A bug disrupted voice-activated alarm setting on Google Home devices, including Nest speakers, displays, and third-party hardware like Lenovo smart displays, for several days in August. Users found that commands like asking for an alarm at a specific time were ignored unless they used odd workarounds, such as saying an exact hour or prefacing the request with an unrelated phrase. Google has now confirmed the issue is resolved across both Google Assistant and Gemini for Home.
Instinct, a private-access AI assistant built by Spear Street Technology and led by former Sierra researcher Noah Shinn, connects to users' email, messaging, calendar, location, and device audio to handle tasks like booking appointments and managing inboxes. While testers praise its capabilities, others have flagged its terms of service, which grant the company a perpetual, irrevocable license to store, reproduce, and use user data, including for AI training.
A commentary piece argues that AI coding assistants primarily benefit developers with years of pre-AI experience, since expertise built through manual coding provides the judgment needed to supervise and correct AI output. Newer developers, by contrast, are being pushed to rely on these tools without having built the foundational skills required to use them safely and effectively, creating what the author calls a paradox where novices need expert-level skills to keep pace.
Apple has started an early preview of a new AI-powered virtual shopping assistant inside the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad, replacing the search icon with a chat interface. The assistant can answer questions about products, trade-in values, carrier offers, and monthly payment plans, though only select users currently have access.
Drivers experiencing Siri going silent or unresponsive during CarPlay use may not be facing an Apple problem at all. The issue can stem from iPhone settings, a faulty CarPlay connection, or limitations in the vehicle's own infotainment system rather than Siri itself. Users can typically activate Siri by holding the car's voice-command button or the CarPlay Home button, though 'Hey Siri' support varies by vehicle.
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