Google Assistant wants to talk to you like a friend—and call in your dinner reservation

Google Assistant may have debuted as a bonus feature in the company’s ho-hum Allo messaging app, but it’s been on a roll ever since. The AI helper is now embedded in more than 500 million devices worldwide, Google revealed Tuesday during its annual I/O developer conference keynote. The company is rolling out new features and products to make Assistant more helpful no matter what sort of device you use—and to keep pace with Amazon Echo’s fast and furious improvements.And get this: In the future, Google Assistant will even call local businesses to book appointments for you.It’s true. Google’s machine learning chops have advanced far enough that you’ll be able to ask Assistant to schedule an appointment for you at a business that can’t be easily booked online, and Google’s big brains in the sky will actually ring local shops to set up a reservation.To read this article in full, please click here Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2018-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #google assistant #bonus feature #amazon echo #book appointments

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Gabrielle Union wants to talk about the tough stuff. You ready?

The star who made her name in “Bring It On” talks about her new book “You Got Anything Stronger?” Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-09-16 14:30:00 UTC ]
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Welcome to the Crisis Zone: PW Talks with Simon Hanselmann

First published as an Instagram webcomic, Simon Hanselmann's 'Crisis Zone', has been collected into a nearly 300-page graphic novel out now from Fantagraphics. The book won the 2021 Eisner award for webcomics. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Anna Qu Talks Betrayal, Immigration, and Assimilation

Anna Qu is the guest. Her new book, Made in China: A Memoir of Love and Labor, is out now from Catapult. From the episode: Anna Qu: I think I was trying to capture a couple of points. The first point is really arriving at a single moment of betrayal, and that betrayal was reporting […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-09-13 08:48:59 UTC ]
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Asking the Questions: PW Talks with Kathie Lee Gifford

In 'The Jesus I Know' (Thomas Nelson, Nov. 30), Gifford talks with celebrities about the ways Jesus has impacted their lives. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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An App Called Libby and the Surprisingly Big Business of Library E-Books

Increasingly, books are something that libraries do not own but borrow from the corporations that do. Continue reading at New Yorker

[ New Yorker | 2021-09-02 10:00:00 UTC ]
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'Call of Duty: Vanguard' first look: Taking the series back to WWII

There’s a scene in 2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order where J, a character inspired by Jimi Hendrix, explains to the game’s white protagonist, BJ Blazkowicz, why he’s not fighting. After Blazkowicz talks back, J tells him: "You don't get it, do you? Before all this, before the Germans, before the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-08-19 17:45:33 UTC ]
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Let’s talk about science fiction and fantasy books that would make for great TV

N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance trilogy got us thinking about other titles perfect for the small screen. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-08-15 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Pointing out racism in books is not an ‘attack’ – it’s a call for industry reform | Monisha Rajesh

I was called aggressive for criticising passages in Kate Clanchy’s memoir. But the real problem lies deep in the overwhelmingly white world of publishingIt started with a tweet. Kate Clanchy, author of Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me posted on her Twitter account that a reviewer on... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-08-13 13:51:20 UTC ]
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In ‘Hell of a Book,’ an author and his imaginary friend go on a book tour

Jason Mott’s novel starts out as a relatively straightforward story. Then reality and fantasy blur. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-08-13 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Now that you’ve read ‘The Last Thing He Told Me,’ let’s talk about the ending

Laura Dave’s suspense novel is impossible to put down. But how satisfying is that conclusion? Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-08-12 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Scholastic to release Friends series

Scholastic is to release a new set of illustrated books for children and adult fans, based on the TV series "Friends", in partnership with Warner Bros.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-12 06:56:45 UTC ]
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Historian Calls for an Evangelical Reckoning on Race

In a Q&A with 'PW,' Randall Balmer, author of 'Bad Faith,' discusses why he finds the current direction of the evangelical tradition ‘heartbreaking.’ Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-08-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Bouchercon Calls Off In-Person Convention

Due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant, this year's Bouchercon, the annual mystery fiction convention that was to be held live this August in New Orleans, has been canceled. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-08-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Alexander Vindman on Trump’s Ukraine call — and the unexpected consequences

The former staffer thought others would be outraged by what he’d heard. He was wrong. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-08-02 05:46:34 UTC ]
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New Amanda Gorman Book, 'Call Us What We Carry,' Set for December 7

Penguin Random House announced this morning that the upcoming collection of poetry by Amanda Gorman is now titled 'Call Us What We Carry.' It will be released on December 7, and will feature new works as well as her inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-07-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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A ’50s mom finds her calling as a spy in the captivating novel ‘A Woman of Intelligence’

Based on a true story, Karin Tanabe’s new book is a mid-20th-century period piece, but oh, how familiar it seems. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-07-15 07:00:00 UTC ]
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John Bolton Almost Gave His Donald Trump Memoir A NSFW Title, But Was Talked Out Of It

When Trump’s former national security adviser was told his proposed title had a sexual connotation, he reportedly told publishers their minds were "in the gutter." Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2021-06-30 08:23:11 UTC ]
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Benjamin Zephaniah calls for more diversity in GCSE texts

Less than one percent of authors studied at GCSE English Literature are from an ethnic minority background. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2021-06-29 18:52:35 UTC ]
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Wildfire signs rainforest campaigner Nenquimo's 'clarion call'

Wildfire has signed memoir We Will Not Be Saved, a “clarion call” to protect the rainforest and respect tribespeople by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-24 23:25:53 UTC ]
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Stephen McGann delivers 10-year celebration of Call the Midwife for W&N

Weidenfeld & Nicolson has signed Call the Midwife — A Labour of Love: Ten Years of Love, Life and Laughter by actor Stephen McGann, an anniversary book celebrating 10 years of BBC One's hit drama.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-21 07:55:38 UTC ]
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