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Waymo has caught the attention of the National Transportation Safety Board as the federal agency launched an official investigation into the company for its robotaxis improperly passing school buses in Austin, Texas. The NTSB said on X that it would "examine the interaction between Waymo vehicles and school buses stopped for loading and unloading students." The latest federal probe stems from a preliminary evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that looked into how Waymo reacts to stopped school buses in the Texas city. That report led to Waymo's voluntary software recall in December. However, the school district said in a memo that the robotaxis were seen repeating the same offense days after the software update. As for the NTSB investigation, an agency spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesman that its "investigators will travel to Austin to gather information on a series of incidents in which the automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students." According to an NTSB spokesperson, a preliminary report will be out within 30 days, but the final report will take anywhere between 12 and 24 months. In response, Mauricio Pea, chief safety officer for Waymo, said in a statement to multiple news outlets that "there have been no collisions in the events in question, and we are confident that our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers," adding that the investigation will be "an opportunity to provide the NTSB with transparent insights into our safety-first approach."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ntsb-will-investigate-why-waymos-robotaxis-are-illegally-passing-school-buses-160943613.html?src=rss
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Google has started rolling out a new feature for its Photos app that can turn your images into memes. The feature, called Me Meme, uses Google Gemini to take meme templates and recreate them with the photo you use from within the app. Its still in its experimental stages and will only be available for users in the US in the English language. In addition, it seems to be rolling out for Android users only at the moment, and Google warns that the generated images may not match the original photo at times. If you do get access to the feature soon, check out the instructions below on how to use it. Open your Photos app. Go to the Create tab at the bottom and find the Me Meme option. If its not showing up even though youre an Android user in the US, youll have to wait for it as it continues rolling out. Google told TechCrunch that it will reach iOS users over the coming weeks. Youll see onscreen instructions the first time you use it. The next time you access the feature, youll go straight to the meme creation process. You can browse and choose one of the preset templates Google provides, but you can also upload a meme or any other image as a template. You then have to upload a photo that you want to insert into the meme. Google advises using a selfie or a photo where your face is clearly visible. After you tap Generate, you can save the meme if youre satisfied with the result or share it directly to social media platforms online. You can also tap Regenerate to see a different output. Android Authority spotted the feature in October 2025 and was able to try it out before its limited release. You can see an example of Me Memes output below.The "Me meme" feature which I spotted back in October 2025 is finally announced by Google. This is an experimental feature which will be available first for users in US only Here is the announcement forum posts- https://t.co/7P2JgJhoBk https://t.co/E60prcqcie pic.twitter.com/sFICxzVIPU AssembleDebug (Shiv) (@AssembleDebug) January 23, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/how-to-use-google-photos-new-me-meme-feature-140000157.html?src=rss
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Apples iOS 26 and watchOS 26 introduced a new fitness companion called Workout Buddy. This feature uses Apple Intelligence to provide spoken feedback during workouts and give motivation based on your activity history. Workout Buddy analyzes your pace, heart rate, distance and other metrics to deliver real-time encouragement and performance insights directly through connected Bluetooth headphones. It works in conjunction with the Workout app on Apple Watch and is partially controlled through the Fitness app on iPhone. This guide walks you through everything needed to set up and use Workout Buddy effectively during workouts.What Workout Buddy doesIts important to note that Workout Buddy is not a full coaching program. Instead, it adds to your workout with spoken cues that reflect how your session is going. Workout Buddy can remind you of your weekly activity totals, alert you to personal bests or performance milestones and provide an overview when youre finished. It is designed to feel like a supportive training partner rather than a strict coach.The feature operates in English by default and uses a text-to-speech model trained on voices from Apple Fitness+ trainers. It is available for a subset of workout types, including running, walking, cycling, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training. It requires on-device Apple Intelligence, which means youll need to keep one of the latest iPhones running updated software nearby during workouts. Supported models include iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and any iPhone 16 model. Youll also need an Apple Watch running watchOS 26. Requirements before you beginBefore Workout Buddy appears in your Fitness app or Workout app you must ensure a few things are in place. First, your Apple Watch must be running watchOS 26 or later and paired to an iPhone with iOS 26 installed. Second, your iPhone must be capable of on-device Apple Intelligence, meaning you must own one of the supported iPhone models we mentioned above and have Apple Intelligence enabled in the phones settings.Youll also need Bluetooth headphones paired with either your iPhone or your Apple Watch. Workout Buddys audio feedback cannot play through the watch speaker so headphones are essential. Lastly, your device language must be set to English, at least initially. If any of these things are missing, the option to enable Workout Buddy may not appear.How to turn on Workout Buddy from iPhoneWhile much of the interaction with Workout Buddy happens on Apple Watch during workouts, you can enable it and choose voice options from the Fitness app on iPhone.Open the Fitness app on your iPhone and tap the Workout tab at the bottom. Scroll through the list of workout types until you find one you plan to use with Workout Buddy. Tap the waveform bubble icon associated with that workout. This will bring up settings where you can turn on Workout Buddy. Flip the toggle to enable it and choose a voice from the available options. Once you have selected a voice, close that screen and your choice is saved. When you start this workout type on Apple Watch, Workout Buddy will activate.Enabling Workout Buddy for a workout type on iPhone means you do not need to toggle it on separately on Apple Watch each time for that specific workout. However, you may still adjust it from the watch interface for more granular control.How to turn on Workout Buddy on Apple WatchTo use Workout Buddy during a session, open the Workout app on your Apple Watch. Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through and select the workout you want to do, such as Outdoor Run, Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT or Strength Training. If you want to see all available workouts, tap the Add button at the bottom.Once the workout type is selected, look for the Alerts button on screen. Tap Alerts then scroll until you see Workout Buddy. Tap Workout Buddy and flip the switch to on. You will then be asked to choose a voice if one is not already selected on your iPhone. After selecting the voice, return to the previous screen and tap Start. Workout Buddy will begin working as soon as the workout does.Using Workout Buddy during a workoutOnce you start an exercise on your Watch or iPhone, Workout Buddy will speak to you through your connected headphones. The feedback is designed to be encouraging and relevant to your pace, performance or milestones. It may mention your current progress toward activity goals, pace, splits, personal bests or other highlights from your fitness data. At the end of your session Workout Buddy will offer a summary of key metrics like duration distance and calorie burn.While a workout is active, you can temporarily mute the audio if you need silence. On Apple Watch during the session, swipe right to reveal controls then tap Mute. This pauses Workout Buddys spoken commentary without disabling the feature entirely.Customizing and managing Workout Buddy settingsWorkout Buddy is enabled on a per-workout-type basis. If you prefer voice feedback for running but silence for strength training, you can enable it for one and leave it off for the other. The Fitness app on iPhone allows you to set a default voice preference for each workout type. On Apple Watch you can quickly toggle the feature on or off before starting a session.If Workout Buddy does not appear as an option for a particular workout type, you may need to check compatibility. Apples documentation indicates that only certain types* are supported initially and that the option will not appear for unsupported workouts.*Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Ultra 3Troubleshooting common issuesIf Workout Buddy fails to activate make sure your devices meet the requirements outlined above. Confirm that your iPhone with Apple Intelligence is nearby and that Bluetooth headphones are connected. If audio feedback is missing, ensure headphones are paired correctly and that the language is set to English. Some users have reported that if the headphones are paired only to the Watch rather than the iPhone, it can interfere with feedback. Switching to the iPhone often resolves that issue.For workout types where Workout Buddy previously worked but suddenly does not appear, you may try toggling the feature off and on again in the Fitness app or rebooting both devices. In rare cases removing and re-adding the workout type on Apple Watch can refresh the settings.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-use-workout-buddy-with-apple-watch-and-ios-26-130000922.html?src=rss
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