Siri
Just like HAL, your voice assistant isn’t working for you even if it feels like it is
Of all the fictional virtual assistants we know from pop culture, few stand up to the original and perhaps most famous: the HAL 9000 from the 1968 Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey. We should probably be thankful for that. After all, Alexa may shut your lights off, but she won’t turn against you and wreak havoc on your life. Or will she?
Digital assistants like Alexa and Siri might not be offering you the best deals
Your home digital assistant is always listening. But is it always offering you the best content, the cheapest deals, and the right search results? Digital assistant devices such as Alexa, Google Home, Siri and Cortana are increasingly prevalent. These devices listen for every command, their platforms know where you are, and they have a deep and evolving understanding of your preferences. But there...[Read More]
WatchOS 5 is available alongside iOS 12 today and here’s what you need to know
In the wake of iOS 12 landing for the bigger devices, Apple is updating software for the Apple Watch to WatchOS 5. The update features walkie-talkie capabilities, the ability to listen to podcasts, and brings Siri closer to you… WatchOS 5 will only work with Apple Watch Series 2 and later, and you’ll need to make sure the connected Apple device is updated to iOS 12 (if you still need to do the sof...[Read More]
How to update to iOS 12 (and then measure your cat)
Apple has just released the final version of iOS 12 into the world. As we know, software updates are primarily to sort out issues and boost performance, but that’s not all you’ll get with the newest iOS update. Apple’s annual update is more of an upgrade, throwing in a raft of new features in addition to tiny under-the-hood fixes that you may never notice — unless you make a point of r...[Read More]
New AirPods on the horizon? Just don’t take them swimming
With the release of the controversial “jackless” iPhone range in 2016, we also got the AirPods — wireless earphones that look like Apple simply cut the wires of a pair or EarPods. Or, you know, like droplet earrings in Apple’s design style, depending who you ask. Despite the initial derision from consumers, Apple’s AirPods have gone on to sell incredibly well. Now it ...[Read More]
Smart speakers could be the tipping point for home automation
One of the biggest trends of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year was companies taking digital smart assistants – think Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa – and incorporating them into more and more consumer devices. From smart light bulbs to smart toilets, it’s clear that the market sees great promise in devices you can speak to, combined with home devices y...[Read More]
You can buy the Apple Watch Series 3 in SA on 20 October
Hot on the heels of announcing that the iPhone 8 goes on sale in South Africa on 20 October, the iStore has revealed that the Apple Watch Series 3 will go on sale the same day. Got a current Apple Watch and want to upgrade it? You can can get up to R1,000 cash back by trading it in or upgrading through Discovery’s Vitality Active Rewards programme. And, if you go for an iPhone 8 upgrade, too...[Read More]
Artificial intelligence holds great potential for both students and teachers – but only if used wisely
Artificial intelligence (AI) enables Siri to recognise your question, Google to correct your spelling, and tools such as Kinect to track you as you move around the room. Data big and small have come to education, from creating online platforms to increasing standardised assessments. But how can AI help us use and improve it? AI has a long history with education Researchers in AI in education have ...[Read More]
Light Start — Stranger Things, streets in space, The Rock + Siri, and Facebook’s phone plans
As Halloween edges closer, here’s more Stranger Things Season 2 from Comic-Con One of the visual highlights of last year was Stranger Things, the Stephen King-styled story of a mysterious young girl, a bunch of kids, a parent who thought she was going nuts, and a whole lot of 80s aesthetic. And Barb. So to say that we’re excited for the follow-up is a bit of an understatement. We still...[Read More]
Stung by criticism, Apple rejuvenated its computers while launching a home voice assistant
If you were expecting the traditional “and one more thing” from Apple’s big announcements this week, you would’ve been disappointed. Those days are long gone. Under the tyrannical rule of Steve Jobs, where suppliers and would-be leakers were terrified of the omerta imposed by the fanatical and secretive co-founder, such leaks would never be tolerated. This chokehold has slo...[Read More]
The best bits (and bobs) of iOS 11
When updates to iPhones and iPads are big, you can see them immediately. A thinner bezel here, an extra camera there. But when iOS gets major improvements (and it doesn’t at every WWDC) they’re tougher to spot. With iOS 11 Apple’s basically given its mobile operating system the equivalent of an edge-to-edge display and impossibly thin chassis. All you really need to know is that,...[Read More]
Apple’s HomePod may be South Africa’s best smart speaker option
The rumours told us a speaker was coming, and as usual, they were spot on. Called the HomePod, Apple’s promising Alexa-like speech recognition, but with Sonos-grade sound. It’s also the centre of Apple’s envisioned connected home and a way to get us all using Siri more. But more importantly for South African consumers, it’s a smart speaker we might actually get here. Given ...[Read More]