Personal Assistant Systems
Forget touchscreens, this smartphone concept wants to use holograms
Your future smartphone could be entirely voice activated, displaying your text messages and other info with holograms. At least, that's the idea behind Alo, a new smartphone concept that imagines a touchscreen-less smartphone. Created by French designer Jamie Olivet with art direction from acclaimed designer Philippe Starck, Alo ditches the typical smartphone display. Instead, the voice-activated phone will project holograms from its camera that show your text messages or let you watch videos, according to Dezeen's interview with Oliviet. While the core of the device is molded aluminum alloy, the outer shell is a "gelatinous, supple and natural envelope that perfectly fits your hand," Olivet writes on his website.
Apple Super Bowl Feature: Ask Siri About The Game--And Remind You To Get Some Nachos
Siri will have some Super Bowl features to help you keep up with game, Apple announced Monday. Siri will provide users with player stats, sports trivia before and during the big game Feb. 5 between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. Siri will also provide football insights including team rosters, player comparisons, historical stats, season records and other information, Apple said. Siri can also help you find where to watch the game and remind you to get avocados for your guacamole. Apple gave examples of what to ask Siri on the big day.
Would YOU pay $99 a month for a datingAI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) can diagnose illnesses, fight parking tickets, and now, AI is being to find humans love. Dating app Hinge is currently testing a virtual assistant called'Audrey' that will act as the user's wing woman โ it talks to their matches and sets up a date. The technology is currently in beta, but Hinge is said to offer the service for $99 a month in bid to'say goodbye to matching, messaging and scheduling'. Dating app Hinge is currently testing a virtual assistant called'Audrey' that will act as the user's wing woman โ it talks to their matches and sets up a date. Audrey was designed to chat with a users matches and setup a date between the two.
You can now tell Alexa to place your Starbucks order for in-store pickup
Pizza isn't the only thing Amazon's Alexa digital assistant can order for you. Starbucks announced on Monday Echo owners can now enable the "Starbucks Reorder" skill and, with a voice command, tell Alexa to reorder food and beverages for pickup at a preferred store. SEE ALSO: Starbucks CEO's powerful open letter on Trump's Muslim ban As with Alexa's Domino's Pizza skill, placing an order with Alexa voice commands is simple, but limited. You'll only be able to order your pre-selected "usual" order and have them ready for pickup from one of the 10 most recent stores you've ordered from. But if you're perfectly OK with ordering your fill of extra pumpkin spice lattes six times a day, then who are we to judge?
Move Over Siri, Personal AIs Have Arrived
In the Marvel universe, billionaire Tony Stark/Iron Man has Jarvis, a personal AI to anticipate his needs and streamline his life. When I mention this to Collie Brown, founder and CEO of Arghon, a personal AI company, he gives a knowing smile. A moment before he described his AI product as a "life assistant." "There's the Watsons of the world, geared towards large scale data and the like," Brown said. "Arghon's about you, what's happening in your life from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. Our goal is to manage what happens in between that."
Starbucks' iPhone app lets you order by talking to it
Starbucks is continuing its efforts to stay on top of technological trends by adding new voice-ordering functions to its iOS app and Amazon's Alexa digital assistant. Called "My Starbucks barista" on iOS, the service is being rolled out to select customers today as an extension of the company's Mobile Order and Pay feature, which lets users send and pay for an order ahead of time. At the same time, the company is launching a Starbucks Reorder Skill to the Alexa platform. My Starbucks barista was previously announced at the company's Investor Day in December, and uses an AI-powered messaging interface like many existing chatbots. You'll be able to speak your order, and customize your food and drink to your personal preferences, according to Starbucks.
Amazon's Alexa can now order your favorite Starbucks latte
As my loved ones will tell you, I have a fairly expensive coffee habit. And Starbucks might have just made it worse by announcing "voice ordering" for the company's iPhone app, as well as Amazon's Alexa. Before I would have to open the Starbucks app and tap in my order, submit it, and wait for the payment to process. But the company's new Starbucks Reorder skill for Alexa will remove much of the order friction by simply allowing me to say, "Alexa, order my Starbucks." Alexa will then ask me about my order, and with that, my coveted Cinnamon Dolce latte will be on its way.
The new dating app that aims to include people with disabilities
Honesty about your true self isn't exactly the hallmark of most online dating apps, but a new one called Glimmer is trying to create a more transparent environment, especially for people with disabilities. The emphasis dating apps like Tinder and Bumble put on superficial snap judgments can pose a unique challenge for people with disabilities. Profile formats can make it difficult to easily disclose your disability, and many people fear they'll be passed over if they do. Glimmer is trying to provide an alternative by creating a more inclusive, transparent environment. The app, which launched this month, is for anyone -- not just those with disabilities.
Voice-checking device stops hackers hijacking your Siri or Alexa
Does your digital assistant know who it's talking to? A wearable device prototype could let voice-controlled assistants like Apple's Siri or Amazon's Alexa recognise their owner so they don't take orders from anyone else. The VAuth device, developed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, uses an accelerometer hidden in a pair of glasses or earphones or worn around the neck. The accelerometer measures vibrations created as the wearer speaks. An algorithm then compares those vibrations with the audio signal received by the digital assistant. If the vibrations and the audio match, then the voice command is received as normal.