One of our favorite smart locks is getting even smarter. Schlage announced today that Google Assistant control is coming to its Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt. Using Google Assistant on Google Home or iOS or Android smartphones, you'll be able to lock the deadbolt by saying, "OK Google, lock my door." If your OCD kicks in and you can't remember if you locked up, you can ask "OK Google, is my door locked?" The Google Assistant capabilities will require the Schlage Sense Wi-Fi Adapter ($70) to get remote access to the lock.

Schlage's Sense smart deadbolt now works with (almost) any virtual assistant under the Sun. The lock maker has revealed that Sense will support Google Assistant early in the first quarter, letting you check on your door (and, of course, lock it) from your Google Home or mobile apps that use the AI helper. You'll need the Sense WiFi adapter to make this work, but it'll give you the choice of Assistant, Alexa or Siri (via HomeKit) -- not bad when some rivals only offer one or two options. The solution won't be cheap when you're looking at a $229 official price for the deadbolt itself and another $69 for the WiFi adapter. However, it might be worth the outlay if you want remote control of your door and don't want to be forced to use a specific platform or smart speaker.

Some of the most popular gadgets over the holiday season were smart speakers with digital assistants from Amazon and Google . Apple is coming out with its own speaker this year; Microsoft and Samsung have partnered on another. As the annual Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas this week, manufacturers are expected to unveil even more voice-controlled devices -- speakers and beyond -- as Amazon and Google make their digital assistants available on a wider array of products. If these prove popular, you'll soon be able to order around much more of your house, including kitchen appliances, washing machines and other devices. CES is expected to draw more than 170,000 people, as some 4,000 exhibitors showcase their wares over the equivalent of nearly 50 football fields, or more than 11 New York city blocks.

It's the time of year where customer experience (CX) professionals and pundits dust off their crystal balls as the industry looks toward another year of uncertain opportunities and challenges. Last year raised the bar, as breakout technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent assistants and robotic automation, began to take hold and shift the CX paradigm as we know it. At the same time, CX quality has largely stalled. According to a Forrester Research report, multiple data sources show that customer confidence and spending are up, and expectations are rising as consumers interact with brands more than ever before. But the data also shows that trust in companies has dropped precipitously, which means brands are missing the mark in delivering on their customers' expectations.

Alexa is coming to smart glasses such as these. "Alexa, what is it I'm looking at?" You're used to summoning help from Amazon Alexa, the voice inside Amazon's Echo smart speaker in your kitchen or by your bed. If Amazon has its way, the artificial intelligent-infused Alexa digital assistant will be pretty much at your beck and call everywhere, and that means the bathroom, and even in a product such as the see-through augmented reality glasses that a company called Vuzix will be showcasing this week during the mammoth CES tech show in Las Vegas. More: You can't miss Google at tech's largest trade show this year Spreading Alexa's voice has been Amazon's vision for some time, and was a major theme at last year's CES too, with Alexa starting to infiltrate cars, fridges and other household appliances. This year Amazon, and its partners, are taking Alexa even further, which seems critical since rival Google has similar ambitions for its own Google Assistant, the voice inside Android phones and Google Home speakers.

Earlier this year, Loup Ventures found that Amazon has a early market share lead in the virtual assistant space. Loup reported the Amazon Echo controls about 70 percent of the smart speaker market, while Google Home accounts for 24 percent. A potential wildcard in the space could be the Apple (AAPL) HomePod. The Siri-powered HomePod is expected to be available in early 2018.

AI is finding its way into.

Some of the most popular gadgets over the holiday season were smart speakers with digital assistants from Amazon and Google . Apple is coming out with its own speaker this year; Microsoft and Samsung have partnered on another. As the annual CES gadget show kicks off in Las Vegas this week, manufacturers are expected to unveil even more voice-controlled devices -- speakers and beyond -- as Amazon and Google make their digital assistants available on a wider array of products. If these prove popular, you'll soon be able to order around much more of your house, including kitchen appliances, washing machines and other devices. CES is expected to draw more than 170,000 people, as some 4,000 exhibitors showcase their wares over the equivalent of nearly 50 football fields, or more than 11 New York city blocks.

At the end of 2017, we were not merely discussing what the future of marketing will be like. No longer are artificial intelligence, VR, voice activation and other tech next-generation concepts reserved for big budget brands to play around with. Nor are marketers trapped by the traditional tame, safe, and well-defined brand-consumer relationship. CMOs and marketing leaders across the board are using the future in today's marketing strategies, turning what was once viewed as'radical' into the riveting, ever-changing new version of'conventional.' It's much easier to get a clear view of what's ahead from the top of the mountain. This article is a round-up of the predictions by the industry's most visionary marketing directors, CEOs and chief content strategists.

The further development of intelligent assistants such as Amazon's Alexa has been a hot topic for a while now and, as our infographic illustrates, there is one very clear motivation for Jeff Bezos and his team to improve and expand on this tech - more sales. Based on research by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the average Amazon user in the U.S. spends $1,000 per year at the site. Moving up the scale, Prime members seem to be justifying their extra monthly subscription costs by splashing out $1,300. But it's once someone becomes so tied into the world of Amazon that they buy and install an Echo in their home that they really start spending. With an average outlay of $1,700 per year, Amazon will really be looking to get Alexa in more homes as soon as they can.