Prior to Microsoft's keynote at E3 this year, a raft of rumors were swirling about. Microsoft's answer to the PlayStation 4 Pro (which we now know as Project Scorpio) and the Xbox One S garnered most of the attention, but loose lips also suggested an Xbox-branded streaming dongle was in the works as well. The Chromecast-like device would've streamed Windows 10 apps and "light Universal Windows Platform" games in addition to content from an Xbox One. It would cost $99 according to Windows Central. "Project Hobart" (apparently the cool sounding codenames are reserved for gaming hardware), was pushed under the rug ahead of E3 to focus on the Xbox One S and revealing next year's high-end Xbox One, Project Scorpio. As WC tells it, Microsoft was going to order 300,000 units of the device and it'd release shortly after E3.

Now Amazon can clean your house and unpack the shopping too: Firm set to launch'home assistant' service According to to the ad, workers will be'working with customers each day with tidying up around the home, laundry, and helping put groceries and essentials like toilet paper and paper towels away.' Amazon.com reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday as expenses rose and the company provided a disappointing fourth-quarter revenue forecast. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Leo Laporte and Alex Wilhelm give a hands-on review of Google Home. They ask viewer questions and let you know how Google Home stacks up against Alexa. Do have a look at the video; it is courtesy of the folks over at The New Screen Savers.

Smart Speakers are also making themselves at home with Amazon's Alexa and the Google Home. Google Home is pretty new and doesn't have a wide range of features yet aside from the ability to search the web and play music. It has a lot of catching up to do though because Amazon Echo can tap into third-party apps, control your lights and control your other devices. There are some brand limitations, but it's still the most impressive Smart Speaker available today and it's encouraging consumers to integrate AI into their homes. Google may be behind in smart speakers, but it set itself apart in October when it released its Pixel smartphone with Google's Assistant built right into the phone. This translates into a more personalized assistant that remembers your past interactions and adjusts future ones.

If you needed any clarification that Artificial Intelligence is on everyone's mind, you need only tune into HBO's new buzzed-about series Westworld. But AI is quickly making its move from the futuristic and fictional to the realm of reality with many practical AI tools already available today. From space, robotics, transportation, healthcare, marketing, music, photography and more, many industries are affected by AI, and we've only just began to see the changes that are yet to come. Since AI is developing at such an astonishing rate, many industries are reaping the rewards of its integration. How much better can you manage your time, tasks and deadlines if each had a personal assistant to help schedule your calendars, tell you what's important and help you become more productive?

Firmly rooted in the realm of science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) has often felt external – something happening out there. In reality, AI is a huge part of our everyday lives. We just don't recognize it. Bank alerts of suspected fraudulent charges, smartphone notifications to exercise, Siri or Cortana's ability to recognize voices – are all examples of AI. "Artificial intelligence is basically where machines make sense, learn, interface with the external world, without human beings having to specifically program it," said Nidhi Chappell, director of machine learning at Intel. AI improves lives in many other areas too. By measuring biometrics in sports, data can help measure how an athlete's playing time impacts injury likelihood.

Amazon Alexa, the voice assistant that lives in various Echo hardware is, apparently, now a bit of a political junkie, obsessively tracking the presidential election returns just like you. Election results are, in truth, just another in a long line of Alexa skills Amazon adds to its artificial intelligence platform almost every day. According to Amazon, which announced the update on, naturally, Election Day, Alexa is watching who won which states, which candidate is in the lead and, most importantly, current electoral vote counts. With the first polls set to close hours from now, it is a little early for Alexa to be offering much -- if any -- valuable election information. Amazon Alexa can now give real-time election results.

Apparently, Samsung will include a digital assistant in the next year flagship, the Galaxy S8. To some levels this was not a surprise since Samsung acquired the developers from Siri, Viv Labs. For Reuters, Samsung said that the upcoming Galaxy S8 will feature a voice-driven assistant developed from Viv Labs. This means that Samsung will join Apple and Google in the competition for better artificial intelligence. Third party developers will also be able to integrate a personal assistant, but Samsung didn't say what services will be offered for that.

Westworld's AI world might not be science fiction. If you needed any clarification that Artificial Intelligence is on everyone's mind, you need only tune into HBO's new buzzed-about series Westworld. But AI is quickly making its move from the futuristic and fictional to the realm of reality with many practical AI tools already available today. From space, robotics, transportation, healthcare, marketing, music, photography and more, many industries are affected by AI, and we've only just began to see the changes that are yet to come. Since AI is developing at such an astonishing rate, many industries are reaping the rewards of its integration.

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.