At Google I/O, the company unveiled a major push to infuse AI deeper into Gmail. The tech giant is promising users that the change will translate to less time spent writing emails and more time doing literally anything else. With the help of Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model, Gmail is moving from a helpful assistant to a full-on writing partner, scheduler, and inbox manager.

Here are all the new Gemini-powered features coming this summer to Gmail.

Smart replies Credit: Google

Google’s first big update is personalized smart replies. Unlike the canned one-liners we’re used to (“Sounds good,” “Thanks!”), this new system draws context from your inbox and Google Drive. It adapts to your tone — whether you’re casual or formal — and pulls in relevant details, so replies feel more natural.

In a demo, a dog groomer named Stephanie replies to customers without typing a word. Gemini generates answers in her voice, grabs appointment details from past messages, and inserts pricing from her Drive files. It’s fast, frictionless, and a little uncanny.

Decluttering Credit: Google

Next comes inbox cleanup, the kind of task we all put off. Gemini can now archive and delete emails on command. Ask it to clear out last month’s confirmations, and your inbox refreshes itself — no clicks required.

It’s undeniably useful, especially for anyone buried in years of digital clutter.

Meeting scheduling

Depending on who you ask, native appointment booking in Gmail might be the most practical new feature announced. No more bouncing between email threads and Calendar tabs — now, when Gemini detects you're trying to set up a meeting, it’ll prompt you to insert availability directly into your reply.

This feature could be handy when coordinating with people outside your organization. Recipients can book directly via your shared booking page.

AI and creators mix much like oil and vinegar — not at all unless you use a very specific technique (whisking) for a very specific purpose (making salad dressing). For Darren Aronofsky, the director behind Requiem for a Dream, The Whale, and Black Swan, that technique involves using Google DeepMind's research team and three filmmakers to produce short films that embrace new technology and storytelling.

The partnership between Aronofsky's venture Primordial Soup and Google DeepMind will create frameworks for AI's role in filmmaking in an effort to prioritize artists in the conversation. It was announced during Tuesday's Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference.

SEE ALSO: Google Deepmind is rolling out AI video generator Veo 2. How it works and how to try it.

"Filmmaking has always been driven by technology," Aronofsky said in a press release. "After the Lumiere Brothers and Edison's ground-breaking invention, filmmakers unleashed the hidden storytelling power of cameras. Later technological breakthroughs — sound, color, VFX — allowed us to tell stories in ways that couldn’t be told before. Today is no different. Now is the moment to explore these new tools and shape them for the future of storytelling."

Google DeepMind is giving the filmmakers in the partnership early access to generative AI video tools. The first of three upcoming films, ANCESTRA, will debut at the Tribeca Festival on June 13, 2025. It was directed by Eliza McNitt, a writer and director who specializes in virtual reality.

"With ANCESTRA, I was able to visualize the unseen, transforming family archives, emotions, and science into a cinematic experience that feels both intimate and expansive," McNitt said in a press release.

The director's approach shouldn't come as a huge surprise, as Aronofsky has a history of embracing new tech. For instance, he designed the film Postcard From Earth specifically for the Sphere in Las Vegas. It remains to be seen how Aronofsky's well-known dedication to environmental activism will work in tandem with his newfound experimentation with AI, the use of which could have disastrous environmental consequences.

This comes shortly after The Sphere in Las Vegas announced a new experience, with the help of Google and AI, that will bring The Wizard of Oz to the massive theater.

"The power of generative AI, combined with Google’s infrastructure and expertise, is helping us to achieve something extraordinary," Sphere Entertainment Executive Chairman and CEO Jim Dolan said in a press release. "We needed a partner who could push boundaries alongside our teams at Sphere Studios and Magnopus, and Google was the only company equipped to meet the challenge on the world’s highest resolution LED screen."

If you like Google's AI services (and I mean really like them), there's a new subscription for you.

At its Google I/O keynote event (and in a company blog post), Google revealed that a new AI subscription plan for professionals is ready to roll out in the United States. The new Google AI Ultra subscription is intended for the hardest of hardcore AI users, and it costs a whopping $250 a month. Yes, you read that right: Two hundred and fifty U.S. dollars per month. (That's $50 more than ChatGPT Pro, in case you were wondering.)

While business owners and professionals may be used to paying for Google Workspace access, the average user is probably not accustomed to paying for Google services. If you're not quite ready to fork over that much cash to Google, you can also opt for the company's base AI subscription tier, Google AI Pro, for just $19.99/month.

SEE ALSO: The battle of the mid-range phones: Google Pixel 9a vs. iPhone 16e

Of course, that money gets you a bunch of perks. Google AI Ultra subscribers will get the highest usage limits, access to state-of-the-art models, and 30TB of storage. You also get access to all of the bells and whistles associated with Gemini, including early access to the Veo 3 video generation model. AI Ultra also includes access to Flow, the new AI filmmaking tool from Google, as well as Whisk, a tool that lets you generate AI images using other images as prompts.

There are also some other bonuses, such as early access to the version of Gemini that's built directly into the Chrome browser and access to Project Mariner, Google's new agentic AI tool. One of the best parts of the whole deal? Google AI Ultra subscriptions include a bonus subscription to YouTube Premium, which is great if you hate watching ads.

Google AI Ultra is only available in the U.S. right now, but it will come to other countries in the near future, per Google.

From real-time translation in Google Meet to AI-video creation tools, we're recapping all the biggest Google Workspace updates revealed during the Google I/O 2025 keynote address.

This year's Google I/O 2025 was packed with big announcements, and the event signalled the start of a new era of AI search. So, it should come as no surprise that the event focused primarily on AI and Google Gemini. 

Google has already integrated AI into Google Workspace, the subscription-based suite of productivity apps and business tools from the company, which includes popular tools like Gmail, Drive, Sheets, and Meet. But Google is just getting started with AI in Workspace, and today the company announced a ton of new AI-related features coming to the subscription service.

According to Google, the introduction of AI into Workspace has been a big success (though, it's hardly a surprise to hear that from Google). During the Google I/O keynote event, the company stated that Workspace delivers 2 billion AI assists to its users every month.

Gemini in Gmail

The "G" in Gmail might as well stand for "Gemini" now, as Google has announced a number of new Gemini-powered features for its email service.

Personalized smart replies in Gmail. Credit: Google

Personalized smart replies are coming to Gmail, and this tool will help users draft personalized reply emails that match their context and tone. The feature trains on a user's past emails and documents in their Google Drive in order to sound like a natural response from that particular user.

Inbox cleanup is another new Gemini feature coming to Gmail, which basically acts like a personal AI secretary. Users will be able to ask Gemini to complete email inbox-related tasks, such as delete all emails on a certain topic or from a certain timeframe, in a conversational tone. If you've never achieved Inbox Zero, this could be your big chance.

Inbox Zero just became a lot more possible. Credit: Google

Fast appointment scheduling integrated into Gmail is also coming to Google Workspace. Google describes the feature as an easy way to schedule meetings with customers and clients right within your Gmail inbox, with coordinating help from Gemini.

Google says all three features will roll out sometime next quarter.

Real-time speech translation in Google Meet

Google's next AI-powered announcement for Workspaces is speech translation in Google Meet. This sounds like a feature that will eventually roll out to Google's broader user base, but will launch first to Workspace users.

According to Google, the new Google Meet translation feature will translate speech to the listener's language in real-time. It will match the speaker's voice, tone, and expression while doing so, per Google.

Google says the beta version of the feature will start rolling out to consumer AI subscribers today. English and Spanish languages will be available at first, with the feature expanding out to more languages in the coming weeks.

Google Vids updates

Google Workspace's AI-powered video creation service, Google Vids, is receiving some big updates.

Google Vids is getting a new automatic transcript trim feature that will enable users to easily remove filler words and awkward pauses that are identified in the transcript of a video. In addition, the new balance sound feature will help users adjust sound levels across in an entire video with just a single click. Google says transcript trim will come to Google Labs next quarter and balance sound will be available next month.

Speaking of Labs, another new feature will be available there next month: AI avatars. According to Google, users will be able to create a whole presentation or onboarding video with an AI avatar delivering their script.

One fo the AI Avatars that will be available in Google Slides. Credit: Google

A Google Blog post states, "With AI avatars in Vids, you can skip the hassle of coordinating talent and video production. Just write a script and choose an avatar to deliver your message for you. It's a fast, consistent way to create polished video content." Google says this experimental feature, which even lets you tweak the pitch and tone of the avatar's voice, will be coming to Google Labs in June.

Users can now turn Google Slides into videos. Credit: Google

Finally, Google Vids will be able to turn a user's existing Google Slides into full video productions with Gemini helping to generate scripts, voiceovers, animations, and more.

Imagen 4

Google announced that starting today, users will have access to its latest AI image generation model Imagen 4.

A preview of Imagen 4 from the Google I/O 2025 event. Credit: Google

Users can utilize Imagen 4 for generative AI images across all of Google's AI services like Google Vids, Slides, Docs, and more.

Source-grounded AI writing

Google Docs users will soon be able to get some AI writing help based on links, documents, and other resources included in a Google Doc. 

Source-grounded writing will pull data directly from these linked documents and reports in order to provide AI writing suggestions based on trusted resources relevant to the topic of the document.

Google just cracked open the future of search, and it talks back.

During today's Google I/O 2025 keynote event, Google announced that it is now rolling out the AI Mode search tool to everyone in the United States. Powered by Gemini, AI Mode will now include new "Deep Search" features and some agentic capabilities.

AI Mode represents the biggest shift in Google Search since its inception. It’s no longer just a place to find links. It’s an AI system that interprets your query, breaks it into sub-questions, issues dozens or hundreds of background searches, and returns a single, synthesized answer. Sometimes with citations. Sometimes with follow-up actions.

If this sounds like the future of search, it is. However, it also represents a fundamental change in how we interact with information online. It's also bad news for publishers and bloggers who rely on Google for traffic.

AI Mode is here. Credit: Google Google officially kicks off the AI Search Era

Google’s AI Overviews — introduced last year — offered summarized answers (right, wrong, or imagined) to countless user searches. According to Google, these overviews drove a "10% increase in usage of Google for the types of queries that show AI Overviews." Now, AI Mode (previously available in beta via Google Labs) builds on that foundation with deeper research capabilities, delivering context-aware responses and handling follow-up questions more naturally.

Users will soon see a new “AI Mode” tab in Google Search, both in the browser and mobile apps. No sign-up is required. More advanced features for AI Mode are set to arrive in Google Labs later this summer.

These features include Deep Search, a feature that promises fully cited, expert-level summaries in minutes. It’s a tempting promise: let the machine read the internet for you. Google also announced features like Search Live, which lets you point your camera at an object and ask questions in real time, and new agent-like capabilities that can buy tickets, book restaurants, and fill out forms on your behalf.

Credit: Google Credit: Google

Google says AI Mode will also bring in "personal context," drawing from your past searches, Gmail (if you opt in), and even location history, to tailor personal search results. Other agentic AI capabilities include a new AI shopping experience with virtual try-ons and the ability to check out purchases for you when the price is right.

AI skeptics may not be looking forward to even more AI features in Google, but the bottom line is this: The era of Google Search, as we know it, is officially over. The era of AI search is here. Google has hit the reset button; whether that's a leap forward or a tipping point depends on how much you trust AI to understand your questions and answer them for you.

Google rival OpenAI rolled out its own ChatGPT search tool earlier this year.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

You already know Google Translate, but what about live voice translation in Google Meet?

This feature is one of the major Workspace announcements Google shared at its annual I/O event on Tuesday. Starting today, Google is rolling out real-time speech translation in Google Meet for subscribers of its AI Premium plan. When a user on a Google Meet video call turns on this feature, an AI audio model uses their speech to live translate what they're saying into another language. Google is starting with English and Spanish, with more languages coming in the next few weeks.

SEE ALSO: Everything we hope to learn at Google I/O 2025: Gemini, Gmail, and Project Astra updates

The experience results in the person's actual voice being heard at a low volume, with the translated voice heard at a regular volume. Demos of speech translation show a brief moment of latency before the live translation begins. "Think simultaneous interpreter, or someone who listens to a speaker while concurrently saying the words in another language," said Yulie Kwon Kim, VP of Product for Google Workspace in a pre-event briefing, "and then take it to the next level, where the interpreter is not another person's voice, but the speaker's own voice."

Kwon Kim highlighted how the underlying technology is trained to capture "the speaker's tone, intonation and emotion in the translated language," resulting in a free-flowing conversation with someone in a different language.

If you've ever relied on Google Translate or another translating app to communicate with a cab driver in a foreign country or to order off a menu in a different language, you probably understand the game-changing usefulness of live translation. Google used the example of talking to an Airbnb host about an upcoming trip, but one could also imagine talking to relatives or conducting research with people who speak a different language.

Of course, there's a little bit of sadness associated with the premise that we might never need to learn new languages if technology like this becomes more widespread. But it has undeniable potential for communicating important information in a pinch.

Speech translation in Google Meet launches today in beta for subscribers of the Google One AI Premium plan, which costs $20 a month. Google says it's testing the feature for Workspace customers later this year.