Great Wall Motors (GWM) has been at the forefront of championing new energy vehicles (NEVs) by combining its technological prowess with engineering know-how. The company and its brands like HAVAL and ORA have been actively releasing, researching and developing products that push boundaries when it comes to NEVs.
More recently, the company showcased its “Go with More” proposition and its commitment to electrification at a global experience event in Baoding, China. The event saw participants from over 60 countries, from various regions, experience the latest products from GWM’s sub-brands at the company’s state-of-the-art testing ground. The testing ground, lauded as one of the most advanced in Asia, provided a diverse testing environment which could put these vehicles to task. From high-speed rings and dynamic squares to test hills, GWM’s offerings were put to the test in every terrain.
GWM showcased various models from its sub-brands including HAVAL’s new energy SUV, the HAVAL H6 PHEV, the GWM TANK500 PHEV, the POER HEV and the ORA LIGHTNING CAT.
Source: Great Wall Motors (GWM)
GWM showcased its new energy SUV from HAVAL – codenamed B07 – which was only recently announced as the “Fierce Dragon MAX” for the Mainland Chinese Market. The “Fierce Dragon MAX” is one of the first GWM vehicles to boast its proprietary Hi4 (Hybrid intelligent 4WD) technology. This technology allows the large, spacious SUV to strike a balance between high performance and low fuel consumption.
Source: Great Wall Motors (GWM)
ORA’s LIGHTNING CAT reimagines the coupe class with its fastback design; bringing together sporty aesthetics and fashionable style. It also checks the box for being even more green with its eco-friendly interior which provides not only comfort but a stylish, delicate experience for both the driver and passengers.
Throughout the showcase, GWM highlighted its commitment to driving NEVs while showcasing the quality, performance and innovation in its wide range of vehicles available and launching worldwide. Their comprehensive lineup of NEVs, including HEV, PHEV and EV models, garnered much praise from those in attendance.
The company has made significant investments in R&D with an approach that prioritises “precise input in pursuit of leadership”. To date, GWM has invested a total of CNY12.181 billion (MYR7.922 billion/USD$1.717 billion) in 2022 and is projected to invest over CNY100 billion(MYR65.023billion/USD$14.098 billion) by 2025.
Samsung only recently made their global WOW announcement promising even deeper immersion and a wider range of experiences with their new Neo QLED televisions. The new Neo QLED TVs are also joined by a new lineup of soundbars and QLED TVs.
The new lineup of Neo QLED TVs comes with Samsung’s Infinity Edge design which minimizes the bezel of the display to insane levels. In fact, this year’s Neo QLED TVs don’t have a bezel at all. You literally see only screen from edge to edge sitting in front of the TVs. The bezels are so minimal – only visible at the bottom where Samsung has packed the sensors.
Both QLED and Neo QLED TVs come with Samsung’s Q Symphony technology which creates an immersive audio experience with Samsung’s Q series soundbars. This is achieved by using the TV’s built-in speakers in symphony with the Q series soundbars creating a wide, Dolby Atmos-certified soundscape that takes the viewer deeper into the content that they’re consuming. This feature is now available even with entry-level Neo QLED TVs.
Together with this, Samsung TVs continue to bring its TizenOS-based operating system. This OS runs on the latest generation of Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor 8K. The software, paired with the processor brings intelligent, AI-enhanced features that bring even more detail and an even more immersive experience. This includes intelligent upscaling of any content to take advantage of the 8K resolution of the TV. They also come with an AI-enhanced Gaming mode that not only detects when you turn on your console but also changes to the appropriate input and unlocks performance mode with a 120Hz refresh rate on compatible models. With apps like Samsung Health, you’ll be able to access workouts and exercise programs that you can do right from the comfort of your living room.
Samsung’s SmartThings also takes center stage on the new lineup of Neo QLED and QLED TVs. Not only does it appear on your SmartThings app, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of your larger screen to control and customize your other SmartThings compatible devices. With the recent integration with Matter, you’ll be able to connect devices across multiple brands on the larger screen of the TVs. What’s more, if you’re setting up the TV from a Samsung smartphone, you’ll simply need to sign in with your SmartThings or Samsung account and you’ll have your settings seamlessly installed and synced.
Pricing & Availability
Samsung’s 2023 lineup of Neo QLED TV lineup is currently available at Samsung stores and at retail partner stores.
Canon has announced quietly that they are going to be focusing more on the mirrorless market segment than the traditional DSLR. While this does not mean that the DSLR format is dead, it is a significant sign that the photography and film making industry is moving forward and championing mirrorless technology, after many years in the making that is. It is also quite hard to believe that Canon, the largest camera brand that has championed DSLR and made countless lenses for the market, would move to mirrorless systems completely. The newly launched Canon EOS R100 should make you believe that Canon is really moving toward the mirrorless direction.
Unlike their higher end EOS R series of cameras, the EOS R100 is an APS-C format camera and is meant to be one of the more compact options in their mirrorless line-up. It is, in effect, Canon’s lightest camera at merely 356g (body only). Unlike their old M-series of mirrorless cameras, the EOS R100 is compatible with Canon’s latest RF and RF-S lenses, which also means that this camera will have plenty of future support still. Of course, you can still adapt it to older EF lenses with the EF-EOS R mount adapter if you already have some EF mount lenses on hand.
Source: Canon
The APS-C CMOS sensor found in the EOS R100 is a 24.2-Megapixel unit that is also capable of shooting videos at 4K (24p) resolution and up to 120p Full HD high speed videos. The new EOS R100 also offers Eye and Face Detection even in video recording mode to ensure that your subject is always in focus. With compatible lenses, you also get the highly acclaimed in-body stabilization features for both your videos and photos. While there is a high-resolution EVF and a 1.04 million dot LCD for you to work with, the built-in LCD display is fixed in its place, meaning that you might want to think about getting a secondary monitor when it comes to video work. It is also not a touch sensitive display, which means you do not get touch focus functions here.
Content creators might enjoy the EOS R100 still though. There is a Hybrid Auto mode that puts together a bunch of your phones and video snippets into an easy to digest movie of the day of some sorts. There is also a 4K Timelapse video mode for you to quickly and easily shoot a timelapse video with pre-determined intervals for a smooth looking, high-resolution timelapse video that usually takes hours to stitch together. On top of all of that, the camera offers plenty of Creative Assist modes that offers you things like ‘background blur’ for that desired portrait effect. You can even quickly change your ‘brightness’ and ‘saturation’ settings without messing about with things like ISO, shutter speeds, and aperture; the camera does it for you. If not, there is Scene modes and Scene Intelligent Auto that automatically adjusts your camera to whatever it thinks is best for your frame. To complete the look, there are Creative filters for you to play around with too.
Price and Availability
Currently, at US$ 480 (MYR 2,379*) onward, the Canon EOS R100 is Canon’s most affordable mirrorless EOS R series to date. There are no mentions of any other colour option currently except for black, as usual. They are also no mentions of the official arrival of the camera in Malaysia currently. Based on the quoted official price in Malaysia though, we can expect the camera to be coming to Malaysia soon. More on the Canon EOS R100 can be found on their website.
Sony’s ZV-1 was something we thought was rather clever for content creators to work with. It was compact, offered 4K video recording, and all the clever features that any content creators could enjoy and appreciate. Now, you can get your hands on one Sony ZV-1 camera at MYR 2,599, which is not too unreasonable.
There is a new kid on the block, just launched by Sony last night. The new kid is the sort of follow up to the ZV-1 compact shooter, the ZV-1 II (Mk. II, M2). No, it is not quite a replacement to the ZV-1, at least not according to Sony. They say that they have made some improvements based on the feedback from their community and users, but it is not meant to replace the ZV-1. They will still be selling the ZV-1 alongside this Mk. II.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The design of the camera has not changed very much. You would be forgiven for mistaking the ZV-1 II for the ZV-1 when you put them together. They both come in the same colour options too, which does not help in telling the cameras apart. The price tag is a little different though, we will get into that later.
The difference is really more than skin deep. Instead of 24-70mm, you get a much wider viewpoint with the widest shot at 18mm and zooming up to 50mm. The 18-50mm lens is fast too with a variable aperture from F1.8-4.0. The wider lens also offers more shooting flexibility and creative avenues for landscapes and even selfies. You do not need to stretch your hands all that much anymore or find a selfie stick to work with. You can just have your natural arm’s length to get a good frame for yourself and even others to join you even without the help of selfie sticks. You still can get your hands on Sony’s clever remote camera grip though, if you want to.
They have improved the microphone too. It is now a 3-capsule unit that captures audio from all directions. It is clever too; the ZV-1 II can quickly switch its recording direction when it detects human faces in its frame allowing you to shoot your vlogs without needing another mic attachment. You can also select its shooting direction manually, your options are front, rear, and all directions. There is an included windscreen too for you to use in the great outdoors. If you still prefer to shoot with a mic attachment, you can get an assortment from Sony’s own stables that works with the Multi Interface shoe mounting or get a generic one and connect them to the camera via the 3.5mm mic jack.
Source: Sony
It is still a 1.0 type CMOS sensor with Sony’s Exmor RS image processor that boasts about 21-Megapixel. You get a lot more shooting options with the ZV-1 II over the previous camera though. You get a CInematic Vlog settings that you might like, if your main medium is YouTube. The settings offer you a very cinematic CinemaScope 2.35:1 video aspect ratio and 24fps for your videos for that cinema look. You do not get to shoot in Sony’s famous colour gamut Logs, but the camera still can cleverly offer you five looks and four different moods to your video that also enables you to create content more quickly than ever.
Even for photography, you get to work with up to 10 preset looks allowing you to shoot in different creative styles without post processing. That means your contents get from the camera to social media channels much faster than before especially when you pair it to Sony’s Creator’s mobile app.
Source: Sony
For a better and more seamless shoot experience, the ZV-1 II offers Face Priority AE and Soft Skin effects for natural and better-looking skin tones in whatever lighting conditions that you subject the camera to. Its Fast Hyubrid autofocus system will ensure that the camera locks and tracks its subjects accurately without too much focus hunting for better looking videos even without a shooting assistant. Its Eye AF can also now lock on to animals’ eyes in both video and photopgraphy mode for even more shooting flexibility than before. For the reviewers, the ZV-1 II offers a clever Product Shwocase mode that you can activate to ensure that the device priortises intended subjects instead of the face or human being in the frame and then transitioning smoothly from face to product and vice versa.
Its S&Q mode also now offers up to 5x slow motion video recording or 60x quick motion video recordings to add flavour to your videos. With a dedicated S&Q mode, you can have complete control over the ZV-1 II’s shooting parameters on a single screen too. With up to ISO12800 (from ISO125), the camera is capable of shooting clear stills and videos in low-light conditions. Even when you are moving while shooting, the ZV-1’s Active Mode stabilisation should keep things smooth and shake free. It even includes its own built-in ND filter for outdoor shoots.
Price and Availability
The Sony ZV-1 II will be coming to Malaysia in July 2023. Sony have also confirmed that the ZV-1 II will be available for MYR 3,999 onward. It is MYR 1,400 more than the current ZV-1. There is no other way to put it, it is expensive. Still, if you want the best vlogging camera money can buy, this is probably it. Like the ZV-1, you can have it in Black or White. More on the Sony ZV-1 II can be found on their website.
NVIDIA launched their Ada Lovelave architecture technology last year with the rather humungous NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 flagship class GPUs. That brought high-end 4K and 8K gaming to the hands of consumers who could afford them. For the ones that could not, they had to be content with the existing NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series set-up. They had to settle for an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or RTX 3070, since the RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 were still sold at incredibly high prices at the time. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti came rather late to the Ada Lovelace party, but it was still a welcome addition to the RTX 40 series line-up since that means that Ada Lovelace is becoming a little more accessible to normal people. The RTX 4070 Ti is still, by no means, a cheap or affordable GPU to start with though, for those looking to game on a budget, they still must go for NVIDIA’s outdated GeForce RTX 3060. Not anymore.
NVIDIA has just announced that the NVIDIDA GeForce RTX 4060 family is finally seeing the light. This includes the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti variant of the GPU. Alongside the announcement of the latest entry-level RTX 40 series GPU, NVIDIA announces that over 300 games now support DLSS 3 upscaling technology for better gaming performance at higher graphics quality.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
The regular NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 3,072 CUDA cores that clocks in at 2.46 GHz, which is curiously less cores than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 that came before it. The GPU is clocked higher than before though, and with Ada Lovelace architecture, should prove to be an improvement over the RTX 3060. Obviously, the GeForce RTX 4060 also comes with NVIDIA’s 3rd generation Ray Tracing cores that also supports DLSS 3.0 and 4th Generation Tensor cores that should prove to perform better than the older 60 class GPU.
The result is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 performing about 1.7x better than the RTX 3060 on average. While you only get the choice of an 8GB GDDR6 memory option, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 should be a better all-around performer for Full HD 1080p gaming natively. Of course, if you want even better performance and higher frame rates, you can upscale your games with DLSS 3.0.
You still can output the GPU to an 8K display at up to 60Hz with either HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.0 on the Founder’s Edition GPUs. Whether or not we will see a combination of HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 on partner boards is a guess. Still, it can power up to 4 monitors simultaneously if you need that kind of set-up. It is a 60 class GPU, and it is not meant for higher power consumptions, and therefore it only draws up to 115W in TGP.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
For those who are looking to spend a little more on their GPU, but not RTX 4070 high, the RTX 4060 Ti should fit the bill nicely. It is technically more powerful than the RTX 4060. It also a large improvement over the GPU it replaces.
Again, Ada Lovelace architecture means that the new GeForce RTX 4060 Ti does not have to have larger amounts of CUDA cores within the GPU. It only has 4,352 CUDA cores over the 4,864 of the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. There is the 3rd Generation Ray Tracing cores and 4th Generation Tensor Cores too with AV1 support that is making the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti perform about 1.7x better than the old GPU it replaces. Like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, the RTX 4060 Ti is designed to crush games even better at Full HD resolutions.
You can also drive up to 4 displays with the 4 output ports from the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti reference GPU. One of them would have to be plugged into the HDMI port, but it is HDMI 2.1 so you still can get 8K 60Hz output out from the GPU. Thanks to lower core counts, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more efficient than ever with up to 165W TGP over the older 200W even with 16GB of GDDR6 memory on board.
Price and Availability
There is no mention on whether NVIDIA will offer the GeForce RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti with GDDR6X memory or not. With GDDR6X being available for the older GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti, we can assume that NVIDIA will be planning to bring the new 40 series entry-level GPUS with GDDR6X memory. For now, no other manufacturing partners have showcased their own version of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti GPUs. If you plan to get NVIDIA’s Founder’s Edition GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, prices start at US$ 299 (MYR 1,359*), which is not entirely unreasonable. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti starts at US$ 399 (MYR 1,813*) for the 8GB edition and the 16GB edition will set you back MYR US$ 499 (MYR 2,267*). More information on the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPUs can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.54 as of 22/05/2023 on xe.com
Google’s Gmail is the next best thing to happen to emails and online accounts since Hotmail, Friendster, and Facebook. In almost every service you have on your smartphone or on the web, you tend to rely solely on your Google account. You sign into your Netflix account with your Google email, you sign into your Facebook account with Google email, you register for services with your Google email. Why not? It is free, and super easy to use and set-up.
The thing is, because of its ease of use, people tend to take advantage of it. You sign up for multiple accounts, you use those accounts to sign up for free services all around the internet just so that you can take advantage of free use periods of certain premium services. Yes, you can do that with YouTube premium, but do not recommend you do that. You would also have to have a new Gmail account every month, a headache to manage.
Google has been cracking down on phishing scams, account hijacking, and general email security for a long time with Gmail. But there is always going to be problems, especially when an account has been idle for too long. It not only takes up space in the database, but it also becomes a security concern, especially with the rising cases of account hijacking cases of late. According to Google’s internal teams, abandoned or forgotten accounts that are ten-folds less active than regular accounts does not feature added security layers like 2-step verification, meaning that the accounts tend to be a lot more vulnerable for hacks and identity theft, phishing basically.
While Google is giving more control over their accounts to users who owns the accounts in one way or another, they are adding another policy to their already extensive guidelines to Google accounts usage. Google will be deleting accounts that have been inactive for two years and above. If you have a Google account you have not activated or logged into for the past two years and more, you will no have access to them anymore come December 2023. This deletion will be a complete deletion that even includes data from Google Workspace apps and Google Photos.
For now, the policy only affects personal Google Accounts. If you are a business relying on Google’s services, you still have full control over your own Google Accounts. They are also taking a phased approach to the deletion and will inform users comprehensively and accordingly.
HUAWEI launched the P60 series of devices not too long ago this year. Of course, being HUAWEI’s biggest market outside of China, you would expect them to launch the P60 series sometime soon in Malaysia. They did just that.
They launched the P60 Pro last week alongside a few new shiny devices, including a rather interesting foldable smartphone that we thought looked rather slick. No matter though, the star of the show was supposed to be the HUAWEI P60 Pro, their latest photography flagship smartphone.
To recap, the HUAWEI P60 Pro was launched in China sometime in March 2023. Within the device is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ gen1 4G platform. No 5G technology here, no thanks to the trade ban. You get up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512G of on-board storage with the powerful System on a Chip (SoC).
It is not Android that powers the device either, as we all have come to expect it. Instead, you get an in-house developed EMUI 13.1. While the main architecture and design of EMUI 13.1 is based mostly on Android, HUAWEI’s P60 Pro will not be coming with Google Play Store on-board.
Source: HUAWEI
EMUI 13.1 is displayed in all its glory on a 6.67-inch LTPO OLED display that offers up to 120Hz in refresh rate. It is not a Full HD display; you get 1,220 by 2,700 pixels, not quite QHD either. Still, the display offers brilliant OLED vividness and saturation at P3 wide colour gamut.
Out the back is a powerful 48-Megapixel main shooter that can also capture 4K videos. There is also a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter alongside a 48-Megapixel telephoto camera to support the main camera and offer users more variety in their photos. Out the front is a 13-Megapixel selfie camera that also offers 4K video recording capabilities.
Keeping the device running and charged up the entire day is a 4,815mAh internal battery that should last for more than a day even with constant usage. If that is not enough, you can charge the device at up to 88W with a compatible charger and cable combination. If you prefer to keep your device unplugged, the device can still be charged at up to 50W using Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge technology.
The HUAWEi P60 Pro is now available for pre-orders at MYR 4,699 until 19th of May 2023 at select HUAWEI Experience Stores. You can select between Rococo Pearl and Black colour options. Device collection can be done the day after the pre-order period ends. Each pre-order entitles you to a selection of gift vouchers for various services and products. If you collect your device on the 20th of May 2023, you are also entitled to an MYR 200 Touch n Go voucher and a chance at winning a HUAWEI Vision S television worth MYR 3,499. You can learn more about the HUAWEI P60 Pro on their website.
Pre-orders will also get access to an enticing selection of vouchers from renowned brands including:
Amazfit is at it again! The company launched their stylish GTR Mini not too long ago, now, it’s upping the ante with a big jump into the perfect wearable for active users – the Amazfit T-Rex Ultra.
Source: Amazfit/Zepp Health Corporation
The new T-Rex Ultra is a wearable built for the outdoors and the active lifestyle. It comes with a body made of 316L Stainless Steel that is forged to be durable and scratch resistant. It’s also built to be mud resistant and keep debris out of the system. In fact, the T-Rex Ultra is certified for free diving up to 30 meters depth (EN13319) and can resist water pressures equivalent to 100 meters depth (ISO6245). Best part? It weighs in at less than 90g.
The rugged smartwatch is also equipped with a 1.39-inch AMOLED display with a 454×454 pixel resolution of 326 pixels per inch (PPI). You’ll be able to interact with ZeppOS 2.0 via the touchscreen on the watch or using the four physical buttons on the Amazfit T-Rex Ultra. The display also has a 1,000 nits peak brightness perfect for viewing under direct sunlight.
Source: Amazfit/Zepp Health Corporation
It also comes equipped with a bevvy of sensors including a BioTracker PPG biometric sensor which supports measurements of blood oxygenation (SpO2) and heart rate tracking, accelerometer, gyroscopic sensor, geomagnetic sensor, barometric altimeter and ambient light sensors. These sensors feed raw data into ZeppOS 2.0 where you will get easy-to-understand charts and graphs. Trekkers and hikers will be able to take advantage of the dual-band, 6-satellite positioning system which provides accurate GPS coordinates and route tracking.
Source: Amazfit/Zepp Health Corporation
The T-Rex Ultra comes with over 160 sports modes that allow you to track and estimate your calories during your workouts. Amazfit has equipped it with smart recognition of 25 strength training activities and 8 sports activities. These activities will automatically start tracking when the smartwatch detects movements related to the activities.
The Amazfit T-Rex Ultra syncs seamlessly with smartphones running a minimum of Android 7.0 and iOS 12.0 via Bluetooth 5.0 BLE. Your data will also be synced seamlessly to the cloud through WiFi. Your data can also be synced with apps like Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava, Adidas Running, and Relive.
Pricing & Availability
The Amazfit T-Rex Ultra is currently available in two colours: Abyss Black and Sahara. It is retailing for MYR1,899 on Shopee, Lazada and the official Amazfit e-store.
AirAsia’s “super-app” has been a work in progress for a while now. The app has launched several services, including ride-sharing, travel bookings and food delivery. In fact, the app leveraged its budget airline to deliver local delicacies like Penang’s famous Char Kueh Teow on specific days to users who pre-order. However, it looks like AirAsia isn’t going to be staying in food delivery for long – well, not independently.
Airasia and Foodpanda will complement each other’s services in a ground-breaking partnership agreement. AirAsia will leverage Foodpanda’s extensive grocery and food delivery network and riders for food delivery while Foodpanda will offer ride-sharing services via Airasia Ride’s growing fleet of drivers. The partnership will come into effect from 30th May 2023.
The partnership will essentially see AirAsia throw in the towel when it comes to food delivery. From what we can see, the apps will not be intricately linked, instead, they will prompt users to head over to the other app. For now, this is being done with a prominent banner on Foodpanda’s home screen while on the AirAsia Superapp, the banner appears on the “food” section of the app.
That said, the partnership expands the services offered by Foodpanda, one of the biggest food and grocery delivery apps in Malaysia. With the partnership kicking into gear, AirAsia’s food services will be transitioning to a dine-in model. No information just yet on whether AirAsia’s unique food delivery services and options will transition in the partnership, but it does seem like the food services on the superapp are winding down.
Both Foodpanda and Airasia will be sharing more information on their socials as they kick into gear. You can follow them @airasiasuperapp and @foodpandamy.
After Google I/O 2023 last week, you might have noticed that your Android smartphone pushing a notification to you. It is a prompt for you to try Google’s updated Bard. Most of you on Google’s email platform (Gmail) might also get an email asking you to try Bard today. If you are familiar with AI (artificial intelligence) news, you might already be familiar with Google’s Bard alongside OpenAI’s ChatGPT. To those, it might sound like a foreign object.
In simple terms, Google Bard is really the Google version of ChatGPT. While ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI, Bard is completely Google. You want to keep in mind that both ChatGPT and Bard are two separate platforms altogether though before jumping to conclusions and say that they are the same things. They are both categorised as generative AI, but they are both different from one another.
Unlike ChatGPT which has existed for some time, and is in its fourth iteration, Google Bard is fresh out of the oven; two months out of the oven, to be fair. Like ChatGPT, Google Bard was launched as an experiment. Like ChatGPT as well, the technology for Google Bard is not exactly new.
What is Google Bard?
Source: Google
As mentioned, Google Bard is a generative and creative AI by Google. Instead of overcomplicating the explanation, Google’s FAQ says that Google Bard is technically based on their LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) AI model, Google’s very own linguistics program written for conversational purposes. When we say conversational, we do not mean that it will be like a regular conversation with a human being, but LaMDA aims to make it close.
To be fair, Google’s conversational AI is not something you have not seen before, you see it with Google Assistant whenever you call out “Hey, Google,” or “Okay, Google”. You can even use Google’s clever Assistant to get you a booking for a restaurant by having Google Assistant make the call and get the booking done, instead of you calling the restaurant yourself. In their demo a few years ago, Google’s Voice Assistant sounded so natural that the other person on the other end of the line could not even tell that they are speaking to an artificial person. This proves that LaMDA works, and has a place in the world. But our many use case of the Google Assistant even with Google Nest systems is prove enough that conversational AI has many uses in the current world.
Bard is not just a conversationalist though. It is more than that, a generative AI of sorts. It still has its roots in LaMDA, but it is a lot more than that now. It is made as a collaborative tool, for you to basically generate ideas, tabulate and make sense of data, help you plan things, help you design tools and steps, collate your calendars, and even use it as a learning tool.
According to Google, Bard is made to create original contents at the request and behest of individual users. Meaning that the algorithm could be different are results can be different from one person to another. Because it is Google, any request or question you post to Bard might prompt Bard to look into hundred or thousands of sources and draw conclusions, or present result in a way the does not infringe copyright or plagiarism laws. In the case that it does take up contents from another source, Bard will acknowledge and cite its sources. Google Bard is not built to write your college essay though, it is built to be a collaborator to manage your work and your life, to make it more seamless somehow over just Googling things. They do actually have a ‘Google It’ button for you to make full use of Google’s search engine though.
It is not a 100% solution for your own research and use case though. Google has mentioned and stressed that Google Bard is an experiment. It is an opportunity for their AI engines to learn even more at an accelerated pace with public input and use. Google Bard is meant to be iterated, which also means that the current form of Google Bard will not be final. They also mention that Google Bard, at its current form will not be 100% accurate at all times; hence, the ‘Google It’ button on Bard. While it is open source, Google also says that Bard is not meant to be used commercially or for advertising purposes at this time.
Why Bard?
Source: Google
The entire existence of Bard could be a sharp response to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The success of the open-source AI platform has sort of forced Google to quickly introduce their own AI tool for use to the public. If they are to be believed, Google could offer the most powerful AI tool for the masses.
In the recent Google I/O 2023, Google has officially embraced Bard and announced that they have moved Bard to PaLM 2, an improved language model that offers more capabilities of Google Bard compared to just conversational based on LaMDA model. PaLM 2 now offers Bard the ability to code and program. It also allows Bard to solve even more complex mathematical problems and process through more complex reasoning models that offers Bard the ability to make better decisions over time.
As of Google I/O 2023, Google has opened the Bard experiment to more than 180 countries as of writing and is available in Japanese and Korean. As things go, Google is planning to open the experiment to more regions and make Bard available in about 40 languages. On top of more languages and regions, where the older Google Bard was mostly just conversational via text, the new improvement at Google I/O 2023 adds some visual flavours to your conversations with Bard. They have integrated Goole Lens into Bard and allow you to now scan photos of your things at home and let Bard come up with whatever captions you might want. You can even add photo references to your Google Bard generated itinerary when you travel.
But it is not just the surface updates for Google Bard. For Google I/O 2023, they have announced that Bard is not just a tool that is isolated from any other systems. Google is making the Bard available with an “export” button for collaboration purposes in the form of exporting and running codes on Python. You could directly copy email responses into your Gmail or Google Docs, if you want. If you want more out of Bard, you can even expect Adobe Firefly integration in the coming future for even more powerful generative tools like complete poster designs based on both Google’s and Adobe’s combined algorithms. They have also announced that they are working with more partners like Kayak, OpenTable, ZipRecruiter, Instacart, Wolfram and Khan Academy to get their Google Bard project integrated into their services and products.
In this case, where OpenAI is allowing you to plug its API anywhere and get it working with minor tweaks, Google is not looking to just do that. Google is offering deep integration with their partners to create even more, to become an even more powerful tool in your toolkit for the future. They look to open up even more opportunities and applications for the average user with deeper and more curated collaborations with partnering brands. While that may not necessarily be the best thing to do for some, it is a way forward for more integrated services and solutions to serve individuals and businesses better. It even allows partnering companies to understand their users and customers better in some cases.
