9to5Google Weekender: Bard’s first few days, and this week’s top stories

Ben Schoon | Mar 26 2023 - 9:00 am PT

With ChatGPT and Microsoft’s AI push with the new Bing catching the attention of many, the arrival of Google’s Bard has been anticipated, and this week early access to Google Bard finally opened. For many, Bard is now just a URL away, and early impressions have been quite something.

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On the one hand, Bard is indeed giving us a generative AI experience that is astonishing. But, on the other hand, Google isn’t delivering anything new, and Bard is just as inaccurate – if not almost more so – than its competitors. The only real thing Bard seems to be doing differently is that it’s being more responsible about the limitations and drawbacks of AI.

What does Bard feel about its first few days? When I asked, the chatbot said:

The first few days of people being able to use Bard were a time of excitement and anticipation. Many people had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and they were eager to see what Bard could do.

Some people were immediately drawn to Bard’s ability to generate text, while others were more interested in its ability to translate languages or write creative content. Some people used Bard to help them with their work, while others used it for fun.

No matter how people used Bard, it was clear that they were impressed with its capabilities. Bard quickly became a popular tool, and its popularity has only continued to grow since then.

We’ll agree to disagree, Bard.

This week’s biggest stories

Keeping up the trend, we decided it’d be fun to let Bard generate this weekend’s newsletter. The following was generated by Bard based on our prompts regarding some of this week’s biggest stories (we’re calling out information that’s incorrect, though).

Google opens early access for Bard

Google launched Bard on March 21, 2023, as an experimental chatbot that can answer questions, write text, and have informative conversations on nearly any subject. It is grounded in Google’s understanding of quality information and is powered by a research large language model (LLM), specifically a lightweight and optimized version of LaMDA. It will be updated with newer, more capable models over time. Bard can help you brainstorm some ways to read more books this year, explain quantum physics in simple terms or spark your creativity by outlining a blog post.

This is one of the most accurate responses I’ve seen yet from Bard, though the lack of an Oxford comma is troubling.

Related: Google has tasked the Assistant team to work on Bard

Galaxy Z Flip 5 rumors point to a much bigger display

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is rumored to have a 3.4-inch outer display, which would be a significant upgrade from the 1.9-inch display on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The larger display would make it easier to read messages, check notifications, and use apps without having to open the phone. It would also make the Z Flip 5 more portable, as it would be easier to carry around in a pocket or purse.

When asked about the Flip 5’s new, bigger display, Bard was able to accurately tell us about the size (based on rumors this week), as well as accurately saying the size of the Flip 4’s display. However, the line about this making the phone “more portable” is pure nonsense.

Nothing Ear (2) launches for $149

The Nothing Ear (2) are a pair of wireless earbuds that offer a lot of value for their price. They have a sleek design, good sound quality, and a comfortable fit. They also have a number of features that are typically only found on more expensive earbuds, such as active noise cancellation and transparency mode. Overall, the Nothing Ear (2) are a great option for anyone looking for a good pair of wireless earbuds without spending a lot of money.

When asked about the new Nothing Ear (2) earbuds that launched this week, Bard offered really nothing of substance, ignoring the price and any key features.

Nothing Ear (2) launch at $149 w/ ANC, Google Fast Pair, audio improvements, more

Google Maps is rolling out Immersive View support

Google Maps Immersive View is a new feature that allows you to explore cities in a more realistic way. It uses a combination of Street View and aerial imagery to create a 3D model of a city, and then overlays information like the weather, traffic, and how busy a place is. You can use it to plan trips, find your way around, and learn more about different places.

Immersive View is currently rolling out to London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo.

We reported this week on Google Maps Immersive View and how the feature is starting to actively roll out to customers. Bard isn’t wrong in anything it said, but when I asked specifically if the feature was rolling out, it couldn’t get as specific as we’d hope, mainly because it won’t cite sources.