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Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 is a true bang for the buck smartphone

It has a 48-megapixel camera

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Xiaomi has been known to offer affordable smartphones with great specs and features through its Redmi series. Starting today though, Redmi is now a sub-brand just like Pocophone. The first phone under this new arrangement is the Redmi Note 7.

As the first phone to be part of the Redmi sub-brand, the Note 7 gives it all. It’s got a 48-megapixel camera, Snapdragon 660 processor, big screen, massive battery, and a really attractive price tag.

Image credit: Xiaomi

The Redmi Note 7’s main selling point is its main 48-megapixel Samsung-made sensor. But of course, all those pixels will be used to create a crisper image at 12 megapixels — just like with Huawei flagship phones. It’s paired with a 5-megapixel secondary shooter which is responsible for AI scene recognition and edge detection for creating the bokeh effect. For selfies, there’s a 13-megapixel sensor in front of the phone.

The phone’s display measures 6.3 inches with a small cutout for the selfie camera. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass and has a resolution of Full HD+. Xiaomi claims a screen-to-body ratio of 84 percent and the back panel is also made of premium glass.

Image credit: Xiaomi

The Snapdragon 660 processor may already be old, but it’s still fast and reliable. Also, for a budget phone, a well-known midrange processor is very welcome to join the party.

Keeping the Redmi Note 7 lighted up is a large 4000mAh battery that supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4. Xiaomi finally shifted to USB-C for its Redmi phones and using a fast charging brick, the Note 7 can be fully charged in under two hours.

Image credit: Xiaomi

Price-wise, the Redmi Note 7 is a steal. The base model with 3GB of memory and 32GB of storage starts from CNY 999 or around US$ 150. The 4GB/64GB variant is slightly more expensive at CNY 1,199 (US$ 180), while bumping up the memory to 6GB will jack it up to CNY 1,399 (US$ 210). The available color options are blue, red, and black.

Pre-orders have already started in China, with shipments scheduled for January 15. The phone is only available in China for now, but it’ll be available in other Xiaomi markets very soon.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi’s AirDots Pro is the latest AirPods copycat

Accessories

Logitech introduces a dedicated shortcut for ChatGPT

Compatible with most keyboards and mice

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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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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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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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