Neowin News Feed for: Voice

Microsoft announces new HD voices with improved expressiveness in Azure AI Speech

Pradeep Viswanathan — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:32:01 +0000

Microsoft has launched a new HD version of its neural text-to-speech service. The new voices offer improved expressiveness, conversational tone, and natural variations. Read more...

Microsoft announces four new AI text-to-speech voices for use with Azure OpenAI

Steve Bennett — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:38:01 +0000

Microsoft has announced that it will be introducing four new AI text-to-speech voices optimised for conversations which can be used for chatbots, voice assistants or conversational agents. Read more...

A convenient way to delete voice history records from an Alexa device

Hemant Saxena — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 18:00:02 +0000

There's a simple trick to remove or delete voice history records from an Alexa device. Just head to the Alexa app settings, choose your device, and select a time period. Find out how it is done! Read more...

Roku OS 9.2 to begin rolling out in the coming weeks with search and voice enhancements

Paul Hill — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 14:12:01 +0000

Roku has announced that it's set to begin rolling out Roku OS 9.2 to players and TVs. The update makes program discoverability that much easier and expands the capabilities of voice commands. Read more...

Redesigned Google Voice app with new icon and much more now rolling out to iOS

Sharath Ravishankar — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 12:14:01 +0000

The Google Voice app was expected to receive a large update on all platforms, which is now rolling out to iOS users. It comes with a complete redesign, a new contacts tab and much more. Read more...

Samsung offers Bixby voice features sneak preview for those in the US

Timi Cantisano — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 16:46:05 +0000

When Samsung announced its Galaxy S8 and S8+, it also touted the launch of its own digital assistant, Bixby. While the voice feature was delayed, those in the US will finally get to test it. Read more...

Amazon gives devs access to tech powering Alexa, lets them integrate Lex service

Vlad Dudau — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:52:02 +0000

Amazon has opened up an on-demand service for developers, called Lex. Devs can implement the feature in their apps to take advantage of some of the same tech that powers the popular Alexa assistant. Read more...

Deep Voice: Baidu takes Google's amazing voice-making AI and makes it even faster, better

Vlad Dudau — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 09:22:01 +0000

The Chinese search giant has built on DeepMind's Wavenet and created a version of the algorithm that can be trained in a matter of hours and perform faster than real-time human speech. Read more...

Google's DeepMind learns to reproduce human speech, tricks us into starting robot apocalypse

Vlad Dudau — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 16:30:01 +0000

Google's DeepMind division is famous for its artificial intelligence work. Now the team has developed a new way of creating speech, that's better and more realistic sounding that everything else. Read more...

Google looks to expand Google Fiber to also include a telephone service

Steven Johns — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 05:48:01 +0000

Some Google Fiber users are reporting that they've been invited to beta test Google's potential telephone service, which has reportedly been given the name "Google Fiber Phone." Read more...

Amazon Echo Review: "Alexa, why are you so cool and frustrating at the same time?" [Update]

Christopher White — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:32:01 +0000

Today we take a look at Amazon's latest hardware offering, the Echo, a small cylindrical device that listens for your commands and attempts to provide you with relevant information and music. Read more...

AT&T and Verizon joining forces to launch HD Voice call feature

Chris Schroeder — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:26:01 +0000

The two biggest cellular providers in the United States are working together to bring a better voice call feature to cellular handsets that can access LTE networks in 2015. Read more...

Google Now can tell you to get off buses and trains at your stop

James Walker — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 18:38:58 +0000

A new feature added to Google Now means that the app is now able to alert you when your stop is approaching whilst travelling on public transport via a new alarm system integrated into the app. Read more...

Microsoft announces Cortana, voice-controlled assistant for Windows Phone 8.1

Andy Weir — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:04:03 +0000

Microsoft has revealed Cortana, the voice-controlled personal assistant for Windows Phone 8.1, with the ability to control features on a device, and to learn more about you, like a 'true' PA. Read more...

Cortana digital assistant reportedly launching with Windows Phone 8.1... in the U.S.

Andy Weir — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 14:49:50 +0000

Microsoft's intelligent digital assistant, 'Cortana', will reportedly launch with Windows Phone 8.1 in early 2014 - if you live in the United States. If you don't, you could be waiting a while. Read more...

Bing voice search, now with double speed and added accuracy.

Andrew Stevenson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:20:41 +0000

With voice searches becoming a staple after the release of Siri, The Bing Speech Team and Microsoft Research have developed an improved system to more accurately and quickly return search results. Read more...

Next gen Xbox console will reportedly see major voice control improvements

Andy Weir — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:55:54 +0000

The next-generation Xbox will reportedly see major enhancements to its voice control features, including speech-to-text, natural speech recognition, and power-on through voice command. Read more...

Speak for Yourself patent case continues; family communication still hangs in the balance

Paul Ferson — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:21:33 +0000

Just over a month after we reported on the ramifications of an app removal from the App Store, we learn more about the court case at hand and what is to be done for those it most affects. Read more...

Rumor: DirecTV may integrate Kinect-like features into their boxes?

News Staff — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 04:46:57 +0000

Is DirecTV looking to integrate Kinect into their set-top boxes? Based on a recent survey of customers, it appears that may be the case. Read more...

iPad app removal could leave family unable to communicate with daughter

Paul Ferson — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:14:03 +0000

After a communication app was removed from Apple's iTunes Store due to supposed infringement on copyrights, a family has been left unable to communicate with their four-year-old daughter. Read more...

Google wants to play you an ad when you call someone

Andy Weir — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:05:25 +0000

Waiting for someone to answer the phone isn't terribly exciting - so why not listen to something while you wait? A patent awarded to Google hints at plans to serve up ads before your call is answered. Read more...

T-Mobile announces Full Monty plans: unlimited everything

Andy Weir — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:21:32 +0000

T-Mobile's new price plans offer unlimited voice calls, text messages and mobile data, including free tethering. But will these tariffs spread from the UK to Europe and the US - and is there a catch? Read more...

Apple to disable Siri the app in favour of iPhone 4S's Siri

Denis Wong — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:48:56 +0000

With the introduction of the Siri voice-activated assistant in the new iPhone 4S, the old Siri the app is no longer obtainable and will not be usable following the iPhone 4S's release. Read more...

Google to include WebRTC in Chrome, tries to compete with MicroSkype

Tzvi Friedman — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:30:27 +0000

In a move aimed squarely against Skype and its new overlords, Google is taking voice chat and videoconferencing to the land of the free and open source. According to Cnet, Google is planning to add... Read more...

Sprint now integrating with Google Voice

Brandon Boyce — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:01:10 +0000

Google has announced via their Office Blog that Google Voice and Sprint are teaming up. Google Voice's availability at Sprint has been limited to cell phones that could support the Google Voice app. That's all... Read more...

Port your number over to Google Voice

Andrew Lyle — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:00:08 +0000

Google is currently testing a new feature for Google Voice, 'number porting'. This new features gives users the ability to port their existing landline or cell phone number over to Google Voice. BGR reports that the... Read more...

Santa switches to Google Voice

Brandon Boyce — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 01:19:29 +0000

If there is one person to keep up with this time of year, it's Santa. Everyone is always wondering; what smartphone is he using to communicate with his elves, what tablet is he using to... Read more...

Official Google Voice app comes to iPhone

Benjamin Rubenstein — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:37:43 +0000

It's been a long back-and-forth battle between two of the world's tech giants, but finally, Google has emerged victorious. After Apple rejected Google's Voice application, Google decided to bring similar functionality to iPhone users via... Read more...

Google Voice down for outgoing calls

Tzvi Friedman — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:16:53 +0000

Users are reporting that Google Voice is having issues making outbound calls. According to TechCrunch, when people make outbound calls, it just rings incessantly even if the recipient picks up. For users who use Google... Read more...

Apple approves official Google Voice app?

Benjamin Rubenstein — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:33:11 +0000

Taking a quick trip down memory lane, one may recall the fuss Apple caused last July when they rejected Google's official Google Voice app because it "duplicated existing [iPhone] functionality." This left Googlers distraught. There... Read more...

Rumor: Facebook to introduce voice/video chat

Brad Sams — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:01:05 +0000

Neowin recently reported that Facebook is gearing up to drop support for Internet Explorer 6. While it was originally thought that this was to help remove IE6 from the Internet ecosystem, it appears that there... Read more...

Ring-Ring, Your Gmail is calling!

Owen Williams — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:43:42 +0000

Google's on a roll lately, releasing various new products and features for a wide range of their products. The latest one that's incoming is a feature that will allow you to make phone calls from... Read more...

Google Voice now open to everyone in the U.S.

Benjamin Rubenstein — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:11:49 +0000

Google Voice has officially been opened to the public. Announced on the Official Google Blog, Google is making their easy-to-use phone number management system available to anyone who desires its goodness. Opened in beta form a... Read more...

Google Voice goes VoIP in Gmail

Benjamin Rubenstein — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:50:13 +0000

According to the reliable, yet unofficial, Google Operating System blog, Google is apparently testing a new feature in Gmail. As part of Gmail's chat program, Google has integrated Google Voice functionality. The new feature allows... Read more...

New Google Voice services being tested

Brandon Boyce — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:38:01 +0000

Google is testing a desktop application to take advantage of their Google Voice services. Last November Google aquired Gizmo5, a VoIP provider similar to Skype, which is the backbone of the new desktop app. Even... Read more...

Google Voice released for iPhone

Tom Warren — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:12:55 +0000

Google has finally managed to get its Voice service onto the iPhone but not in the form of an application. Both Apple and Google have been the subject of an FCC investigation over the the rejection... Read more...

Google Voice speeds up access to messages

Benjamin Rubenstein — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:20:57 +0000

Google has officially announced on the Google Voice Blog that they have now made accessing your voicemail faster. Upon hearing this, one would think that is change is some sort of optimization or new feature.... Read more...

FCC investigating Google Voice rejection by Apple and AT&T

Sam Symons — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:41:30 +0000

The recent rejection of Google Voice from the App Store, by Apple, was rather controversial. Even die-hard Apple fans seem to be outraged by it, and many suspect that AT&T is behind it. It wasn't... Read more...

GrandCentral becomes Google Voice

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:18:51 +0000

Users of the popular free phone service called GrandCentral, which was bought by Google back in 2007, have finally seen a rebrand change, and is now called Google Voice. While Google Voice is... Read more...

Google mobile app for iPhone now with Voice Search

Tom Warren — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:40:56 +0000

Google's latest update for its free iPhone search application has arrived in the AppStore. Despite a few delays on Apple's end the update was released a few hours ago. Google's latest voice search functionality is... Read more...