Apple's Amazon Echo Competitor Could Feature Camera, Facial Recognition

[Bonte]

Wouldn't voice recognition be better than facial? A camera can never scan the complete room.

Who would have thunk that Apple was not the athlete with the hammer but the guy on the screen.

 

[macs4nw]

Apple is among the very few I trust on privacy issues, so I would bet they are going to do it the right way.

Let's hope there will be the usual plethora of menu opt-ins and opt-outs.

 

[navaira]

Am I the only one who, everytime there's an Echo on the front page, thinks "that's a pretty radical redesign of Mac Pro"?

 

[macs4nw]

Wouldn't voice recognition be better than facial? A camera can never scan the complete room.

Who would have thunk that Apple was not the athlete with the hammer but the guy on the screen.

What was 'Big Blue' has now become 'Big Fruit'

 

[Ed217]

I swear if it's a silver aluminum tube....

But it will be a thin tube...and the next year it will be thinner still...

 

[shk718]

LOL - Do I need to start quoting sales figures? Market share? Profits? Moving averages? Trends? We've unloaded all of AAPL, as have most hedge funds. Don't doubt me on this! Retail investors are the only ones holding the bag right now.

And yes Apple is mediocre at best when it comes to software. I stand by that. And I've been around for a while.
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But Google doesn't need hardware to survive.
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Yep! Times have changed.

Quote away- quote 5,5s,6,6s as a trend not the anomaly of 5s to 6. You're betting against Apple, fine. At what avg price did you unload? Let's iCal that and see who's right long term.

If you feel OSX is mediocre then you don't understand operating systems. Does the moving target that the world of mobile os's live in result in more bugs than desktop - yes. Does apple have more than google - no. Your superlative's are a bit overly dramatic.

 

[Tech198]

Oh no !! Apple is doing a Microsoft..

But it will be a thin tube...and the next year it will be thinner still...

Yes, and a little camera planted on top that will move in all directions... Would look kind of cute.

It will be soo thin there will need to be case for it so you can still find it.

 

[shk718]

Afternoon, Tim.

Not afternoon Tim, afternoon a satisfied user who hasn't had to reboot his Mac in months. Why is it ok for trolls to post here but, when a satisfied customer expresses his appreciation he gets teased??
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Wouldn't voice recognition be better than facial? A camera can never scan the complete room.

Who would have thunk that Apple was not the athlete with the hammer but the guy on the screen.

The camera will be used for FaceTime not to continually scan the room. The watch will be used for ID- imho.

 

[samcraig]

Not afternoon Tim, afternoon a satisfied user who hasn't had to reboot his Mac in months. Why is it ok for trolls to post here but, when a satisfied customer expresses his appreciation he gets teased??

So your response is to name call? It seems (to me) hypocritical. I assure you - that many times - any slight criticism of Apple and a poster can be labeled a troll just as often as a satisfied user getting teased. It truly swings both ways. And it's silly. The whole fanboy/sheep/troll/hater thing. People have opinions. Disagree with the opinion - no one needs to name call. And that also goes for people that think it's cute to do things like crapple, samsuck, samesuck, M$, and so on. Pretty infantile...

 

[shk718]

I think they should stay away from Siri as a brand for this device. Here is my recent interaction with her:

SIRI is no better or worse than googles voice recognition. I just tried both and they had the same number of errors. VR is hard and both companies are making great strides.

So your response is to name call? It seems (to me) hypocritical. I assure you - that many times - any slight criticism of Apple and a poster can be labeled a troll just as often as a satisfied user getting teased. It truly swings both ways. And it's silly. The whole fanboy/sheep/troll/hater thing. People have opinions. Disagree with the opinion - no one needs to name call. And that also goes for people that think it's cute to do things like crapple, samsuck, samesuck, M$, and so on. Pretty infantile...

you're right. A better response would have been. "I wish I was Tim Cook!! Sexy, rich and gets to play with all the new Apple products."

 

[BvizioN]

Others made personal computers before the Mac came to market in 1984.

I know but that's what some people have been suggesting since rumors about Apple making Mp3 player back over a decade ago. And they still do it now days.

 

[samcraig]

SIRI is no better or worse than googles voice recognition. I just tried both and they had the same number of errors. VR is hard and both companies are making great strides.


you're right. A better response would have been. "I wish I was Tim Cook!! Sexy, rich and gets to play with all the new Apple products."

And I'll just say that my post, while in response to you, was actually broader in scope as I am sure you realize. You just happen to be the latest

 

[acctman]

My prediction...
- Apple opens up Siri to devs at WWDC
- A Bluetooth speaker with mic will be made in order to use your iOS device and Hey Siri
- No facial cam (thing would be worthless in low light) if anything Samsung will jump on that rumor and make a crappy device with it.
- voice recognition via hey Siri in which we already have.

As an Echo owner I can be honest and say it's just a Bluetooth speaker with a mic. The Alexa AI is in Amazon Cloud. Hey Siri command and a Bluetooth speaker is almost indentical with command features. Echo you need to be within shouting range as does Siri but it's more movable.

 

[amirite]

Apple has about the chance of pulling off successful facial recognition as they did with launches their of Siri, TouchID, Apple Maps, or countless releases of x.0 iOSs. It's just not going to work.

They've had basic facial recognition in iPhoto for a decade, and they recently bought a company in that space. Why are you so incredulous?

 

[rlewisphilly]

Apple lately has sure turned into a "Me too" company.

I think they need to focus on what got them here in the first place, with a refresh line of the Macs and focus on innovation of the iPhone.

Apple has ALWAYS been "me too", BUT always a better experience. The iPod wasn't the first music device, the iPhone wasn't the first mobile phone, and the MacBook wasn't the first laptop. But Steve, Tim, Eddie and the guys come out with great stuff that we ALL still use. if you don't like their stuff...there are other companies.

 

[doelcm82]

My prediction...
- Apple opens up Siri to devs at WWDC
- A Bluetooth speaker with mic will be made in order to use your iOS device and Hey Siri
- No facial cam (thing would be worthless in low light) if anything Samsung will jump on that rumor and make a crappy device with it.
- voice recognition via hey Siri in which we already have.

As an Echo owner I can be honest and say it's just a Bluetooth speaker with a mic. The Alexa AI is in Amazon Cloud. Hey Siri command and a Bluetooth speaker is almost indentical with command features. Echo you need to be within shouting range as does Siri but it's more movable.

I think Apple should aim higher. Move more of the AI to the local unit. Also keep personal information stored locally, so Siri can be more personal without sacrificing privacy. Less reliance on the cloud would keep Siri up for local operations even if the services are not available.

If all they're going to do is match Echo feature for feature, why bother?

 

[Dilster3k]

Can't wait to watch the keynote with them going on about Siri in a box for one hour straight... #innovation

 

[imola.zhp]

Indeed. Let's add to the list. It could have laser hologram imaging and be self driving around the house (maybe they AREN'T working on a CAR) so that we can finally have a device that can replicate "Help me obi wan - you're my only hope"

"Apple's Amazon Echo Competitor Could Feature Camera, Facial Recognition"

It could feature fecal recognition, perhaps save a few people from pink eye.

 

[Dr.Chroma]

Apple has ALWAYS been "me too", BUT always a better experience. The iPod wasn't the first music device, the iPhone wasn't the first mobile phone, and the MacBook wasn't the first laptop. But Steve, Tim, Eddie and the guys come out with great stuff that we ALL still use. if you don't like their stuff...there are other companies.

When did I ever say I never liked Apple's "Stuff"? I was simply implying they are carbon copying other companies. I am an Apple Stock/Shareholder, avid consumer of many of their products.

Secondly, I NEVER said the iPhone wasn't the first mobile phone or the MacBook was the first laptop. If you re-read what I wrote AGAIN, I stated Apple exploited multi-touch and 3D Touch for the iPhone. It was the ingenuity BEHIND the hardware.

I'm not sure exactly why you listed the executive level with Steve, Tim, and Eddie? Did I too say anything about their lack of? No! What about Jony Ive? What about Craig Fredrighi? They all play a pivotal role for Apple.

I understand their are "Other Companies." I'm not here discussing that, However, the iPhone and MacBooks is what propelled Apple. It's the origin points, not your list of Executives.

 

[duffman9000]

This is what happens when the teacher becomes the student.

Or the arrogant becomes the humbled.

 

[robjulo]

Lol. It's not 2009 anymore. Apple doesn't always provide the better experience. See Apple Music, Maps, Siri, Notifications etc, etc.

Apple has ALWAYS been "me too", BUT always a better experience. The iPod wasn't the first music device, the iPhone wasn't the first mobile phone, and the MacBook wasn't the first laptop. But Steve, Tim, Eddie and the guys come out with great stuff that we ALL still use. if you don't like their stuff...there are other companies.

 

[Mac 128]

The camera will be used for FaceTime not to continually scan the room. The watch will be used for ID- imho.

But how do you know? There's a camera plugged into continuous power, and controlled by software connected to the Internet ... That's going to make a lot of people uncomfortable.

There are people who debate with me that a FaceTime camera on an Watch would be creepy, so for them, this will be the ultimate invasion of privacy.

 

[phrehdd]

But how do you know? There's a camera plugged into continuous power, and controlled by software connected to the Internet ... That's going to make a lot of people uncomfortable.

There are people who debate with me that a FaceTime camera on an Watch would be creepy, so for them, this will be the ultimate invasion of privacy.

As I stated, having something that hears and sees connected to the internet...what could go wrong with that scenario.

I will buy one and name it Orwell.

 

[Cwolk]

No way there will be facial recognition in 1st gen. 2nd or 3rd, maybe

 

[shk718]

Is

But how do you know? There's a camera plugged into continuous power, and controlled by software connected to the Internet ... That's going to make a lot of people uncomfortable.

There are people who debate with me that a FaceTime camera on an Watch would be creepy, so for them, this will be the ultimate invasion of privacy.

Isn't there a camera plunged into continuous power and controlled by software connected to the Internet on every computer ?