Feature of the new Virtual Assistant

No sooner said than done. It is reported that the company introduced mobile virtual assistant named Duer. It is designed for installation on gadgets running Android.

The program is able to recognize it, to find information on the network, as well as much more.

Now the invention, the forces supporting the nearest movie theater, organize the delivery of food, call the repairman and others. In the future, the creators are planning to teach Duer interact intelligent buildings (control locks, air conditioning systems, lighting and other household appliances).

In addition, the virtual assistant will be closely linked with other services of the corporation (eg, search and mapping service).

Do this for a very significant chance of success – Baidu applications installed on millions of smartphones and tablets in China.

Source: technologyreview

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Intelligent Assistant Lexi created by Russian specialists not only to control home appliances. It supports a conversation with the owner.

The novelty has received a lot of useful features. It recognizes human speech, answer questions, follow people with a video camera, looking for information on the Internet (weather forecast, exchange rates and so on).

Connecting to the world wide web comes via Ethernet and Wi-Fi. But to perform the basic duties of network access is not required. System independent and autonomous.

Assistant never turned off. The device is waiting for instructions, “listening” ambient sounds. Any requests are executed in a fraction of a second.

What is curious: sometimes gadget first factory conversation?

Alas, the interaction with the technique is limited. While the device is connected to a “smart” outlets (to control lights and fans).

Lexie is synchronized with the device based on Android OS and iOS. Allowed to “call” from one machine to another.

Now the prototype passes final testing. In the near future, launched a campaign to raise funds for mass production. When the above happens? The authors are silent.

Source: Lexybot

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Apple is working to implement a recognition feature in iOS 8 tunes, reports Bloomberg. According to the newspaper, the company plans to cooperate with Shazam, service, search for information about the songs. When this feature is implemented in the embedded platform, download the application does not have to.

Bloomberg points out that the technology will collect data on playing songs using microphones iPhone or iPad, it can be cause by referring to Siri. For example, ask what song is playing at the moment. When asked, the system will match the incoming sounds to the microphone to those available in the database, and give the answer.

Implementation of this functionality can be very useful for Apple. A year ago, according to statistics, Shazam was set at 20% iPhone. The application provides a link to track in-store Apple, and many users buy your favorite song overheard. So, the installation of such a functional for all without exception gadgets will have to substantially raise income iTunes Store due to an increase of spontaneous purchases (I heard a song like →→ uploaded).

Also appearing option will draw attention to the iTunes Radio, service for listening to music on a subscription (if any song can be found in it, then it should be used). Increasing the number of users of the product please advertisers.

The company has not yet commented on the collaboration, however, as sources claim, acquisition Shazam speech does not go, the service should continue to work regardless of the iOS 8.

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Yesterday, Microsoft announced a new version of its mobile operating system Windows Phone 8.1, and with it, and electronic voice assistant codenamed Cortana . The project was developed over the past several years and is intended to compete with existing solutions from other companies – Siri and Google Now.

As the main search engine Cortana uses Microsoft’s Bing and can adapt to a particular user, studying its needs, as well as analyzing its activity, including not only speech, but also text.

According to The Verge, Microsoft has created his assistant, based on the real human relationships with his assistants, thereby giving it the so-called “notebook” where Cortana stores all the necessary information. The latter includes almost all of your personal data – from haunted places to relationships with relatives and important dates, such as a wedding anniversary.

Cortana and opportunities Siri in many ways similar, but we must recognize that voice assistant from Microsoft in some moments bypasses her rival from Apple. For example, if using Siri you can just create yourself a new reminder that Cortana is able to remind you to discuss an important topic during a conversation directly with a particular person.

Conveniently, that user’s permission Cortana can track his mail for urgent information.

The main difference from Cortana Siri – its openness. Microsoft has released a special SDK for developers to integrate various services. The first, as you probably already guessed, will Twitter and Facebook.

Certainly, Apple still have something to strive for its voice assistant (eg, to make support of the Russian language) and an example with Microsoft – a clear confirmation.

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Everyone knows that Apple itself will stand in: the company starts a new litigation in China. Filing a lawsuit against the State Intellectual Property Office, as well as against a local company, the American manufacturer hopes to defend its exclusive patent rights for Siri.

According to the plaintiff, the manufacturer Zhizhen Network Technology developed software suspiciously like voice assistant Apple. Product Zhizhen Network Technology is protected by patent rights in China, and the State Intellectual Property Office of little earlier rejected the request to recognize local Apple patent invalid. As a result, the company had to go to court to defend their intellectual property rights.

Face to face, by the way, Apple will face Zhizhen not the first time. Last year, a Chinese company itself was against Apple in court, accusing it of copying software called Xiao i Robot, patented in 2006. According to the developers, this kind of software “help” to the American vendor to develop Siri, so Apple should pay compensation and / or cease to violate Chinese patent. Hearing was held in July, but then the decision was not announced.

In Cupertino news not comment, citing a rule not to talk about unfinished court cases.

Will a lawsuit against the state institutions to position Apple in the Chinese market is still unclear.

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Not only is the largest technology companies are constantly suing each other, so more are constantly wishing they earn. These are known as those wishing to patent trolls. During the week, Apple had been charged with stealing technology and autorotation as much personal assistant Siri.

Thus, a certain company Long Corner Consumer Electronics, located in Texas, argues that it owns the idea of ​​using sensors, which is carried out using modified position of the screen. This company exhibits admirable persistence in the “protection” of its patent rights. Within 24 hours of its representatives have sued Apple, Kyocera, Lenovo, and ViewSonic.

In turn, the company Plaintiff Voice Domain Technologies is making smaller-scale action, but its purpose is more serious: the personal assistant Siri. The charges stemmed from a line in the document, which they call a patent containing the following sentence:

Data input device may also include a microphone built into the body, providing education acoustic signal caused by speech Users

It is safe to say that this attempt to cash end in complete failure. However, this is unlikely to stop the new enthusiasts. Apparently, the reason is the approach to patenting in the U.S.. As the experience of the same company Apple, you can get the relevant document is not even on the technology, but just an idea. And the idea, executed in a rather vague and inconcrete wording. Because of this, it becomes possible to interpret it very well and without problems fit this description specifically to implement the invention.

Competition from JBL , question number 4: What’s exclusive JBL responsible for deep and rich bass headphones J-series?

By the way, according to some estimates, patent trolls annually causing the largest technology companies total loss of about $ 29 billion.

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Honda has officially announced the release of the promised update that will feature voice control Siri Eyes Free model Accord and Acura.

Siri Eyes Free function allows you to synchronize iOS-device with the HandsFreeLink cars Honda Accord and Acura via Bluetooth wireless technology and use the built-in microphone and speakers onboard computer to control your voice assistant Siri. It should be noted that this function is in no way affiliated with lessons Honda specialists in strategy iOS in the Car, a company must formally submit December 3.

To order and install feature Siri Eyes Free manufacturer advises to turn to official dealers Honda. Notes that the feature is available for models Honda Accord and Acura (RDX and ILX) 2013-2014 year. At the same time, a set of functions developed in the framework of the iOS in the Car, which will be distributed under the trademark Hondalink, will only be available to owners of the new 2014 Civic models. At the moment we know that the owners of the Civic in 2014 be able to control and manage iOS-devices with a 7-inch touchscreen display with support for gesture control, built into the dashboard of the car.

Recall, Apple announced its strategy for the integration of the mobile platform with multimedia systems in cars iOS in the Car during the WWDC 2013 event. As part of this strategy, Apple is working with leading automakers to develop features that will help car owners are not distracted from the road, make calls and use voice assistant Siri or mapping service.

Function is expected to Siri Eyes Free soon also appear in the cars Audi, BMW, Chrysler, General Motors, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.

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Apple introduced a virtual assistant Siri back in 2011 during the announcement of the iPhone 4S , but the functionality of the service was questionable. Supports only three languages ​​at launch (English, French and German), too robotic voice, flaws in the work – all of this was justified by the status of Beta. In 2012, there is support for new languages, including Japanese, plus a greatly enhanced product features. In 2013, the service has lost the status of Beta, that is, Apple has confidence in him one hundred percent. 

 In particular, at the end of last week the company without much fuss has updated the official page of Siri , removing all references to the beta status of the service. In addition, Apple has removed a page of frequently asked questions (cache Google). On the part of the reason may be enough popularity and stability of the service, they say, there is no need for further explanation. 

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The company Opel, a member of the concern General Motors, will present in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show spetsversii innovative model of Adam, who is said to love the fans of technology Apple.

A distinctive feature of the model Black Link and White Link is that they set the default voice control Siri Eyes Free and infotainment system IntelliLink. Results will be produced 2000 cars.

At the request of the German manufacturer, design and cutting-edge technology iPhone are reflected in the design models. Appearance Black Link and White Link resemble black or white smartphone with matt aluminum accents and stand a perfect synthesis of infotainment and communication technologies with a bright tech design. The lounge seats and instruments are repeated colors on vehicle exteriors.

IPhone owners with the operating system iOS 6 or higher can using buttons on the steering wheel to activate the convenient and safe feature Siri Eyes Free and give voice commands, without taking your hands off the wheel and eyes on the road.

The system allows using Siri voice commands to control the following functions:

• Calls to stored items;
• Play the songs in your iTunes library and switching between different sources such as radio and iPod;
• Listening, composing and sending text and multimedia messages, including using the service iMessage, a phone number or contact from the phone book;
• Access calendar and adding meetings;
• Siri Eyes Free can answer questions about the outcome of a sporting event or, for example, dates of national holidays. In order not to distract the driver from the road and increase security, the phone’s screen is off.

IntelliLink system is equipped with a 7-inch color touch screen and includes an appendix Tune-in to radio, navigation application BringGo and Stitcher, an application for listening to podcasts, Internet radio.

Both models will debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt on September 12.

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According to the source, to develop a personal assistant were hired engineers strongest VoiceSignal Technologies. Most of them – the specialists in the field of speech recognition. VoiceSignal Technologies, recall, was bought by Nuance in 2007.

The group of office workers Boston Apple included such famous figures as Ganmar Everman, who worked in the company Nuance, specializing in the production of software for speech recognition, and a former vice president of research VoiceSignal Technologies Larry Gillick, notes Xconomy. Heading the team is Don McAllister, a senior researcher at Apple, who has joined the corporation in 2011.

Nuance Communications is based in Burlington, Ontario, a suburb of Boston. In May this year the head of Nuance Paul Ritchie confirmed that based on the voice assistant Siri is voice technology his company.

Recall originally Siri was an iOS-app from the name of the developer. Apple bought the startup in April 2010. “Now we are a major supplier to Apple», – said the head of Nuance.

Apple has never liked to rely on third-party service providers. And, apparently, with the opening of a new office in Boston in Cupertino intends to develop the technology on its own voice assistant.

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