14 things you might not know Amazon’s Alexa can do for you

Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, comes loaded with a variety of features. But it’s the “skills” that really allow you to customize your experience to your liking. Skills are the Echo’s (and Dot’s) version of apps: Programs that, when enabled, provide some extra functionality. There are currently thousands of skills available on Amazon’s site, and more are added every day.

Some of these skills are specifically designed to interface with Alexa-compatible products — i.e. thermostats, lights, remotes — while others take a standalone approach to voice control. Below are some the more useful ones, whether you’re looking for your phone or a cocktail recipe.

More: Every device that connects to Amazon’s Alexa

It’s a great kitchen assistant

Alexa comes pre-loaded with the ability to add items to a master grocery list. On its own, being able to quickly shout to Alexa that you just ran out of cayenne pepper as you cook is incredibly handy, but My Chef goes several steps further. It pairs with the Chefling app and allows you to track and read recipes, send shopping lists, and track expiration dates. It will even remind you what you have in your pantry while you’re out shopping. If you prepare a lot of meals at home and tend to be forgetful while out shopping, My Chef will save you a lot of frustration.

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Amazon

If can find your phone

It’s easy to misplace your phone or have it slip out of your pocket into the depths of the couch. If someone else is home, your first instinct is likely to frantically ask them to call it. With its Where’sMyPhone skill, Alexa can do that for you, so you don’t need to wait for a roommate or spouse to get home.

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Amazon

It can call an Uber or Lyft

If you’re a heavy public transportation user, chances are you’ve found yourself running late and trying to call a ride with one hand while getting dressed with the other. Once you set this skill up on Alexa — the app needs to know the location of your Echo — you can desperately scream for a ride while showering and thinking of what excuse for being late you’re going to tell your boss this time. These are the kinds of things voice-activated systems were made for.

Uber on Amazon Lyft on Amazon

It can keep you updated on your favorite sports teams

Although it’s a default skill, you might not be aware that you can go into your settings via Alexa and customize your sports news. You can add your favorite professional or college teams and get updates regarding their schedules and scores.

It can read you a short bedtime story

This one is for any parent who gets tired of reading the same bedtime stories over and over. You might not like the idea of a robot reading your child to sleep, but your kid will love it. The app also lets you customize the story to include your child’s name. Each of the stories clock in at under a minute (and Alexa’s monotone reading voice is no substitute for yours), but it’s worth enabling if you ever need a rest for a night.

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It can let you dictate text messages without your phone

By default, Alexa doesn’t have access to your devices and contacts. But the ‘SMS with Molly’ skill will allow you dictate text messages when your phone isn’t within reach. It does require a fair bit of setting up — creating a profile is painless, but you’ll have to add contacts manually. Still, if you’re a frequent texter, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of this.

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It can read you customized news briefings

We’re not referring to a specific skill, but rather the ability to customize the news you get every day. By default, asking Alexa for a ‘flash briefing’ runs you through the top news stories from a few handpicked sources. But you can enable everything from The Wall Street Journal to an (unofficial) Reddit app, if you should so desire. The settings page on the Alexa companion app will let you add or remove sources until you have a flash briefing tailored to your liking.

It can book you a reservation with OpenTable

Set up a profile and then quickly make a dinner reservation at your favorite spot while playing video games without taking your eyes off the screen. Like the mobile app of the same name, this skill will let you make, modify, and cancel reservations. It will also provide a list of places to dine out if it can’t find your exact match. Sadly, it’s not as robust as the full app. There is no search functionality.

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It can learn 12,000 cocktails and tell you what wine to drink

‘The Bartender’ skill gives you access to more than 12,000 cocktail recipes. If you’re watching TV and see someone order an unfamiliar cocktail, or if you just don’t know what’s in your favorite mixed drink, the app will rattle off the ingredients for you. You can also reverse engineer a concoction by telling The Bartender what you’ve got on hand to make a drink with.

‘MySomm’ also lets you know what kind of wines pair best with what you’re having for dinner. If you tend to entertain and have a well-stocked liquor cabinet, you’ll be using these constantly. It’s worth noting that “MySomm” asks you to activate it by referring to it as “Wine Gal,” which means said company will probably make fun of you.

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The Bartender on Amazon MySomm on Amazon

It can call your friend in an emergency

‘Ask My Buddy’ is a helpful skill for anyone who might find themselves in a situation where they need help but can’t access their phone. It can call or text a specific contact (or all programmed contacts) quickly and easily in case of an emergency. It does not call 911 or other emergency services, however.

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Amazon

It can let you listen to The Tonight Show

Even if you don’t watch the show religiously, this app is great for listening to the show’s opening monologue and a few choice bits. If you’re a Jimmy Fallon fan, it’s some nice, light entertainment to listen to while you’re brushing your teeth or cleaning up around the house.

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Amazon

It can help you navigate the NYC Subway

There are a variety of skills for public transportation hubs similar to ‘NYC Subway.’ Enabling these skills will allow Alexa to rattle of delays along specific lines, so you know just how much time you’ll need to get where you’re going.

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Amazon

It can tell you intricate details about the weather

Alexa does give you local forecasts by default, but this Dark Sky-based skill called ‘Weather Sky’ gives incredibly detailed breakdowns. If you want to know the sunrise and sunset times, for example, or what the weather was like a year ago, this app can do that for you.

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Amazon

It can order Domino’s and Pizza Hut

Quality of the pizza notwithstanding, ordering food without stopping what you’re doing has never been easier. Both skills require you to set up a customer profile, but once you do, Alexa can order your favorite ‘zas with a simple voice command.

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Domino’s on Amazon Pizza Hut on Amazon

A 3D-printed home rises on a single site for first time, thanks to mobile printer

Why it matters to you

Using a 3D printer to build a house is not entirely new, but it’s still a cool concept. Now, Apis Cor has taken the tech a step further by creating the very first 3D-printed house using a mobile printer on-site

Using a 3D printer to build a house is not entirely new, but pieces have always been built in a large facility. Rather than assembling pieces printed elsewhere on a site, Apis Cor has created the very first 3D-printed house using a mobile printer on-site.

Printing the self-bearing walls, partitions, and building envelope took the machine 24 hours to complete. The final result is the first house printed as a whole with an area of 409 square feet.

More: Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: 3D printed violins, biometric wallets, and more

Erecting the house during the coldest time of the year in Russia was no easy task. The concrete mixture used in the printing only sets right in temperatures above 5 degrees Celcius. Meanwhile, the outside temperature was sitting at minus-35 degrees Celcius. A simple solution was found by setting up a sealed tent around the construction site to keep it warm enough.

The technology behind Apis Cor’s 3D printer is unique in its design. Resembling a tower crane, the printer is smaller in size and can be easily transported to the site. When the printing is done, the printer can be lifted out from within the building using a crane manipulator.

Afterward, the final touches are added to make the structure more of a home. Insulation is sprayed inside the walls, a flat roof is installed, and the walls are coated in plaster. Then the walls are painted and the windows are installed. The result is a cozy home with a surprisingly open interior. Inside the small space is a hallway, a bathroom, a living room, and a compact, yet functional kitchen.

Not only did the 3D-printed home take significantly less time to build than a standard house, but it also saved a lot of money as well. The total cost of the printed house came to $10,134. However, what is really important here is that Apis Cor has taken the first step in making 3D printing a real option in the construction market.

8 easy ways to transfer photos off your Android smartphone

Smartphones are now responsible for the majority of photos that are taken. The downside is that these photos, collectively over time, take up a lot of room. Throw in videos, time-lapses, burst shots, snaps, and uncompressed RAW files, and you’ll easily fill up a 16GB device. The cause is that users don’t edit, back up, or delete their photos, turning their phones into digital graveyards. If you want to archive your photos to use later — whether to share or edit — make it a habit to get them off your phone. It will not only free up space, but you can store them safely for future viewing. There are a few ways to transfer photos from your Android phone to your computer, and they’re all easy, so take your pick and start shooting.

More: Data disaster averted! Here’s how to back up your Android smartphone

USB

One of the beautiful features of the Android operating system is its mostly unfettered access to the file system. The fact that you can simply plug your phone into your computer using the included USB cable makes it easy to download any and all images and drag them into any desktop app or your file system for safekeeping. We think this is the easiest, fool-proof method, and the only downside is that you’ll need a computer handy.

If you’re using Windows, the USB connection auto-prompts will present you with options for managing the device as soon as it’s connected. If you’re on a Mac, there are a few options, one being the Android File Transfer program. We have a handy guide for transferring any type of file from your Android phone to your Mac.

8 easy ways to transfer photos off your Android smartphone

Smartphones are now responsible for the majority of photos that are taken. The downside is that these photos, collectively over time, take up a lot of room. Throw in videos, time-lapses, burst shots, snaps, and uncompressed RAW files, and you’ll easily fill up a 16GB device. The cause is that users don’t edit, back up, or delete their photos, turning their phones into digital graveyards. If you want to archive your photos to use later — whether to share or edit — make it a habit to get them off your phone. It will not only free up space, but you can store them safely for future viewing. There are a few ways to transfer photos from your Android phone to your computer, and they’re all easy, so take your pick and start shooting.

More: Data disaster averted! Here’s how to back up your Android smartphone

USB

One of the beautiful features of the Android operating system is its mostly unfettered access to the file system. The fact that you can simply plug your phone into your computer using the included USB cable makes it easy to download any and all images and drag them into any desktop app or your file system for safekeeping. We think this is the easiest, fool-proof method, and the only downside is that you’ll need a computer handy.

If you’re using Windows, the USB connection auto-prompts will present you with options for managing the device as soon as it’s connected. If you’re on a Mac, there are a few options, one being the Android File Transfer program. We have a handy guide for transferring any type of file from your Android phone to your Mac.

Samsung is now taking registrations for early access to Samsung Pay in India

You can now register to access Samsung Pay ahead of its official debut in India.

Samsung is all set to kick off its early access program for Samsung Pay in India. The company has teased the launch of its digital payments service last month, and a recent update to the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy A series in the country introduced the Samsung Pay app. Samsung is now taking registrations for early access to Samsung Pay in India, offering a look at the banks and phones that will be supported by the service in the country.

To be eligible to use Samsung Pay in India, you’ll need to own either a Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, Galaxy A5 2016, or the Galaxy S7 2016. Samsung mentions that Visa and MasterCard are supported at launch, with American Express cards eligible to be added at a later date.

You’ll also need a credit card from either Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Cards, or Standard Chartered Bank; and a debit card from Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, or Standard Chartered Bank. Samsung is working to bring additional banks on-board, and has stated that Citibank cards will be added to the program.

The early access program will kick off shortly, with Samsung set to share additional details in the coming days. If you have an eligible device and are interested in taking a look before the service makes its debut, sign up from the link below.

Register for Samsung Pay early access

Tech titans back transgender student’s Supreme Court case

Apple has officially signed an amicus brief in support of Gavin Grimm’s case that’s hitting the Supreme Court later this month. In addition, Cupertino has successfully helped convince other tech titans to support the transgender student’s fight for the right to use the bathroom that matches his gender identity. According to TechCrunch, the company worked with non-profit org Human Rights Campaign to reach out to potential signatories in the tech industry. Their crusade was so successful, tech corporations ended up dominating the list of 53 companies that signed the brief.

Grimm filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against his school board after they revoked his access to the boy’s bathroom in his high school in Virginia. A lower court ordered the board to allow him to use the boy’s restroom while the case was ongoing, but the Supreme Court stayed the order by request of the school board. Now the case is slated to be heard in the country’s highest court on March 28th.

Some of the companies that signed the brief also spoke out against the Trump administration’s decision to roll back the rule that allowed transgender students to use whatever bathroom they want. Their participation didn’t come out of left field and certainly makes Google’s and Facebook’s absence all the more noticeable.

Here’s the complete list of companies backing Grimm’s case:

1. Affirm, Inc.
2. Airbnb, Inc.
3. Amazon.com, Inc.
4. Apple
5. Asana, Inc.
6. Box, Inc.
7. Codecademy
8. Credo Mobile, Inc.
9. Dropbox, Inc.
10. eBay Inc.
11. Etsy
12. Fastly, Inc.
13. Flipboard, Inc.
14. Gap Inc.
15. General Assembly Space, Inc.
16. GitHub, Inc.
17. IBM Corporation
18. Intel Corporation
19. Kickstarter, PBC
20. Knotel, Inc.
21. LinkedIn Corporation, a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation
22. Lyft
23. M Booth
24. MAC Cosmetics Inc.
25. Mapbox, Inc.
26. Marin Software Incorporated
27. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
28. Microsoft
29. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
30. MongoDB Inc.
31. NetApp, Inc.
32. Next Fifteen Communications Corporation
33. Nextdoor
34. Pandora Media, Inc.
35. PayPal Holdings, Inc.
36. Postmates Inc.
37. Replacements, Ltd.
38. RetailMeNot, Inc.
39. Salesforce
40. Shutterstock, Inc.
41. Slack Technologies, Inc.
42. Spotify
43. The OutCast Agency
44. The WhiteWave Foods Company
45. Tumblr, Inc.
46. Twilio Inc.
47. Twitter Inc.
48. Udacity, Inc.
49. Warby Parker
50. Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
51. Yahoo! Inc.
52. Yelp Inc.
53. Zendesk, Inc.

Source: TechCrunch, HRC

Line is building its own digital assistant called Clova

Japanese-based messaging app Line is wildly popular in other parts of the world and the company has even expanded from a simple chat app to a full-service mobile carrier. According to a new report from the Financial Times, Line is branching out again and developing its own digital assistant called Clova to compete with the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant, complete with its own line of smart speakers.

Clova isn’t scheduled for release until sometime in “early summer” of this year, but Line views the platform, which is being developed with help from Sony and LG, as the next logical step for its messaging service. The platform will include the sort of features you might expect from a digital assistance in 2017 — like easy access to news, weather, calendars and online purchases — but Line is also promising Clova will be able to handle “complicated questions” and include a facial recognition aspect similar to Apple’s rumored iPhone features.

Outside of phones, Clova is designed to work in third-party apps and hardware, but the first devices to support it will be a standalone Clova app, a smart speaker called Wave and a “smart display” called Face. Although Wave looks like a direct knockoff of Google Home, Line didn’t offer any information about what sets Face apart except from its small, cartoonish face display. According to the Financial Times, Clova could eventually find its way into headsets and other third-party hardware.

Given Line’s target markets in Asia, the company hopes to beat Google, Apple and Amazon on its home turf. The Clova app and Wave speaker will see a release in Japan and South Korea this summer, followed by a roll out to Line’s other major markets in Thailand and Indonesia next.

Via: The Verge

Source: Financial Times

New Apple iPhone SE might be on the way, hints leaked Target memo

For many, 2016’s iPhone SE was hard to beat: great camera, great speed, great battery life, and great price.

But then, in November, a widely respected analyst and leaker of Apple news, Ming-Chi Kuo, claimed Apple had decided not upgrade the iPhone SE, even though the budget friendly 4-inch handset was considered a critical and commercial hit. Now, however, a new report has suggested otherwise – and the details are all based upon a Target memo obtained by MacRumours.

• Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: What’s the story so far?

Target has apparently told its stores to return unsold iPhone SE stock to Apple by 1 March. That includes all variants – whether 16GB or 64GB capacities in any of the colours available. MacRumors also cited a Target source as saying Apple hasn’t sent iPhone SE stock to Target since last autumn. Don’t assume that’s due to poor sales, though, because the iPhone SE has been selling as planned.

Keep in mind Apple is expected to hold an event in March for new iPads. But it could also use the time to announce a refreshed iPhone SE. With reports claiming the iPhone 8 will be expensive, we’d expect Apple to offer its customers something else that’s a little easier on the wallet.

Google Home may add multiple-user support and voice recognition

Google Home may soon get a lot more useful for the entire family.

One of the most annoying things about Google Home and similar smart speakers is that they only work with a single account. So all the services and integrations and features are tied to one person, which is cumbersome when you consider smart speakers sit in the home and are frequently used by everyone else in the home. Well, according to a new report, Google is working on a fix.

• Google Home Express shopping: How to buy items using just your voice

Android Police noticed clues in the latest version of the Google Home app that suggest Google is about to add multi-user support. The code also had references to a device being able to recognise your voice, meaning Google’s devices may one day be able to identify who’s speaking. Keep in mind Time said earlier this week that Amazon is also working on enabling Alexa to distinguish voices.

• Amazon’s Alexa may soon get Voice ID for recognising different voices

Alexa-enabled devices already support multiple users, though you have to manually switch them. Ever since Alexa debuted a couple years ago, people have come to love having an always-on assistant – to the point where every company is scrambling to add Alexa to their devices. But we can’t help but think that automatic switching between people would greatly improve the experience .

• Amazon Echo: First 7 things you should do to get Alexa started

Amazon’s implementation is apparently ready to roll out; the company is just ironing out some privacy kinks first. Meanwhile, Google’s multi-user support could be in development for a while. It’s hard to tell. We’ll probably hear more about it at Google I/O in May.

VP Mike Pence used AOL email for state business while governor

The Indianapolis Star reports that in response to a public records request, the current governor of Indiana has released 30 pages of emails from the AOL (which is the parent company of Engadget) account of Mike Pence. The former governor and current Vice President is said to have used his personal email account for state business on a number of occasions, which the paper notes is not against Indiana law. It also notes that a number of emails were not released because the state considered them “confidential.”

The only problem is, that while the public is apparently unworthy of examining Pence’s emails, it’s evident that at least once, hackers compromised the account. The Star reports that in June, someone sent emails to his contact list claiming Pence and his wife had been attacked in the Philippines.

There aren’t any details on exactly how the messages were sent, but if they had access to his contact list, the paper cites experts saying the hackers likely penetrated the account, giving them access to his inbox and sent messages. At the time, the then-governor apologized to the people who received the messages and created a new account.

In a statement, Pence’s office said that “Similar to previous governors, during his time as Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence maintained a state email account and a personal email account. As Governor, Mr. Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention. Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law, and are being managed according to Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act.”

It’s a good thing email security among elected officials isn’t a big deal, right?

.@realDonaldTrump and I commend the FBI for reopening an investigation into Clinton’s personal email server because no one is above the law.

— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) October 28, 2016

Source: Indianapolis Star