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My go-to mobile browser on my iPhone is Safari. On my Android phones, it's Google Chrome. But now there's another browser vying for first place on my mobile devices. And that's Microsoft Edge. Why? The latest version of mobile Edge integrates AI more heavily, helping gather information and answer questions across multiple tabs all in one shot.
Before we delve into the details, know that I'm certainly no AI or Copilot fanboy. I've criticized Microsoft's strong-arm tactics to push Copilot into every nook and cranny of its many products and services. And we all know that generative AI itself is fallible. But when done right, AI can be a helpful tool. That's why lately I've been turning to Edge on my iPhone and Android phone for specific types of searches.
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Now for the details. As described in a new blog post by Edge product VP Sean Lyndersay, Edge for mobile has adopted several AI-powered skills previously found only in its desktop counterpart. Plus, there are a few features new to both the mobile and desktop flavors.
In mobile Edge, you can now ask Copilot to summarize or answer questions about multiple tabs just as you can in the desktop version. That means no more hopping from one tab to another to summarize each one separately.
To try this, first make sure you've updated Edge on your Apple or Android device so that you're running version 148 or higher. Fire up the browser. As you research a particular topic, you'll likely open multiple tabs on it. On the new tab page, tap the Copilot icon at the start of the search bar, then type or speak your question or request, such as "Summarize the information in the open tabs." Copilot analyzes the content of all the open pages and then generates its response.
In a feature known as Journeys, mobile Edge will now keep track of topics you've explored through past searches, just as in the desktop version. The latest topic appears on the new tab page for easy access so you can pick up where you left off.
Also: I let Microsoft Edge's new AI feature read all my open tabs - and it's a total research time-saver
To set this up, go to Settings in mobile Edge, then tap the Copilot and AI setting. Select the option for Copilot New Tab Page and turn on the switches for Enable Copilot New Tab Page and Enable Journeys. After you've run some searches and checked out different pages, Edge will eventually turn your browsing journey into summaries that appear at the new tab page. Select a specific journey to continue exploring that topic.
Like the desktop version, mobile Edge has streamlined the new tab page with more useful content. From the page, you can run a traditional search or give Copilot a question or request. You'll see icons for certain web pages so you can revisit them. Tap the Add button to add more pages and even built-in features to the list. You can also remove any icon by pressing down on it and tapping the X. And then there's the summary of a past website journey.
In one feature new to both the desktop and mobile editions of Edge, Copilot can remember and tap into your browsing history to continue a conversation. Just tell the AI to discuss the topic you were browsing earlier, and it should review your history and reference your past chats to provide updated information.
Here's another AI skill in Edge that has expanded from the desktop to mobile. You can now ask Copilot to generate a podcast of your current web page or all open tabs. At the Copilot prompt, just type or tell it to create a podcast. Wait a few minutes while the podcast is generated. Once it's ready, just tap the Listen button to kick it off. From there, you're able to pause and skip ahead or go back 10 seconds.
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With the new Study and Learn mode in Edge for the desktop and mobile, you can ask Copilot to break down complex topics into study sessions or interactive quizzes. For this one, just open a web page on a difficult subject. At the Copilot prompt, type "Quiz me on this topic." The AI generates a brief multiple-choice quiz to challenge you.
There are a few other tricks up Copilot's sleeve. Edge for desktop and mobile now offers a new AI-powered assistant that can help you if you're stuck for the right words. Using Copilot Vision, you can now share your current screen on mobile just as on the desktop and then ask the AI questions about the content.
In the past, I never used mobile Edge very much since Safari and Chrome always felt more convenient and accessible. But with these new Copilot skills, I'll be sure to turn to Edge more frequently, especially when I'm searching for information that could use a helping hand from AI.
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