vlingo

Clarion Next Gate puts iPhone control, app integration on your windshield

Clarion Corporation of America announced today at CTIA 2012 a new way to connect your iPhone to your car: the Next Gate.

Clarion's Next Gate is a 7-inch WVGA touch display that mounts on your vehicle's windshield with a suction cup, much like a portable navigation device. (However, at 7 inches, its size is only rivaled by the largest of PNDs, such as Magellan's RoadMate 9055-LM.) The Next Gate features a cable connection to the iPhone 4's or iPhone 4S' 30-pin dock connector for data and charging; meanwhile the Clarion unit itself is powered by a … Read more

Should Siri be jealous of voice recognition competitors?

LAS VEGAS--Looks like Siri was just the beginning.

Okay, even Siri wasn't the beginning. The ability to do voice-command isn't particularly new, but the marquee feature for Apple's iPhone 4S has gotten the masses to recognize and appreciate its benefits. For the first time, voice-command was a feature people talked about and coveted.

At CES, there were better implementations and voice-commands popping up on different devices. Big-name companies got into the mix. Dieter Zetsche, head of Mercedes Benz, said voice would play a major role in its cars, calling them a driver's "digital companion." … Read more

Vlingo adds a Virtual Assistant to your TV

LAS VEGAS--Vlingo, the virtual assistant app for all major mobile platforms, today announced that it's making its way into televisions.

Not just a voice-controlled remote for changing channels and volume, "Vlingo for Smarter TVs" can help you browse and discover new content by simply talking into your mobile device. For instance, you could ask Vlingo something like, "what comedies are playing tonight?" Then, the app would trigger your TV to pull up a listing using the database of programming made available by cable providers. Or, you could simply tell Vlingo, "watch 'The Price is … Read more

Dear NTSB, please don't sterilize Siri and her friends

It's true: I could kill myself using Siri.

I have a car with a built-in hands-free system that I pair with my iPhone 4S while I drive. When I can, I use Siri over the Bluetooth audio speakers. Half the time, "she" doesn't understand me, or she tells me I have to unlock my phone before she'll help me. When Siri works as she should, as a wholly voice-controlled digital assistant that can send and respond to texts, call up maps, and take dictation, she's great. But I admit: interacting with Siri--even over my … Read more

'Siri, is there a comparable Android alternative?'

Of all the features introduced in the iPhone 4S, Siri is the one that has people really talking. Literally.

The concept of using a smartphone as a personal assistant is certainly appealing, but it's not necessarily new. Take for instance Voice Actions, a Google feature introduced for 2.2 devices, that lets users call contacts, send messages, complete common tasks, and more.

There are also many applications already in the market that let users ask questions or use commands, although none is quite as well-rounded as Siri. However, a new app recently landed on the scene that looks to … Read more

Apple's Siri won't win over Miss Manners

commentary We start by laughing. We go to S**t That Siri Says and chuckle at how asking Apple's new virtual assistant to talk dirty to you generates the response, "Humus. Compost. Pumice. Silt. Gravel." Or, "I'm not that kind of personal assistant." Because, hey, it is funny to hear Siri wax philosophical or crack wise--or utterly misunderstand a command.

But beneath the levity, there's a problem brewing, one that has yet to pop above the surface: the inevitability that soon there will be legions of people talking to their phones in public--and … Read more

How to use voice commands on your Android phone

When Apple announced the voice recognition app, Siri, every Android owner was thinking the same thing: we've been doing that for years. Free apps that are available in the Market right now use voice commands to complete everyday tasks like text messaging, sending e-mails, getting directions, and finding reviews.

So while Siri (you know that's "butt" in Japanese, right?) makes its way to the iPhone 4S, grab these free apps and start telling your Android phone what to do right now.

Tap That App: Vlingo Voice with InCar

Smartphones do all sorts of amazing things that make them useful in a driving situation, but their interfaces usually aren't optimized for operation at 65 mph. The screens are too small, the buttons are too hard to hit at arm's length, and the design of their applications often requires a user's full attention to read messages or input queries for search. Making matters worse, touching a phone (even one in a cradle) is of questionable legality in many areas. Vlingo Voice with InCar for Android aims to address all of these issues in one application.

Vlingo Voice … Read more

This Day in Tech: First look at new Nook, Windows Phone update

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, May 24.

Exclusive hands-on: Windows Phone update to integrate apps into hubs CNET gets a close look at four big changes that pertain to apps in Windows Phone 7's next update, code-named Mango. More

B&N's new Nook: Better than Kindle? Barnes & Noble has officially unveiled the second-generation Nook, a touch-screen e-ink e-reader that the company is branding as the "Simple Touch eReader." CNET's David Carnoy gets up close and personal with … Read more