Intel already has a wide variety of eight-generation laptop processors targeting performance and gaming. But with its latest round of chips -- a new batch of U-series CPUs for mainstream laptops, and the debut of Y-series processors for very thin machines -- the company is focused on improving the ultraportable laptop experience. For one, they all feature integrated gigabit Wi-Fi, which will vastly improve your networking performance on modern AC routers. There's also a quad-core audio DSP, which will make it easier for laptops to recognize voice commands for multiple virtual assistants. Even better, it lets you shout commands while your computer is asleep.

Artificial Intelligence ("AI") is a megatrend that all technology companies are paying attention to. Gartner estimates the value businesses derive from AI will reach $1.2 trillion this year (Source: Gartner Says Global Artificial Intelligence Business Value to Reach $1.2 Trillion in 2018). When most investors think about ways to invest along this AI theme, common ideas are to invest in AI chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA), the intelligence search engine/everyday research assistant Google (GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG), or the everything store that is gathering data on everyone's shopping behavior Amazon (AMZN). Microsoft (MSFT) doesn't often come up in this conversion, but it probably should. Since taking over as CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella has made AI a major focus.

If you haven't added a talking speaker to your home yet and you've thought about buying an Amazon Echo but are stumped with the choices, we're here to help. There are seven varieties of Echo speakers, which let you use the Alexa personal assistant to play music, check on the weather, find local restaurants and answer trivia questions. The easiest way to get in is with a Dot. This is the smallest and cheapest, currently selling for $39.99. The speaker quality is tinny and not as good as the original Echo, which currently sells for $89.99.

You'd think the Nest x Yale Lock would support Google Assistant from the outset given its pedigree, but not so -- you've had to use the app. As of August 29th, you can use Google Assistant to control the Nest x Yale Lock with your voice. You can lock the door or check its status whether or not you're at home, including as part of Assistant's Routines. If you're ready to pack it in for the night, you can lock the door as you're shutting off the lights. The feature works on both smartphones as well as Assistant-equipped smart speakers like the Google Home series.

Voice assistants don't seem to be going anywhere. Case in point: Bose's new line of soundbars and speakers with Alexa and other smarts built in. Out of the box, the Home Speaker 500, Soundbar 500 and Soundbar 700 will react when you start shouting commands at Amazon's digital assistant this October. Bose promises that other voice assistants will follow at some ambiguous point, and early next year there will be an update that adds AirPlay 2 streaming. The company thinks what will set its products apart from the competition its mic system carried over from its smart headphones, which launched with Google Assistant before adding Alexa earlier this month.

Rotten Tomatoes, the internet's most influential review aggregator, has updated its critics policy, broadening the scope of whose views can be counted toward its make-or-break Tomatometer score. The Tomatometer score is the percentage of the reviews that have been positive, supposedly reflecting the "collective opinion" of critics, but critics have so far been limited to those who write for established publications, a group that, according to numerous studies, is heavily slanted toward critics who are white and male. Reviews from established publications will still be included automatically, regardless of who wrote them, but the new rules allow for the inclusion of individual critics, regardless of where they publish. The difference between reviews from respected publications and respected critics will be more or less tomato, tomahto. Individual critics will need to apply to be "Tomatometer-approved" and will have to meet set criteria: namely that they have written consistently for at least two years about film or TV at a non-self-published site.

Add some smarts to your home lighting system today with Amazon deals on a few essential lighting items. First is a two-pack of Wemo dimmer switches; usually $80 apiece, you can get the pair for $100. The Wemo dimmer switches give you control over your lights from anywhere, hub-free. Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, you'll be able to use your voice to adjust lighting conditions. You can also create schedules, dim lights, and set Night Mode to keep lights low as it gets dark.

Google's next smartphone could be just a few months away from hitting the shelves. The tech giant is expected to release the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones on October 9th, according to Bloomberg. However, unlike previous years, the devices will be released at a New York City launch event, instead of San Francisco, like Google has done in the past. Google's next smartphone could be just a few months away from hitting the shelves. The Pixel and Pixel 2 were launched on October 4th in 2016 and 2017, respectively, so this year's event would be slightly later in the month. It comes as there have been weeks of leaks claiming to show off the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL's specs.

You now have a viable option if you want a high-end Google Assistant speaker that slots between the good-but-not-mind-blowing Home Max and Bang & Olufsen's ultra-premium Beosound models. Harman Kardon has unveiled the Citation 500, a smart speaker that touts 200W of stereo audio and high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz support in a compact form for £549 (about $708). It's difficult to say for sure that it bests the Home Max when Google doesn't provide official wattage, but it could easily outperform much of what's on the market. As it stands, the Citation isn't relying solely on audio prowess. It serves as a smart home hub, and an LCD on the top helps control playback when you're not shouting song requests.

JP Morgan Chase is rebuilding its consumer business model to create a "digital everything" strategy that trades short-term losses for long-term profits. With $2.6 trillion in total assets, JP Morgan Chase is the largest bank in the US. Led by Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon, the bank is undergoing a transformation, moving away from offline legacy systems and into the digital age. Over the past two years, the bank has spent nearly $20B to scale its technology and prepare itself for the next generation of banking. Today, JPMorgan (JPM) is using its capital and scale to build an entirely digital bank. This is in part because customers no longer need to rely on banks for financial services -- 60% of US bank customers say they are willing to try a financial product from a tech firm they already use, and that number rises to 73% for customers aged 18 -- 34. This trend towards digitization is already starting to play out as fintechs circumvent banking licenses by partnering with issuing banks to offer checking account-like products. JPM's digital push, a theme it refers to as "Mobile First, Digital Everything," is showing positive early results. In Q2'18 JPM had about 48M active digital customers, while top competitor Bank of America had 36M.