Earlier in April, Google released an AI-powered dictation tool that worked with local models. Now, the same team has released a new competitor to the AI note-taker Granola and others, which it calls Google AI Edge Foresight.

The Mac app can work completely offline, utilizing the on-device EmbeddingGemma 2 model, with 740 million parameters, to capture meeting notes across apps, including those from in-person meetings.

The app is similar to the popular AI note-taker Granola because it has a split-screen view with the ability to write shorthand notes on one side and AI-generated notes on the other side.

Like Granola, it also lets you take manual notes while transcribing the meeting. Plus, in Google’s app, you can view the transcript of the meeting or chat with the Gemma 4-powered assistant to get answers.

In addition, users can upload documents including PDFs, Google Docs, Microsoft Office formats, plain text, Markdown, and web bookmarks to build a knowledge base. Using your meeting notes and documents, the app can answer questions in real time if a point related to data in the knowledge base comes up.

On its FAQ page, the company specified that Google AI Edge Foresight is optimized for Apple Silicon and can completely work offline. This means you can work with your meeting notes when you are traveling or in a place without an internet connection.

While Google’s earlier dictation app was an experimental one that didn’t make it to mainstream usage, its new meeting note-taker could be just to showcase the ability of its Gemma series of offline models.

However, Google could very well release a consumer version of meeting note-taker that works across video calling apps through its Gemini apps while relying on its cloud models.

The meeting note-taker space is competitive and crowded. But that hasn’t stopped companies from creating their own tools. In the last few months, dictation company Wispr and scheduling company Calendly released their own notetakers. Meanwhile, productivity startup Superhuman (formerly Grammarly) acquired YC-backed notetaker Fathom last month.

TechCrunch Founder Summit is gearing up to return to Boston on November 4! We’re doing a last call for exceptional volunteers to join us in bringing this event to life. If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of tech events, now’s your chance to get involved.

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Amazon on Thursday unveiled a new lineup of Alexa tablets that feature personalized intelligence from its Alexa+ AI assistant and full access to the Google Play Store. The lineup includes three models: Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Amazon Alexa Tablet 11, and Amazon Alexa Tablet 8.

The tech giant says each tablet features an aluminum unibody design, high-resolution displays, and runs on Android. Plus, with access to the Google Play Store at launch, users will be able to download millions of apps, including YouTube, Netflix, Gmail, and more.

Until now, Amazon’s tablets have run Fire OS and ship with its own app store. With these new tablets, however, Amazon is taking a different approach to reach a wider audience. An Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch that these are an all-new product line with new hardware and a new OS, rather than a rebrand of Fire Tablets.

The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro measures 6.5 mm thick and is engineered for “perfect balance,” Amazon explained in a press release. It houses a 12-inch, 280 PPI display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 3:2 aspect ratio for more usable screen space, which the company says is perfect for reading, watching, or working. It comes in two display options: a standard display and a Nanomatte display with anti-glare.

Amazon says the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro delivers nearly three times the processing performance and nine times the graphics performance of any tablet it has shipped before. The company says the tablet can easily handle everything from multi-window multitasking and graphics-intensive gaming to 4K streaming. It features Dolby Atmos speakers, Wi-Fi 6E, and 16 hours of video playback.

The company also announced the Alexa Tablet Pro Pen and Pro Keyboard, which Amazon says are designed to turn the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro into a full workstation.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at $499.99, while the Nanomatte model starts at $549.99. The tablet comes in Graphite.

The new tablets are launching with built-in access to Alexa+. Users will be able to say “Alexa” or tap the “Ask Alexa” button to get answers to questions, control their smart home, and more. With On-Screen Intelligence, users will be able to ask Alexa to look at what’s on screen to receive contextual help. For example, while browsing a list of trails, users can ask Alexa, “Which of these hikes is best for me?”

The Alexa Tablet 11 is an 11-inch device with a 2.5K display at 276 pixels per inch, 90Hz smooth scrolling, and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The tech giant says it’s designed for streaming, gaming, reading, and browsing. It features 15 hours of video playback and dual Dolby Atmos speakers. It starts at $329.99 and comes in Graphite, Amethyst, and Matcha.

The Alexa Tablet 8 is the smallest and most portable of the three, featuring an 8.7-inch display and an all-aluminum design that weighs 329 grams. It’s designed to be held in one hand and carried anywhere for reading, browsing, and streaming on the go, Amazon says. It starts at $229.99 and comes in Graphite, Rosette, and Teal.

All of the new tablets are launching with a new Kindle reading experience. When users open the Kindle app, notifications are silenced, blue light is reduced, and battery life can last up to 20 hours.

The company also announced on Wednesday that it’s launching new Amazon Kids tablets, with 8.7-inch and 11-inch sizes available. Bundles include a tablet, a kid-proof case, and a year of Amazon Kids+, which provides access to thousands of kid-friendly books, games, videos, and apps in an ad-free environment.

There are separate versions for pre-K kids (ages 3+) and kids 6+, as younger kids get a soft bumper case in designs from franchises like Paw Patrol and Barbie, while older kids get a slim hard case with a built-in kickstand.

All three Amazon Alexa Tablets and the Amazon Kids Tablets will go on sale October 14, 2026, in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. They’ll launch in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on October 19, while the Amazon Kids Tablets will also be available in Japan starting October 14.