Cortana Lands on Android and iOS; A Number of Us Are Rarely Offline
Posted: December 9, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Cortana, Google Now, Internet Use, iOS, Microsoft, Pew, Siri Leave a commentIn what seems like quite a clever move (and a bit of bet-hedging), Microsoft gone live with Cortana for Android and iOS. 9to5google.com notes it’s been a small beta since last month, but now you can check out it’s functionality for real. Since it’s an app, and not baked in, don’t expect it to have the power of Google Now or Siri yet. With Windows Phone still in the basement, Microsoft is smart to be porting over to the two much more widely used mobile systems.
TV and Comedy have had a lot of fun with people being inseparable from their smartphones and computers…everything from chipped people to the Simpsons’ Eye Phone, where the thing replaced an eyeball…so now comes data from Pew research that 21% of Americans go online almost constantly. Drilling down, 73% are online daily, 42% several times a day, 13% several times a week or less. The Luddite contingent of people who never use the internet stands at 13%. They probably still have buggy whips…and I don’t mind insulting them, since they’ll never read this or hear it anyway!
Facebook’s New Virtual Assistant
Posted: August 27, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Automatic, Connected car, Cortana, Facebook, Google Now, Hum, M, Messenger, Siri, Verizon, Virtual assistant, Zubie Leave a commentFacebook has begun a soft rollout of ‘M,’ its new virtual assistant that runs in the freestanding Messenger app. According to wired.com, it will not only make restaurant reservations, shop for a birthday present for your sweetie, suggest-then-book a weekend getaway…Facebook claims it will perform tasks Siri, Google Now, and Cortana can’t. That’s because it doesn’t just rely on artificial intelligence…the secret ingredient in Facebook’s M is people.The people Facebook has in place behind the AI interface have customer service backgrounds. You’ll know when you get the new assistant when a new button appears at the bottom of you Facebook Messenger mobile app.
New cars come with a fair amount of connectivity, and a few companies like Automatic, and Zubie sell gadgets that let you turn an older vehicle into a connected one. Now, Forbes.com reports that Verizon is getting into the act with Hum. The communications giant will offer it directly to consumers, and Hum is designed to be installed by the user in their own cars. It has two pieces of hardware…a cellular modem that plugs into the ODB diagnostic port, and a Bluetooth connected speaker that lives on your visor. It should be able to spot issues before they get out of hand, and relay miles per gallon, overall vehicle health, and so on, which will display on a mobile app. Hum also comes with roadside assistance, emergency assistance, parking info, and a vehicle finder. The hardware is $120, and subscription to the service is $15 a month.
Dragon Anywhere Mobile Apps Coming
Posted: August 19, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Blackphone 2, Cortana, Dragon, iOS, Microsoft, Nuance, Silent Circle, Siri Leave a commentAs Apple does more and more with Siri, and Microsoft does the same with Cortana, a long time player in speech recognition will be dropping mobile apps this fall. Thenextweb.com reports that Dragon Anywhere…the app…will be released for iOS and Android, with the focus on professionals. At least the initial release will be designed for lawyers, social workers, insurance adjusters, and public safety officers, according to Nuance…which envisions such pros using the app to create and edit complete reports and documents, or take detailed notes on the go. It will play nice with Evernote and Dropbox, according to the maker. Updates to the PC desktop app will be out in August, and for the Mac in September.
We previously reported on Silent Circle’s 2.0 product, the Blackphone 2. Now, techcrunch.com says it should be launching in September….a little bit of a slide from a promised summer launch, and still no word on a price. It will sport an all-glass front and rear, plus a larger 5.5 inch full HD display, have a 64-bit processor, and more RAM.
Amazon Drones? How About Drones Launched From A Delivery Van?
Posted: July 29, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Cortana, Drones, Electric vans, FAA, Horsefly, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Microsoft Edge, Windows 10, Windows 8 Leave a commentWhile Amazon is trying to get the FAA to let them use a band of protected airspace to fly their delivery drones in, Workhorse has applied to that agency for special permission to launch delivery drones from the back of its electric cargo vans! As the van tools around, the roof-mounted HorseFly UAV selects, transports, and drops off the correct parcel right outside its recipient’s front door. Besides driving the route, all the driver has to do is watch to make sure the drone’s landings go ok. Engadget.com reports that the HorseFly drone can fly for up to a half hour carrying 10 lbs. This idea may ‘fly’ better than Amazon’s plan to have drones fly from their warehouses all the way to people’s homes.
Yes, at long last, it’s here…and by most accounts, it’s good. The antidote to terrible Windows 8, Windows 10 is out. According to bgr.com…somewhat in jest…the best new feature is that it’s NOT Windows 8, but actually there’s a lot more. The beloved Start menu is back, for starters. Probably the best new feature is a decent web Browser called Microsoft Edge…which is faster, sleeker, and far less clunky than Internet ‘Exploder.’ Microsoft hasn’t actually killed old Internet Explorer yet, but will be nudging companies to leave it and move on. The Cortana voice assistant is pretty good, but doesn’t work with all systems…some computer microphones, for example, don’t support it well. You will see the update tool appear, but be aware unless you really want to dive into the weeds to update right away, you’ll be put in line for the update to be pushed out to you.
iPhone Fitness App Won’t Activate Until You Pair With Apple Watch
Posted: March 14, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple Watch, Cortana, Einstein Project, Electricity through the air, Fitness app, iOS, Microsoft Leave a commentA developer has discovered that the Fitness app does exist on iPhones in iOS 8.2. Macrumors.com says it apparently doesn’t appear until you pair the phone with Apple Watch…then you get a comprehensive overview of your daily activity and workout history. Apple has been pushing health and fitness as a prime reason to spring for the watch, which is out April 24th.
Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant is apparently coming to Android and iOS. According to Reuters.com, it may be ready to drop along with the desktop version when Windows 10 is released this fall. The managing director of the Einstein project, which is building it, says it can read and understand email.
Electricity in the air? Yes, and not just a figure of speech. Scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have just used microwaves to send 1.8 kilowatts of electricity 180 feet through the air to a device! Rt.com notes that’s enough to power a microwave oven! An eventual goal is to transmit solar energy collected and converted to electricity in space down to the surface where we can use it!
Ubuntu Smartphone On The Way
Posted: February 7, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, BQ, Cortana, Elite Reviewers, Google Maps, iOS, Local Guide, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Ubuntu, Yelp Leave a commentAs if the mobile world needed another operating system, and that Android and iOS didn’t dominate the landscape, there’s a smartphone running geek favorite Ubuntu coming out from Spanish maker BQ. It will roll out in Europe with a yet to be announced web only flash sale, tipped on the BQ and Ubuntu Twitter feed and Facebook accounts, according to thenextweb.com. The $195 smartphone has a 4.5 inch screen and dual SIM card slots.
Microsoft Office is going to have an assistant again…and not the annoying paperclip. The verge.com says Microsoft is testing a Work Assistant app that uses Cortana, to open, edit, and share documents using voice commands and Cortana. If it works as planned, the Cortana-based assistant will be particularly helpful on mobile versions of Windows, Android, and iOS.
Google Maps for Android has added a Local Guide, which rivals Yelp’s Elite Reviewers. It is just about to be officially rolled out, but you can get it over at bgr.com and download it now. BGR also has a link for you to sign up as a Local Guide reviewer.
A Great Smartphone Gets Windows
Posted: August 19, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Cortana, Facebook, HTC, Microsoft, Norton, Symantec, Verizon, Windows Leave a commentIt’s one of the best smartphones around right now, and tech crunch.com says Verizon will start selling an exclusive HTC One M8 running Windows instead of Android. It will include Microsoft’s Windows Phone personal assistant, Cortana.
Symantec is trimming the Norton line to a single security suite. Cnet.com reports that Norton Security drops September 23rd, and will combine their antivirus and internet security products. You can register up to 3 devices across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It will retail for about 80 bucks, but expect to see it discounted.
Thenextweb.com says Facebook is testing out adding stickers to newsfeed comments like people presently can drop into private messages. Prepare to either be delighted or annoyed!
clarkreid 
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