Digital assistant test shows Apple's Siri is improving, lags behind Google Assistant

Apple's digital assistant Siri continues to lag behind the Google Assistant, a group test reports, one which also reveals improvements in properly understanding queries and providing correct responses has generally improved across all digital assistants.

Malcolm Owen 7 years ago 24

Apple's Siri director to speak at AI Frontiers conference in November

Apple senior director of Siri, Alex Acero, is scheduled to appear at this year's AI Frontiers conference, where he will be joined by other experts in the field to discuss the role natural language processing plays in modern personal assistant technology.

AppleInsider Staff 7 years ago 10

Amazon's Alexa app for iOS gains voice control

Some five months after Android users gained the ability to control Amazon's Alexa voice assistant through a dedicated app, the e-commerce giant is bringing identical functionality to iOS, turning an iPhone or iPad into a handy Echo stand-in.

AppleInsider Staff 7 years ago 6

Review: HomeKit compatible First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound smoke detector more than it appears

By acting as a pair of safety sensors, a speaker, a HomeKit device, an Alexa smart assistant, and soon an AirPlay 2 speaker, First Alert's Onelink Safe & Sound wants to be a welcome addition to any home. AppleInsider checks it out.

Andrew O'Hara 7 years ago 23

Amazon's Fire TV Cube aimed squarely at Apple TV 4K

Amazon on Thursday revealed the Fire TV Cube, its latest media streamer, poised to intensify competition with the Apple TV 4K.

Roger Fingas 7 years ago 32

Editorial: More companies need to temper their Artificial Intelligence with authentic ethics

When Apple outlined that its new HomePod didn't initiate phone calls on its own, nobody jumped to the conclusion that this was because having a device in your home that anyone's voice could use to place a telephone call from your personal mobile number might be a bad idea. Instead, the company was generally lambasted for "again" failing to match one of the many features of Amazon's Alexa Echo always-listening appliances.

Daniel Eran Dilger 8 years ago 106

Sonos likely to reveal Alexa-enabled home theater speaker at June 6 event

Connected speaker maker Sonos on Thursday invited the press to a June 6 event in San Francisco, where the company will almost certainly reveal a new home theater product with support for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 21

Review: Ecobee4 Thermostat a strong choice for Apple HomeKit & Amazon Alexa users

The ecobee4 is easily one of the best smart thermostats you can buy, the only questions being compatibility with your house and whether you can justify its hefty price tag.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 30

Amazon unveils $79 Echo Dot Kids Edition, shipments start in May

Amazon seeks to widen its smart speaker lead with a new product intended for children's use, that comes pre-packed with parental controls, and access to some of Amazon's subscription services included in the purchase price.

Stephen Silver 8 years ago 29

Hands-on: Ecobee4 Thermostat with Apple HomeKit & Amazon Alexa

The Ecobee4 is one of the most flexible smart thermostats available. Not only does it support Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa, it is also an Alexa speaker, supporting most of the same voice commands as an Echo, and AppleInsider has one installed.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 13

Lennar now integrating Amazon Alexa surveillance into new home construction

Major U.S. home builder Lennar, along with other regional home builders, has partnered with Amazon to install multiple Echo microphones into new housing together with Alexa-controlled light switches, thermostats and even door locks that grant access to Amazon delivery workers—creating a wider threat of Facebook-style corporate surveillance and invasions of privacy.

Daniel Eran Dilger 8 years ago 49

April Fools: get ready for the worst jokes in the tech industry

Every year, several companies—most notoriously Google—float various unfunny, excessively long dad jokes on April Fools Day. But rather than waste your time detailing these latest flat attempts at humor in tech, why not take a moment on April 1 to take a look at the really foolish stuff the tech media serves up virtually every day?

Daniel Eran Dilger 8 years ago 64

Amazon allows iPads to make calls through Alexa app to contacts using Echo devices

Amazon has expanded the usability of its Alexa calling and messaging via the Alexa app to tablets, allowing iPad owners to be able to make and receive free calls to and from friends and family members who own an Echo device from the retailer's growing range.

Malcolm Owen 8 years ago 0

Amazon Alexa's 'Follow-Up Mode' enables successive requests without trigger word

In an attempt to stay one step ahead of the virtual assistant competition, like Apple and Google, Amazon recently released a new feature that allows users to ask multiple questions in succession without repeating the "Alexa" wake word.

AppleInsider Staff 8 years ago 20

Amazon Echo users report strange 'laugh' sound randomly played by Alexa [u]

Reports of a strange error from owners of Amazon's Echo device range have surfaced, claiming the Alexa digital assistant is making an odd 'laugh' sound at random times, with the noises sometimes made without any verbal prompts, commands, or external forces interacting with the voice-activated speakers.

Malcolm Owen 8 years ago 35

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