A Personal Assistant Created from the Crowd by Smart Software
A service called Premier acts like a single smart assistant, on call 24 hours a day. It’s actually made from an ever-changing crowd of casual workers.
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Tom Simonite
Follow @twitterapiIT Editor, Software & Hardware
I’m MIT Technology Review’s IT editor for hardware and software and enjoy a diverse diet of algorithms, Internet, and human-computer interaction with chips on the side. Working in our San Francisco office, I cover new ideas about what computers can do for us, whether they spring from tech giants, new startups, or academic labs.
My journey to the West Coast started in a small English town called Wantage and took in the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and five years writing and editing technology news coverage at New Scientist magazine.
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Microsoft Brings Star Trek’s Voice Translator to Life
Software turns English into synthesized Chinese almost instantly.
Why the United States Is So Afraid of Huawei
The threat may be theoretical—but compromised telecom equipment could quickly cripple a nation's civilian and military infrastructure.
Why Facebook's Search Engine Won't Be Anything Like Google's
Trying to match Google's immense index of the Web would be very costly—but Facebook could instead build search on top of the data we've already given it.
Rivals Soar After Apple Apology
iPhone users are apparently keen to avoid relying on Apple's new mapping app.
Google's Answer to Siri Thinks Ahead
The company's data stockpile and investment in AI means a smartphone helper that answers queries before you even ask them.
AT&T Trials Text-Message Translation
Phone users can sign up to have incoming messages automatically translated from one language to another. Real-time voice translation could follow.
How Your Wireless Carrier Overcharges You
Bad coverage and streaming video can confuse carriers into making you pay for data you never receive.
Intel Demos a Desktop That Doubles as a 27-Inch Tablet
Desktop computers with detachable screens that can be used like oversized tablets are in development and are intended for home and work use.
Artificial Intelligence, Powered by Many Humans
Crowdsourcing can create an artificial chat partner that's smarter than Siri-style personal assistants.
