From the future of bitcoin to Facebook, 2018 in technology

Both of the major smart home platforms have a long-running problem with "discoverability": it's very hard to let users know what their devices can do, particularly if they're always improving thanks to rapid software updates. Amazon and Google are constantly experimenting with ways to get around this, but so far they have been timid. Amazon sends a weekly email, while Google includes some tips in its app. Expect to see them be bolder, particularly as powerful rivals such as Apple appear on the scene with worse AI but better sound. So don't be surprised if your Google Home or Amazon Echo begin to talk back, rather than simply following commands.