EBAY GOES AI
My used phone sold almost as soon as I listed it, thanks to eBay’s new artificial intelligence tool. AI makes it easy to get rid of your stuff.
EBay’s AI will write your item’s description for you, though you can also add your own words, like I did. But it suggested I start the bidding at $38, a price so low it scared me. So I upped it to $95, with a higher “buy it now” price. Later, I discovered you can toggle off the auction switch and just use your set price.
EBay suggested $143 for the “buy it now” price, which included my unlocked Pixel 6a phone, a $25 ruggedized Otterbox case, and the Pixel’s original box and accessories. They also suggested I pay $10 to promote it, to increase its views by 48 percent. So I did. Otherwise, it might have been lost amid dozens of Google 6a listings. These ranged in price from $99 to $250.
Belatedly, I went to Google’s AI, at Gemini.Google.com, and asked: “Where’s the best place to sell a Pixel 6a phone?” “Swappa,” it said. Swappa said I could get $174 for it. But it was too late for Swappa. Within eight hours, my phone had sold.
Overall, I had a great eBay experience. I loved being prompted every step of the way. I’m happy with the price I got. I’m glad that the buyer paid for shipping. I’m pleased that the phone found a new home in Miami.
After printing the shipping label that eBay supplied, I boxed it up and dropped it at the Post Office. Upon receipt, the buyer will have two weeks to raise any issues, since eBay has a moneyback guarantee. Even if the seller has a “no returns” policy like I do, the buyer can return damaged or defective items.
My Bad
A reader pointed out that the Photomyne app I wrote about is not $40 a month. I said it was $40 a month before correcting it on my website and in a Facebook and Twitter post. It’s $40 a year.
I figured it was $40 a month because I saw the word “recurring” on my credit card statement. Oops! I feel awful for criticizing Photomyne, though it’s tricky to get their free trial.
A reader told me it’s a great program. “I have been using it for over a year,” she said, “and have been successful in scanning in all of my old photo albums. I’ve been very pleased with the results and ease of use. They have continually improved the app, adding a scrapbook feature, which is very handy. You might want to give them another chance.”
New iPhone or iPad?
A reader asked if he should get a new iPad. His iPad 2 hasn’t received a system or security update since 2016. I said “don’t bother.”
If you’re not tapping on suspicious links, you shouldn’t need security updates. If your tablet is already doing everything you need it to do, you won’t miss the latest features.
But let’s take a look at some of them anyway. The latest operating system, iOS 17, lets you read the transcript of a voicemail while someone is still recording it. It reminds me of the old days when you could decide whether or not to pick up a call based on who was leaving a message on your answering machine. On my Android phone, I only get a transcript of a voicemail after the caller hangs up.
The new iOS system also lets you leave video messages on Facetime, which is an iPad, iPhone and Mac app similar to Zoom. To do it, just tap “Record Video.” When you’re finished recording, tap the up arrow to send it.
Here are two other fun features: First, you can use AirPlay to stream movies, TV shows, photos or music to your TV, whether you’re at a friend’s house or in a hotel. Second, you can download maps for offline use, complete with turn by turn directions. For the full list of new features, do a search on “What’s new in iOS 17.” Click the link from the Apple Support Center.
AI Invades Scientific Journals
According to a study quoted in the journal “Nature,” 17 percent of peer-review reports have been substantially modified by ChatGPT. In other words, scientists are letting AI tell their fellow scientists whether their proposed journal articles are worthy or not. Perhaps more shockingly, four recent articles list ChatGPT as the author.
AI in Education
Out of 200 million papers submitted by high school and college students, 22 million of them had AI content, according to data company Turnitin, which was quoted by the Morning Brew newsletter.
Of that 22 million, 11 percent used AI to generate one fifth of the content. Three percent used AI to generate 80 percent of their content.
Teachers complain that AI content is hard to detect, even with the help of software. I’m glad they’re careful, since a false accusation can ruin a reputation. One study showed that AI-detecting tools have a 61 percent false positive rate when reviewing exams for nonnative English speakers. But Turnitin claims its false positive rate is only around one percent. Nevertheless, some schools have stopped using Turnitin’s AI detectors.
I know from experience that AI detection can be wrong. When I submitted a chapter from a novel I edited into the Originality AI detection box, it said it was 100 percent robot-written. Actually, the words were 100 percent the author’s and mine.