voice
Latest
OpenAI says it can clone a voice from just 15 seconds of audio
OpenAI just announced the results of a small-scale preview of a new voice cloning engine that’s based on the company’s pre-existing text-to-speech API. The technology generates natural-sounding speech that resembles the original speaker.
Microsoft adds AI voice chat to Bing on desktop
You can now talk to Bing on desktop, and it can even read its replies to you out loud.
A new AI voice tool is already being abused to make deepfake celebrity audio clips
ElevenLabs' AI speech synthetizer is being used to generate clips featuring voices that sound like celebrities reading or saying something questionable.
5G voice calls arrive for some T-Mobile customers in Salt Lake City and Portland
For now, the test is also limited to a single model of Samsung phone.
Google made an app to ease communication for people with speech impairments
Google made an app called Project Relate that could help people with speech impairments communicate more easily with others.
Hinge users can send voice messages and add audio notes to profiles
More features for LGBTQ+ users are on the way too.
Spotify opens its Car Thing waitlist to all US users
You'll need a Spotify Premium subscription to actually use the music and podcast player though.
Apple has a new app for collecting feedback on Siri
In an effort to improve its digital assistant, the company recently launched a study to collect speech data and feedback with the help of an app called Siri Speech Study.
Twitter Spaces may soon offer voice manipulation effects
Twitter is apparently developing a voice manipulator for its Spaces audio chat feature.
Epic Games will let developers use its voice and anti-cheat services for free
Epic Games has expanded its Online Services' offerings, giving developers access to voice communications and anti-cheat software for free.
Spotify's voice-controlled 'Car Thing' is available for some subscribers
Spotify admitted its voice-controlled in-car streaming player existed in 2019. Now you might have a chance to actually use it.
One of Google Voice's best features is going away
The Google Voice app now tells users that "message forwarding to linked numbers will stop soon because mobile carriers have started to block those messages."
Amazon's Echo Auto comes to the UK, Canada and parts of Europe
Amazon's Echo Auto is now available outside of the US, Australia and India.
Google is working on voice confirmation for purchases with Assistant
Voice-based shopping is coming to Google Assistant.
Scientists tried to recreate a mummy's voice with an electronic larynx
Researchers recently resurrected the "voice" of an ancient priest for the first time since his death over 3,000 years ago. Called Nesyamun, he lived during the time of the pharaoh Rameses XI, who ruled from 1107 to 1078 BC. The team used a combination of scanners, 3D printing and synthesized sound to create the vocal simulation.
Ford is 3D printing unique wheel nut locks based on driver voices
If you've got a set of sweet alloys on your car, you've likely got them protected with locking nuts which can only be loosened with a special key. But these aren't invulnerable to thieves, who are increasingly targeting car parts as vehicle security becomes more sophisticated. As such, Ford has come up with a novel way of using 3D printing to keep your alloys safe.
Cortana will offer to read your emails in Outlook for iOS
We've all been there: You're about to leave the office, or close your laptop and make a snack, when the phone in your pocket vibrates. Another email. You could stop and dig it out, interrupting your flow for the umpteenth time that day. Or, with Outlook for iOS, you can now ask Cortana to read everything in your inbox out loud. Microsoft says this "voice-forward" feature was designed for commuting and general multitasking. You can reply with your voice and use the on-screen interface -- which looks a bit like a music or podcast player -- to pause, flag and archive messages.
Issa Rae is Google Assistant's newest celebrity voice
The long-promised John Legend voice eventually landed on Google Assistant back in April, now we've got the next celebrity voice offering in the form of the brilliant actress, writer and producer, Issa Rae. Just say, "Hey Google, talk like Issa," or switch your Assistant voice settings, and she'll be ready to answer a whole bunch of questions, from "Do I need an umbrella today?" to "Tell me a joke." Plus there will be a few Easter eggs, too -- trying asking "Hey Google, do you have any dating advice?" to hear what Issa has to say.
Alexa can mimic celebrities, starting with Samuel L. Jackson
During its hardware extravaganza today, Amazon announced that its neural text-to-speech technology (Neural TTS) that powers Alexa has advanced enough that it can mimic celebrity voices. The first out of the gate will be Samuel L. Jackson.
A 4G flip phone with Google Assistant is coming to the US
Dumb phones are getting smarter. Last year Nokia showed us what was possible in a feature phone with its 8110 4G, now Alcatel is leveraging the same operating system, Kai, to launch a 4G flip phone with Google Assistant integration, as well as apps such as WhatsApp and YouTube.
