Google, please draw me a picture
I asked Google to draw me a frog on a beach, a man with a rose and a woman in a forest. Presto, they arrived, but not from any website. A robot made them on the spot.
It’s all part of the Search Generative Experience, or SGE, a free add-on to your regular Google search in Chrome. To set it up, go to Labs.Google.com and scroll down to “Search Powered by Generative AI.” Click “Getting Started,” then enable it. Now every Google query in Chrome will have an optional AI answer plus the usual links.
I asked it to “draw a chair on a raft going down Niagara Falls” and a Mona Lisa in Tahiti. Both were fantastic. But sometimes an image is “unavailable.”
To save your creations, click “export.” There’s also a “share” icon. Click it to post your image on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere.
SGE is great for nonartistic queries, too. On my computer I asked: “How does gravity work?” and “When will the war in Ukraine end?” and got good responses. You can also use SGE on your phone though I found it confusing.
A new, more personalized version of Google, called Project Magi, is coming in May to 1 million users initially. It will totally replace the current search engine, bringing SGE to everyone, without the need to sign up for it. It will also integrate Google Pay for AI-directed shopping.
A reader tries AI
A musician told me that Bing AI, renamed Copilot, helped him improve the lyrics of a bluegrass tune he wrote called “Sweet Arkansas.” Sounded great to me. But when he asked AI to create song lyrics from scratch, the results were “literary garbage.” My thoughts exactly.
Besides using Copilot on a computer, check out the new CoPilot app for iPhone or Android. It’s free.
Printer scam
“I was recently the victim of the Brother printer scam,” wrote a reader. “Please let me know if you can help me track down this awful person.” I can’t do that, but I can tell you how to avoid the scam.
It occurs when you call a number that looks like the real one but isn’t. It’s like clickbait. The fake number shows up on a legitimate site such as the Brother printer site, but is somehow layered over the real one.
Here’s what to look out for: If someone wants to charge you to remotely control your computer for diagnostic testing purposes, hang up. Otherwise, he could put a hack in place.
Years ago, I called a fake Microsoft number that came up in a Google search. I got a tech who took control of my computer even as my husband was saying, “Hang up!” Sure enough, my PC filled with garbage. It took a Windows System Restore to get it out of there. Later, a friend called when the same thing happened to her. I had to run System Restore for her too.
Be forewarned: Printer companies don’t charge you to troubleshoot. They want to solve the problem, so you’ll keep buying their toner and ink.
Ripping CDs and DVDs
A reader asked for advice on digitizing his CD collection so he can play it from a thumb drive in the car. I recommended Ashampoo Burning Studio Free. It’s easy.
On your computer, do a Google search on “Ashampoo Burning Studio Free,” and it will come right up. After you download and install it, click on “Audio + Music,” then click “Rip CD.” It will save the titles with the music and link to cover art from Google, Duck Duck Go or your choice of browser. When finished, you can save the file to a thumb drive.
Telling your secrets to a robot
Don’t tell AI your deepest darkest secrets, unless you delete your chats afterwards. Otherwise, your input could turn up in answers to other people’s queries, though without your name on it.
For example, in ChatGPT, whenever you type a question, get an answer or have a whole conversation, it’s all saved. To see your previous chats, look at the list on the left. To get rid of any, tap or click the three dots next to one and choose “delete.”
The joys of Firefox
Install Firefox on your phone if you want to try out some helpful add-ons, like Dark Reader, which gives you a black background and white text. It’s easy on the eyes and saves battery life. Other add-ons block spam and ads.
To start, look for Firefox in the Apple app store or Google Play Store on your phone. Once it’s launched, check out the add-ons by tapping the three vertical dots in the upper right. Besides Dark Reader, I chose uBlock Origin, which blocks spam and is easy on your phone’s CPU and memory. YouTube High Definition automatically plays all YouTube videos in HD and offers other features.
Walking again
Once it’s cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, the Personal Exoskeleton from Wandercraft should help the disabled walk in their own communities, not just rehabilitation centers. The previous model cost $176,000. Check it out on YouTube.
Internut
“The Surprising Properties of SeeThrough Wood.” Search on that phrase to find a fascinating Smithsonian article. It’s all about clear wood that can be used for windows, smartphones and light fixtures.