In December, it was reported that Google is working on a solution that will boost the capabilities of its Voice Actions on Android-powered devices in an effort to compete with Apple’s Siri voice assistant. The service, which was previously code-named “Majel,” will launch as “Assistant” according to a report from TechCrunch. Google intends its Assistant service to go beyond Siri’s functionality, and the software giant will maintain complete control of all the layers involved. According to the website’s sources, Assistant is being created by the Android team and has three goals: to put the world’s knowledge into a format a computer can understand, to create a personalization layer and to build a mobile, voice-controlled “do engine” that will help users accomplishing
Read More...
Sony to bring back VAIO U with ‘Hybrid’ prototype tablet?
At CES this year we got to take a look at the mysterious Sony “Hybrid” concept PC behind glass and we thought that the convertible tablet looked like it held some promise. However, we were told that the tablet was just a prototype…
Read More...
Bing Maps gets a new SDK for Metro style apps in Windows 8
Microsoft has released a new SDK for Bing Maps designed to help developers integrate the mapping service into their Metro style apps for Windows 8. The SDK is a beta release, and includes a new Javascript control along with suppor…
Read More...
Steve Jobs Rolls Over In His Grave As Apple Opens Licensing Talks To Settle Patent Suits
In a move that would surely have Steve Jobs — the man willing to go thermonuclear war against Android — rolling over in his grave, Apple has apparently offered licensing deals to Samsung and Motorola in an attempt to settle ongoing and future patent suits. According to sources speaking with Dow Jones Newswires, Apple has [...]
Related Stories
 |
 |
Ralph Baer, video game pioneer, talks inventing as he turns 90
Ralph Baer is a name many of this generation’s gamers may not be familiar with. Yet if he hadn’t invented what would become the Magnavox Odyssey — the first console to enter homes 40 years ago — there’s no telling what…
Read More...
Skype 5.6 for Mac adds automatic updates, feature tweaks
Microsoft’s Skype Group has updated its Mac OS X app to version 5.6, adding a few minor interface tweaks and features, but leaving the mostly maligned UI intact. On the video calling front, 5.6 adds an option to switch between dyn…
Read More...
Temple Run coming to the Android Market on March 27th
Imangi Studios on Tuesday announced that its hit iOS game, Temple Run, will be coming to the Android Market on March 27th. Temple Run is an Indiana Jones-like ”runner” game that has users sprint through obstacles and escape the dangers of the jungle using gestures that make the character jump, duck and move from side to side. “We are excited to finally share the Android release date with our fans who have been so enthusiastic and supportive of Temple Run,” said Keith Shepherd, co-founder of Imangi Studios. “By expanding to more mobile devices, we hope to provide the same addictive and fast-paced gameplay to an entirely new group of players.” Temple Run is currently the top free app and top
Read More...
Nokia Lumia 800 update reportedly triples battery life
Earlier this week in Refresh Roundup, we wrote of a Vodafone-branded update for the Lumia 800 with a designation of 1600.2487.8107.12070. Among the enhancements, the new software version was said to provide longer battery life — a welcome improvement…
Read More...
Microsoft Research releases free Cliplets app for creating animated cinemagraphs
Microsoft Research has launched a new desktop app for creating cinemagraphs — GIF-style images that combine animation and photography. The app lets you select an object from a video clip so that only that object is animated,…
Read More...
comScore: Android building on its lead, Samsung still top manufacturer
comScore today released its latest MobiLens report, which shows that Samsung is maintaining its lead among mobile phone manufacturers, while Android is continuing to grow at the top of the mobile OS heap. The data, representing the total U.S. mobile p…
Read More...
