Our gadgets are getting mouthy

In a corner of LG's sprawling, dripping-with-technology booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center sat a circular table populated by a group of small, futuristic snowmen. Each of them sported a black touchscreen display showing a pair of electronic eyes that would intermittently squint as if they were smiling at you. On a large screen nearby, a video showed one of these gizmos, the LG Hub Robot, calling out in a soothing tone: "Hello. I learn your lifestyle to better serve you." This year's CES tech show in Las Vegas highlighted how our technology is finding its voice, with makers of cars, appliances and speakers starting to let people control their products simply by talking to them.