Feared or celebrated, Amazon's Alexa is star of Super Bowl ads
An android child struggles to control his emotions. Robots threaten to take away human jobs. And a voice-activated device ponders its own existence. These dark themes were explored by this year's Super Bowl commercials, with brands such as TurboTax, Olay and Sprint capitalizing on fears ...
What happens when Alexa gets too smart or too human?
Millions of users of Amazon's Echo speakers have grown accustomed to the soothing strains of Alexa, the human-sounding virtual assistant that can tell them the weather, order takeout and handle other basic tasks in response to a voice command. So a customer was shocked last ...
Amazon sets December launch date in Japan for Echo Show display-speaker hybrid
Amazon.com Inc. said Thursday it will sell its Echo Show display-speaker hybrid in Japan starting in December, with the aim of further cementing its position in the world of voice-controlled devices. The world's largest online retailer said it will now begin taking preorders for the ...
Goo-gle gaga: Parenting in the age of digital helpers
In-house digital assistants create both challenges and opportunities for parents — especially those raising younger kids — but kind of impact do they really have?
Amazon Echo eavesdropped on couple, sent recording to a contact: report
A couple's private conversation was mysteriously recorded by their Amazon Echo device and sent to one of their contacts, igniting privacy concerns about the voice-activated gadgets the online retailer wants to make as commonplace in homes as televisions. The two found about it when they ...
Amazon's Alexa voice assistant coming to Toyota's cars in 2018
Amazon.com Inc.'s Alexa voice-activated virtual assistant will be added to some Toyota and Lexus vehicles this year, advancing Amazon's ambitions to expand its speech platform beyond the home. Alexa will let drivers and passengers get directions, control entertainment features, get the news and perform other ...
Step aside, Siri: A new AI-powered assistant is in town, and she's kawaii
When Siri is asked whether she has a boyfriend, the iPhone's digital assistant is usually quick to deflect the question with a quip about drones always trying to pick her up. For Minori Takechi, founder of Vinclu Inc., that's a missed opportunity. Takechi is the creator ...
