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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The Coming Book Wars: Apple vs. Amazon vs. Google vs. the U.S.

Unresolved conflicts among publishers, sellers, libraries, and the U.S. Justice Department cloud the future of the publishing industry. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple defends ebook price-fixing by calling Amazon a monopoly

Apple shot back at critics and the Justice Department late Thursday, denying claims that it colluded with publishers to keep the price of ebooks artificially high. Even more interesting? The Cupertino, Calif. company took a veiled shot at Amazon, saying its actions were necessary to break up the... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kindle Touch update adds Europe-friendly languages, landscape mode

April 27th is nearly upon us, heralding the arrival of the Kindle Touch in Europe. Before that happens, Amazon's pushed out a software update packed with language support for the continent, landscape mode and text-to-speech, amongst others. You can manually download version 5.1.0 now or wait for... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google shuts down reseller scheme for UK bookshops too

Google has told UK bookshops that it is shutting its reseller programme, and has invited the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fairfax Media in talks to buy Business Spectator: Reuters

Fairfax Media is in exclusive talks to acquire the publisher of independent news and opinion website Business Spectator, Reuters says. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2012-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bad new for independent bookstores: Is Google becoming "another Amazon"?

Google will end its Google eBooks reseller program which allowed independent bookstores to sell ebooks through Google's platform. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder Blog: In a Blow to Independent Bookstores, Google to Discontinue Reseller Program

Google said the program, which allowed independent bookstores to sell ebooks through their Web sites, was not a success. Bookstores said it was a valuable platform that allowed them to give customers something they wanted. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google pulls plug on partnership with independent bookstores

The nation's independent bookstores got another bit of bad news Thursday: Google Inc.is closing the books on them. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Offers Publishers a Way to Monetize Content With Surveys

Google has announced a new way for online news publishers to gate access to their premium content, by requiring would-be readers to fill in a survey first. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers call on retailers for paperback promotions

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Play to launch in France

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PA calls for abolition of 20% VAT on ebooks

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BA calls for nominations for IBW Book Award

The Booksellers Association is calling for publishers to nominate titles for the Independent... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Efficiency call for Vaizey

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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EU ready to settle with publishers over ebook price-fixing, but no talks yet

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[ Betanews | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Luis J. Rodriguez wrestles his demons in 'It Calls You Back'

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google pulls books into entertainment hub

The Google eBooks store has been merged into the company's wider entertainment portal with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Making ebooks even more kid-friendly: the Storia reading app from Scholastic

Scholastic's Storia reading app includes many children's titles previously unavailable in ebook format Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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