Amazon’s Echo line of products can answer questions, play music, and control your smart home products such as light bulbs, locks, and thermostats. But a big part of the reason Amazon launched its line of devices with the Alexa voice service is because they also make it easy for you to buy things… from Amazon. […]
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Dashbot is a $49 hands-free, in-car controller for your phone (crowdfunding)
The latest product from the makers of the CHIP $9 computer and PocketCHIP handheld Linux computer is a gadget designed to sit on your car’s dashboard and let you control your phone with your voice. Yes… you can probably control most recent smartphones with your voice even without an extra gadget. But Dashbot has a few nifty […]
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Google Home is now shipping ($129 voice-activated, internet-connected speaker)
Google’s answer to the Amazon Echo is now shipping. Customers who placed orders for Google Home from the Google Store are starting to get shipment notifications. Walmart seems to have put some units on store shelves. Unboxing videos are starting to appear. And professional reviews are starting to come in. Google Home is available for […]
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Sony Future Lab N hands-free voice system launches early adopter program
Sony is now taking applications from folks who want to try out the company’s prototype for a wearable, voice-controlled device that lets you interact with your smartphone without touching it. First unveiled in March, Sony’s Future LabProgram  N concept prototype us a band that you wear around your neck with a microphone and speakers built-in […]
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Amazon’s new Alexa dev tools could bring choose-your-own-adventure games to Alexa
Amazon’s Echo and related products use the spoken word as a user interface. You interact with Alexa on the Echo, Tap, Dot, or Fire TV by talking, and it speaks back to you. While you can use your voice to control music playback, get answers to questions, request news or weather updates or order products, […]
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Now you can use “Hey Cortana” voice actions with Android… sometimes
Microsoft’s Cortana person assistant software made its debut with Windows Phone before finding its way to Windows 10. This summer Microsoft also launched a beta version of Cortana for Android, but it was missing one key feature that the time: support for triggering the app by saying “hey Cortana” to your phone. That’s something you […]
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“OK Google” can now work on any unlocked Chromebook (kinda)
The Google Chrome web browser and Chrome OS have supported “OK Google” hotword detection for over a year. Just type chrome://flags into the location bar, find the experimental OK Google feature and click the enable button. Up  until recently this has only let you use your voice to search the web after opening a new tab. Now there’s a […]
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Report: “Ok, Google” hotwords coming to most Google apps
Ask your recent Android phone “Ok, Google, How old is Mick Jagger?” and it will answer you. Say “Ok, Google, take a picture” and it’ll fire up your camera app and get you ready to snap a photo. But that could be the tip of the iceberg. According to the folks at Android Police Google […]
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Ubi envisions an always-on, voice activated Android device for your home
Most Android devices are smartphones or tablets that feature touchscreen displays. But the folks behind the Ubi project want to take advantage of Android’s built-in voice control features to deliver an inexpensive home computer that you use just by talking to it. The developers are running a Kickstarter campaign to get the device off the […]