The coming months could see digital assistants going mainstream, with LG G6 smartphone set to become the first non-Pixel phone to have Google Assistant and Samsung working on its own Bixby for Galaxy S8. Huawei Mate 9 phones are already sporting Amazon’s Alexa assistant.
Digital assistants interact with users and do a variety of functions such as answering text-based and voiced queries, setting reminders and alarms, alerting users about upcoming events and travel plans, and giving flight status and weather forecast of the place you are travelling to.
Apple’s iOS has Siri and Windows devices have Cortana. Android platform has Google Now. In October last year, Google launched Google Assistant, embedded in its chat bot Google Allo. Google’s Pixel phone is the only one now to have the assistant in it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alexa debuted on Amazon Echo speaker, answering users’ questions, reading audiobooks, giving weather updates etc. After Amazon opened up its platform, its Alexa has been gaining popularity. Besides Huawei’s Mate 9, some LG phones too may have Alexa. LG has a refrigerator with the Amazon assistant.
Samsung’s Bixby assistant, embedded in Galaxy S8 phones, will be enable users to shop for items by point the camera at them, Mashable reported With support for optical character recognition, it could work as a digital scanner too.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Data storage and management company NetApp has opened an engineering facility with the aim of driving innovation in the hybrid cloud era. It will have one of the company’s largest research and development teams. It also houses the company’s first startup accelerator programme, Escape Velocity, that will help nurture technology startups.
“As we evolve our Data Fabric approach, the Escape Velocity programme will help to share our technology expertise and business acumen with innovative startups who will add to the robust cloud data management ecosystem our customers need. With our support, these startups will be on a path to win in a dynamic global IT environment,” said Deepak Visweswaraiah, managing director of NetApp India and head of NetApp’s worldwide Data Fabric and Manageability Group.
The Bengaluru team’s work includes expanding NetApp’s line-up of Data Fabric solutions and services that maximize control and improve the secure movement of data across the hybrid cloud, said the company.
APPVIEW: Playo
This is a location-based mobile app that brings sports enthusiasts, facilities, trainers and organizers on one platform. Users can connect with other players and join playgroups based on their selection of sports, area, timing and skill. They can also book sports facilities on a pay-and-play basis without the need for club memberships.
Additionally, the app also helps users find trainers, outdoor activities and sporting events in their city based on their preferences. It has till date over 1,20,000 downloads, with a presence in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Dubai.