Chrome cleans up messy URLs when you share from your phone

Google keeps making the web easier to use with its Chrome browser, from filtering ads on the desktop to getting rid of pop-ups and redirects on Android. The company just made sharing messy URLs nicer, too, thanks to the latest version of Chrome on mobile, v64. Now when you grab a long, complicated web address, Chrome will trim off the unnecessary bits from the end. That way, you won’t muck up a chat with a whole bunch of personal tracking info at the end of an Amazon link, for example.

To get the new streamlined URL feature, you’ll need to use the Chrome Share menu, accessed via the three vertical dots at the top of your browser screen. Some links need the extra info to get you to the right position on a given page, though. If that’s the case, you can still copy URLs manually to share with your buddies.

Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play

Air Hogs’ Supernova packs motion controls in a kid-friendly drone

Toy drones have been cheap and plentiful over the past few years, but it’s really hard for new products to stand out from the pack when they need to keep the price down and can’t throw in premium features like a 4K camera. But that hasn’t stopped Spin Master from trying new things with its Air Hogs line: At this week’s Toy Fair, the company is debuting its first motion-controlled model, the Supernova. It’s not quite DJI’s Mavic Air, but it’s still got some sweet moves to show off in a more kid-friendly form factor.

The Air Hogs Supernova is a small quadcopter uncased in a light, spherical plastic cage open enough to allow the propellers to lift the toy, but enclosed enough to keep small fingers away from the spinning blades. It’s not entirely foolproof — at least once when I grabbed the sphere my fingers sunk in a little deep and hit the blades. It hurt for a few minutes, but didn’t leave any lasting damage.

It’s recommended for kids aged eight and up, which is a good age bracket to really understand and master all the movements needed to pilot the Supernova. It doesn’t come with a remote control and doesn’t connect to a phone — everything will be done through hand gestures. There are four tiny infrared sensors on the sphere and a laser sensor on the bottom, so you need to engage it at those points for a response.

To engage the drone you lightly toss it away from you; throw it too hard and it might wander away. You can grab its attention by placing a hand in front of one of the sensors and it will try to stay near you. If you put a hand on both sides, it’ll spin in place.

The Supernova can also fly pretty high, but it will eventually come back down once the sensors realize there’s nothing nearby. It’s so light that it’s common for something like an air current to make the drone list a bit; in those cases a quick waggle of your hand near any of the sensors is a sign for the Supernova to correct its sense of direction. When it’s time to turn it off, you simply flip it over.

The gestures seem simple enough at first, but my time playing with it at Toy Fair had me chasing it across the Spin Master booth, my frantic waving probably making things worse. A few times I watched the Supernova ascend into the rafters at the Javits, which is a little nerve-racking when you consider the drone has no remote. But it did eventually wander its way back down. It’s definitely one of those things you’re going to want to practice with at home first, lest you take it to a park and a stray gust of wind carries it away. The Supernova will be in stores this August for $40.

Check out the rest of our coverage from Toy Fair 2018 here.

How to watch Amazon Instant Video on Chromecast or Android TV

Google Chromecast’s simple press-and-stream ecosystem has garnered many fans. But, although the streaming device has built-in apps for just about anything you can stream, one of its only real omissions is the lack of support for Amazon Instant Video for streaming the best Amazon films and TV series.

Never fear: If you’re a Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra owner, you don’t need to buy a Fire TV or Fire TV Stick to get Amazon Instant Video on your television. In fact, you don’t need anything else at all. Here’s how to get Amazon’s best video content onto your TV without paying an extra dime.

What you’ll need

This guide assumes that you already use a Chromecast or Android TV device and have it connected to your television and local network. You’ll also need a computer connected to the same network. Either Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X is fine, but you’ll need to use Google’s Chrome browser. If you have a Chromebook or another device powered by Chrome OS, that’s also fine.

Set up the Chromecast extension

Turn on your computer and open Chrome. If you don’t already see a Chromecast icon at the top right corner, go to this address and download the official Google Cast extension from the Chrome Web Store. Click the blue button marked “Add to chrome,” then click “Add extension” in the pop-up window. After a few seconds, a Chromecast icon will appear in upper right-hand corner of your browser window.

Michael Crider/Digitial Trends

Click the “New” button, then select whether to automatically send Cast extension usage statistics to Google (checking or unchecking are both fine). Click “OK.” If your Chromecast or Android TV device is already set up, there are no extra steps to take — the extension will automatically detect any Cast-capable devices connected to your local network.

Start Casting

Now you’re ready to Cast. Navigate to Amazon Instant Video and select a movie or television show in your library, or if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, pick a video that’s included in Prime. Make sure your television is on and your Chromecast or Android TV device is connected. Click the Cast icon in the corner of your browser, then click on a Chromecast or Android TV device. Your tab’s video and audio will appear on your television. Click Play and you can sit back and enjoy your video on the big screen.

Michael Crider/Digitial Trends

The Cast button has a few options you might want to consider. Streaming quality is up to 1080p, but will be determined by the quality of your internet connection and speed of your Chromecast or Android TV Device. You mute or unmute the audio with the volume button, but there is no option to change the volume level — you’ll have to adjust it with your TV remote.

The Google Cast extension can cast any tab with any content, so almost any web video will work, not just the ones on Amazon. When you’re finished, simply close the tab or click the Cast icon and then “Stop casting” to end your session.

Disadvantages of browser casting

This solution will work to get Amazon Instant Video on your Chromecast or Android TV, but it’s less ideal than a dedicated app. For starters, the video quality tops out at 1080p, which is unfortunate since a lot of Amazon videos are available in 4K if your internet connection, TV, or streaming box supports it. And even at the lower resolution, the bitrate is considerably lower than you might be used to, resulting in more video artifacts, extra pixelation, lower-quality audio, and occasionally complete signal dropouts.

Michael Crider/Digitial Trends

Casting can also take a severe toll on a laptop battery, so you might want to keep your charging cable handy. If you’re using a desktop, this isn’t a problem, but it makes the video annoying to control if it’s in another room, as you can’t pause playback of seek out a specific section with your TV remote — everything has to be done in Chrome itself. (In this case, you might consider using Chrome Remote Desktop from your phone or tablet as a sort of makeshift remote.)

Hopefully, Amazon will add official Casting capabilities to its Android Instant Video app, and provide a real solution to Android TV as well … but that doesn’t seem likely right now. In the meantime, without an Amazon-compatible device like the a Fire TV, Roku Streaming Stick+, TiVo Bolt, smart TV, Blu-Ray player, or game console, streaming tabs in Chrome is your best bet.

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Scientists have figured out how to make wood even stronger than steel

Lisa Sturm / EyeEm / Getty Images

Wood is a pretty awesome material, but it’s certainly lacking the strength and toughness of other materials such as the stronger metals. That could change, however, thanks to research coming out the University of Maryland, College Park, where engineers have found a way to make wood more than 10 times stronger than titanium alloys.

The results mean that everyone’s favorite tree-based material could be used as an alternative to the ultra-tough likes of steel while remaining significantly lighter. Faster growing softwoods like pine and balsa could also be treated to replace some of the applications which currently require slower growing but denser woods like teak.

“We [developed] a totally new densification technique by combining chemical modification and hot-pressing,” Liangbing Hu, the leader of the research team, told Digital Trends. “Our resulting densified wood features a highly dense and laminated structure with intertwined cell walls that are fully collapsed without gaps. Most of the densified wood consists of well-aligned cellulose nanofibres, which greatly enhance hydrogen bond formation among neighboring nanofibres. The mechanical performance of the resulting densified wood is more than one order of magnitude better than that of the natural wood.”

The chemical modification Hu refers to involves partially remove lignin, the organic polymer that forms an important structural material in plants, and hemicellulose, a component in plant cell walls. The densification technique was then completed by hot-pressing to a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius.

To put the new material through its paces, the team tested its resilience to bullet-like projectiles by firing at it. While the projectile was able to completely pierce natural wood, in the case of the new reinforced wood material it only penetrated part of the way through.

“We are [currently] investigating its potential integrations into multiple applications which requires the material to meet the complete performance matrix,” Hu said, concerning the next step of the project. A University of Maryland startup called “Inventwood” has been created to help commercialize the university’s advanced wood technologies, including this one.

A research paper on the work, titled “Processing bulk natural wood into a high-performance structural material,” was recently published in the journal Nature.

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Microsoft pulls list of limitations on ‘Always Connected’ Windows 10 PCs

If you were curious about the differences between Windows 10 PCs based on Intel and AMD processors, and those using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip, Microsoft recently listed the limitations of Windows 10 apps and “experiences” on the latter. Since its discovery, Microsoft’s list no longer exists, except for cached versions you can find on third-party internet archives. Why the secrecy? Just look at the original Surface tablet.

Modern processors are mostly based on two different designs: One called “x86” introduced by Intel in 1978 that is also used by AMD in desktop and laptop processors, and one designed by ARM found in mobile-based processors manufactured by Qualcomm, Samsung, and Nvidia. Because these two designs are completely separate, Microsoft needs to fashion Windows for both. 

In 2012, Microsoft introduced the first Surface device packing an ARM-based Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and an operating system Microsoft dubbed as Windows RT. Microsoft designed the Surface for a mobile-first word obsessed over the iPad, but the device failed to gain traction because owners couldn’t run their traditional x86-based desktop software on the ARM-based tablet. 

Making matters worse, customers had to deal with the whole new Windows 8 touch-focused interface. Even more, they were forced to solely install apps from the Microsoft Store, which was in its early stages at the time and didn’t fully support cross-device “universal” apps. Support for Windows 8 RT ended in January 2016 followed by Windows 8.1 RT in January 2018. 

Fast forward to the end of 2017. Microsoft and Qualcomm teamed up for their “Always Connected” initiative: Windows 10 PCs with native 4G LTE connectivity and crazy-long battery life. Manufactured by Asus and HP, these laptops will be based on the Snapdragon 835 processor found in mobile devices. That means Microsoft is coming full circle and re-igniting the Windows on ARM market. 

To the company’s defense, its “universal” multi-device app platform has matured over the last five years or so. You can install Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Word, Skype, and other apps on multiple devices, whether they rely on x86-based processors by Intel and AMD, or ARM-based chips from Qualcomm and Samsung. But there are still limitations to Microsoft’s version of Windows 10 for ARM-based devices, as seen in the company’s recently pulled list. 

Here is a simple breakdown, some of which pertain to developers but still trickle down to the end-user experience: 

• Always Connected devices only support 64-bit drivers designed for the ARM architecture (ARM64). 
• 64-bit apps developed for Intel- and AMD-based machines won’t run on these PCs. 
• If a game or app relies on a version of OpenGL later than v1.1, they won’t work on these PCs. The same holds true for apps and games that require hardware-accelerated OpenGL, and/or “anti-cheat” drivers. 
• Apps that load non-native Windows 10 components may fail/crash or simply not load. 
• Apps assuming that all ARM-based devices are running a mobile version of Windows may render a user interface for smartphones, render the screen in the wrong orientation, or fail to start. 
• Virtual machines using Hyper-V for ARM-based devices will not run. 

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AMD is standing by to help you get that new APU up and running

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

There is nothing worse than ripping open a bunch of boxes, starting to put something together, and then one missing or defective part gets in the way. Bedroom furniture, swing sets, or computers, it doesn’t matter — nobody wants to deal with the hassle. This thing happens when building a PC on occasion, specifically because of the constantly evolving nature of the industry. Plug a new CPU into a motherboard, for example, and it won’t boot if the firmware doesn’t match up. And if the PC won’t boot, then you can’t install the new firmware. Ouch.

That is exactly the case with AMD’s newest accelerated processing unit (APU) that mates a Ryzen CPU with a Radeon Vega GPU. The Ryzen 3 2200G and Ryzen 5 2400G work with some existing motherboards, but new motherboard firmware is needed to let them play together. That leaves builders with a non-functioning PC and a major hassle. Fortunately, AMD is taking steps to make the process a little less painful.

Usually, you would be required to procure your own processor to get things up and running. For example, you could simply buy the least expensive CPU that is compatible with both the motherboard and the firmware it ships with already installed. Rather than requiring users jump through these hoops to boot the system and flash the firmware, AMD is offering its own boot kit, free of charge, that includes a low-end AMD APU that can be used to get things updated so that the shiny new AMD APU is supported. As Ars Technica reports, AMD is shipping an A6-9500 APU — a decidedly low-cost processor — that can be used to get things up and running.

Once you’re done, you need to send the A6-9500 back to AMD, apparently without its heatsink. While it is a free solution, it’s not without its own hassles. To get started, you need to head to AMD’s support site and fill out the required warranty request form. Once AMD has confirmed that your APU is qualified for the offer, then they ship you the kit and email you the required instructions. Pop in the supported APU, boot up your PC, update the firmware, swap out the new APU, and you will be up and running with your entry-level gaming machine.

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How to create a route in MapMyRun

Whether you’re a seasoned marathon veteran or you just bought your first pair of running shoes, it helps to know how far you’ve run and to plan how many miles you want to clock in a day. The app MapMyRun — from the folks over at Under Armour — is designed specifically to assist with this. It allows you to create and save your own custom running routes and even tracks mileage live as you run. In both cases, it keeps a precise account of the distance you’ve logged to determine how much you run per day, week, month, or even over an entire year.

“Starting a running habit can be really challenging for a lot of reasons,” said Ben McAllister, Product Director for MapMyRun. “Thinking more broadly about how to be successful as a new runner, we believe the best way to get started is to do a training plan.”

To help you get started, the app is full of personalized features to develop a training plan catered specifically individuals and their specific workout goals.  It’s fully adaptive — changing as you go based on progress — and works for runners of all skill levels. You can also log meals, track calories, set daily nutrition goals, monitor weight, track sleep, count steps, create goal alerts, and share progress with friends. To help you get started, here are the best methods for how to create a route in MapMyRun.

Step 1: Open your desktop

In order to manually create a run, you’ll first need to access the site via the browser on your computer. Although you’re able to use your phone to track runs, there isn’t a way to create routes or determine mileage ahead of time from a mobile device.

Step 2: Create an account

If you don’t already have a MapMyRun account, create one now. To do this, visit MapMyRun.com and click the green Sign Up button on the right side of the screen. Enter your name, email, birthday, gender, and then create a password. You can then personalize your account with a photo and link to your social media accounts if you wish.

Step 3: Open the route map

Once you’ve made it through the prompts, you’ll land on MapMyRun’s homepage. Here, click Routes and then Create Route.

Step 4: Create your starting point

After selecting Create Route, you’ll see a route map with a “+” icon hovering over it which says “Click to start mapping a route.” From here, select your starting point by either entering an address in the search bar on the left side of the screen or manually locating a point.

Step 5: Begin your route

Once you’ve chosen the desired point, a green arrow appears signifying the start of the route. From there, add the next points along your route by simply clicking on the screen.

Step 6: Connect the dots

As you continue to click and select the next points along your route, MapMyRun begins connecting each dot which essentially draws your route. At each point, a red square with a white circle appears. If you add an incorrect point, simply click the green Undo arrow in the distance box located on the ride side of the page.

Step 7: Choose a loop or round trip

If you want to make a regular loop, keep connecting the dots until you end up back at your starting point. If you’re instead running to a specific point — then back along the same route — simply click the Out and Back button once you reach your destination. The map automatically calculates the added distance and as you navigate, you’ll see your distance appearing in this same box.

Step 8: Save your route

Once finished, click the orange Save Route button on the left side of the page. Pick a name for your route and select which activity it’s intended for (in addition to running, you can make routes for walking, biking, hiking, and other activities).

Step 9: Bookmark your route

After saving, load the route on your phone by clicking the gray button in the middle that says Bookmark.

Step 10: Run your new route

Now that you’re ready to run your new route, open the MapMyRun app on your phone and tap the three dots on the bottom right. Select Routes, then choose Bookmarked. Now, click your recently created route and select Do It in the upper right corner. This loads the route onto the home screen of the app. From here, simply start running and follow along with the route. Although the app won’t provide turn-by-turn directions, you can tap the directional arrow in the upper right of the map to have it align with the direction you’re facing.

Additional information

As an alternative, you can forgo pre-mapping routes and simply have the mobile app track you as you run. When you do this, the path you take automatically saves as a new route. Once this happens, you can access these by navigating to Routes and My Routes, where you’ll see a history of all previously logged runs.

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Protect your Bitcoin with the 10 best cryptocurrency apps for iOS and Android

It’s undeniable that cryptocurrency is the new hotness and all the cool kids are into investing in various virtual currencies. Bitcoin might be in something of a slump right now, but that could change quickly, and there are tons of other virtual currencies you can invest in. But how do you know where to invest? How do you keep track of the market’s ebbs-and-flows? And most importantly, where do you keep your hard-earned cryptocurrency?

Your smartphone is a great resource for keeping an eye on your investments. It’s with you almost all the time, it’s powerful, and there are many apps out there that help you keep your finger on the pulse of the cryptocurrency market. So we’ve rounded up some of the best cryptocurrency apps you can download right now to keep an eye on your chosen coins, use as a virtual wallet, or have on hand as handy tools to make sure that you’re always a step ahead.

If you’re into normal investments, we’ve also put together a list of our favorite stock-trading apps, so check that out if you’re looking to get more out of your smartphone. As always with investments, be aware that your capital is at risk, and never invest more than you can afford to lose.

Coinbase (free)

Self-proclaimed as the world’s No. 1 place to trade cryptocurrencies, Coinbase is one of the first ports of call for many when it comes to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the rest. Coinbase’s app for iOS and Android allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies and track prices. It’s also a capable wallet for your money, and when it’s time to spend, Coinbase will help you find merchants who accept cryptocurrencies as payment. While some users have complained that the fees can be on the high side, that doesn’t stop Coinbase from being one of the best apps to start with.

Download now from:

iOS Android

CryptoTrax – Coin Portfolio (free)

Are your wallet needs already sorted out? CryptoTrax doesn’t bother too much with the coin you have — it’s far more worried about what you do with it now you’ve got it. Simply input your transactions into CryptoTrax’s portfolio and it’ll track the value of your holdings, as well as your prospective profits or losses. If you’re worried about a crash or want to invest in a new coin, then it’s also got price alerts to let you know when a price drops or rises to a certain point, so you can be at the right place at the right time.

Download now from:

iOS Android

Enjin Wallet (free)

Enjin Wallet is offered by the same company that created Enjin Coin, the first cryptocurrency for gaming. While Enjin Wallet obviously supports Enjin Coin, you’ll also find support for most of the major cryptocurrencies here. Security is clearly a key element for Enjin Wallet, and the app comes with the option of using Enjin’s own secure keyboard and optionally randomized keys. If you lose your phone, you can restore your wallet on another device by simply writing 12 words on a piece of paper and scanning it using the app. For now, it’s Android-only, but an iOS app is in the works.

Download now from:

Android

Investing.com Cryptocurrency (free)

One of the investing big boys, Investing.com has been around for more than 10 years, offering expert advice on everything about investments, so it makes sense that it would expand into cryptocurrency as well. This app might not offer wallet functionality, but it does have some of the most comprehensive databases for tracking the prices of 1,300 altcoins, real-time and historical price tracking, and a full portfolio that allows you to quickly and easily track how much money you might have made or lost. Want to sell at a certain price? You can set a price alert so you can sell quickly when the time comes.

Download now from:

iOS Android

BTC.com – Bitcoin Wallet (free)

An app from a major player in the Bitcoin scene, BTC.com’s wallet app is praised for its simple design, solid security, and attractive transfer fees. The ease of use makes it perfect for Bitcoin beginners and old hands alike, and it comes with a bunch of useful features, like the ability to transfer Bitcoin via QR code. Users can buy Bitcoin directly from their wallet, and a master seed backup means that your data is fully secure and always recoverable.

Download now from:

iOS Android

BitWorth (free)

Another non-wallet app, BitWorth is a single developer effort that has been lauded by its users as having fantastic ease of use and some incredibly clear interface choices. Setup is easy too; simply put in the amount of cryptocurrency that you own, and the app will track the prices and present your investments in real time. Simple but effective, this app lacks some of the features you might expect, like price alerts, but that’s because it’s a lightweight app that fulfills a niche for people who just want their prices. It’s only available on iOS.

Download now from:

iOS

Xapo Wallet (free)

Another wallet app with solid security, Xapo claims to have been described as the Fort Knox of cryptocurrency storage by the Wall Street Journal. We can’t vouch for that, but the three layers of security it offers is certainly impressive, and no security can go too far where investments are concerned. It’s also heartening to see that Xapo apparently responds to each and every review on its Play Store listing, signifying a company that cares about its customers. It’s smooth and easy to use, and comes with all the usual features you’d expect from a wallet app. Just don’t ask us how to pronounce Xapo.

Download now from:

iOS Android

Delta Portfolio Tracker (free)

Delta calls itself the “ultimate cryptocurrency portfolio tracker tool” on the introduction to its website, and it’s got the credentials to back up that claim. It boasts  management support for more than 2,000 types of cryptocurrency, price alerts, and — this is unique — the option to track coins that aren’t yet on an exchange by entering custom details. When the coin does land, you can easily merge your custom entry into the live listing. It’s a pretty impressive set of abilities, and with all the other features currently available, it makes Delta an app that you should definitely consider.

Download now from:

iOS Android

Cryptonaut Portfolio Tracker (free)

With perhaps the coolest name on this list, Cryptonaut’s mission is to make keeping track of your cryptocurrencies easy. It’s fair to say that it’s succeeded in part here — setting up for the first time is as easy as inputting your transactions to your portfolio and going from there. For more advanced traders, Cryptonaut offers a suite of more detailed options, including support for many types of altcoin and the ability to trade against various altcoins or any other fiat currency. All of this is backed up by some beautiful presentation, with graphs and data presented in a gorgeous interface.

Download now from:

iOS Android

Crypto Tracker (free)

A simple tracking app, don’t let Crypto Tracker put you off just because it lacks some of the other options you might expect. Crypto Tracker gives you access to the prices of various cryptocurrencies in 14 fiat currencies, making this a great app for trading throughout a large portion of the world. Prices are real time and provided by Coin Market Cap, ensuring the most up-to-date prices at all times. It’s designed around Google’s Material Design, so it looks great, and though it might be a little light on features, this Android-only app is still a great choice for anyone who doesn’t need the bells and whistles offered by other apps.

Download now from:

Android

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Google found another critical security flaw in Microsoft Edge

Google’s Project Zero disclosed a software vulnerability in Microsoft’s Edge browser over the weekend. The flaw was first reported privately but after Microsoft failed to patch the issue in time, Google’s Project Zero team revealed the technical details of the vulnerability along with Microsoft’s response.

Let’s be clear though, this security vulnerability isn’t the kind of thing you need to run out and uninstall Edge over. Chances are you’re using a different browser anyway, but until it’s fixed maybe stick to Chrome or Firefox. The vulnerability itself establishes a workaround for one of Edge’s built-in security countermeasures, Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG). Sidestepping ACG, Google security researcher Ivan Fratric found a way to load unsigned code into memory from malicious website accessed via Microsoft Edge.

“The fix is more complex than initially anticipated, and it is very likely that we will not be able to meet the February release deadline due to these memory management issues. The team is positive that this will be ready to ship on March 13th,” Microsoft replied to Fratric’s disclosure.

However, Microsoft added, the complexity of the fix has made it difficult to nail down a fixed date for release. Microsoft is reportedly aiming for a mid-March release for the patch, but it’s unclear if the company will make that self-imposed deadline.

We’re only hearing about this now because of Google Project Zero’s security vulnerability policy. When Project Zero discovers a vulnerability, the team reaches out privately to the manufacturer of the product — in this case, Microsoft — giving the manufacturer 90 days to get a fix together before they disclose the vulnerability to the public. This particular disclosure is unlikely to make anyone in Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters particularly happy.

As Engadget points out, it’s not the first time Google’s exploit-finding-team has rubbed Microsoft the wrong way. Google and Microsoft have all but come to blows over these disclosures in the past, with each company taking pains to poke holes in the other’s products in order to promote their own. That doesn’t appear to be the case here but it is unlikely anyone at Microsoft is going to look favorably upon this security vulnerability being thrust into the spotlight.

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Google Assistant is going international with plans to expand across the globe

Todd Williamson/Getty Images

It’s been just over a month since Google and its smart assistant (aptly named Google Assistant) stole the show at CES 2018. In January, we were given a sneak peek at everything that we can expect from the Alexa competitor in the coming months, from smart displays to Android Auto to having Assistant in your ear. And now, we know that Google will be expanding not only Assistant’s capabilities but its geographic reach as well. At the Digital News Initiative (DNI) summit in Amsterdam last week, the tech giant announced that Google Assistant will be in 30 more countries by the end of the year.

Per a slide from Google’s presentation published on Twitter, countries that will soon be getting the gift of Assistant include the Netherlands, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Russia. As a result of this expansion, Assistant should be available in 52 countries by year’s end. In addition to its new homes, Assistant will also be learning a slew of new languages. In total, the smart helper will support 17 additional languages including Indian, Dutch, Russian, and Arabic.

This represents a big step forward for Assistant, which is currently available in rather limited geographic regions. Indeed, the artificial intelligence tool is available only in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, India, and Australia, for the time being, and speaks only English, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and French. And while this is soon to change, it’s still unclear as to exactly what timeframe Google is targeting for its rollout. After all, there is plenty of time between now and the end of 2018 for the company to make good on its promise.

Expanding Google Assistant’s language capabilities could be enormously helpful in Google’s quest to outpace Amazon’s Alexa, the incumbent in the space. After all, despite Alexa’s many abilities, she’s still quite limited in terms of her reach — currently, Alexa only speaks a few languages like English, German, and most recently Japanese.

But if Google and Amazon begin competing to see who can better serve their customers around the world first, you certainly won’t catch us complaining about it.

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• From TVs to automobiles, Google Assistant looks to make a big splash at CES 2018
• Google Home Max review
• Google extends Assistant support to older Android smartphones and tablets
• Samsung freezes out Alexa, opts for Bixby in Family Hub smart fridges