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LG Debuts 'Hub Robot' to Compete With Google Home and Amazon Echo
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20 years ago, we were promised personal robots that we would control. They'd do all our heavy chores and never complain.
Then the cloud came along and we get this 'robot' that doesn't really do anything. And it's not even clear who's controlling it or who benefits.
What I want:
That's what a real robot does. No complaints and no sneaking behind my back to tell Google and Amazon what a domestic slob I am!
- My laundry picked up off the floor, put in the hamper, the hamper dumped into the washing machine, the machine started, monitored and then everything moved to the dryer before being ironed and hung up in my closet.
- Then the floors need vacuumed.
- The car washed and vacuumed.
- The lawn cut.
- The windows cleaned.
- The bathrooms cleaned.
- Shoes shined.
- Beds made.
- The dishwasher loaded, started and then everything put back into all the right cupboards and drawers.
- Oh yeah, and the dinner made!
I am sure Apple is secretly working on designing just such a robot.
Right. I'll place a device in my home with always connected microphones and cameras from a company that was already caught violating people's privacy with their smart TVs.
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2881303/smart-tvs-raise-privacy-concerns.html
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2881303/smart-tvs-raise-privacy-concerns.html
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, LG today unveiled the Hub Robot, an adorable Amazon Echo and Google Home competitor. The Hub Robot, which LG has created with a "friendly, anthropomorphic design," interfaces with smart home products and interacts with people in multiple ways.
Powered by Amazon's Alexa voice recognition technology, the Hub Robot can respond to commands to do things like turn on the air conditioner or the lights. It features an interactive display that can offer up information and images, and with a built-in speaker, it can play music, set alarms, provide weather updates, and more.
The Hub Robot is more interactive than competing products from Amazon and Google, with the ability to move, swivel in place, and express a range of emotions by displaying a face on its built-in screen.
It is able to respond to customers using body language, such as nodding its head when it is asked a question, and it keeps track of in-home activity, monitoring when family members come and go. With facial recognition capabilities, it recognizes each member of a family and provides customized greetings and information.
LG says the Hub Robot is designed to be put in a place where the family gathers, such as a kitchen or a living room, and additional mini robots will be introduced alongside the Hub Robot that can go in other rooms of the house.
LG has not announced a ship date for the Hub Robot, nor is pricing available, but it will likely be competitive with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, which are priced at $180 and $129, respectively.
As in-home hub solutions grow in popularity, rumors suggest Apple is working on its own connected smart home device that's similar to the Amazon Echo. It's said to be powered by Siri and equipped with a speaker and a microphone. The hub will work with HomeKit, and there's a possibility it could be combined with another product, such as the AirPort or Apple TV.
The hub has supposedly been in development for two years and is in the prototype testing phase, but it's not clear if and when it will see an official release.
Article Link: LG Debuts 'Hub Robot' to Compete With Google Home and Amazon Echo
Looks like 'Eve' from Wally....
This little data miner is cute as a button. Just please don't make a BB-8 one. I'm not strong enough to resist.
Did someone get out the wrong side of the bed this morning?
As funny as it is to see Apple constantly passed up by other tech conglomerates, I really dont want apple dabbing in this space as they are having a difficult enough time making basic computers.
Maybe I'm alone on this, but I think a superior Apple-like product would be an iMac version that is designed to be a hub for the home that responds to commands, controls home devices (including TV) and runs search queries like Alexa but is part of a powerful computing station that also connects to your iDevices, automatically backs them up and allows for media to be shared seamlessly among all apple devices on the network.
Right now there's too much of an incentive to have an iPhone, Windows desktop, Amazon hub, Google Chromstick, and Fire/off market tablet. Though, tying these technologies back together in a single ecosystem may be impossible now, since it's blatantly apparent that other companies are making more aggressive moves with more compelling products.
Maybe I'm alone on this, but I think a superior Apple-like product would be an iMac version that is designed to be a hub for the home that responds to commands, controls home devices (including TV) and runs search queries like Alexa but is part of a powerful computing station that also connects to your iDevices, automatically backs them up and allows for media to be shared seamlessly among all apple devices on the network.
Right now there's too much of an incentive to have an iPhone, Windows desktop, Amazon hub, Google Chromstick, and Fire/off market tablet. Though, tying these technologies back together in a single ecosystem may be impossible now, since it's blatantly apparent that other companies are making more aggressive moves with more compelling products.
Too expensive and too cute. Someone needs to make a home kit version of the Amazon Dot. Apple would be the obvious candidate but since it only gives lip service to HomeKit, guess that won't be happening anytime soon. The only reason I stick with HomeKit is the (my) perceived higher level of security it offers. But it seems Amazon is running away with the category.
That's a way to start robot uprising.What I want:
That's what a real robot does.
- My laundry picked up off the floor, put in the hamper, the hamper dumped into the washing machine, the machine started, monitored and then everything moved to the dryer before being ironed and hung up in my closet.
- Then the floors need vacuumed.
- The car washed and vacuumed.
- The lawn cut.
- The windows cleaned.
- The bathrooms cleaned.
- Shoes shined.
- Beds made.
- The dishwasher loaded, started and then everything put back into all the right cupboards and drawers.
- Oh yeah, and the dinner made!
so they can hear what lights you want on and the temp. of your house? maybe what you order on amazon?
Folks that think Apple is far behind on seemingly everything these days: Remember that Apple doesn't enter a market until it thinks it has something valuable and game changing to offer. I'm sure Apple is closely watching the home assistant space as they are VR and other emerging markets. The Mac, iPod, and iPhone weren't the first products to market and neither will their future releases. I'm not saying Apple is perfect. But they didn't get where they are today by throwing resources at every new market. They wait, watch, and carefully craft something that can have real consumer appeal and provide some of that magic that far too often is missing from first to market products. It's going to be an interesting next few years for sure.
PS - Still loving my AirPods, though admittedly some improvements can be made to make them even better. They should allow single, double and triple taps and differentiate from left and right ear to fix the volume and track skipping IMO. With the option to revert to simple mode if folks get too confused. Easily fixed in a software update. As for the dropouts I encounter from time to time, they seem to be tied to me actively using the phone in some cases, another software fix I imagine. But wireless is soooo great and the quality is more impressive over time as they sound pretty dang good for little earbuds.
PS - Still loving my AirPods, though admittedly some improvements can be made to make them even better. They should allow single, double and triple taps and differentiate from left and right ear to fix the volume and track skipping IMO. With the option to revert to simple mode if folks get too confused. Easily fixed in a software update. As for the dropouts I encounter from time to time, they seem to be tied to me actively using the phone in some cases, another software fix I imagine. But wireless is soooo great and the quality is more impressive over time as they sound pretty dang good for little earbuds.
What I want:
That's what a real robot does. No complaints and no sneaking behind my back to tell Google and Amazon what a domestic slob I am!
- My laundry picked up off the floor, put in the hamper, the hamper dumped into the washing machine, the machine started, monitored and then everything moved to the dryer before being ironed and hung up in my closet.
- Then the floors need vacuumed.
- The car washed and vacuumed.
- The lawn cut.
- The windows cleaned.
- The bathrooms cleaned.
- Shoes shined.
- Beds made.
- The dishwasher loaded, started and then everything put back into all the right cupboards and drawers.
- Oh yeah, and the dinner made!
Perhaps you should consider getting a husband or boyfriend to do these chores for you?
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, LG today unveiled the Hub Robot, an adorable Amazon Echo and Google Home competitor. The Hub Robot, which LG has created with a "friendly, anthropomorphic design," interfaces with smart home products and interacts with people in multiple ways.
Powered by Amazon's Alexa voice recognition technology, the Hub Robot can respond to commands to do things like turn on the air conditioner or the lights. It features an interactive display that can offer up information and images, and with a built-in speaker, it can play music, set alarms, provide weather updates, and more.
The Hub Robot is more interactive than competing products from Amazon and Google, with the ability to move, swivel in place, and express a range of emotions by displaying a face on its built-in screen.
It is able to respond to customers using body language, such as nodding its head when it is asked a question, and it keeps track of in-home activity, monitoring when family members come and go. With facial recognition capabilities, it recognizes each member of a family and provides customized greetings and information.
LG says the Hub Robot is designed to be put in a place where the family gathers, such as a kitchen or a living room, and additional mini robots will be introduced alongside the Hub Robot that can go in other rooms of the house.
LG has not announced a ship date for the Hub Robot, nor is pricing available, but it will likely be competitive with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, which are priced at $180 and $129, respectively.
As in-home hub solutions grow in popularity, rumors suggest Apple is working on its own connected smart home device that's similar to the Amazon Echo. It's said to be powered by Siri and equipped with a speaker and a microphone. The hub will work with HomeKit, and there's a possibility it could be combined with another product, such as the AirPort or Apple TV.
The hub has supposedly been in development for two years and is in the prototype testing phase, but it's not clear if and when it will see an official release.
Article Link: LG Debuts 'Hub Robot' to Compete With Google Home and Amazon Echo
All these things do is make me want to buy a flamethrower.
In which case you ought to take a look at the new Smart Flamethrowers they announced today.
You can easily control them with your Bluetooth Hairbrush & Connected Toaster.