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Amazon is reportedly working on a better-sounding Echo
Despite an influx of new models last year, Amazon's Echo probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of high fidelity. The company wants to change that by introducing a higher-quality version of the Echo to better compete with the like of Sonos, according to Bloomberg. Amazon's Lab126 research division has reportedly produced prototypes that are larger than the current Echo in order to pack in at least four tweeters.
Google Assistant may scan your face to personalize commands
Google might soon have an alternative to voice matching when you want to use Assistant to get personalized results. The latest beta for Android's Google app includes code references to a previously hinted-at Face Match feature that, as the name implies, would scan your visage to provide tailored commands on camera-equipped devices. While there isn't a detailed description, you'd have to both train the system and could add multiple devices. Your face profile wouldn't be limited to one gadget, which some companies do in the name of security.
Spotify's in-car music player may go on sale this year
Spotify's rumored in-car music device appears to be taking shape. Financial Times sources claim the service plans to launch the in-car player sometime later in 2019 for roughly $100. There are more details as to how it would work, too. While the earlier leak mentioned voice control, the add-on would also include preset buttons that take you directly to playlists. You could play the soundtrack for your morning commute with a quick press. The hardware would pair to your car's sound system through Bluetooth, so you wouldn't need an aux-in cable to start listening.
Even bicycles have Alexa now
When I first clapped eyes on the Cybic E-Legend, I thought: "A bicycle with Alexa? What's the point?" It felt like an utterly pointless addition to a pedal-powered two-wheeler, electric or otherwise. But as I waddled around the bike at CES, I started to appreciate the concept. It can offer directions in a pinch, turn the heating on before you get home, or send a message to your family when you get stuck in traffic. Heck, you could even use it to order UberEats while you're wrapping up a weekend ride.
Razer integrates Alexa with its color-changing PC hardware
Razer is about to make it considerably easier to control your RGB-lit gaming rig. The company has unveiled plans to introduce Amazon Alexa control through its Synapse 3 software, letting you voice control devices that support its Chroma Connected Devices Program through Razer headsets and microphones. That includes legions of Razer's own mice, keyboards and audio devices, but it also includes PC cases, cooling fans, motherboards and other peripherals. Want to turn your setup blood red for a round of Doom? You'd just have to ask Alexa to change your lighting profile.
TCL is working on 8K Roku TVs
Today, TCL announced that it's working on a range of 8K TVs that will be available in screen sizes of 75 inches and larger. They will fall under the company's 8-Series line which, somewhat confusingly, will also include some 4K HDR options later this year. TCL said its 8K TVs will run Roku's lightweight software and support upscaling for 4K and 1080p content, as well as "the latest HDMI standards," ensuring they play nice with future video game consoles and set-top boxes. They will also use Quantum Contrast, a new backlight technology based on mini-LEDs, and QLED, which uses Quantum Dots to improve color brightness and intensity. Chas Smith, SVP and GM of Roku TV, said: "In designing and delivering 8K TCL Roku TVs we will reach new heights by offering beautiful picture quality combined with America's No. 1 TV streaming platform."
Food tracking comes to Google Assistant with Lifesum
You no longer have to pull out your phone (or look at your watch) to track your dietary habits. Lifesum has introduced what it says is the first food tracking app for Google Assistant, making it easier to keep tabs on your eating patterns. If you ate a large meal or grabbed a glass of water, you just have to use your voice to add that to your log. You can also update your body weight, tackle challenges (such as hiding sugary food in your kitchen) and ask for updates on your progress.
LG's 2019 TVs add HDMI 2.1 and 8K
CES 2019 hasn't started yet, but LG is already drip-feeding information about this year's OLED and LCD TVs. While it didn't mention the rollable OLED we're expecting, it did list model numbers for two 8K sets, with an 88-inch Z9 OLED and SM99 8K LCD TV on the way. There's no word on price yet, but the big confirmation is that thanks to HDMI 2.1 ports, all of its 2019 OLED TVs and "selected" NanoCell LCD TVs will support high frame rate (HFR) 120fps video inputs. Other features in the new standard include an enhanced audio return channel (eARC) as well as variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM) to keep gamers happy. If you're snagging one of the new 8K TVs, you'll just be pleased to know you won't have to plug in four HDMI cables to get everything connected. The NanoCell name is a new brand for LG's high-end LCD TVs (SM9X and SM8X) with enhanced color, viewing angles and thin bezels. As usual, LG is also talking up its AI capabilities with Thinq technology, and a new Prime Video button on its Magic Remote that ties in directly to Amazon's Alexa routines.
Windows 10 may offer deeper support for AI helpers like Alexa
While you can use voice assistants like Alexa on Windows 10, they still play second fiddle to Cortana. You can't just talk to your computer -- you have to either click a button or use a keyboard shortcut. Thankfully, Microsoft might be a little more egalitarian in the future. Albacore, WalkingCat and others have discovered that Windows 10 test releases may offer deeper support for third-party voice assistants. You could activate apps with a hotword (including when your PC is locked), and possibly "replace" Cortana on a system level. In one test, Microsoft also separated the search text box and the "talk to Cortana" feature on the taskbar.
Alexa can control your home security system
It's now decidedly easier to control your home security system if you have an Echo speaker or another Alexa-powered gadget. Amazon has enabled a Security Panel Controller framework that lets you control security systems with your voice. You can arm or disarm them, specify certain modes (home, away and night) and simply check in. And yes, Amazon is well aware of the security implications. You have to manually enable disarming by voice, and you can specify an Alexa-specific voice code instead of shouting your PIN code to everyone within earshot.
Spotify's revamped Xbox One app includes smarter voice control
Spotify just became much more useful if it regularly provides the background music for your Xbox One sessions. After weeks of testing, it's releasing a refreshed version of its Xbox One app that promises both easier discovery of music and, importantly, more control when you find it. The new "razor sharp design" (similar to the one from newer PS4 and Roku apps) gives you easier access to the Made for You hub, your library and your recently played songs, while the Xbox One Guide now has shuffle and repeat controls for longer gaming marathons. And if you like to shout at Cortana instead of tapping buttons, you're in for a treat.
Google Assistant now controls your Roku devices
After a few weeks of waiting, Roku's promised Google Assistant control is here. If you're using a TV or player running at least Roku OS 8.1, you can link the Google Home app to your Roku account and control core functions using only voice and an "on Roku" suffix. You can launch channels, search for shows and control playback on most devices, while TV owners can turn on the set, adjust volume or switch inputs.
Microsoft's Cortana mobile beta adds conversational voice control
Microsoft just made Cortana considerably more useful on smartphones -- provided you're an early adopter. It has announced a version 3.0 beta for Android and iOS that delivers a major interface overhaul with some valuable features. Gone is the blue-laden (and slightly dated) look you see above. Instead, you'll see a more modern-looking (if slightly plain) design with a prominent voice command button. More importantly, the interface now enables "conversational experiences" (that is, a more back-and-forth chat) with Cortana as well as a dedicated place to set up your Cortana-capable devices.
Microsoft adds dictation to Office web apps to help with dyslexia
Microsoft has made voice dictation available for desktop Office users for months. Now, though, it's making the feature available to web users in the name of aiding those with dyslexia. The browser versions of both Word and OneNote will enable dictation sometime in the "coming weeks" so that dyslexic students can write more effectively than they would by typing. This should also help for dysgraphia (a condition that makes it difficult to write coherently) and people with mobility issues, Microsoft added.
The first Made-for-Google lightbulbs don't require a hub
To date, using Google Assistant to control your lighting away from your phone has typically meant shopping for both a smart speaker and bulbs with a hub serving as a go-between, such as Philips' Hue line. You won't have to spend quite so much cash going forward, because GE has unveiled the first Made-for-Google lightbulbs, and they don't require a hub at all. It's updating its C by GE lineup to automatically pair with any Google Home speaker through Bluetooth and show up in the Home app, making Assistant control almost as simple as screwing in the lights.
HP's voice-controlled Tango printer can be disguised as a book
Printers haven't really kept up with the times. Sure, you can print from your phone, but the devices aren't built for an always-connected world -- and let's be honest, more than a few of them are eyesores that can feel like '90s throwbacks. HP believes it can do better. Its newly unveiled Tango lets you print from wherever you are, and takes smart speaker commands from Alexa, Cortana and Google Assistant. If you'd like to print your calendar, you don't have to fire up an app or walk across the room. An Instant Ink service can automatically order new ink when you run low, too, potentially sparing you an unexpected trip to the office supply store.
Skype chats are coming to Alexa devices
Aside from all of the Alexa-connected hardware, there's one more big development coming for Amazon's technology: integration with Skype. Microsoft and Amazon said that voice and video calls via the service will come to Alexa devices (including Microsoft's Xbox One) with calls that you can start and control just by voice. Last year the two companies announced plans to make Alexa and Cortana work together and it's taken a while to arrive, but now it's here. Amazon's push to make people buy more things via its assistant could provide a boost to Microsoft's aspirations of product integration in a way that didn't happen after the launch of the Xbox One and Kinect, which already featured voice control for Skype before Cortana and Alexa were on the scene.
For Amazon, better skills mean bigger ad revenue
Amazon is improving its Alexa voice assistant with each new update, enabling more natural conversation patterns and upgrading the system's ability to understand complex or vague questions. All of this is great for people who are sick of screaming, "ALEXA," and repeating commands a dozen different ways before the device actually does what it's supposed to. However, these upgrades are also good for advertisers -- and, by association, Amazon.
Amazon's Echo Input offers Alexa for your existing speakers
The latest gadget Amazon is shoehorning Alexa into is an audio dongle called the Echo Input. The $34.99 media bridge has line inputs, Bluetooth and a far-field mic. Think of it like a combo Chromecast Audio and Google Home Mini, but without the speaker and sold by Amazon versus Google and you've got the basic gist.
Amazon's Echo Sub adds some much-needed bass to its smart speakers
The Echo is a fine enough smart speaker, but what it's lacking is any sort of oomph in terms of sound quality. That's why Amazon will release the Echo Sub this October. The diminutive bass-maker features 100W of power, a 6-inch downward firing woofer and will work when paired with either a lone Echo or a pair, for a true 2.1 stereo setup. The stereo pairing feature is brand new, as well. Prior, you could only group separate Echo devices together for multi-room listening. More than that, Amazon is opening up its multi-room API to third parties.
