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Lamborghini’s 650HP Urus is equal parts muscle and infotainment
Lamborghini's Urus is more than just an absurdly overpowered SUV, it's packed with technology both on the entertainment and safety sides too. That means along with its 650 horsepower twin-turbo aluminum 4.0 liter V8 (whew) you also have the option for a pair of Android Auto tablets mounted to the back of the driver and passenger seats. Oh, and there's a digital instrument cluster as well, which will either make keeping it under the 305 KMH (189.5 MPH) top speed easier or harder, depending on your driving style.
One in six Americans owns a smart speaker, according to study
There's no doubt that smart speakers are selling like hotcakes, but how many people own them, exactly? Quite a few, according to NPR and Edison Research. They've published findings of a study which estimates that one in six Americans (16 percent) owns a smart speaker of some kind -- a huge amount if the study is precise, and a whopping 128 percent higher than a year earlier. About 7 percent of Americans reportedly bought at least one speaker between Black Friday (November 24th) and then end of 2017, with 4 percent of Americans having bought their very first speaker.
TiVo DVRs will take commands from Alexa and Google Assistant
You won't have to use TiVo's in-house voice control to steer your DVR in the near future. TiVo has unveiled plans to add smart home integration, including voice control through Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. If you have a supporting device like your phone, an Echo or Google Home, you can control your DVR without reaching for the remote. PCMag describes the functionality as different depending on which voice assistant you choose. Alexa is more about straightforward navigation control while the Google Assistant support is more about searching for shows and tying in with other devices (such as dimming the lights when you're ready to watch). However, it's also adding IFTTT support that could deliver a lot more when combined with speakers and other smart home devices.
Dish DVRs will soon work with Google Assistant
Never mind using Google Assistant on your TV -- Dish thinks you should talk to your set-top box instead. In the wake of Alexa support, the satellite TV provider is promising Google Assistant control for its Hopper DVR, Joey client and Wally receiver. You can soon search for shows, change the channel (by name or number) and control playback just by talking to your phone or a smart speaker like a Google Home. There's no mention of recording, but that limitation is present with Amazon's AI helper as well.
B&O will add Google Assistant to its connected speakers this year (updated)
Earlier today at CES, Google detailed how its Assistant would be available in more cars, headphones, speakers and other devices in 2018. Bang & Olufsen connected speakers are on that list. The Danish audio company already allows voice control through a Google Home speaker, but later this year, the feature will be available directly on some of the company's gear.
Klipsch speakers are getting Alexa and Google Assistant voice control
Voice control was all the rage at CES 2017, and this year's show appears to continue the trend. This time, another big name in audio is getting into the game: Klipsch. The company will have options for both Alexa and Google Assistant, so you'll have some choice when it comes to the new feature and new audio gear.
JBL adds Google Assistant to its Everest line of headphones
Samsung-owned Harman International just announced three new models for its JBL Everest line of wireless headphones. The over-ear 710GA, on-ear 310GA and in-ear 110GA all include Google Assistant (hence the GA designation), giving you voice control over your music, phone calls and notifications. All three models will be available this spring for $250, $200 and $100, respectively.
Panasonic and Alexa Onboard bring offline voice control to your car
At CES today, Panasonic announced a partnership with Amazon that will bring Alexa to your car. Dubbed Alexa Onboard, it works with Panasonic's Skip Gen IVI technology and is meant to make life with your virtual assistant more seamless as you move from your home to your vehicle.
Philips' kitchen-friendly TV packs Google Assistant
A voice assistant can't help you chop vegetables, but it can talk you through how to make your own produce look like it was sliced by a professional. It's one of the reasons that Philips has crammed Google Assistant into its new Android TV for kitchens, the 7703. The 24-inch Android TV comes on a large plinth that is also a 16-watt Bluetooth speaker to fill your kitchen with tunes. The unit also has Chromecast integration, letting you push content from a mobile device to the display with very little fuss.
Samsung adds Bixby voice control to its Family Hub smart fridge
Samsung is fulfilling its promise of spreading Bixby beyond mobile devices -- it just unveiled a Family Hub 3.0 refrigerator whose star attraction is (you guessed it) Bixby voice control. The company hasn't said exactly what its in-house voice assistant allows, but it will personalize responses to individual voices: you can ask what's new and get your personal calendar and news updates.
Google Assistant will unlock Schlage Sense deadbolts
Schlage's Sense smart deadbolt now works with (almost) any virtual assistant under the Sun. The lock maker has revealed that Sense will support Google Assistant early in the first quarter, letting you check on your door (and, of course, lock it) from your Google Home or mobile apps that use the AI helper. You'll need the Sense WiFi adapter to make this work, but it'll give you the choice of Assistant, Alexa or Siri (via HomeKit) -- not bad when some rivals only offer one or two options.
A quick chat with Alexa can start charging your EV
If you drive an electric car and would rather not venture into the garage (or wade through a phone app) to start charging, you can now rest easy. ChargePoint has introduced Alexa support to its Home system, giving you voice control over your EV charging. You can start charging, stop charging or find out whether you're plugged in just by talking to a device like an Echo speaker. If you have Nest hardware, you can link charging to multiple parts of your home. And if you top up at ChargePoint stations away from home, you can check your balance or see how much you've spent on electricity so far.
Amazon Alexa now controls your microwave
Alexa's smart home skills aren't just for turning on the lights or locking your door these days -- now, they can help fulfill your culinary ambitions. Amazon has added cooking abilities to its Smart Home Skill framework, letting you control microwaves (and eventually conventional ovens) with your voice. Instead of pressing umpteen buttons, you can simply ask Alexa to "defrost 3lbs of chicken." Suffice it to say this could be helpful if you don't want to start cooking right away, or if you just hate your microwave's interface.
Hisense's latest 4K TVs will include Amazon Alexa
We've found the running theme for TVs at this year's CES: built-in voice assistants. Hisense has revealed that some of its 2018 4K TVs will include Amazon Alexa, letting you control both the set itself and your smart home. You can change inputs, stream online radio or turn on your lights without budging from the couch. Hisense isn't saying much about the TVs themselves, but it does note that a 100-inch laser TV will be one of those receiving the Alexa treatment.
Alexa and Cortana still don't work together
Remember how Amazon and Microsoft unveiled a team-up that would let Alexa and Cortana talk to each other by the end of 2017? As you might have noticed, that didn't quite work out as planned. Thurrott has pointed out that the voice assistant crossover still isn't available as 2018 begins. It's not clear why, either. Both Amazon and Microsoft have said that they expect to say more "soon," but that's no guarantee of news at CES or another imminent event.
LG's 2018 TVs get faster and smarter with Google Assistant, Alexa
LG's TVs have taken home our Best of CES Award for three years running and in 2018 the company is ready to take on all comers once again. As with all home electronics of the current era, the company's new televisions are AI-ready with LG's ThinQ technology, but you'll probably be more interested in their support for bigger-name assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The top of the line OLED TVs will have its new "Alpha 9" processor inside that's not only powerful enough for AI, but also ready to push video at high frame-rates of up to 120FPS. The chip also claims better color performance and "four-step process of noise reduction" although we'll be interested to see if it can be disabled to avoid any artifacts or motion-smoothing type impact on picture quality.
Google Assistant on phones now offers a choice of hotwords
Google created a mild amount of confusion when it launched its Home speaker. You could say "hey, Google" to start a command with the living room device, but you still had to use the time-honored "OK, Google" on your Android phone. Needless to say, that could be confusing if you used both platforms. However, Google is finally sorting things out. Many Android phone users have reported that Assistant is asking them to reconfigure the voice modeling, and is giving them a choice between "hey, Google" or "OK, Google" afterward. You can embrace consistency across devices or stick to tradition, in other words.
Google Assistant lands on older Android phones
Google Assistant has been available on recent Android phones for a while. However, that still puts it out out of reach of many Android users when a whopping 46.5 percent of active Android users are running a version older than Marshmallow. To help address this, Google is making Assistant available on devices running Android Lollipop. If you're still rocking an older phone, you'll get the same AI helper as a shiny new handset.
Amazon's Alexa can now wake you up with music instead of alarms
One of the greatest perks of connected speakers is waking up to whatever music you like, not just a buzzer or the radio. However, that hasn't been an option for Alexa-equipped devices like the Echo -- until today, that is. Amazon has added a feature to Alexa that lets you wake up to the music of your choice from one of several streaming services, including its own options and Spotify.
Google re-enables touch controls for audio playback on the Home Mini
There's an update on the way for those of you with a Home Mini speaker. Google is rolling out a new feature that lets you use the sides of the device to play or pause whatever you're listening to, be it music, news or if you want to end a call you're on. Right now, the touch-friendly side area of the Home Mini only works to control the volume, but now with a long press of the unmarked spots you can have some extra functionality.
