02/19, 10:05pm
Samsung Galaxy Note mega phone gets our review
Samsung made much ado of the Galaxy Note during the Super Bowl: the massive 5.3-inch screen and pen were tickets to "freedom" from the comparatively tiny iPhone. But are size and handwriting giving smartphone owners real choice, or is it an attempt to shoehorn the phone/tablet crossover into a market that doesn't want it? Our review of the Galaxy Note will find out if it's rethinking smartphones or just rewinding back to 2006-era PDAs.
more
01/23, 7:10pm
Evi promises to answer complex questions by voice
True Knowledge has developed a voice command app that promises to beat Apple's Siri in key areas. Evi on iOS (99 cents, App Store) and Android (free during beta, Android Market) can answer typical Siri quesitons, such as restaurant recommendations, but specializes in answering answering the less immediate questions that would normally have Siri perform a generic web search. A deep knowledge class system lets it answer age comparisons, provide recipes, and otherwise answer directly.
more
01/23, 6:25pm
Samsung miselads with Galaxy S II voice spot
Samsung has run another ad for the Galaxy S II that this time deliberately omits an iPhone feature that negates its advantage. One of those waiting in line for an iPhone ducks into a store and is impressed when he sees a clerk use Android's built-in Voice Actions to send a text. In a first for the ad campaign, the S II actually catches a buyer, who raises concerns among his iPhone queue friends when he doesn't come back.
more
12/20, 11:40am
Nuance takes over Vlingo
Nuance shook up the smartphone field Tuesday by acquiring Vlingo. The deal gives it a natural language voice command system available both after the fact and preloaded on phones like the iPhone 4S, which itself uses Nuance as part of its recognition.
more
10/17, 4:20pm
Vlingo sees huge grows as Siri launches
Vlingo, maker of voice recognition apps for various smartphone platforms, has been on a steady growth over the last week, with 2011 overall being the company's banner year. And with the introduction of the Siri voice action and AI system on the iPhone 4S having been just released, Vlingo CEO Dave Grannan may have been proven right in his belief that the Apple technology and its marketing would be good news for all voice recognition software. The recent growth may also be largely attributable to the company making its app free earlier this month, however, GigaOM reported.
more
10/04, 5:15pm
iPhone 4S claims minor edges over Galaxy S II
Apple with the iPhone 4S launch finally put out its answer to the Galaxy S II. Some might say it's catching up: both have dual-core processors, eight-megapixel cameras, and 1080p video. But Apple isn't necessarily just bringing itself up to par; we'll see in a quick breakdown where the 4S might be pulling ahead as well as where it has room to grow.
more
05/17, 4:00pm
BlueAnt S4 ships entirely hands-free speakerphone
BlueAnt on Monday launched its S4 Bluetooth speakerphone for in-vehicle use. The device is said to be entirely handsfree once powered up, triggering it by saying "BlueAnt speak to me." Another phrase will trigger the voice-dialing feature, and then stored contacts can be called by speaking their name.
more
