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Singaporean photographer wins #ShotOniPhone challenge

One of ten total winners

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Throughout the years, Apple’s iPhone has been proven as one of the major leaders when it comes to mobile photography. As fans became so loyal to their iPhones, they’ve shown how happy they are with its image processing and quality by using the hashtag #ShotOniPhone, which has become rampant, especially when posting photos on Instagram.

For the same reason, Apple also announced their #ShotOniPhone contest that’s open for everyone. Fans all around the world have participated to submit the best shots they have in their camera roll. Out of all the entries from several countries, winners have been selected by 11 notable judges in the field of photography and photojournalism. Darren Soh, a Singaporean photographer focusing on architectural visuals, talks to GadgetMatch about how honored he is being triumphant in said photo-centric competition.

With him being a proud Singaporean, he loves to show what the country has to offer through concrete slabs and aging rocks. Singapore, believe it or not, has become one of the most popular Asian tourist destinations and for him, the essence of capturing known landmarks such as the Marina Bay Sands and showing it to people is nowhere near as unique and breathtaking as capturing the puddle reflection of a public housing in the heartlands of the city.

Getting specific about his winning entry, he told us the photograph took place in Potong Pasir, a public housing estate well known for its architectural landscape, including “ski-slope roofs” on top of its buildings. Right after the basketball court got cleaned up, the perfect combination of the puddle and the housing’s recognizable outer structure made him grab his phone, experiment with the angles, and shoot as many photos as he could.

In an instantaneous moment, a crow suddenly appeared on the upper-right part of the photograph. Out of all the shots he took, the crow only appeared on one image, making it a picture-perfect shot with great composition and timing. Fair enough, the photo was captured using the iPhone XS Max, which is considered today as one of the most popular camera smartphones for professional mobile photography. It may not be on par with most professional DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but it got the job done — a perfect fit for this year’s billboards and Apple store backdrops.

Behind his photo conveys a deeper message: “Singapore is a country that is changing so rapidly. We cannot save every old building but we can try our best to photograph them all,” Soh said.

With the continuous growth of the country, paired with the recent technological advancements and innovations, the cityscape and its cultural heritage are getting less preserved and appreciated. Soh’s appreciation for architecture through photographs is one clever way to preserve the time and overall look of Singapore’s dynamic growth and ever-changing skyline.

His entry, along with the other nine selected winners, will be featured on billboards in select cities, Apple retail stores, and across the web.

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Logitech introduces a dedicated shortcut for ChatGPT

Compatible with most keyboards and mice

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April 19, 2024

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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

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X’s AI accused Klay Thompson of vandalizing houses with bricks

AI thought joke posts were real

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April 18, 2024

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Image source: Keith Allison, Wikimedia

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.

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

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New X users must pay a dollar per year to post and reply

Rolling out globally now

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April 16, 2024

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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.

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.

SEE ALSO: X will no longer let you hide your blue checkmark

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