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  • Feature Roundup: Google Assistant Visual Snapshot

    Feature Roundup: Google Assistant Visual Snapshot

    Google’s push for its assistant to make your life easier continues with the Visual Snapshot. Featuring a dashboard that helps you organize your life at a glance, Visual Snapshot is set to revolutionize how you interact with your virtual assistant. It’s set to go live soon, and we’re pretty excited about it!

    What’s the Deal with Visual Snapshot?

    The feature’s first and foremost function is its use as a personal assistant. It’ll remind you of flights and reservations, of course, and even tells you how much traffic is between you and your destination. The first page is entirely dedicated to these travel times, since your life is certainly busy enough that you need to keep ahead of traffic.

    That’s not all it does, either. It can remind you of when deliveries are expected to arrive. The assistant can remind you about movies and events you’ve got tickets for, or appointments you’ve made. All of the cards that host this information are available in the app, and the AI that runs it will curate the information based on where you are. For instance, if you’re at the office, you’ll see traffic info for how to get home the fastest. If you just walked in the door, you might see a notification about when your grocery delivery is arriving.

    Proactive Notifications

    The most interesting feature in the new Snapshot is proactive notifications. These are notifications you receive if your plans need to change. For instance, if your dinner reservation is at 8, but traffic is very heavy, you might be prompted to leave early to make it on time. If your flight gets a delay, you’ll be notified. You can even be notified of bills that need to be paid so that you aren’t caught off guard.

    When Can I Try It?

    Visual Snapshot is launching later this week! You can access it through your Google Assistant or through an iOS app. Get ready to get organized as this new feature rolls out!

  • Xbox Systems to Support Voice Assistants Like Alexa

    Xbox Systems to Support Voice Assistants Like Alexa

    A new report from Windows Central has shown a screenshot of options for voice assistants in Xbox One. While the system already has support through the (now shuttered) Kinect service via Cortana, the Windows Central report goes beyond Microsoft’s proprietary AI. The report indicates Google Assistant and Alexa would both be supported in addition to Microsoft’s own assistant. 

    Smart Speaker Integration 

    Smart speakers are sort of taking over the world right now, so it makes sense that Microsoft would focus on this technology. The Xbox One has always been marketed as a home entertainment system first, with TV and music being huge for the system. Having the system connect to your Smart Home network is a no-brainer for Microsoft.  

    Xbox Voice Gaming Potential 

    Additional inputs aren’t a bad thing, and Xbox is known for unconventional inputs. The aforementioned Kinect service serves as evidence of this. Voice and gesture commands were once a hallmark of the Xbox family of games but fell out of favor as the company refocused on core games. However, the surge in popularity of voice assistants could signal another push by Microsoft to reenter the Kinect space. “Alexa, start Halo on my Xbox,” is one thing. But “Alexa, help me find nearby save points,” could bring a new layer of depth to certain games.  

    Heck, Microsoft could even be cute and play favorites with Cortana funcitonality in Halo. As fans know, Cortana is actually an AI character in the famed sci-fi series. Talking to her directly in game via a smart speaker could bring another layer of immersion to the experience. “Cortana, where are the enemies?” “Cortana, show me the way out of here,” you can imagine the possibilities.  

    Considerations for Xbox Owners 

    There is nothing more frustrating than buying a cool new piece of tech only to find out it isn’t compatible with your set-up. If you’re an Xbox owner thinking about getting a smart speaker, it may be wise to hold off until Microsoft announces more. We aren’t sure as of yet which services and speakers will be compatible. For the moment, hold tight and see what unfolds.