It's about time we put a face to the name of Alexa. Amazon's popular personal assistant, whose compatibility with a wide range of services and smart home products has made her one popular artificial (intelligence) lady. She is heard by plenty of folks around the world, but has yet to really be seen (because let's be honest, the Amazon Echo hardly counts as a believable body for her). But now, smartwatch brand Omate has introduced a rather adorable robot that just might be the physical manifestation of Alexa we've been waiting for. Meet the new Alexa-enabled robot Yumi, effectively a wheeled Android tablet that you can control with your voice.

On this week's Gadget Lab Podcast, we discuss voice assistants. They're talking back, too--products like Google Home and Amazon Echo can answer questions, give us helpful information, and tell stupid jokes. But the way we bark commands at our voice-controlled tech and treat the devices like lowly machines … is that making us ruder? Should we design the computers to talk to us more like humans in order to encourage empathy, or should we keep them cold and machine-like so we don't get unhealthily attached? Is this even a problem?

The term brings to mind robots, time-travel, science fiction, and other descriptions only fit for the far-reaching future. However, marketing experts are seeing that the future is now. Artificial intelligence (AI) marketing is playing, and will continue to play, a much more significant role in the way brands market to their customers. By 2017, AI marketing is projected to be the dominant force in the marketing industry. Using this technology will allow marketers to manage campaigns and know audiences through a more data-driven and more uniquely personal level than ever before.

For new owners of Google's $130 smart speaker, it could be quite a surprise. The AI assistant has a strange flaw - and it could drive owners mad. Every time a Verizon ad for Google's Pixel phone is played, it wakes up the speaker - and asks it to recite a list of restaurants. The device is programmed to respond to'Hey Google' The Verizon ad shows people on a train using the phone's smart assistant, the same one found in the Home speaker, to ask for Korean restaurants in Boulder. As the advert plays, the speaker begins reciting a list of restaurants. Google's $130 Home speaker is its entry in the monumental battle between tech giants.

This morning, former CBS6 anchor and reporter, Teresa Priolo asked Siri what she thought of Ted Cruz. I loved the idea, so I "stole" it -- asking Siri what she thought of each of the potential candidates for US President. The takeaway: She remains fairly mum on one party, but has lots to offer on the other.

Now, this seems like a logical way to invest, especially for new investors. But, the biggest attraction is that most robo-advisors have very low account minimums and also charge low fees. In comparison, most wealth managers (actual people) have a $500,000 USD account minimum and charge 1% – 2% annually of the total account value. This is simply not an option for most. I'm a huge fan of technology and finding more efficient ways to complete tasks… but I'm a bit weary of these robo-advisors, and I think you should be too.

Now machines are going on internet-watching sprees too – but with something to show for it. After viewing a year's worth of online videos, a computer model has learned to distinguish between sounds such as bird chirps, door knocks, snoring and fireworks. Such technology could transform how we interact with machines and make it easier for our cellphones, smart homes and robot assistants to understand the world around them. Computer vision has dramatically improved over the past few years thanks to the wealth of labelled data machines can tap into online. They can now recognise faces or cats as accurately as a human can.

In the past 5 years, technology has revolutionized how marketers interact with their customers. Now, you've got access to advanced software and customer data for more relevant, targeted and engaging marketing. No wonder that 50 to 65% of executives expect to spend more on marketing technology in the coming year. But, what if I told you that we're only at the beginning? In the next 5 years, marketing is going to make a huge pivot- probably almost unrecognizable from its current form. You probably won't perform search engine optimization.

Cortana is one of the most useful features of Windows 10. But if you weren't previously introduced to the Microsoft digital assistant via Windows Phone, you might have little idea how to take advantage of it. Here are a few ways you can use Cortana to streamline common tasks. Cortana is always at your fingertips in Windows 10. But while you can type Cortana commands in the taskbar search box, it's much more efficient to use your voice.

Before you fall back this weekend, it's time to take a look at Google's Assistant-powered Home device, take a spin with GoPro's drone and find out how Singapore is pushing to be the first "Smart Nation." Also, undecided (or, more likely, firmly decided) voters can peruse Engadget's election guide to see where presidential candidates stand on tech issues. Across this 30-mile-wide island, a network of fiber connections and sensors underpin scientists' efforts to address the problems of urban living. The "Smart Nation" plan is trying to address pain points, like energy usage, health and transportation, while also accumulating data to fill out a detailed model of Virtual Singapore, where planners can test new projects to see their potential impact. Nathan Ingraham says Google Home is a great way to show off just how smart Google is, but it doesn't feel like an essential experience yet.