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TouchPal built an AI for its alternative Android keyboard
Over the years, TouchPal has remained one of the most popular Android keyboards with its generous bundle of features, including gesture typing, neural network-powered prediction, multilingual support, GIF search, themes and more; though some of these have also become standard on other keyboards, such as Google's very own Gboard. As an attempt to stay on top of the game, the company has finally pushed its new TouchPal Keyboard Pro out of beta to debut "Talia," its AI personal assistant. Talia is designed in such a way that it delivers quick suggestions in a bubble as you type, but also in a way that doesn't overburden you. These include simple offerings like one-tap paste aka "Swift Paste," very basic calculations (with no more than two numbers for convenience's sake) and currency conversion, as well as something a little more advanced like smart replies, GIF predictions, weather forecast and dining recommendations -- part of this relies on Yelp, so availability depends on your region.
Amazon's Alexa and Prime Music service arrive in Canada
The absence of Amazon's Alexa and Prime Music services in Canada has been a strange oversight, given that the nation's share a border and (one of two) common languages. That has now been corrected, as Amazon has finally launched the Echo family, Prime Music and Alexa Voice services and skills in the land of hockey and poutine. "We're excited to bring [Alexa] to Canada with an experienced designed from the ground up for our Canadian customers," said Amazon Senior VP Tom Taylor in a statement.
Apple's HomePod firmware spills more details on the smart speaker
Apple unveiled its Siri-powered HomePod speaker hub at WWDC back in June, and despite a hefty $350 pricetag and the inevitable comparisons to Alexa devices, it actually sounds pretty good. In the lead up to its release this December, Apple pushed out the hub's firmware, revealing that it runs on iOS -- basically like a screenless iPhone or iPad. But in its current incarnation, the HomePod won't support third-party apps and programs, according to developer Steve Troughton-Smith's analysis.
Xiaomi's answer to Alexa is a $45 smart speaker
Xiaomi's Mi division, which sells some accessories in the US but still no phones, is getting into smart speakers. It just unveiled the Mi AI Speaker, its equivalent to Amazon's Alexa, Google Home and other personal assistant-type models. However, it play music and take voice commands for a lot less, costing just 299 RMB or around $45 when it hits shelves in China starting next month.
Come for this Einstein robot's facial expressions, stay for his smarts
"I had the worst dream," said Professor Einstein. "My vast intellect had been downloaded into a prosthetic body. I was then made to present the world of science to perfect strangers."
This virtual assistant looks like an anime girl trapped in a coffee pot
Gatebox AI is an unusual virtual assistant that involves a projected CGI character kind-of trapped in a jar -- with voice controls! The sales pitch is that this virtual assistant will give the sensation of living with a fictional character, or according to how creator Vinclu Inc. words it, "your heroes". Which is fine, if your hero is a non-spectacular CGI anime character with blue hair and excessively submissive temperament. Behind the virtual idol/slave gloss, Gatebox AI's assistant functions approach a bare-bones Amazon Echo.
Google Home review: The Assistant steps into your living room
The Google Assistant was the big news from the company's I/O conference earlier this year, but it took months for Google's true Siri competitor to really arrive. First it was baked into the largely unnecessary Allo chat app, and then it showed up as a flagship feature on the new Pixel phones. Now Google Home is shipping, putting the Assistant a voice command away even when your phone is in your pocket. Its inspiration is obvious: The $129 Home directly takes on the Amazon Echo. Indeed, many of the features here are the same. But Google is betting that the vast amount of data it stores, combined with the vast amount of data it knows about its customers, can make for a more useful product. It's a reasonable notion, but Home isn't quite ready to deliver on the promise of "your own personal Google" just yet.
A closer look at Sony's Xperia Ear voice assistant
Sony has been teasing its Xperia Ear voice assistant since last year, but now we know the concept will be an actual consumer product later this year. At IFA 2016, the tech giant announced that the tiny Bluetooth- and NFC-powered device is set to arrive in November, though it still hasn't said how much it's going to cost. Still, unlike at MWC 2015, Sony's now letting people try the device here in Berlin, as opposed to only showcasing it behind a glass box.
Google's own interpretation of Amazon's Echo is coming soon
All of a sudden, it's as if everyone is working on voice-controlled personal assistants, and reports suggest that Google's version of something similar to Amazon's Echo could land as soon as the Google I/O event next week -- which would make sense. According to sources at Recode, it's currently being developed under the codename, Chirp.
The people who made Siri are readying another big leap in AI
It's been a couple of years since we heard from Viv Labs, but a report from the Washington Post says it will debut the next generation of AI assistance on Monday. One reason we won't dismiss that possibility is because of the last project developed by company co-founders Dag Kittlaus, Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham -- a little feature called Siri. According to the Post, as much of a third of the team behind Siri is now at Viv, ready to fulfill a bigger dream of what the personal assistant can do than what we've seen so far in its Apple iteration.
Otto is Samsung's cute personal assistant robot
Samsung unveiled a big new push into Internet of Things at its developer conference today, and it's using a cute little robot to demonstrate it. It's called the Otto, a reference design for what is essentially an Amazon Echo clone. It has microphones and speakers so it can answer questions like "What's the weather?," plus you can use it to control various connected gadgets in your home like light switches and refrigerators.
Skype gets HoloLens support and help from Cortana
Microsoft isn't just content to work on a universal Skype app -- it has much bigger plans in store. It's developing a version of Skype for HoloLens that, as you'd expect, lets you chat and collaborate with friends using the augmented reality headset. Its exact functionality isn't clear yet, but the allure is clear: you can hold a hands-free video chat while you're walking around the room. Needless to say, that's helpful if you're working on a group project or have your hands full with other tasks. Don't worry if you can't drop $3,000 on a HoloLens unit to try it out, though, as there's plenty coming for regular users.
Cortana will soon make suggestions throughout your day
Cortana has come a long way since debuting nearly two years ago. As time goes by, Microsoft's virtual assistant keeps getting smarter, with features like helping you scan emails to keep track of deadlines. It's also expanded its reach to Android and iOS, the two most popular mobile platforms. Now, as part of the upcoming Windows 10 "Anniversary Update," Cortana will start making proactive suggestions throughout the day.
Cortana helps you keep deadlines by scanning your email
Remember telling Ted in accounting that you'd get the Tuttle figures over by Wednesday morning? No? Well, Cortona does -- it can now read your emails and remind you of any written commitments. Microsoft revealed that the new tweak, and others, are now available in a new Windows Insider release. If you email your spouse promising to get cinema tickets, for instance, then Cortana will pop up to tell you so the next time you open up your PC. The feature works much the same as Microsoft's flight and package tracking, and data is kept locally unless you ask for a reminder. You can also opt out.
Apple patent application hints at a Siri-like assistant for Macs
Siri might be making her way to a Mac near you. According to a patent application filed in February and released today, Apple's considering bringing the iPhone personal assistant to its desktop OS. The 92-page document details how you'll interact with Apple's "digital assistant," a term that occurs 574 times in the patent app (the name Siri never makes an appearance, however). According to the document, a desktop version could pair Siri's current actions with more complex functionality, such as file and system management. After calling on the assistant by using a specific gesture on the touchpad or clicking an icon in the dock, you could use it to send emails, find images or YouTube videos on the web, print documents or copy and "hold" multiple files. As TechCrunch notes, there's no reference to such an assistant in the Yosemite beta preview, so it'll probably be at least another year before Siri (or her better-equipped equivalent) arrives on the Mac.
Apple reportedly acquires Cue, hints at future agenda features in iOS
Apple already has an agenda-like notification tray in iOS 7, but there are new hints that it may upgrade that functionality soon. Both AppleInsider and TechCrunch report that Apple has acquired iOS developer Cue for at least $35 million. The deal would give Cupertino technology that creates agendas based on email and other personal information; like Google Now, Cue displays meetings and other events in interactive cards. Apple is only acknowledging the purchase with a familiar statement that it occasionally "buys smaller technology companies," and won't discuss its plans. As such, there's no way of knowing if or when Cue's features will surface in Apple products. Still, we won't be surprised if a future iOS release automatically generates rich daily calendars. [Image credit: Blue Wheel Media]
Google's Alfred to shut down on July 19
Venture Beat reports that Google will quietly retire Alfred on July 19th. Alfred was billed as a personal assistant, similar to Siri, according to Forbes. In 2011 Google acquired Clever Sense, Alfred's developer, but it seems they let him languish. Alfred isn't the first company purchase on which Google has stopped development, but instead of announcing Alred's demise on the Google blog, a notice was inserted into the Alfred app. You can still download Alfred on the iTunes store, but he hasn't been updated since May, 2012 and after yesterday, July 12th, he will be guiding you no longer. [via VentureBeat and TechCrunch]
Amazon has reportedly acquired Evi for voice-guided search
Amazon isn't shy about wanting to own as much of the Kindle Fire's software experience as it can, which creates a challenge when implementing voice search -- the company can't just re-skin Google Now and call it a day. The next-quickest alternative is to buy a company wholesale, and TechCrunch has evidence that Amazon may have gone that route through a very stealthy acquisition of Evi, best known for its eponymous personal assistant app. While neither side has publicly commented on the deal, our colleagues have noticed that all of Evi's directors and its company secretary have been replaced by staffers linked to Amazon UK. If it's not an acquisition, there's been at least some loss of autonomy. We don't know exactly what Amazon would be doing should the acquisition prove real, although Evi's Nuance-powered voice assistance for Android and iOS may be enough of a clue in itself -- there's only so many places Amazon can go with such a narrowly focused company.
Indigo is a cloud-based, cross-platform personal assistant for Android and Windows Phone 8 (hands-on)
The idea of a personal assistant needs no introduction: you already know Siri, and those of you fortunate to own a Jelly Bean handset (or at least a hacked ICS one) have the privilege of using Google Now. So there's very little we haven't seen here. And yet, we were inclined to take a look at Indigo, a new personal assistant for Android and Windows Phone 8 that launched yesterday, and will be available as a free download in the coming weeks. Meet us past the break to find out why.
New iOS app Winston is your Siri personal assistant for news
Winston is a new and ambitious product from Colorado-based startup, Reactor Labs. It's a take on the Siri personal assistant idea that focuses on news instead of sending messages. At the heart of the app is Winston, a personable British butler that compiles a daily brief from your selected news sources and social network feeds. When you launch Winston for the first time, you are prompted to connect to Twitter and Facebook as well as setup channels for your news. The app includes a handful of news sources that cover technology, headline news, sports, fashion and more. Once you have configured your channels, you are ready for your first briefing. Each briefing compiles content from your various channels and presents them in a slideshow that you can watch on your iPhone or stream to your Apple TV via AirPlay. The AirPlay option is perfect for visual news feeds like fashion and sports. You can watch the slideshow of images as Winston reads the news to you in his choppy, but charming British accent. You can swipe to jump forward or scroll back through the briefing. If you don't want all your news, you can also select an individual channel for your brief. Winston, though, isn't just a long-winded regurgitation of your news feed. The personal assistant has some intelligence and gives you a brief synopsis of your news and status updates. Winston pulls out the important information and discards most of the fluff. I used Winston primarily to prepare briefs for me when I was driving. It was wonderful to be able to launch Winston after a day of skiing and get a quick update of what I missed while I was on the slopes. An offline caching feature made sure I received my entire news brief while driving my rural route home. Winston launched publicly today and it's still a bit rough around the edges. There's only one voice option (British Male), and the news sources are limited to what's available in the app. Winston also sometimes struggles with status updates when it tries to summarize and misinterprets the person's post. Nonetheless, I'm impressed by what I have seen in my time with Winston, and I look forward to the improvements the developers have planned for the future. If you enjoy following up-and-coming technology, then you should definitely add Winston to your must-watch list. You can download Winston for free from the iOS App Store and watch the promo video below. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.
