You can play NPR’s ‘Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me’ on your smart speaker

You can play "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" on Amazon Echo speakers or Google Home devices with the new Wait Wait Quiz. It's hosted by Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis and will be updated every week with new questions. The post You can play NPR’s ‘Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me’ on your smart speaker appeared first on Digital Trends.
Tags: News, Trends, Npr, Smart Home, Amazon Echo, Echo Speaker, Don, Bill Kurtis, Amazon Alexa, Peter Sagal, Google Assistant, Google Home

CEO Satya Nadella says that Microsoft is embracing Amazon's Alexa instead of fighting it — and he wants to be friends with Google, too (MSFT)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says that it no longer sees its Cortana smart assistant as a competitor to Amazon's Alexa.  Instead, Nadella says that he wants Cortana to be thought of as a skill, or app, for Amazon's Alexa — something that Alexa users can already try for themselves.  But Nadella doesn't want to stop there: He says that there's no reason why Cortana shouldn't be available on Google Assistant, too.  Rather than fighting Alexa and Google Assistant, Microsoft wants to be friends — in...
Tags: Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Satya Nadella, Cortana, Trends, Earth, Silicon Valley, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Harman Kardon, Javier Soltero, Amazon Alexa, Nadella, Google Home

NPR Has Turned ‘Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me’ Into a Game for Smart Speakers

NPR has turned its popular “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” news quiz show into an interactive game for smart speakers: Owners of speakers powered by Google’s Assistant or Amazon Alexa will be able to play along to questions about the news of the week. Just like the radio show, the quiz is being hosted by […]
Tags: Google, News, Npr, Amazon Echo, Amazon Alexa, Wait Wait Don, Google Home

Are you in good voice?

When I think about the trends that are facing marketers and business owners in 2019, the one that I believe is going to be most significant is the influence of voice on search and content. Not only do I think it’s critical, but I think it is growing faster and stronger than anyone could have imagined. Let’s define the term, so we’re all on the same wavelength. When we talk about voice what we mean is all voice-activated or operated devices, apps, and the Internet of Things accessories that you ...
Tags: Google, Amazon, Wikipedia, Siri, Ppc, Ibm, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Branding, Cubs, Search Engine People, Google Home, Amazon Echo Google Home Apple

Global trends shaping marketing in 2019

It’s tough enough for brands to keep track of the big emerging tech and innovation trends but 2019 is likely to see an acceleration and expansion of this change. From gaming, through to voice, to AI-driven content and social commerce, evolution will be all around us. To help marketers get to grips with this, some of the senior leadership from our offices around the world have shone a spotlight the big trends to look out for and identified their likely impact on the marketing industry in 2019. Na...
Tags: Google, Amazon, Mobile, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Hong Kong, Milan, London, Youtube, Berlin, Singapore, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, Brands, Seo

Project Alias Hacks Amazon Echo and Google Home To Protect Your Privacy

fahrbot-bot writes: The gadget, called Alias, is an always-listening speaker, designed to fit on top of an Amazon Echo or Google Home, where it looks like a mass of melted candle wax. It's composed of a 3D-printed top layer, a mic array, a Raspberry Pi, and two speakers. It only connects to the internet during the initial setup process. Alias stays "off the grid" while you're using it, preventing your conversations from leaving the device. When the Alias hears its own (customizable) wake word, i...
Tags: Google, Tech, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Google Home, Project Alias Hacks Amazon Echo

Pandora launches a personalized voice assistant on iOS and Android

Pandora today announced the launch of its own, in-app voice assistant which you can call up at any time by saying “Hey Pandora,” followed by a request to play the music or podcasts you want to hear. The feature will allow you to not only control music playback with commands to play a specific artist, album, radio or playlist, but will also be capable of delivering results customized to you when responding to vague commands or those related to activity or mood. For example, you’ll get personal...
Tags: Mobile, Apps, Music, Media, Tech, Pandora, Streaming, Personalization, Voice, Amazon Echo, Streaming Service, Alexa, Voice Assistant, Phillips, Chris Phillips, Google Home

Has Your Child Been Looking at Bad Stuff Online?

What does a parent do when they catch their young child looking at inappropriate stuff online? I have been asked this one many times and in many ways and wanted to take a crack at answering it. Here is the Circle device we use in our home. Transcript Over the years there’s an email I’ve gotten many times, it’s a conversation I’ve had at conferences, it’s one I’ve had with friends, at church. It’s one that comes up a lot and today I’d like to address it and essentially it...
Tags: Google, Kids, Parenting, Internet, Siri, Blogging, Amazon Echo, Vlog, Google Home

A.I.’s humorous side: Here are the funniest things to ask Alexa

Amazon's Alexa voice assistant has a wide repertoire of funny responses, jokes, and hidden replies that you can have fun with. Here are the best funny things to ask Alexa and examples of what her responses are. The post A.I.’s humorous side: Here are the funniest things to ask Alexa appeared first on Digital Trends.
Tags: Amazon, Trends, Smart Home, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Amazon Echo Dot, Alexa easter eggs, Alexa jokes, funny Alexa lines

Alexa, Enable Phoenix Real Estate Guy Market Update

Excuse me while I blow some dust off my keyboard. It has been way too long, but I am back. But you can never get to where you want to be by focusing on the past so let’s focus on the future. And I believe the future is Voice! Do you have a smart speaker yet? According to a report on January 4th, there have already been 100 million Alexa devices sold. As of January 2019 reports say there are now 70,000 Alexa skills set up. In March of 2018 there were only 5,000 briefings. So times...
Tags: Amazon, Radio, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Phoenix, Chandler, Phoenix Real Estate, Jay Thompson, Alexa Enable Phoenix Real Estate Guy Market Update, Say Alexa, Phoenix Real Estate Guy Market Update, Chandler Real Estate Update Originally

Apple HomePod comes to China at $400 amid iPhone sales woes

Apple is finally launching HomePod in China, but the timing is tricky as the premium device will have to wrestle with local competitors and a slowing economy. The firm said over the weekend that its smart speaker will be available in Mainland China and Hong Kong starting January 18, adding to a list of countries where it has entered including US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico and Spain. The Amazon Echo competitor, which launched in mid-2017, is already available to Chinese...
Tags: Iphone, Apple, Google, Amazon, Asia, Hong Kong, Hardware, China, Siri, Tech, Spain, Artificial Intelligence, Alibaba, Xiaomi, Tencent, Baidu

Can Alexa for Business Help Your Company?

Small businesses are building on the potential Amazon Echo devices offer by buying into Alexa for Business. The new service allows employees to use the AI assistant to streamline and automate work production. It also enables employees to join meetings and carry out certain tasks from home or other remote locations by using their personal Alexa device. Amazon Alexa for Business Bringing Things Together Under One Roof Alexa for Business corrals data from user accounts, devices and skills in y...
Tags: Sales, Cisco, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Amazon Alexa, Small Business Operations, Alexa For Business, Alexa for Business Help Your Company

IoT Report: How Internet of Things technology growth is reaching mainstream companies and consumers

This is a preview of the Internet of Things (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the IoT ecosystem, tech trends and industry forecasts, click here. The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming how companies and consumers go about their days around the world. The technology that underlies this whole segment is evolving quickly, whether it’s the rapid rise of the Amazon Echo and voice assistants upending the consumer space, or growth of AI-powered analy...
Tags: Trends, Amazon Echo, Business Insider Intelligence

The NYT gets into voice with 5 new Alexa skills, including a daily briefing, quiz and more

The New York Times is expanding its efforts around audio programming and voice assistants, the company announced today. The NYT says it’s launching a daily flash briefing for Alexa devices, as well as an interactive news quiz, and – in an interesting twist – it will be introducing “enhanced coverage” in its Sunday paper that prompts readers to launch dedicated Alexa skills to learn more about the stories they’re reading. On weekdays, the Times will offer a short news briefing for Alexa device...
Tags: TC, Daily, Hardware, Michael Barbaro, Tech, New York Times, Nyt, The New York Times, Times, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Barbaro, Sebastian Modak, Monica Drake, New York Times News Quiz, Caryn Ganz

Smart Speakers Make Inroads Into American Homes

Source: Statista When Amazon announced the Amazon Echo in 2014, many people laughed at the idea of voluntarily letting the world’s largest online retailer put a “listening device” in your home. And yet, the Echo, and Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa with it, became a major success, pioneering the smart speaker market in the United States and internationally. According to a recent statement, Amazon shipped more than 100 million Echo devices since 2014, making it the leader in the highly contested ...
Tags: Amazon, Home, Technology, Speakers, Radio, United States, Property, Homes, Npr, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Statista, Edison Research, General Interest, Smart Speakers, Statista When Amazon

Amazon's Fire TV streaming devices are still popular despite not having a YouTube app

Amazon's Fire TV streaming devices have 30 million monthly active users, the company told Business Insider at CES 2019. That popularity is despite the fact that Amazon Fire TV devices don't have a YouTube app — a casualty of a streaming feud between Amazon and the Google-owned YouTube. Google's own Chromecast streaming platform had 55 milion monthly active users as of October 2017.  Amazon's Fire TV streaming devices have 30 million monthly active users, Amazon Fire TV marketing director Jenn...
Tags: Apple, Google, Amazon, Youtube, Trends, Chromecast, Amazon Echo, Amazon Fire TV, Alexa, Business Insider, Youtube Google, Roku Google, YouTube Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Cube, Google Roku, Jennifer Prenner

The Best Smart Locks for Your Amazon Echo

A smart lock for your front door is a great way to add some convenience to your daily routine, and if you want to be able to control it with your voice using your Echo, there are a couple of good options that work great with Alexa. Keep in mind that there are different smart locks to choose from that come with different features, so the “best” one for you may be different than the “best” one for someone else. With that said, we’ll go over a few different locks that come with various features. ...
Tags: Crafts, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Kevo, Alexa Keep

Put Alexa and a JBL speaker in your ceiling with this clever LED downlight

This light makes the smarthome even more accessible. Installed as any other ceiling downlight,the June AI downlight features Amazon Alexa through an integrated JBL speakers. There’s a light in there too. The idea is great: make the smarthome invisible. Instead of having an Amazon Echo sitting on a table, this device sits in a person’s ceiling doing the job of a normal light. But when called upon, it can play music, control devices or anything else possible with an Echo. “This integration of t...
Tags: Google, Amazon, Gadgets, Publishing, Tech, Artificial Intelligence, Software, Computing, Residential, Bing, Amazon Echo, Lighting, Alexa, Online Music Stores, Jbl, Amazon Alexa

Tech Revenue To Hit Record $398 Billion in 2019

Artificial intelligence (AI) and fast internet connectivity, both critical ingredients for  smartphones, smart home devices and smart speakers, will drive the U.S. consumer technology industry to a record-breaking $398 billion in retail revenues in 2019. That's $301 billion wholesale and 3.9% year-over-year (YOY) growth, which includes streaming services revenue, according to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Released today in advance of CES, the semi-annual U.S. Consumer Techno...
Tags: Apple, Music, Cta, Ces, Amazon Echo, Music Tech, Bruce Houghton, Consumer Technology Association CTA, Steve Koenig, Google Home, Tech Revenue

Samsung's next TVs can be controlled by talking to Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant

The next Samsung televisions will enable voice control through your existing Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers. By saying, "Hey Alexa" or "OK Google," you'll be able to turn your TV on or off, change channels, and even swap input selections. Rather than building the assistant software and associated hardware into its TVs, Samsung will require an existing Google Home or Amazon Echo device to power voice control. Samsung's next line of TVs, coming this year, will offer voice control th...
Tags: Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, Trends, Las Vegas, Amazon Echo, Cnet, Alexa, Samsung TV, Bixby, Google Home, Engadget Samsung

Amazon says it has sold more than 100 million Alexa-powered devices

If it seems as though Amazon's voice assistant Alexa is basically inescapable at this point, that's for good reason. According to Amazon, the company has sold more than 100 million devices with Alexa built into them. The post Amazon says it has sold more than 100 million Alexa-powered devices appeared first on Digital Trends.
Tags: Amazon, News, Trends, Smart Home, Amazon Echo, Alexa, CES 2019

The Internet of Things Report: Technology Trends & Market Growth

This is a preview of the Internet of Things (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the IoT ecosystem, tech trends and industry forecasts, click here. The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming how companies and consumers go about their days around the world. The technology that underlies this whole segment is evolving quickly, whether it’s the rapid rise of the Amazon Echo and voice assistants upending the consumer space, or growth of AI-powered analy...
Tags: Trends, Amazon Echo, Business Insider Intelligence

What can’t it do? The top Amazon Echo tips and tricks to use around the house

Amazon's voice assistant Alexa has plenty of neat skills. So many, in fact, it seems like new ones appear every day. We've rounded up the top Echo tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your virtual assistant. The post What can’t it do? The top Amazon Echo tips and tricks to use around the house appeared first on Digital Trends.
Tags: Amazon, Home, Trends, Tips, Smart Home, Amazon Echo, Alexa

Make Alexa your own: How to change the digital assistant’s voice

If you live in a country where English is not the primary language, or you're learning a second language and want to get all the practice you can get, you can set Alexa's default language to one of nine other languages. The post Make Alexa your own: How to change the digital assistant’s voice appeared first on Digital Trends.
Tags: Trends, How-to, Smart Home, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Voice Assistant, Amazon Alexa

Amazon's Echo Dot is $20 off for a limited time — and it's one of the best ways to make your home smarter in 2019

The   Insider Picks   team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. The third-generation Echo Dot is still on sale at its holiday price of $29.99, which is $20 cheaper than the original price of $49.99. If you missed the deal the first time, don't wait — it won't last much longer. The Dot makes it easy to stream music, control smart-home accessories, and get quick answers to questions thanks to Am...
Tags: Amazon, Trends, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Business Insider, Google Home, Amazon Music Unlimited Apple Music

How to Keep Commercials from Activating Your Smart Speaker

‘Tis the season for commercials featuring your favorite smart home speaker showing off what it can do—which means you may have experienced your Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri . And it’s annoying to have to shout, “Hey Google, stop,” or the equivalent phrase for your…Read more...
Tags: Google, Siri, Lifehacks, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Google Assistant, Smart Speakers, HomePod

10 Annoying Problems You Can Solve with Smarthome Devices

Smarthomes are easier to put together than ever. While they’re still not a necessity, what they are useful for is solving annoying problems around your home. No More House Shouting Smarthomes don’t always work well in family situations. Automation is particularly hard in homes with families and music integration can lead to account issues. But one area where Smarthomes shine is communication. If you’ve ever asked a child to tell the family there’s dinner, and all they did was yell “dinner” a...
Tags: Amazon, Crafts, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Echos, Google Home, Smarthome Devices

Hackers hijack thousands of Chromecasts to warn of latest security bug

Hackers have hijacked thousands of exposed Chromecast streaming devices to warn users of the latest security flaw to affect the device. But other security researchers say that the bug — if left unfixed — could be used for more disruptive attacks. The culprits, known as Hacker Giraffe and J3ws3r, have become the latest person to figure out how to trick Google’s media streamer into playing any YouTube video they want — including videos that are custom-made. This time around, the hackers hijacked f...
Tags: Google, Amazon, Security, Ipad, Startups, Gadgets, Echo, Technology, Hardware, Wi-fi, Spokesperson, Hack, Chromecast, Fox, Computing, Amazon Echo

Google sat on a Chromecast bug for years, now hackers could wreak havoc

Google was warned of a bug in its Chromecast media streaming stick years ago, but did not fix it. Now, hackers are exploiting the bug — and security researchers say things could get even worse. A hacker, known as Hacker Giraffe, has become the latest person to figure out how to trick Google’s media streamer into playing any YouTube video they want — including videos that are custom-made. This time around, the hacker hijacked thousands of Chromecasts, forcing them to display a pop-up notice th...
Tags: Google, Amazon, Security, Ipad, Gadgets, Echo, Technology, Hardware, Wi-fi, Tech, Spokesperson, Hack, Chromecast, Fox, Computing, Amazon Echo

Dealmaster: Get post-Christmas deals on Amazon devices, iPads, and more (ars technica)

Enlarge (credit: TechBargains) Greetings, Arsians! Courtesy of our friends at TechBargains, we have another round of deals to share. The Dealmaster hopes you and yours have had a wonderful holiday season, and now that most Christmas gifts have been opened it's time to begin the annual cycle of discounts anew. Predictably, there aren't a ton of good tech deals going on in this awkward period between Christmas and New Year's Day, but we've still rounded up a few noteworthy discounts on the likes...
Tags: Amazon, News, Ars Technica, Amazon Echo, Ars Staff, Google Home Hub Anker