Adjusting your Google TV settings is one of those things that sounds simple until you are three menus deep trying to find the brightness slider. Google just made that whole experience a lot less annoying.

The company has rolled out new controls for Gemini, and TCL is the exclusive launch partner, meaning TCL TV owners get access to the feature for the first 60 days before it opens up to other Google TV brands.

What can the new Gemini TV controls actually do for you?

Instead of digging through settings menus, you can talk to your TV. You can ask Gemini to adjust brightness, contrast, volume, and picture modes using your voice. If something looks or sounds off, you can describe the problem in plain language.

Saying something like “the screen is too dark” or “I can’t hear the dialogue” will prompt Gemini to fix it for you directly. You can also ask Gemini to fine-tune settings based on what you are watching, or jump straight into the settings menu without clicking through multiple screens to get there. It is the kind of feature that sounds small but saves you time every single time you use it.

Which TCL TVs are getting this update?

The rollout is live now across select 2025 and 2026 TCL Google TV models in the US. The compatible models are the QM9K, QM7L, RM7L, X11L, QM9L, QM8L, and RM9L. It is unclear at this stage whether older TCL models like the QM6K, QM7K, or QM8K will receive the update later.

The timing is worth noting, too. With the FIFA World Cup kicking off this summer, having quick voice control over your picture and sound settings before a big match is a useful addition. The company is also launching a dedicated World Cup Hub on Google TV with live match information, schedules, highlights, and YouTube content.

Google is continuing its push to make Gemini a central part of Android by giving the AI assistant deeper integration with Google Contacts. A newly discovered update suggests Gemini may soon handle contact-related tasks more directly, potentially turning it into a more capable personal assistant for calls, messaging, and everyday communication.

According to a report by 9to5Google, the latest Google app beta includes references showing that Gemini integration with Google Contacts is expanding beyond basic assistant functions. The feature appears designed to let Gemini interact more naturally with saved contacts, helping users quickly find people, initiate communication, and manage relationship-based tasks through conversational commands.

The update reflects Google’s broader strategy of positioning Gemini as more than just a chatbot. Instead of acting as a standalone AI tool, Gemini is increasingly becoming deeply embedded across Android services, apps, and system functions.

Google wants Gemini to feel more like a real phone assistant

The integration could significantly improve how users interact with Android devices. Rather than manually searching for contacts, opening apps, or navigating menus, users may simply ask Gemini to perform actions involving specific people stored in their contact list.

That could include tasks such as finding a person’s details, starting calls, sending messages, sharing information, or interacting with contacts through connected Google apps. Reports suggest the functionality may rely on Gemini’s understanding of relationships and conversational context rather than requiring rigid voice commands.

This matters because AI assistants have historically struggled to feel genuinely useful in day-to-day smartphone usage. While voice assistants can already place calls or send texts, they often require precise wording and still feel disconnected from broader workflows. Google appears to be trying to make Gemini more proactive and context-aware by giving it tighter access to personal data and Android services.

For users, the convenience could be substantial. A more intelligent contact-aware assistant may reduce friction when multitasking, driving, or quickly trying to communicate with people. Instead of opening multiple apps manually, users could rely on conversational requests handled directly by Gemini.

At the same time, deeper contact integration may raise familiar privacy concerns. Access to personal relationships, communication patterns, and contact data gives AI systems significantly more insight into users’ lives. While Google positions Gemini as a productivity-focused assistant, expanding its reach into sensitive personal information will likely invite scrutiny from privacy advocates.

Gemini’s role inside Android keeps expanding rapidly

The Google Contacts integration is part of a much larger shift happening across Android. Over the past year, Google has steadily replaced or reworked traditional Google Assistant features with Gemini-powered alternatives.

Gemini is already appearing inside Gmail, Drive, Docs, Photos, Search, and Messages, while Android itself is becoming increasingly centered around AI-powered experiences. The addition of deeper Contacts integration suggests Google wants Gemini to evolve into a true operating-system-level assistant capable of managing communication, organization, and productivity tasks seamlessly.

The feature has reportedly been spotted in development and has not officially launched yet, meaning details could still change before release. However, its discovery strongly suggests Google is preparing even tighter Gemini integration across core Android apps.

As AI assistants become more deeply woven into smartphones, the line between operating system and personal AI companion continues to blur – and Google appears determined to make Gemini the center of that experience.

Google may have just accidentally shown everyone where Gemini is headed next. According to TestingCatalog, a new Troubleshooting mode has quietly appeared inside the Gemini model picker menu for some users.

It sits alongside existing options like Gemini 3.5 Flash and 3.1 Pro, which are the standard AI models you already switch between in the app.

GOOGLE : A new Troubleshooting mode has been spotted on Gemini.

In this mode, Gemini will explain troubleshooting process via text responses and interactive widgets. Even though it is working and available, it still looks like an unintended release and might get reverted… https://t.co/FWQLelYXju pic.twitter.com/Y73PJb7y1e

— AI News | TestingCatalog (@testingcatalog) June 4, 2026

What does the Troubleshooting mode in Gemini actually do?

Rather than giving you a wall of text to read, the Troubleshooting mode guides you through a problem step by step using a mix of text responses and interactive widgets.

For example, if you tell Gemini your car will not start, it might identify common causes like a dead battery and then present you with symptom options to tap, such as “clicks or silent,” to help narrow down the issue faster. It is a more structured, guided experience than asking Gemini a question in regular chat mode.

How is this different from just asking Gemini normally?

That is a fair question, and the answer comes down to how the mode is tuned under the hood. Redditors who got early access suggest it runs on a lower temperature setting, which means it sticks closely to the problem at hand and skips the conversational filler.

Its responses are reportedly focused on diagnosis and practical fixes rather than general information. Google has not officially announced the feature, and it remains unclear whether this is a planned rollout or an internal test.

For now, the Troubleshoot feature appears to be an unintended release, meaning Google likely flipped it on by mistake, and could pull it back at any time. More details are expected in the coming weeks.

If you find Gemini’s new Troubleshooting mode exciting, there is a lot more happening with the assistant right now. Google just unveiled Gemini Spark, a 24/7 AI agent that handles your tasks in the background. On the flip side, free users may soon face stricter weekly usage caps.