Amazon has inked a deal with the NHS that will see it’s AI-powered voice assistant Alexa be used to offer health advice for patients who can’t easily access information online. The move, which follows on from a push into the healthcare space in the US from the business, has sparked concern among privacy campaigners. Starting in July, devices […]
Automated home devices, such as smart thermostats and smart speakers, are expected to be worth $75bn to the industry by 2025, according to GlobalData. Smart thermostats are becoming more popular among consumers who want control their energy consumption, while smart speakers have been immensely popular since debuting a few years ago. Both Amazon and Google […]
New research from Bing Ads shows marketers are yet to fully embrace the opportunity that is coming with rapidly-increasing consumer uptake of digital assistants and voice search. A study of 150 marketers and 1,000 consumers revealed that despite being used more than twice a day by the average consumer, voice search is not a current […]
Automotive manufacturer BMW has announced that it will launch an in-car voice-controlled intelligent assistant next year. Called the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the platform has been described as “the start of a new era” by BMW Group, with drivers increasingly able to operate their car and access its functions and information purely by speaking. The platform […]
Amazon’s digital assistant technology Alexa is now available on 20,000 devices according to the internet retailer, an impressive increase on the 4,000 connected devices where users could access the smart assistant at the start of the year. The figure was revealed during an Amazon press event at IFA in Berlin, as reported by CNET, where […]
With skills aimed at children and families proving to be one of the fastest growing categories for Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant, mobile ‘pocket money’ tracking app RoosterMoney has announced the launch of the first-ever pocket money skill for the voice assistant. The RoosterMoney skill enables users to track their saving and spending, as well as keeping them […]
The use of voice activated virtual assistants has rocketed in UK homes this year. The latest figures claim one in 10 Brits now own at least one device – but just how are Alexa and pals enhancing British consumers’ lives? Are smart speakers actually making us smarter? And are they using these devices to engage […]
Lego has launched a new interactive skill on Amazon Alexa called Lego Duplo Stories, an experience that combines storytelling with the brick toys. The skill is available on devices that support Alexa, like the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot, and gives parents and kids a selection of stories with audio prompts that guide physical play. […]
Virgin Trains have today become the first travel operator in the world to sell tickets through Amazon Alexa, with customers now able to book Advance Single tickets using just their voice. The innovative collaboration will enable rail travellers to sort their tickers with one simple voice-based transaction via an Alexa-enabled Amazon device, including Amazon Echo, […]
Amazon has unveiled the Echo Dot Kids Edition with a custom version of Alexa that will read to kids, play music, answer questions and do other chores. It uses a new flavor of its FreeTime app called FreeTime for Alexa that includes parent controls and family-friendly features that run on the Echo, Echo Dot or […]