Synology's BeeDrive AI Search Engine announcement
As this year's Computex expo concludes, Synology is already looking forward to introducing its upcoming AI integrations.
Luka Manestar
Two years ago, Synology announced that its Office suite would be receiving AI enhancements across the board. Just last month, a beta version of their AI Console for DSM was released.
Luka Manestar
AI Console - a central AI management platform for Synology Office Suite integration
What was not mentioned is that their Bee lineup product, specifically the BeeDrive, will also receive AI integration.
Luka Manestar
Luka Manestar
Releasing in June for the Apple macOS system (with a Windows version to follow later), the desktop version of the BeeDrive software will be enhanced with AI deep search capabilities.
Although the BeeDrive is a DAS (Direct-Attached Storage) device designed for computer backups, mobile transfers, and file synchronization, it is also notable for its 10G capability (USB 3.2 Gen 2), offering high speed and up to 4TB of storage.
Due to its lightweight and compact design, the BeeDrive can store a significant amount of data for use on the go. Searching through that data can sometimes become challenging, so Synology will introduce AI power to the device for deep search methods across both existing and indexed content.
A bonus is that all actions can be performed offline, with no need for internet connectivity. By invoking the deep search feature, users will receive an app-like AI prompt that can be used to search using keywords, full descriptive sentences, or multiple keywords for a more precise search of the content.
Searching both document and image file types, the deep search feature will list results based on specific input, locating anything related to the search parameters. It will also have the ability to search and detect the given keyword(s) in other languages, listing those results as well.
For documents that contain images, such as PDFs or presentations, the deep search will return results when the requested parameter is detected within an image inside a specific document. Additionally, users will have the option to open the exact file and be positioned directly on the correct image from the search results.
Similar to document searches, the BeeDrive deep search will detect words, phrases, and sentences within an image. With a quality image, users will have the option to search for a specific image not by its name, but by the text content within the image.
For those who are more visually inclined, BeeDrive will allow users to input a general description of an image or images they are searching for, such as an event, a specific time and date, or a geolocation. This feature enables users to quickly locate images when content organization is insufficient or when the exact details of when and where the image was taken are forgotten. By providing multiple inputs, users will receive a more narrowed scope of results, which can be viewed in thumbnail mode to quickly identify the needed images.
Video inspection is not supported—at least, it hasn't been advertised—so it may be introduced at a later date, if at all. Once again, the search functionality operates using 'local intelligence,' with no internet connectivity required. This suggests that the upcoming BeeDrive desktop version will have all the necessary capabilities to perform such operations, but proper hands-on testing will provide further insights soon.
Watch the official Synology AI Search engine video
Given that new X25 products are set to launch this summer, it's encouraging to see that the software side is also progressing. Arriving in June, the BeeDrive will receive an additional feature that elevates it beyond a standard USB disk device. A full hands-on review of this feature will soon follow as part of a separate article.
