Tech / Technology

The world’s first GPT indoor camera — 3 cool ways it uses AI

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Meet the Genie S, the world’s first-to-market GPT-enabled indoor camera.
Genie S with a man using AI companion app

“The world’s first GPT-enabled indoor camera!” I yelled with confusion when I spotted the Psync Genie S at Pepcom (a showcase where vendors parade their most cutting-edge tech) earlier this month.

It seems as if companies, like Salt Bae, are sprinkling AI into every product they can get their hands on – even if it doesn’t necessarily make sense. For example, you can find ChatGPT in these smart glasses. After all, AI is all the rage right now, so why not take advantage of its popularity, right?

The Genie S indoor camera on backyard table

The Genie S indoor camera ironically placed outside.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

When Psync representatives told me that they’ve integrated AI into an indoor camera, I’ll admit that I was baffled at first. “How does AI benefit an indoor camera” I wondered. However, after they explained it to me, I can see it being advantageous for a few use cases.

How does the Genie S indoor camera use AI?

Genie S uses an advanced multimodal AI empowered by a VLM (Visual Language Model). It can “recognize” images and generate descriptive texts from them. Here are three ways this indoor camera taps into this AI tech:

  • It can “scan” the room and recognize objects. From your teapot on the stove to your mug on the coffee table, Genie S can spot what’s in the room. As such, if something is out of place, you can tap on it and it’ll tell you what it is.

Genie S companion app recognizing objects in the room with AI

Genie S companion app recognizing objects in the room with AI
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

  • It can detect and recognize activities, whether it’s your puppy wagging its tail or your child walking through the door, and send you descriptive texts. For example, instead of “motion detected,” you’ll get a more detailed description like, “girl in orange sweater appeared at the door entrance.” (You can also configure the app to tell you which type of motion-sensing activity is worth a notification.)

Descriptive texts from Genie S

Genie S can send descriptive texts of what it “sees.”
Credit: Psync

  • You can search through Genie S’ captures with specific object/person queries. For example, if you want to sift through recordings to see why there’s a spill in your living room, you can search with words like “pet” or “puppy” to find the culprit.

I don’t see the advantage of getting AI-assisted, descriptive notifications per se, but what really catches my eye is being able to tell the app which actions are “text worthy.” For example, my outdoor security camera sends me notifications for every trivial, inconsequential motion, from skittering squirrels to passing cars.

Genie S indoor camera sitting in front of a plant

The Genie S indoor camera uses AI to detect and recognize people and things.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If I could set up that camera to only send me notifications when it recognizes human beings, I’d be a happy camper. Fortunately, I can set up the Genie S to send me notifications based on certain categories. For example, you can configure it to only send texts if it recognizes a “man” or “boy” to keep an eye on your husband and son.

Another major selling point for me is that you can search through the indoor camera’s captures by using descriptive text. Sifting through your library of recordings to find that one video can be a pain, but with the Genie S, you can simply type “pet” in the search field, for example, allowing you to find exactly what you need.

By the way, buying the Genie S by itself won’t grant you access to its AI capabilities. You must subscribe to a $0.99-per-month service called ViewSay, which is currently in beta.

A quick glance at the Genie S’ specs

The Genie S, even without the ViewSay subscription, holds its own as an indoor camera, according to the specs.

It uses a companion app called Psync, which operates as a remote control for the Genie S. For example, if you place the Genie S in the kitchen, and it’s dark, you can use the app to turn on its built-in spotlight feature. There is a brightness slider on the app, which lets you adjust the luminance to your liking.

Genie S companion app UI

You can increase the brightness, which is beneficial for dark areas.
Credit: Psync

You can also use the companion app to track and follow targets. It can rotate horizontally by 350 degrees and vertically by 125 degrees. Here are some other specs to consider:

  • 5MP camera

  • 2560 x 1440-resolution picture

  • Captures content in full portrait mode

  • Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support

  • Up to 64GB of storage

  • Two-way communication with people in the room via “call” feature

A dog captured in the Psync app

You can tap on “Call” to talk to anyone you see on camera.
Credit: Psync

The Genie S starts at $34.99. Stay tuned! I plan to thoroughly test the Genie S in an in-depth analysis, so keep an eye out for my review of this fascinating GPT-enabled indoor camera.


Blink Mini – Compact indoor plug-in smart security camera

Credit: Amazon


Blink Mini – Compact indoor plug-in smart security camera

$34.99

Tech / Technology

The best meme costumes of Halloween weekend 2023

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Halloween costumes go viral on X/Twitter and TikTok during Halloween weekend 2023.
Three Halloween costume TikToks one of Parisian bed bugs, one of Lil Timmy Tim, and one of two 'School of Rock' characters.

The unspoken rule of Halloweekend 2023 was the more esoteric, the better.

Thousands rushed to X/Twitter and TikTok to post their costumes to strangers on the internet who would get it humor AKA the hyper-online who pride themselves in niche pop culture knowledge. With phones and the ability to show (and post) a reference photo, no one is ever just dressed up as a ghost or a witch anymore, and costumes that require six layers of context to understand reign supreme online.

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In a desire to flex individuality and to reach audiences that care about these sorts of costumes, two posting trends on X/Twitter and TikTok emerged, displaying the full range of in-feed creativity.

“I hate gay Halloween parties because…”

Ahead of Halloweekend, one X/Twitter user wrote, “hate going to gay halloween parties like what do you mean you’re lady gaga at the 2:53 mark of the judas music video.” The tweet garnered 35,000 likes and quickly became the premiere format for sharing your hyper-specific costume. By Sunday, costumes and their reference photos captioned with, “I hate gay Halloween parties…” flooded the timeline.

Everything from memes like Jennifer Lawerence saying “What do you mean” on Hot Ones to pop culture moments like Renee Rapp’s Sweetgreen campaign, to seemingly random moments on beloved television shows — like Tom Sandavol in drag on Vanderpump Rules — was represented. If people talked about it online, chances are someone from the internet dressed up as it. A costume doesn’t even have to be that buzzworthy: One X/Twitter user dressed up as a West Elm coaster and received over 6,800 likes.

The Halloween Skit

While on X/Twitter the reference photo dominates, over on TikTok it’s all about performing your costume to the corresponding audio. TikTok users level up from a photo to a full-on skit. Two Parisian bed bugs clinked wine glasses to the Nicki Minaj audio “Are you happy to be in Paris,” Principal Mullins and Spider acted out their scene from School of Rock, and talent show-era Timothée Chalamet performed a portion of his routine.

Once you might have posted your costume to your followers on Instagram, but now it’s easier than ever to reach strangers on X/Twitter and TikTok with the possibility of going viral — and isn’t that spooky!

Tech / Technology

Emma Rogue, Gen Z thrifting queen, on ‘childhood nostalgia-core’ and the future of fashion

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Emma Rogue, Instagram creator and thrift queen, on Gen Z ‘nostalgia-core’ and how technology is making fashion ‘accessible to the masses.’
Three photos of Emma (one of her in the glasses, one smiling, one of her throwing up two gya-ru peace signs.

We’re hanging out at Emma Rogue’s thrifting dreamland in downtown Manhattan, the physical embodiment of her adoration of the last 30 years of style. A handful of young women in exquisitely curated outfits sift through clothing racks as the Pussycat Dolls and Backstreet Boys play in the background. Tees and trinkets from the early 2000s adorn the walls, making the shop feel more like Emma’s childhood bedroom than a booming thrift business.

Emma knows a thing or two about looking good. Her Instagram and TikTok videos celebrate New York street style, spotlighting the looks of strangers, celebs, and fellow creators alike. But today, she’s trying something completely new: wading into the waters of wearable tech.

Emma is one of a handful of creators tapped to bring Meta’s “It’s Your World” campaign to life by showing people how the nebulous (and sometimes confusing) world of AI and the metaverse can be put to use IRL. The company’s new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are her first piece of wearable tech. The shades can livestream, shoot photos and videos, play music, and offer assistance via Meta AI, and she’s already filmed a few clips on them for her Instagram.

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Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses reviews are in

In between shots, Mashable asks Emma about her vision for the future and digital fashion.

Mashable: Thrifting can be an accessible form of fashion. How do you see tech making fashion more accessible?

Emma Rogue: Everything, in every way. With Rogue, we utilize Instagram Reels’ short-form videos a lot. It’s become integral to our business model. We do short-form interviews with customers who come to us organically through word of mouth or if they’ve seen us online. A lot of the time, they’re wearing thrifted outfits, [so] just being able to showcase that online and show our viewers that, yes, you can dress in an amazing fit and it all be from the thrift. That’s a great form of making it accessible to the masses.


A photo of a woman using her Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Credit: Meta


Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

$329

A lot of times people are afraid of style, right? You might be scared to tap into that world. So when they see someone that looks similar to them or their age looking amazing, and they realize it’s all thrifted, it might spark a light in their head like, “Oh, maybe I could try doing that.” They’re gonna screenshot that outfit, then they’re gonna go to their local thrift and be like, “OK, I love her look, let me try to recreate it.”

So that’s one way we do it. Every day we post a video. Volume and consistency are key in the content game. It’s the Victoria Paris method, shout out [to] Victoria. I love her. She sold with me on my opening day.

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The business of being Victoria Paris

I think the first time I saw you online was in Caleb Simpson’s apartment tour series. You showed him your Pop-Tarts collab. 

Oh yeah, right there! [points to a Pop-Tarts box in display case.] And our Guinness World Record is right over there, too. We built the world’s biggest Pop-Tarts throne, 8 feet!

Where is the throne now?

In my parent’s garage in New Jersey. A lot of my stuff has been removed from it, but the throne remains.

Are you into digital fashion at all? How do you dress in the digital world?

I don’t have a gaming avatar, but I would dress it in something I would not wear every day because it’s maybe a little uncomfortable. I would put myself in a peak Emma fit: big platforms — I just got my first ever Rick [Owens] shoes so I might do some crazy Rick heels — thigh highs, a cute mini skirt, maybe a cargo mini? That would be cute. A mesh long sleeve and a tank top on top of that, a strappy cami. Accessories everywhere. A lot of metal rings, pigtails, with two strands of hair in front. And arm warmers and leg warmers.

I’m so excited for the day Rogue exists in the metaverse and customers all over the world can shop our stuff there.

Have you been talking about opening a Rogue in the metaverse?

I have a friend who’s really into the metaverse. He’s like “Emma, you gotta get on, buy some land, and build Rogue!” I’m not that deep into it. I haven’t bought land yet because I’m kind of nervous. But I’m excited for when it comes.

The thing is, we have such a big audience. It pains me when they say like, “Build a Rogue in London!” or “Come make a Rogue in Italy!” or I’ll get a DM from some kid in Germany, and they’ll say, “Can you come to this little town in the middle of nowhere?” So if Rogue was in the metaverse and existed there, it’d be so cool for these kids to just like tap in and visit. It would be cool if we could update it with all our new drops and then they could dress their avatars in them.

What does Rogue in the metaverse look like?

Childhood nostalgia-core bonanza. Foam pits, trampolines everywhere, giant slides into fluffy mattresses. Remember in Princess Diaries 2 when they slid down the slide? Stuff like that. Everything you wanted to do as a kid in one place. Everywhere your parents wouldn’t take you in one place. Disney World. All the best parts of your childhood.

I get so happy thinking about my childhood, thinking back to the times when I had no worries. I think everyone can relate to that in some sort of way. As you get older, it’s amazing, right? We’re growing, and learning more every day. But you’ve got bills to pay and it’s like, “I don’t want to do taxes!” Like, come on! There will be no taxes in Rogue World.

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The internet is divided over a Gen Z woman’s complaint about working 9 to 5

I would love to have a zoo in there. You know, ride the elephants or something. Literally your wildest imagination. The NeverEnding Story is one of my favorite movies of all time, so there’s going to be Falkor in there. Maybe different themed rooms, or zones. There’d be a room [that] anyone could walk into and it’d become their favorite dream. I think cooler than a room would be like a dome. Many different domes, so it doesn’t look like a ceiling.

Like in “Club Penguin.”

I’m more of a Webkinz girl.

I love the way that Gen Z has repurposed and revived Y2K tech. Why is your generation so drawn to those items and aesthetics?

They never experienced it. It’s exciting to them because it was never part of their day-to-day, but maybe they heard their mom talk about it or their brother talk about it. Maybe they saw it in their favorite movie. Those pieces of technology have become ephemeral. [Gen Z] never got to experience that but [they’ll see it on] old online mood boards or certain aesthetic pages on Instagram. In music videos on YouTube [from the 2000s] they held Sidekick phones. [Gen Z] never had that experience. They’re experiencing something they never got to, they’re transporting back in time.

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Is Gen Z bringing flip phones back?

You mentioned mood boards and Instagram accounts dedicated to a particular aesthetic. Where do you find inspiration online?

I like Instagram’s Explore page and Reels a lot to find inspiration and to find new talent — maybe to find emerging brands that we want to have a drop with here [at Rogue]. Or someone we want to collaborate with or a designer I want to commission to design a piece for me in my new collection. Instagram is part of my daily life and also for connecting with people. Sending a DM is the best thing that we could have access to. I posted Diplo on my story yesterday because I was at his concert, and he reposted me and DM’d me back! And I was like, “Perfect, pull up to the shop and we’ll get a fit check.” There’s no limit to what we have access to.