Perplexity: Ask Anything 17+

I work on grant applications, proposals, and community outreach projects daily. Perplexity helps me identify sources of information to help me support objectives and ensure deliverables can be met. Excellent support and quick responses on their discord forum. I had been considering the pro version of Chat GPT months ago, but decided to move to Perplexity 100% of my time to make sure my final submissions could be traced back to precise sources. Chat GPT and other platforms are questionable at times and require additional research to double check information, data, numbers, etc. With this platform, those sources are incorporated into results, saving me 5 to 30 minutes of additional research time here and there. I can dive deeper when needed without having to figure out terminology or key words/key phrases as Perplexity provides this information to me when requested. It’s a major time saver and provides precise annotation. Response time in pro is FAST and well worth the cost. Also a plus to be able to use different AI models so I can compare information as it is processed. No complaints.

I love using Perplexity for answering random questions, especially since it provides trustworthy, internet-backed information—perfect for avoiding hallucinations common in other LLMs. The Mac app has a stunning, glass-like interface that's elegant and functional. Features like keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Shift + Command + P for quick answers) make it incredibly accessible. The accuracy is unmatched, and the service even reasons through complex queries thoughtfully.

That said, the conversational modal input for paid users could feel more natural, and adding markdown rendering for input would enhance its usability for coding queries. Despite this, I highly recommend it, especially for Pro users, as it makes the service more accessible and adds unique features like voice chats not available on the website.

I’m an avid user of Perplexity. I’ve well over a thousand uses, custom prompts set up, and have been using it daily for over a year. Emphaticaly so. I’ve been looking forward to this Desktop version, and while testing on an m2 MacBook Air with 16gb of ram in great health (As reported by Clean My Mac) this app crashes when trying to use some of the keyboard shortcuts. This was the main hope for the app, that it would have the ability to call up Perplexity with a keystroke, and begin speaking my request. But instead it fails repeatedly. It may be worth noting that the setup process was also flawed, in that trying to sign in via Google, it was struggling. Lastly, and most concerningly, the pro voice feature which give you 5 tries to test it (Not really enough, and they need to do better there..) cut me off after one word which, ok, try again right? Well, each time it cut me off, and each time it counted as one of the “free” tries. So like I said. This feels way more like a Beta product and does not in any way shape or form feel like it is ready for Prime Time. Im glad I’m not paying for this. And if you are, just know what you’re getting into.

Signed,
IneffableNo