Googlebooks Expand Android Ecosystem; Apple Smart Glasses Will Have a More Crowded but Growing Market; Mercedes Will Use British AI in Cars; Saudi Arabia Launches Car Industry with 2 EVs

Google has unleashed a line of Googlebooks, in conjunction with several manufacturers. This will give Google more of an ecosystem something like Apple has, where a user who is locked into their products can seamlessly move from smartphone or watch to laptop and back. I use this feature all the time with my Apple devices, and expect those folks in the Google world will welcome the ability to move seamlessly. 

Androidpolice.com reports that the features include Continue On…which connects phones and Googlebooks in the manner I just described above. Also, there is a Flies app that allows viewing, searching, and opening files and photos that live on Android phones right on your Googlebook. Finally, you get Cast My Apps…which puts a phone’s apps right on the desktop of the Googlebook, so you can split tasks easily. Of course, you also have Google Gemini AI, which you can summon with the ‘Magic Pointer,’ which means just wiggle the cursor with mouse or trackpad and your Gemini AI ‘genie’ is there to help out.

There are 5 ‘flavors’ of Googlebook, ranging in price from $899 to $1299. The manufacturers include Asus, Lenovo, Dell, HP, and Acer. Preorders are open now for the new Googlebooks at the Google Store and Best Buy. They will be on shelves by October 4th.

Apple’s upcoming smart glasses…slated for release in 2027…will enter an increasingly crowded field, but one that is growing fast. As we just reported yesterday, Meta has rolled out some camera-less smart glasses, which is an interesting move. Apple appears to still be planning on using cameras, but no display. 

Right now, 96% of units shipped lack a display. According to macrumors.com, shipments of display-less AI glasses increased 258% the first half of 2025. This includes the popular Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which do have cams and provide photography, audio, calling, and AI features with no screen. Meta will be a tough competitor, even for Apple. Right now they account for 94% of smart glasses shipments. It is expected that Apple will shoot for a more premium product like everything else they sell…at a more premium price than the Meta Ray-Bans.

It sounds blasphemous, but Mercedes-Benz has signed a deal with British firm Wayve to use their AI Driver feature in future Mercedes vehicles. Thenextweb.com notes that Mercedes has invested $1.5 billion in Wayve’s Series D stock, and in addition signed a production agreement to put the AI Driver into the upcoming Mercedes cars within the next 2 years. The system provides urban and motorway point-to-point driving assistance. Both companies point out that the system is for point-to-point driving assistance, and not autonomy. That means the driver remains responsible. 

The Saudi government has teamed up with Foxconn to launch Arabia’s fist domestic car line, dubbed Ceer…with a C. Ironically, for a country that is basically a giant oil well, the first 2 cars are electric vehicles. Arstechnica.com says that Ceer means ‘drive forward’ in Arabic. 

The two models are the Exobot sedan and an SUV. They are both very sleek and futuristic-looking. They do use a Elon Musk-esque aircraft- type steering yoke, not a round wheel. They have what they are calling falcon doors….basically a riff on gullwing doors. They are loaded with electronic gadgetry, like some of the latest EVs from China. The Exobot has a claimed 310 mile range for the SUV and 373 for the sedan. Prices have yet to be announced.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.