We all knew about ChatGPT, but what Pei has done with it on TWS (True Wireless Stereo) is remarkable. Specifically, it’s now integrated into Nothing’s TWS earphones, including its sub-brand CMF.
In simple terms, you can now access ChatGPT directly from your CMF or Nothing earphones (mostly TWS with one neckband). This feature isn’t available on many TWS devices yet – even premium ones like AirPods lack it. That sounds cool, especially for tech enthusiasts. But how does ChatGPT actually perform on these earphones?
Getting ChatGPT on Your Nothing Earphones
To use ChatGPT on your Nothing/CMF earphones, you currently need to pair them with a Nothing Phone (2). Support for Phone (2a) and Phone (1) is coming soon. Here’s the process for the Nothing Ear, which is similar for all Nothing/CMF devices:
1. Download ChatGPT from Google Play and register for an account (it’s free).
2. Connect the earphones to the phone.
3. Open the Nothing X app and select the earphones.
4. Go to Controls.
5. Choose a customizable control option for either earbud.
6. Select “Voice AI” from the options.
7. Choose “ChatGPT” instead of the “Default Assistant” (Google Assistant).
The ChatGPT Experience on Earphones: Cool but Limited
We replaced Google Assistant with ChatGPT on the Nothing Ear and the Nothing Ear (a) for the past week. While we enjoyed detailed, non-mechanical responses to news headlines, election updates, and even iPhone rumors, we encountered limitations.
ChatGPT is great for conversation and offers responses in multiple voices and languages, including Hindi. However, unlike Google Assistant, ChatGPT can’t make calls, play music, or send messages. Navigation is also unreliable; for example, directions to a nearby metro station were too generic to be useful.
ChatGPT’s limitations as a virtual assistant on TWS become apparent here. It’s excellent on a PC for research and writing, but TWS assistants typically serve as hands-free tools for quick tasks like making calls or getting directions. ChatGPT falls short in these practical applications.
Using a free ChatGPT account introduces further issues, like rate limits that can prevent responses. Additionally, controlling smart home devices through ChatGPT isn’t possible, unlike with Google Assistant.
Conclusion: Function Over Chat
While ChatGPT brings cool AI features to Nothing’s earphones, we prefer the practical functionality of Google Assistant. In an ideal world, we could switch seamlessly between Google Assistant and ChatGPT on our TWS. Until then, we value the ability to play music, make calls, and get precise directions more than ChatGPT’s conversational capabilities.
For now, Google Assistant remains our preferred assistant on Nothing’s earphones. We hope Carl Pei can find a software solution allowing us to use both assistants on Nothing’s earphones in the future.