voice

Siri sounds better in Britain after voice improvements

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has quietly updated the female British voice for Siri. The improvements can be heard today on HomePod and iOS devices.

The update comes just a few weeks after Apple updated the male British voice. It is believed the company could be working on improvements for many of Siri’s international voices.

WhatsApp brings group video calling to Android and iOS

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WhatsApp group calls
Enjoy group calls on WhatsApp today.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s new group video calling feature is now available to users on Android and iOS.

Users can chat with up to three others simultaneously, regardless of their location. WhatsApp says the feature has been designed to work even over unreliable network connections, so you have no excuse not to stay in touch.

Apple Store app now lets you shop with your voice

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Apple Store app search suggestions
Search suggestions help you find what you’re looking for.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple just rolled out its latest update to the official Apple Store app, introducing an improved search interface.

The version 5.1 release now displays search suggestions like the App Store and iTunes apps, and thanks to speech recognition, you can find products using your voice for the first time.

Instagram leak exposes video calling plans

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Instagram
Instagram makes sharing Stories simpler.
Photo: Instagram

Instagram is preparing to add voice and video calling to its primary photo sharing app, a new leak has revealed.

Files and icons labeled “call” and “video call” have been discovered buried inside Instagram’s APK package for Android. A video calling button first popped up inside the app back in January, but it was believed to be for internal use only.

Barclays customers can now make payments using Siri

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Barclays bank sign
Barclays just made Apple Pay even greater.
Photo: Barclays

Barclays is making it even easier for its customers to spend their hard-earned cash.

The latest update to its Mobile Banking app on iOS lets you use Siri to send money to any existing payee, but there is a limit to how much you can send with your voice.

Siri can now read out your WhatsApp messages

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WhatsApp
You’ll need a new iPhone if you can’t update to iOS 8 or later.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The latest WhatsApp update adds the ability to have Siri read aloud your WhatsApp messages.

You can also use the virtual assistant to compose and send replies, so urgent conversations can continue while you’re busy or driving, and you don’t even need to touch your iPhone.

Twitch is invading your desktop

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Twitch desktop
Twitch on desktops has all web features and more.
Photo: Twitch

Game streaming platform Twitch today unveiled its new desktop app for Windows and Mac.

It will offer all the features you expect from the service, including voice and video calling, and you’ll be able to get your hands on the beta later this month.

Massive Snapchat revamp brings real voice and video calling

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Snapchat just got a major update.
Snapchat just got a major update.
Photo: Rob LeFabvre
Grab Snapchat 2.0 today! Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Android
Grab Snapchat 2.0 today! Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Android

The Snapchat revamp you’ve been reading so much about in recent months has landed.

Dubbed “Chat 2.0,” and available today on Android and iOS, it finally brings voice and video calling, improved Snapchat Stories, and 200 brand new stickers.

How to get the most out of Siri on your Apple TV

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tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Use the power of your voice to watch TV. That’s not something out of Star Trek, but the promise of Siri on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

Beyond basic commands to find your favorite TV shows and movies, you might not know how much Siri can actually do for you. But using Siri Apple TV voice commands will unlock loads of helpful features, including reading onscreen labels, getting more in-depth info about whatever you’re watching, navigating various screens, and even playing music on demand.

And it’s bound to get better yet, as the new tvOS beta is bringing Siri dictation to search fields and the App Store.

Here’s how to get the most out of Siri on your Apple TV.

Google records your voice searches — and you can hear them all

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Ok Google is listening... and recording. Photo: Google
Ok Google is listening… and recording. Photo: Google

Google is incredibly accurate at understanding voice searches, which makes it super useful on mobile when you might want to find information without using your hands. But did you know that the company records every single voice search you make?

What’s more, you can listen back to each and every one.

Vela Lets You Search Spotify With Your Voice

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Here’s how to do Spotify voice search on the iPhone or iPad.

  1. Tap the search field in Spotify
  2. Tap the Siri dictate button on the keyboard
  3. Say the name of whatever you wan to hear
  4. Tap Siri button again
  5. Browse results.

Alternatively you can buy the new Vela app for $0.99, and skip all the tedious screen tapping.

BlackBerry Shows Off BBM Channels & Free Voice Calling For Android & iOS [Video]

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BBM has been a huge success on Android and iOS, and so although they may be rival platforms, that won’t stop BlackBerry from porting over its biggest and best BBM features to keep its messaging service alive.

In 2014, the Canadian company will rollout major updates that add BBM Channels, BBM Voice, and new sharing features — and you can see them in action in the video below.

Google Brings New Voice Search Features To Chrome

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Google-voice-search

Google has brought the new voice search features announced at Google I/O last week to its Google Chrome web browser for desktops. The latest version of the app (version 27) puts a little microphone icon alongside the search bar on Google.com which lets you find the things you’re looking for without touching your keyboard.

Did BlackBerry Just Shoot Itself In The Foot By Bringing BBM To Android & iOS?

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I have a confession to make: I own a BlackBerry Z10, and I love it. I think its BlackBerry 10 operating system is terrific — it’ll be even better when it gets more apps — and I haven’t been this excited about a new platform since I got my first iPhone. Seriously.

I certainly don’t want to see BlackBerry sinking anytime soon, then.

But I can’t help but wonder whether BlackBerry might have just shot itself in the foot by announcing BlackBerry Messenger for Android and iOS.

Google’s New Chat Application To Be Named ‘Babel’ [Rumor]

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Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of speculation suggesting that Google is in the process of releasing a unified chat application called Babel. Babel is rumored to have merged services such as Voice, Talk, and Google + Messenger. The new service is also rumored to be a cross-platform chat service, allowing users on iOS and Android to communicate with each other, within Babel itself. It’s like Google’s version of iMessage.

Steve Jobs Loathed Google So Much He Wanted To Drop Google Search And Maps

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Jobs wanted Google out of the iPhone altogether.
Jobs wanted Google out of the iPhone altogether.

While iOS 6 may be “the world’s most advanced mobile operating system,” its new Maps app is, quite frankly, a heap of trash. It boasts some terrific features, such as 3D Flyover and voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation, but they’re only terrific when the Maps that power them actually work. And Apple’s don’t in a lot of places.

The Cupertino company’s CEO, Tim Cook, has apologized to customers for the frustration the new app has caused, and it’s led us to wonder why Apple even released it. It still had a year left on its contract with Google, so why did it rush into releasing its own, half-baked service so quickly?

Well, one reason behind the move is that Steve Jobs had grown to hate Google. So much so that he set up a new Maps team just to kick Google Maps off the iOS devices.

When Siri Comes To Your Mac, You’ll Be Able To Control iTunes Using Your Voice

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"iTunes, play my favorite Beiber jam."

Apple’s clearly very proud of Siri, and so despite its shortcomings, it’s unlikely you’ll see it disappearing anytime soon. In fact, it’s more likely that you’ll be seeing Siri a lot more in future. It seems inevitable that the voice-controlled assistant will one day come to the Mac, and when it does, there’s a chance you’ll be able to control iTunes using only your voice.

At least that’s what Apple’s latest patent filing suggests.