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Move over Siri: Alexa digs deeper into iPhone territory
Now iPhone owners will have two ways to use Alexa, muscling in on Siri's space
Alexa + Apple Siri has a bit more competition on its way as Amazon opens the door to Alexa in iOS through its Amazon app. What this means is iPhone users can talk to Alexa from their smartphone asking Alexa many questions you would normally ask the voice recognition technology. Buying things from Amazon? Of course. But also control some smart home products—although Smart Lock (which opens doors for Vivint and Kwikset) will not be available. The new roll-out is already starting, and should be fully available by next week, and will only be available to iOS users—not Android. Alexa is already available for iOS devices. But this is yet another route to bring Alexa into Siri's territory. (Via Apple Insider)
Android payments Facial recognition features are coming to Samsung's Galaxy S8 which is expected to launch this month. The device will access fingerprints, iris data and facial recognition to make sure the smartphone is being used by the owner before launching apps including Samsung Pay. Bloomberg says this will be a first for Samsung to link facial recognition tech to payment apps. While smartphone owners are comfortable using biometric information such as fingerprints, facial recognition data has not been as widely adopted. Yet.
Swatch OS Swatch is making its own smartwatch operating system—choosing to develop its own rather than use one from Google or Apple. Swatch told Bloomberg that it expect the system to be ready by 2018, and expects it will be better at protecting data and also use less energy to run—important to the watch maker because they say batteries running low is one of the biggest problems for smartwatches.
Hot gadget You might not think you have a use for the device but think again. Maybe you want to make an infrared movie, or maybe you like fixing home repairs on your own (and want to make sure you don't hit live wires.) In either case, a thermal camera could be a gadget you add to a wish list. And we spent some time with one of the best: Flir One.
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