Ep. 508: Does Nano Banana put Google on top in AI? Plus, the week's tech news, tips, and picks!

Google officially released Gemini 2.5 this week, with possibly the best AI name yet, Nano Banana. Many are saying this is now the top dog for image generation and spells the end for Photoshop. At the other end of the spectrum, Taco Bell is rethinking its AI ordering in the drive-thru. Plus, we get you caught up on the rest of the week's tech news. All so you can get out there and tech better.

For full show notes, links, and more, visit: https://www.notnerd.com/episode-508-does-nano-banana-put-google-on-top-in-ai/

INTRO (00:00)

Mr. Beast Team Water (03:15)

Apple Event - September 9th, 2025 (05:35)

MAIN TOPIC: Nano Banana (06:30)
- Google improves Gemini AI image editing with “nano banana” model
- 10 crazy Nano Banana AI image use cases that will blow your mind
- Google’s official Nano Banana prompt guide
- Image editing in Gemini just got a major upgrade

DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Use built-in translation app as a foreign dictionary (13:55)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (18:00)
- Florida deploys robot rabbits to control invasive Burmese python population
- Scientists unlock secret to thick, stable beer foams
- Rare snail has a 1-in-40,000 chance of finding a mate. New Zealand begins the search
- Your Word documents will be saved to the cloud automatically on Windows going forward
- World’s first 1-step method by US-China team turns plastic into fuel at 95% efficiency
- Humans inhale as much as 68,000 microplastic particles daily, study finds
- Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s engagement announcement breaks Instagram record

TAKES:
- Taco Bell rethinks future of voice AI at the drive-thru (22:10)
- Nothing busted using professional photos as Phone 3 samples (24:10)
- Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features (27:55)
- TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers’ personal information (31:10)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Snapshots of Kids Bike Jumping in the 1970s (33:35)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: DuoLingo - freemium (37:20)

Nate: 2 Pack Anker USB C Charger with Foldable Plug, 20W USB C Charger Block for iPhone 16/15 and More Series, Galaxy, Pixel, iPad (Cable Not Included) (45:00)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (49:40)

Find us elsewhere:

https://notpicks.com - Find links to previous picks of the week

https://www.notnerd.com - All things Notnerd

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