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CNET
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
I'm an Anime Collector. 3 AI Phone Features I Used While Visiting Tokyo
I love collecting Japanese anime merch. I'm also a tech creator and an educator who loves using technology to make my life easier. On a recent trip to Tokyo, I decided to use AI features on my phone to help me navigate the city. I've visited Japan six times in recent years, and as an avid fan and consumer of Japanese anime and pop culture, I fully intend to visit many more times for general tourism, pop-up events, specialty museums and parks. But my earliest visits to Tokyo were overwhelming and confusing. I had a basic understanding of the language, but this was a time before AI and Street View in Google Maps. I carried a Japanese dictionary with me, downloaded offline walking directions and read tutorials online about how to buy a train ticket. It was… OK. With the recent popularity of AI, I am allowing myself to visit countries with a little less pre-planning and a little more serendipity. Instead of planning my itinerary based on previous trips, I can use my phone as a personal assistant to help me discover new and less-touristy spots along the way, opening up an opportunity to experience my favorite city again for the first time and keep my trips refreshing and new. And since I'm a collector, AI has also given me the ability to learn about vintage goods I find in overseas stores without wasting time or cash. I Used AI to Shop for Anime Merch in Tokyo I Used AI to Shop for Anime Merch in Tokyo Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:01 / Duration 0:30 Loaded : 100.00% 0:01 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:29 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. I Used AI to Shop for Anime Merch in Tokyo Here are three handy AI features that I recently tested in a real-world scenario. Meet industry creators, contributors and emerging thought leaders that have paired with CNET's award-winning editorial team to provide you with unique content from different perspectives. Meet our contributors Circle to Search One of my favorite things to do in Tokyo is wander around all the small vintage toy shops. It's kind of like a treasure hunt, and whenever I find something I don't have in my collection, I get excited. The problem is that there are thousands of anime products, I don't have them all memorized, and there's a language barrier. This happened to me in Akihabara, one of Tokyo's electronics and anime centers. I found this box that featured a character I recognized, but I didn't know what the product was. So, I opened the camera app on my Samsung Galaxy and held down on the bottom line to open Circle to Search. The author drew a circle around the product to initiate an image search. Shannon Morse Circle to Search is an AI-powered tool built by Google that uses the image on your screen to find matching results. In my case, I circled a Sailor Moon R box. Google then searched for a match. The results showed me several images of the character, which would have been helpful if I didn't already know who she was. I then wandered to another vintage anime retailer. This time, I used Circle to Search specifically to check the price. The item was priced around $300 after conversion, but was that a good deal? Circle to Search identified the product and pulled up matching listings from eBay. In general, the price at the shop was $200 to $300 less than the listings I found in the US. Instant Translate This was an awesome price for a vintage Sailor Moon toy. But since it's electronic, I wondered if anything was wrong with it. The condition is listed on the product label, but I'm not very good at translating by memory, so I used Google's Instant Translate feature within Circle to Search. The nice thing about using this tool for translations is that I don't even have to circle anything. I can just hit the translation button at the bottom of the screen, and it translates everything it sees for me. The author used Instant Translate from their phone camera. AI detected the source language as Japanese, saving an input step. Shannon Morse I don't even have to tell Instant Translate what language I'm trying to translate. It detects the written language for me and automatically translates it. I learned that the toy had been opened and slightly damaged. While the translation was mostly correct, it wasn't perfect. And the label didn't give me all the information I wanted. Conversation Mode I wanted more context, so I asked a store associate for more information using Google Translate's Conversation Mode. Using AI, Google Translate automatically detects the spoken language and translates it into the opposite language. In our conversation, I asked for help, then asked if the item worked. The store rep looked up the item number to confirm that it worked and had been tested. Previously, I'd have to translate each phrase separately by hitting a mic button every time someone spoke. But with these enhanced AI features, the mic stays open and uses live information to keep the conversation flowing. When I use Conversation Mode, I try to keep my sentences very simple to prevent mistranslations, which can absolutely happen. Several words in the Japanese language sound very similar but can mean totally different things -- kowai and kawaii (scary and cute) are a good example. I studied the language, but I still have much to learn, so I didn't want to be misunderstood. This live translation also detected my word "battery" as "batari," and luckily, the employee understood that I was talking about batteries that power the device. In normal conversations, this would usually be translated as "denchi" in Japanese. Conversation Mode works in real time, without having to press another button every time you ask a question. Shannon Morse I thanked the employee for helping me and didn't buy this piece of merch either, choosing instead to buy a vintage but completely new item to add to my collection. By using Circle to Search, AI Overview and Conversation Mode, I saved myself money. I didn't make any purchasing decisions based just on a fear of missing out, and I was able to ask for more context. These AI-powered tools are fairly new, and they aren't without their faults. But when it comes to breaking down a language barrier or helping me be smarter with my personal hobbies, I can truly take advantage of them. It's an exciting time to be an anime collector, a worldwide traveler or both.
ABC News
09-06-2025
- ABC News
Man who died in police custody at Darwin hospital remembered by Wadeye community
A man who died in police custody at a Darwin hospital on Saturday has been remembered as a "great visionary and educator" as the remote Northern Territory community of Wadeye mourns his loss. The 68-year-old — referred to as TN after his death — was a senior elder from the Kardu Rak Kirnmu clan and traditional owner who lived in the community on the Top End's west coast, formerly known as Port Keats. TN was taken into protective custody by Australian Federal Police (AFP) at Darwin airport on May 30 and was later admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital's (RDH) intensive care unit, where he died on Saturday. Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan said TN's "work for his community and people will never be forgotten". "My heart goes out to his loved ones and all mob across the Wadeye and Darwin Daly regions," he said in a statement on Sunday. "His legacy will live on." The Thamarrurr Development Corporation (TDC), of which TN was a board member, also released a statement saying he was a much loved and respected mentor to his community. "A great visionary and educator, a campaigner for a better life for his community and a respected leader, he will be greatly missed," a spokesperson said. "He played a key role in developing and guiding TDC to become the organisation it is today." Catholic Bishop of Darwin Charles Gauci said he had known TN "for many years" and "had the privilege of being with [him] on the day he died", saying he was "deeply saddened at his death". "I was able to accompany him on the last day of his life, I was in the hospital with his wife and family and to pray with him and to be there with them, walking with them at this very significant time," he said. "I have great respect for him as a great leader, he had vision and understanding, he was a very educated man. "He believed in education as empowerment and he was an educator for many years himself. "He was co-principal at the school at Wadeye and really contributed deeply and widely there for the education of young people." Bishop Gauci said TN's loss would leave "a big gap", calling on other leaders across the community step up and continue his "vision of two way". "Two way means be deeply connected with your roots and your culture and celebrate that but also, be open to the realities of life and adapt," he said. An AFP spokesperson said the 68-year-old man was taken to RDH for "sobering up" after being detained on May 30 for allegedly attempting to board a flight while intoxicated. "The man was taken into 'protective custody' by AFP officers under section 128 of the Police Administration Act (PAA) at Darwin airport," they said in a statement. "AFP officers then transported the man to a Darwin hospital where he could be supervised and monitored while sobering up." The PAA allows police in the Northern Territory to apprehend a person without warrant, if the officer believes they are intoxicated in a public place. Under the legislation, a person can be apprehended if police believe they are "unable to adequately care for" themself, may "cause harm" to themself or others, may "intimidate, alarm or cause substantial annoyance to people" or are "likely to commit an offence". The AFP spokesperson said the man experienced a "sudden and serious medical episode" upon arrival at RDH and was admitted to intensive care, where he remained until his death on Saturday. However an NT Police spokesperson said shortly after he was taken into AFP custody, the custody sergeant and a nurse assessed him at the Palmerston watch house "where it was deemed necessary to convey the man to RDH for further assessment". NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the "devastating loss" would be "felt deeply across the territory" and to have two deaths in custody in less than two weeks was "beyond tragic". "[TN] was a respected and strong leader — valued for the guidance he provided to those he worked alongside and the outcomes he helped deliver for his community," she said in a statement. "I know many Territorians will be feeling a profound sense of grief and shock at these two lives tragically cut short. "My thoughts today are also with our police, first responders and hospital staff who are always there for the community in the most difficult of circumstances." Local member for the Daly region, Dheran Young, said his thoughts were with TN's family and community. "Your vision, leadership and advocacy inspired us all," he wrote on social media.
Digital Trends
22-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Why NotebookLM needs to be the next app you download on your phone
One of my daily struggles is organizing ideas cohesively into a single place. Similar is the case with my sister, who works on machine learning research projects at the intersection of dental science. My youngest sibling is an educator, and she has more teaching material folders on her desktop than I have the patience to count. For us, collecting segments of learning or research material, sources, and nuggets of notes, and making sense of them cohesively is a chore. After trying my fair share of organization tools and productivity shortcuts, I finally landed on Google's NotebookLM last year. Yes, it has a lot of AI. And no, it won't overwhelm you with the burden of made-up facts and AI hallucinations. Recommended Videos Unlike a chatbot like Gemini or ChatGPT, NotebookLM can work solely with your own materials. Then it does more. A lot, actually. It can draft your haphazard materials into well-drafted documents, create a mind-map, and even create a podcast out of it. You can even interrupt the two hosts while they discuss your written ideas, as if it were a two-person news panel. So far, NotebookLM has remained exclusive to the web platform. That made it cumbersome to access via a phone. On the eve of Google I/O, the app finally landed on mobile. And even though it still has a few gaps to fill, it can already do a lot more than an average note-taking app. Far more, to be fair. Getting started with NotebookLM The mobile app is fairly basic. Call it barebones, or an intentional move to keep things simple. You start by creating a notebook, which lets you add the source materials. This can be a PDF stored on your phone, a YouTube video, a web article, or even text copied from your clipboard. Once the notebook has been created, the app processes all the sources and is ready to answer your questions. Now, these can be hyperspecific, or just broad queries. For example, I uploaded about half a dozen research papers and market analysis reports discussing the impact of tariffs on the graphite supply, and their direct effect on the global EV industry. My broad requests usually involve turning all the source material into a short article for a quick overview. However, NotebookLM can also offer needle-in-the-haystack queries, as well, and with proper citations. For example, when I asked it about the country that would be the worst hit, it provided me with an accurate answer, with additional context. The best part? It links to a specific section in the source material (which opens as a pop-up window) so that you can verify if the AI pulled up the right information. In my tests, the knowledge extraction has mostly been on point, unless you are dealing with artsy material such as poetry, where metaphors can occasionally throw off the AI and its comprehension. You can add more sources to a notebook, and the AI will accordingly summarize and tweak its responses based on the fresh learning material. Finally, in the bottom bar, you have the Studio section for podcasts, but more on that later. A few misses, with an easy fix Now, NotebookLM is missing a healthy few features that are available on the web version. For example, you can't add your own ideas to the notebook, or convert it into a source. A workaround for that is saving your note locally as a PDF and then importing it into the NotebookLM app. One of the most intriguing features of NotebookLM is creating mindmaps, but they're also missing from the mobile app. Likewise, you can't customize or adjust the length of podcasts in the app. Finally, the options for generating study guides, briefing docs, FAQ, and timeline are also a no-show. Thankfully, you can do it all in a mobile browser. Once you've created an FAQ or briefing doc, simply add it as a source with a single tap, and you can access it on the mobile app. The only exception is mind maps, because they are saved as PNG, a file format that isn't currently supported for uploads on the mobile app. That trick is currently reserved for Gemini, though I expect it to land on NotebookLM soon. Podcasts are the rear winner One of the standout features of NotebookLM is native podcast generation. You can simply upload all your source URLs, PDF files, and notes, and have the onboard AI generate a two-person podcast for you. These podcasts have made the process of learning and revision a tad more immersive, especially for a person like me, who stares at text throughout the day. I recently had a discussion with my colleagues regarding prep work for an interview. It has happened quite often that despite prepping in advance, I forget one or two of the key talking points. This time around, I went through the crowdsourced questions as an interactive podcast, and it left a lasting impression than as a regular list of bullet points. But there is more to these podcasts. You can even interrupt the hosts and ask them relevant questions about the topic being discussed. That is an underrated perk for two reasons, especially in the age of AI. First, you know where the audio clips are getting their material from. Second, you're not burdened with the trust conundrum of talking with an AI, which has a habit of confidently spewing garbage, like putting glue on a pizza recipe. Look, there is no denying that the internet as we know it has quickly become a dumping ground for AI slop. Google is partly to blame for it. Features like AI Overviews and AI Search Mode still struggle with summarizing or even getting the basic facts wrong from time to time. Likewise, YouTube and other social media platforms are increasingly getting bombarded with AI-generated clips with plenty of unverified claims and downright misleading information. The likes of Spotify and Amazon have also loosened their stance on AI content. In a nutshell, it's your fact-checking burden to bear. The podcasts generated by NotebookLM avoid that dilemma. What you hear from the hosts is purely what you supplied them in the first place. Peer-reviewed research papers, YouTube videos from credible sources, articles, or your own musings (with all the grammatical errors in tow). Now, the scientific community is divided on whether listening is definitively better than seeing for absorbing knowledge. A linguistics expert and educator told me that a hybrid learning approach is better. Since it engages more of our senses, the learning process is slightly more immersive and less drab. Of course, one can't discount the power of creative persuasion when it comes to learning complex topics. To that end, being able to stop the podcast host and ask them in-depth questions really comes in handy. And when they are answered specifically in the context of the supplied material, instead of an AI summarizing it opaquely from the web, you are confident that the answers are reliable. This should be on your phone NotebookLM is what you would call the future of note-taking. It's an app that essentially turns your notes (and all the material you have collected) into an interactive format. A format where you can have a back-and-forth chat with an answering machine that has ingested all the knowledge you have supplied. It goes a step further and then turns it into a podcast where even the most technical papers are turned into a fun two-person audio conversation. You get the flexibility of turning all your reading material into a variety of formats, ready for sharing or personal reading. I like mine as an FAQ, and get that done with a single tap. The only miss right now is the app. I'm not sure why that's the case. Technically, NotebookLM's mobile browser version is all you need, but it's still a bit of a friction. Yes, you can create a web app shortcut with equal ease and get over those limitations. Google says NotebookLM has found a lot of traction among students, and I can certainly vouch for that in my household. But I reckon if your phone is ready for all that on-device Gemini Nano pizzazz, you should have access to it all. Based on what I saw at Google's I/O this year, that could happen soon.
