Trying to use a multimeter with what felt like a hundred settings, one user took a photo of it, asked Grok and worked out how to use it.
Here's a photo of my [GADGET, E.G. MULTIMETER / OVEN DIAL / CAMERA] and its settings. I want to [WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO]. Tell me which setting to pick and what each step should look like, in simple terms. If you can't read a label or I could damage something, tell me before I start.
Replace the [PLACEHOLDERS] with your own details before you send it.
How to try it
- Photograph the dial, buttons or screen close up so the labels are readable.
- Upload it to Grok and describe exactly what you’re trying to do.
- Double-check against the manual, and for anything electrical or mains-powered, play it safe or ask an expert.
More tech help use cases
Get unstuck when a Windows update breaks your favourite program, with Claude
When columnist Joy Schwabach's favourite game, Peggle, stopped working, another assistant sent her on a wild goose chase. Claude suggested a beta Windows Insider update was the likely cause and guided her to download an official Windows 11 file and run setup, which reinstalled Windows, kept her files and fixed the game, though she had to reinstall a few apps.
My [PROGRAM] stopped working on Windows [VERSION] after [RECENT CHANGE, E.G. AN UPDATE]. I've already tried [WHAT YOU TRIED]. What are the most likely causes, from simplest to most drastic fix? Walk me through each step in plain English, and before any step that could remove apps or files, tell me exactly what will be kept, what I should back up and how to undo it.
Ask your appliance manuals questions with NotebookLM
An Android Police writer uploads the manual for every new appliance to NotebookLM, then asks plain questions such as how often to clean the filter or what a flashing red light means, instead of scrolling through a long PDF.
Using only the manual I've uploaded for my [APPLIANCE AND MODEL], answer this: [YOUR QUESTION, E.G. WHAT DOES THE FLASHING RED LIGHT MEAN?]. Quote the page or section you got it from, give me the steps in order, and tell me if the manual says I should call an engineer instead.
Help someone with poor eyesight read their post with ChatGPT’s camera
One user set his 89-year-old dad up with ChatGPT. When his dad struggled to read a letter, he showed him how to add the camera to a voice chat, and ChatGPT described the post, answered his questions and helped with next steps.
I'm going to show you a letter through my camera. Please read it out to me in plain English, tell me who it's from, what it's asking me to do and by when, and whether it looks like it could be a scam. Then help me decide what to do next.
Reference: X @georgecursor