We're excited to unveil Focus Mode, a powerful enhancement to Merlin's web search capabilities that delivers specialized search experiences tailored to different content domains!
While the standard Live Search provides generalized web search capabilities, Focus Mode implements targeted search patterns and specialized processing pipelines for specific content domains:
What's New?
Focus Mode introduces three specialized search patterns optimized for different content types:
YouTube Mode
- Searches on YouTube for video content matching your search query, and takes them as context.
- Use it for finding latest reviews about any product, podcasts that discuss a certain topic or search for things a certain content creator has said. For example: "Who won this year's MKBHD Smartphone Awards?"
Academic Mode
- Uses Semantic Scholarto find relevant research and uses them as context. Also fetches inline citations. Currently optimal for finding LATEST research, but we're fixing it for better relevance matching.
- For example, ask: "Based on latest research on LLMs, find the major innovations in tokenisation."
Social Mode
- Currently optimized for Reddit content with future Twitter integration planned.
- Use it for knowing public opinion or validation about something. For example, ask "What do people think of Airpods Max in comparison to XM5s or QC Ultras?"
How It Works
Focus Mode automatically adapts its search and processing pipeline based on your content domain:
- Select your desired Focus Mode from the Live Search toggle below the Merlin chat bar
- Enter your search query
- Let Merlin handle the search process
- Receive domain-optimized results with comprehensive citations
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I access Focus Mode?
A: Focus Mode is available to all signed-in Merlin users. Find the Live Search toggle below your chat bar, and click on the dropdown to find all Focus Modes.
Q: Does Focus Mode incur extra query costs?
A: Focus Mode costs as much as a Live Search query as usual.
Q: What are the current limitations?
A: Social Mode is currently limited to Reddit content, with Twitter integration coming soon. Academic Mode may have restricted access to some paywalled papers, and currently fetches recent results better than relevant results.
Q: Can I use Focus Mode with other Merlin features?
A: Yes! Focus Mode integrates seamlessly with existing Merlin capabilities including Projects and Crafts.
Q: What happens if Semantic Scholar service is unavailable?
A: Focus Mode includes fallback mechanisms. If a primary service is unavailable, it will automatically switch to alternative sources to maintain functionality.
Focus Mode is currently in
beta
, and we're actively working on expanding its capabilities. We'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions for improvement!Thank you for being part of the Merlin family! 🚀