News
Pixel 3a is now officially the budget-friendly Google phone
Google’s first midrange phone
News about a cheaper Pixel 3 phone started to surface late last year, but it’s only going official today. After the long wait, Google‘s new midrange phone is here: the Pixel 3a.
Like before, the new Pixel 3a will come in two display sizes: 5.6 and 6.0 inches. As expected, the upsized sibling will be called the Pixel 3a XL.
Since the new Pixel 3a phones are positioned lower than the main Pixel 3 duo, Google has to make adjustments — and that includes the price. The Pixel 3a will start at US$ 399, which is half of the Pixel 3’s launch price. On the other hand, the bigger Pixel 3a XL will hit stores for US$ 479.
What mainly sets the Pixel 3a apart from the Pixel 3 is its polycarbonate body. Despite the different material though, the design is similar and it still has pressure-sensitive sides.
The Pixel 3a sports a notch-less OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution, Snapdragon 670 chip, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and 3000mAh battery. The Pixel 3a XL has the same specs but it has a larger 3700mAh battery to sustain its bigger display. Additionally, both support 18W fast charging via USB-C.
In true Pixel fashion, both versions of the Pixel 3a feature a single main camera. It has a 12-megapixel f/1.8 Dual Pixel sensor from Sony with optical image stabilization. As for selfies, it has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with a wide-angle lens.
Google’s Pixel 3a phones come with the well-received Night Sight, along with familiar Pixel camera features like Top Shot, Portrait Mode, and HDR+.
The latest version of Android 9 Pie comes out of the box with promised updates for at least three years. Essentially, the Pixel 3a will still get whatever Android version is available until 2022.
The phones will be available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Purple-ish.
SEE ALSO: Google’s laptop and tablet divisions are being cut down
Accessories
Logitech introduces a dedicated shortcut for ChatGPT
Compatible with most keyboards and mice
Artificial intelligence is already meant to simplify a workflow. However, despite the ease, there are still a few ways to optimize the process. Today, Logitech has launched a new shortcut to launch ChatGPT straight from your mouse or keyboard.
Minus programmable hotkeys or buttons, there are hardly any built-in way to easily access an AI model. For a typical workflow, it still consists of manually opening the model on a separate window and keeping it within cursor’s reach throughout the day.
Logitech is simplifying the process by adding a dedicated shortcut for its devices. With a Logitech keyboard or mouse supported by the Logi Options+ app, users can program a keyboard or mouse button for the new Logi AI Prompt Builder.
Once activated, the AI Prompt Builder automatically accesses easy options for highlighted text. For example, users can easily rephrase or summarize the text. Likewise, they can input their own custom queries. By eliminating a few clicks and some typing throughout the day, the new tool hopes to save you time.
While most Logitech keyboards and mice are compatible with the new tool, it is also more easily accessible with the new Logitech Signature AI Edition Mouse. The new mouse has a dedicated button just for AI prompts. If you’re an AI power user, this one is perfect for you.
SEE ALSO: Logitech unveils G Pro X 60 gaming keyboard: Price, details
Despite the ease that the technology promises, artificial intelligence still isn’t the most reliable thing you can depend on. Today’s models can still flub answers. Now, the pitfalls of AI are abundantly clear with a few mishaps on X. Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson was just “accused” of a vandalism spree involving bricks.
Late Tuesday night, X presented an AI-generated news snippet. The article, posted soon after the Warriors’ play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings, reads: “Klay Thompson Accused in Bizarre Brick-Vandalism Spree.”
The snippet hilariously described an incident where Thompson supposedly vandalized houses in Sacramento with bricks. Thankfully, according to the snippet, no one was hurt. It even had a few sources for its claims below the news summary.
First off… I am ok.
My house was vandalized by bricks 🧱
After my hands stopped shaking, I managed to call the Sheriff…They were quick to respond🚨
My window was gone and the police asked if I knew who did it👮♂️
I said yes, it was Klay Thompson
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 17, 2024
The sources, however, are just joke posts stemming from the recently concluded game. In that do-or-die game, Thompson put up a staggering 0 points on ten shot attempts, the most misses without a make by a Warrior since the ’68 season. Naturally, everyone joked that the Warriors guard just threw bricks all over Sacramento.
Now, X is currently experimenting with a new AI feature called Grok. The model collates trending topics and creates snippets of what’s happening for X users. However, it’s not exactly the smartest in determining real news from satiric ones. The feature notes as much, carrying a fine-print caveat warning users to “verify its outputs” because it’s an early feature and can make mistakes.
SEE ALSO: New X users must pay a dollar per year to post and reply
New users on X might soon face a tough time on the platform. The social media website will likely start charging new accounts a small fee for the right to post on the platform.
Now, the fee isn’t a new one. Almost six months ago, the company tested the paid system in New Zealand and the Philippines. New users in those countries had to pay a dollar per year for the ability to post and reply to content.
As spotted by X Daily News on the same platform, the company might be ready to take the experiment to a larger market. New text strings have shown that the policy is rolling out worldwide.
SPECULATION: X might be expanding its policy to charge new users before they reply/like/bookmark a post https://t.co/odqeyeiHBx pic.twitter.com/EU71qlwQ0D
— X Daily News (@xDaily) April 15, 2024
The policy is designed to combat a wave of bots appearing on the platform. By preventing new accounts from creating posts, X hopes to stave off the standard behavior of bots these days. You might have noticed them as OnlyFans creators in unrelated posts, peddling NSFW content on their bio.
Though the global rollout was only just spotted, owner Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed the change. Replying to X Daily News, Musk says that it is “the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.” He says that the current breed of bots can easily bypass simple checks these days.
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