Movies like Blade Runner and Her have popularised the idea of fully conscious computers, and with AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology like Apple's Siri or Amazon's Alexa increasingly present in our lives, it'd be easy to believe that what you see on the silver screen is just around the corner. Whilst I enjoy a Sci-Fi epic as much as the next person, in my dual role as Professor of Computer Science at the University of San Francisco and Chief Scientist at data integration software provider SnapLogic, I investigate the practical applications of AI and am tasked with explaining and teaching the realities of what can be achieved. In other words, I separate the fact from the fiction, which is what I aim to do today. While Alexa seems close to a computer that can interact like a person, the reality is that Alexa (and any computer program to date) is not what we'd call conscious. It's not self-aware or able to generate original thoughts.

If you thought Honda's Urban EV Concept was a clever mix of modern electric car technology with boxy retro style, you'd better brace yourself. The automaker has unveiled the Sports EV Concept, which adapts that new-and-old formula to a low-slung, nimble coupe -- we can see traces of the 1300 Coupe mixed in with other intriguing design cues (check out the B-pillar wrapping around the otherwise all-glass roof). Frankly, it's one of the better-looking EV concepts we've seen. Honda hasn't talked performance figures, but the real focus appears to be on the AI under the hood. Like the NeuV concept from earlier in the year, the Sports EV includes the Honda Automated Network Assistant.

If you aren't ponying up for Prime, but are smitten with the game, those half-dozen hints will run you $1.99 a month, and you can subscribe to them directly within the skill itself. Developers beyond Sony Pictures Television won't have access to the skill-subscription tools just yet, but Amazon says it'll let you know when that's ready. Like TechCrunch notes, this is interesting for a few reasons; app subscriptions themselves, and how they'll potentially shape the future of the Alexa business model chief among them. Tying the subscription to a Prime membership is a bit odd too when you consider that an Echo device is kind of pointless without a Prime subscription as it is. Amazon is still working on a revenue split for developers, too, and told Engadget that it hasn't finalized its revenue sharing model for that.

They say bad news comes in threes and it's strike two for Google, with reports emerging of'clicking and whistling' with the firm's new £630 ($649) handset. Users are complaining that the smaller model of the two flagship devices is emitting a series of irritating high pitched sounds and strange clicks. This comes just days after product testers reported screen burn-in problems plaguing the larger £800 ($849) XL model. They say bad news comes in threes and it's strike two for Google, with reports emerging of'clicking and whistling' with the firm's new £630 ($649) handset. The problem appears to be related the gadget's near field communication (NFC) chip, which is used to make contactless payments and for other data transfer purposes.

When I give the dating app LoveFlutter my Twitter handle, it rewards me with a 28-axis breakdown of my personality: I'm an analytic Type A who's unsettlingly sex-focused and neurotic (99th percentile). On the sidebar where my "Personality Snapshot" is broken down in further detail, a section called "Chat-Up Advice" advises, "Do your best to avoid being negative. Get to the point quickly and don't waste their time. They may get impatient if you're moving too slowly." Loveflutter, a Twitter-themed dating app from the UK, doesn't ask me to fill out a personality survey or lengthy About Me (it caps my self-description at a cute 140 characters).

Demand for data has been surging over the past few years. Companies are rushing to adopt in-house data warehouses and business analytics software, and are reaching for public and private databases in search of data to kick-start their artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) strategies. Due to the growing demand, good data is becoming a valuable commodity, like oil in the 20th century, and companies are beginning to compete for the most lucrative reserves. In order to understand why data is important for your business, you must first understand the five reasons if gives you a competitive advantage. Until very recently, companies did not realize that they were sitting on a goldmine of data and did not know what to do with it.

This week, the critics discuss the new Netflix series Mindhunter, starring Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford, an FBI agent during the early days of serial killer investigations, and parse how it differs from standard crime procedurals. Then, Chris Molanphy joins the conversation to talk about the new hit "Rockstar" by Post Malone and explore nihilism in today's hip-hop songs. Finally, the gabbers discuss Martin Scorsese's guest column in the Hollywood Reporter about Rotten Tomatoes and question the validity of his claims.

I love my old Amazon Echo. But when the new Amazon Echo arrived, I'll admit that I just wasn't that excited to test it. The new Echo is more customizable and more affordable--a pretty powerful one-two punch. Costing nearly half as much as its predecessor ($100, down from $180), don't be surprised if you start seeing it in more and more of your friends' kitchens and living rooms. But not everything improved, so it's worth taking a look at the details before clicking that "Buy Now" button.

Criminals can use shortcomings in popular dating apps, including Tinder, Bumble and Happn, to see users' messages and find out which profiles they've been viewing. As well as having the potential to cause major embarrassment, the exploits could lead to dating app users being identified, located, stalked and even blackmailed. The researchers, from Kaspersky Lab, studied the Android and iOS versions of Tinder, Bumble, Happn, OKCupid, Badoo, Mamba, Zoosk, WeChat and Paktor. They said it was "fairly easy" to find out a user's real name from their bio, as a number of dating apps allow you to add information about your job and education to your profile. Using these details, the researchers managed to find users' pages on various social media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as their full names and surnames, in 60 per cent of cases.

A new startup is making a Google Assistant-powered touchscreen that functions as a smart home hub. Called Lynky, the new device functions like a Google Home speaker with its own touchscreen display and it will be able to control users' smart home device. Lynky can sit on top of a desk powered by a USB cable or can be mounted on a wall. Lynky is powered by Google Assistant, the very same digital assistant that's on the Google Home smart speakers and on Android smartphones. Users will be able to give out voice commands and use Lynky to search the web and play music, just like the Google Home.