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 Personal Assistant Systems


Microsoft separates Cortana from search in new Windows 10 preview build

PCWorld

Microsoft's Insider preview builds for 19H1, the next major update for Windows 10, haven't been packed as chock full of new features as in releases past, favoring tweaks and adjustments instead. The Windows Insider Build 18317 released on Wednesday also goes this route, most notably by separating Cortana from the Windows 10 search box. The new build also includes new ways to import fonts, a tweaked Windows Console for Linux, and a separate process for the Start menu, a behind-the-scenes change that's being made for stability's sake. The most significant change is the separation of Cortana and the search box, which Microsoft has been testing with a few Insider builds previously. "This will enable each experience to innovate independently to best serve their target audiences and use cases," Microsoft executives wrote in a blog post.


CES 2019: Enter a world of artificial intelligence

#artificialintelligence

The bedside lamp lights up gradually 30 minutes before your morning alarm is set to go off. After being roused from your sleep, you say "Good Morning" and the bathroom lights turn on immediately. As you get dressed for work in front of the mirror, it recognises who you are and starts displaying newsfeed customised for you. These scenarios were among the numerous artificial intelligence (AI) showcases at last week's CES in Las Vegas, the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair. From the pre-show presentation of tech sales and forecasts by CES 2019 organiser Consumer Technology Association (CTA) to the keynotes by different technology firms, AI was a topic constantly mentioned.


10 Data Science Projects Most E-Commerce Businesses Are Using

#artificialintelligence

Data science has become a go-term for almost all the industries, including e-commerce. According to a report by a leading newspaper, India is the fastest growing online retail among the top global economies. With a growth rate of more than 50%, e-commerce websites have become more competitive than ever before. As the competition rises, these e-commerce players are resorting towards the use of technology such as analytics and data science to stay ahead of the competition. With an ever-growing data, it has become crucial for these players to use it in a way to keep the customers happy and satisfies.


Alexa can read news briefs in a 'newscaster' voice in the US

Engadget

Alexa can now modulate its voice beyond whispering in hushed tones. Amazon has introduced a'newscaster' voice in the US that kicks in when Alexa reads the day's news or recites Wikipedia information. It's not going to replace the news anchor for your favorite media outlet, but the speaking style is more authoritative and doesn't sound quite so out-of-place as Alexa's standard voice. The trick, Amazon said, is the use of Neutral Text-To-Speech (NTTS) technology that relies on deep learning to create the speech signal. The AI-based system learns to both intonate more effectively and emphasize the right words in a sentence.


The Rise of a New Generation of AI Avatars

#artificialintelligence

I recently discovered it's possible for someone in their 20s to feel old--just mention Microsoft's Clippy to anyone born after the late 90s. Weirdly, there is an entire generation of people who never experienced that dancing wide-eyed paper-clip interrupting a Word doc writing project. For readers who never knew him, Clippy was an interactive virtual assistant that took the form of an animated paperclip designed to be helpful in guiding users through Microsoft Word. As an iconic symbol of its decade, Clippy was also famously terrible. Worldwide consensus decided that Clippy was annoying, intrusive, and Time magazine even named it among the 50 worst inventions of all time (squeezed between'New Coke' and Agent Orange.


Amazon gives its vastly improved Fire TV remote a rare 50 percent discount

PCWorld

A good remote can make all the difference with a streaming device, adding control and convenience to the cornucopia of content options available. Now, Amazon's Fire TV lineup is adding much more power to its viewing experience with a slick new remote, and you can grab one today for just $15, a unheard-of 50 percent drop from its list price of $30. This remote is easy to use but comes with plenty of bells and whistles, including Amazon's Alexa digital assistant built-in for voice control. To take that even further, you can also connect this remote to an Amazon Echo. If you use it to control a Fire TV Stick (note that it won't work with the 1st-gen edition), you'll finally be able to manage volume and power from your remote, with an infrared emitter that allows it to control your TV, A/V receiver, or soundbar.


Advancing Industries with IoT

#artificialintelligence

Recently, numerous changes have taken place in the digital world. Almost all the conventional and human interpreted tasks are replaced with automated devices. Thanks to AI-based techniques, particularly machine learning and IoT based devices with its capability to grow, learn from previous experiences, thereby providing accurate results with enhanced operational efficiency and minimizing unplanned downtime. In a nutshell, it is hoped that almost every practical item will have a way to connect to the internet and communicate with other devices. The proliferation of AI-powered personal assistants such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa also indicates a general trend in IoT.


Artificial Intelligence Research and Application Advancement

#artificialintelligence

Recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence are gaining widespread attention from the world because of the impact that they can have on our lives. From speech recognition, virtual home assistants to learning platforms, things have gotten very interesting in the tech industry. Tech-giants have been racing against each other to incorporate AI aspects into their newest creations so as to make the human experience much more comfortable. By adding characteristics that understand children, empathy and work routines, artificial intelligence technology is set to become a revolution. Here are some of the recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence, in terms of research and technology.


JBL Everest 710GA headphones review: Superb sound and Google Assistant on demand

PCWorld

More and more people are wearing headphones as they go about their daily lives. These mainstays of personal audio have evolved over the years, becoming untethered by wires while improving their sound quality and adding new and useful features. The JBL Everest 710GA is a perfect case in point, promising exceptional sound quality and a host of features--including Google Assistant--all without cumbersome cables. The JBL Everest 710GA over-ear headphones use 40mm full-range drivers to reproduce frequencies from 10Hz to 22kHz with a maximum SPL (sound pressure level) of 111dB. The padded earcups and headband are designed for maximum comfort, and the earcups fold flat into the headband for storage in the included hard-shell case.


Alexa is DOWN: Users complain Amazon smart assistant is ignoring them

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Amazon's Alexa has gone down and is ignoring user's requests, according to numerous reports from customers. Alexa is the name given to the artificial intelligence (AI) system that powers the Echo device range. The smart assistant has been down since early this morning but users say that the device either won't switch off or is switching itself off. Outage tracker Down Detector– the website that tracks outages – received hundreds of complaints about Alexa not working at around 8am this morning UK time. Amazon's Alexa has gone down and is ignoring user's requests, according to reports from frustrated customers.