Hello everyone and welcome to the Tuesday edition of Take 5. First up in tech news, Google is killing something yet again – this time, the Tenor API. Tenor hosts GIFs, and the API allowed it to interface with many third-party websites, including the social network X.
Per 9to5Google: “Twitter/X Head of Product Nikita Bier confirmed that the platform has migrated elsewhere, which is why the ‘recently used’ section was purged, and why you might notice fewer GIF options when posting.”
However, the database is still up – you just have to use a special app or service to access it. This is honestly terrible. I already use multiple keyboards (Samsung Keyboard, FUTO Voice Keyboard, and a keyboard for custom characters), and unless multiple apps and services switch to another provider, we’ll have to rely on this keyboard or other Google services such as Gboard, the GIF Keyboard app, and Google Messages (the Android SMS/RCS client).
Last week I was talking about how Samsung needed more competition in the flagship phone space. While Motorola hasn’t really countered them on slab phones – preferring to go all in on foldables – we are getting a new tracker: the Moto Tag 2. It supports Bluetooth 6.0 and Ultra Wideband. According to Motorola, the non-rechargeable (button) battery has up to 500 days of battery life. This is amazing news in my opinion. For years I’ve wanted an Android-based tracker, and now we have one that is NOT the Samsung SmartTag – which, when I last reviewed it in 2023, lost connection to my phone after just a few days. Of course, this is a brand-new product that’s just out, so I cannot yet do a full review.
In AI news, Claude Mythos is now approved by the United States government to be granted to certain organizations. I’m conflicted on this. Obviously I love the United States of America and do not want a technological superweapon in the hands of our enemies. On the other hand, I am not in favor of the government regulating technology (especially in the face of the KIDS Act).
Claude is back? What are your thoughts on this? pic.twitter.com/Vv96YRYrRF
— TTB Media ✝️🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@THETECHBOYorg) June 29, 2026
Google has announced Nano Banana 2 Lite, which per Ars Technica/Google: “Google notes that Nano Banana 2 Lite tends to have more trouble with text, particularly if it’s very small, and infographics are more likely to include incorrect data. Characters and people may also show poor consistency across iterations.”
I think this is cool for reasons other than the fastest generation speeds and the cheaper token speeds. If we make AI smaller and cheaper, then we should get better offline AI image generation on phones and PCs that isn’t slow and laggy like some other apps I’ve tested. This could lead to a rollout to multiple Android devices to compete with Apple’s Image Playground.
Topaz Labs – who I have used a few times before and who created the AI image enhancer software for PC – has been acquired by Adobe. Now this could go one of two ways: either the tech gets bundled into Premiere Pro and it becomes more expensive for consumers, or they go the Canva route and make some of the basic tools free (like how Affinity Photo/Designer went from a paid program to more accessible options), with more advanced AI features requiring a paid subscription. This just goes to show that we are not in the AI golden age yet – a few major software companies will dominate online AI, while smaller companies will try to make offline, on-device AI a thing. Per the announcement:
“Adobe said Topaz’s products will remain available as standalone offerings through the company’s website after the deal closes. Eric Yang will continue to lead the Topaz Labs team following the transaction, Adobe added. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.”
God bless, and Tech Talk To You Later!!
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