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Can Samsung Galaxy S8's Bixby outdo Apple's Siri? (The 3:59, Ep. 196)

We look at Samsung's upcoming digital assistant, discuss eBay's new shipping program and get the highlights from South by Southwest.

Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter
Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
Joan E. Solsman Former Senior Reporter
Joan E. Solsman was CNET's senior media reporter, covering the intersection of entertainment and technology. She's reported from locations spanning from Disneyland to Serbian refugee camps, and she previously wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. She bikes to get almost everywhere and has been doored only once.
Expertise Streaming video, film, television and music; virtual, augmented and mixed reality; deep fakes and synthetic media; content moderation and misinformation online Credentials
  • Three Folio Eddie award wins: 2018 science & technology writing (Cartoon bunnies are hacking your brain), 2021 analysis (Deepfakes' election threat isn't what you'd think) and 2022 culture article (Apple's CODA Takes You Into an Inner World of Sign)
Ben Fox Rubin
Roger Cheng
Joan E. Solsman

Samsung is trying again with its own digital voice assistant. Will it be a breakout hit or a me-too product?

After the tech titan introduced the S Voice assistant in 2012, it's now getting ready to launch a new and improved digital butler called Bixby in its upcoming Galaxy S8 next week. But, with the voice assistant market already crowded with Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana, Bixby will need to work hard to stand out.

We also dig into eBay's latest effort to battle Amazon in e-commerce shipping and review some of the most interesting things out of South by Southwest this year.

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by the CNET News team in New York and producer Bryan VanGelder.

Check out our extended shows on YouTube.

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