Tag Archives: voice

Accessories and Peripherals, Smartphones

5 Tips & Tricks For Using Your iPhone As A Field Recorder

The voice memo app that’s put in by default on each iPhone is a helpful fundamental instrument for recording conversations or audio notes, however there are a lot of of different apps on Apple’s App Store which have superior options like enhancing, totally different high quality recording functionality, and multi-track recording for musicians. Some of the Android ecosystem’s best audio recording apps are additionally obtainable for the iPhone, like Dolby On, which is free and has results, an enhancing interface, and the power to stream reside to Facebook and Twitch or add on to SoundCloud. There’s additionally the MOTIV app from Shure Audio, the audio machine producer. MOTIV has most of the similar options as Dolby On plus a high-resolution decibel meter.

If you plan to make use of your iPhone to file lectures, interviews, or conferences, you will wish to give the Otter app a shot. Otter makes use of AI to make a transcription of something you file, making it a helpful instrument for college students, journalists, or businesspeople. This app has a median ranking of 4.8 out of 5 stars from 35,000 reviewers on the Apple App Store, and a fast check session confirmed it to be fairly correct at transcribing spoken audio. For recording and mixing multi-track music information, take a look at Roland’s Zentracker or Apple’s personal GarageBand app. 

Streaming Devices

How To Turn Your Amazon Fire TV Into A Nanny/Pet Cam

To carry up your Ring digicam feed in your Fire TV, simply press the voice command button in your Fire TV distant to activate Alexa, then say, “Alexa, show my Smart Home dashboard.” Your Fire TV view will change to the dashboard, exhibiting your energetic cameras.

To carry up a digicam feed, press the voice command button and say, “Alexa, show me (name of Ring camera).” If your Fire TV helps picture-in-picture view, you may also present the digicam feed in a minimized window. To use your Ring digicam’s two-way discuss, press the voice command button and say, “Alexa, talk to (name of Ring camera).” You can then communicate by means of the digicam’s speaker through your Fire TV distant.

Using this setup, you’ll be able to regulate your children and pets whereas they’re out of your bodily view, in addition to the speaker to softly dissuade them from shenanigans. For instance, in case your canine is exterior and barking, you should utilize the Ring digicam’s speaker to inform them to cease. Just do not be shocked in case your canine wanders to the digicam, confused why your voice is popping out of the mysterious field.

News

Volkswagen: ChatGPT voice assistant is “more than a gimmick”

The updated Volkswagen Golf, to be revealed in a matter of days, is supplied with a ChatGPT voice assistant that can be utilized to manage numerous automobile capabilities and supply info and leisure. 

To be rolled out throughout the Volkswagen line-up, the brand new system is designed to be extra “conversational” and “natural” than the present in-house voice assistant. 

It can flip the heating up when a passenger says “I’m cold” or discover a close by store if they are saying “I need bread” however also can present extra in depth info and leisure capabilities, for instance studying out detailed dinner recipes or youngsters’s tales on the transfer. 

The transfer comes as Volkswagen rethinks its method to inside design for its next-generation automobiles, together with the Golf, with a deal with reintroducing bodily, easy switchgear to spice up utility. 

Asked why it is introducing a brand new voice-control operate in mild of that method, technical improvement boss Kai Grünitz informed Autocar: “In China, they need to do every part with the speech dialogue system – regulate their seats, open the tailgate. In the [US], they need to have big switches with an excellent feeling to the contact and really feel, and in Europe one thing in between.

“We will see how the shopper calls for will change within the subsequent month or years; we’re ready to do each worlds.

“For me, it’s more than a gimmick. We know from our studies of home systems how you use your [Amazon] Alexa, for example, or your [Amazon] Echo, and you can have the same convenience and seamless interaction with your vehicle.”

In response to the suggestion that some customers may need issues about sharing information with their automotive on this approach, Grünitz mentioned: “You will agree to the terms of use like you do with your smartphone. If you don’t want to use it, you just say, and then there’s no data exchange.”

He mentioned that between 70 and 80% of Volkswagen’s EV prospects select to be “online” on this approach and mentioned there was a “challenge to convince the customers, with functionality, that this is a great function for daily use”.

Cars, News

Mercedes’ Next Voice Assistant Won’t Wait For You To Talk To It First

While voice often is the main interplay technique for the MBUX Virtual Assistant, that is to not say Mercedes has forgotten the large shows that generally function in its automobiles. The animated avatar, for instance, is constructed utilizing the Unity recreation engine, with real-time 3D graphics together with motion, depth, shade, and brightness.

MBUX Surround Navigation, in the meantime, builds on the augmented actuality navigation presently accessible in manufacturing Mercedes vehicles. Where the present system can overlay upcoming turns onto a reside digital camera view of the street forward within the automotive’s shows, this new system — based mostly on the automaker’s upcoming MB.OS operating system — provides Unity-powered graphics highlighting what the automotive has recognized within the atmosphere.

For instance, MBUX Surround Navigation can distinguish between vehicles, vans, vehicles, and cyclists, and flag pedestrians who would possibly stroll into the street or different hazards. A extra lifelike route that the motive force ought to take with the intention to attain their programmed vacation spot is interwoven by means of that digital scene.

Smartphones

What Is T-Mobile Edge, And Can You Turn It Off?

The leap from 1G’s analog voice communication tech to 2G’s extra superior digital GSM commonplace was large, accommodating a number of customers per frequency band and introducing SMS and MMS. 3G launched monumental enhancements in knowledge switch speeds and voice high quality. This temporary lesson in historical past is so we will perceive the place Edge suits into the image. 

Enhanced Data charges for GSM Evolution (EDGE) is an extension of the 2G community — particularly, 2.75G. By modulating the section of a provider wave utilizing 8PSK encoding, the then-new Edge community not solely boasted increased theoretical speeds of as much as 400 Kbps however, for the primary time, provided customers the power to make use of web knowledge whereas on a name.

Now that we have explored the mysteries behind the Edge community, it would not take a lot to know why your T-Mobile community indicator sometimes drops to the notorious “E” icon. The cause is usually poor 4G or 5G protection, which is when your system robotically switches to the a lot wider frequency of an Edge community. It’s slower however has a lot broader protection.

T-Mobile’s Edge is barely a fallback choice, and your telephone must be again to the cutting-edge 4G or 5G speeds while you’re out of the restricted community protection space. If your system appears caught on Edge or switches to it commonly, we have now some network troubleshooting tips that may help.

Streaming Devices

How To Pair Your Alexa Voice Remote With An Amazon Fire TV Device

If your Alexa Voice Remote will not pair together with your Amazon Fire TV, first verify the batteries. Remove and reinsert them appropriately and verify if the distant is working. If not, substitute the batteries with new ones, and ideally, make certain they’re alkaline for the perfect efficiency. Next, attempt transferring your distant nearer to your TV through the pairing course of. Amazon recommends a distance no additional than 10 toes or 3 meters.

You can attempt restarting your Fire TV and manually pair your distant once more. To do that, unplug the Fire TV from the ability outlet after which plug it again in. Once the house display screen is displayed, press and maintain the house button on the distant for 10 seconds to provoke pairing.

A brand new distant won’t pair you probably have seven controllers already paired together with your Fire TV. Unpair one system and take a look at pairing the brand new distant once more.

You may attempt utilizing the Fire TV app to pair your distant. While you possibly can control your Amazon Fire TV using your phone, you can even use the app to pair a brand new Alexa Voice Remote. Here’s how:

  1. Open the app.

  2. Tap Settings.

  3. Tap Controllers & Bluetooth units.

  4. Tap Amazon Fire TV Remotes.

  5. Tap Add New Remote.

  6. Select the distant you need to pair.

If nothing appears to be working, you possibly can attempt resetting your Fire TV remote as a last choice.

Technology

How To Use Discord Voice Chat On Your Xbox

Using Discord voice channels instantly in your Xbox is a handy function that can actually be welcomed by many followers of each platforms. However, there are a couple of caveats to pay attention to, which is to be anticipated since they’re two separate companies which might be owned by two completely different firms. For one factor, the comparatively new function is not obtainable in all nations or areas — if Discord is not working in your Xbox, you could be situated in one among these areas. It’s at present unclear if or when the function will develop to extra markets.

You can also’t mix Discord chats with native Xbox chats. If you’ve gotten mates with solely one of many platforms, you will not be capable to group everybody into the identical get together. You additionally will not be capable to broadcast audio from Discord on Xbox to your Twitch stream should you’re streaming instantly out of your console. You additionally will not be capable to use a webcam on Discord whereas dwell streaming from Xbox. Similarly, you will not be capable to watch Discord dwell streams out of your console. Other points with dwell streaming your Xbox gameplay by Discord might also pop up and require sure adjustments to your account settings on one or each platforms.

Additional caveats embrace a limitation to decision and body price choices which might be solely obtainable to Discord Nitro subscribers, or should you’re utilizing older consoles that may solely help decrease body charges and resolutions. However, you could discover these limitations value it should you’ve been wanting to talk on Discord instantly by your Xbox whereas gaming.

Reviews

Panasonic SoundSlayer Wireless Review: A New Option for Gaming Headphones

The SoundSlayer GNW10 by Panasonic offers three preset gaming sound modes: RPG, FPS, and Voice. Each mode is designed to meet the audio needs of players in different game genres.

In RPG mode, the lower, bass frequencies and higher frequencies are boosted, while middle frequencies remain at a normal, stereo level. This creates a rich soundscape that enhances in-game explosions, crashes, and overall immersion.

FPS mode utilizes spatial audio to enhance subtle sounds such as footsteps, providing players with a competitive edge. This mode is similar to RPG mode but with boosted middle frequencies to pick up footsteps, making it also suitable for third-person shooter games.

Voice mode enhances human voices in adventure games, making character dialog more audible. Lower frequencies are reduced while higher frequencies retain their level, ensuring clear mid-frequency dialog. This mode is particularly useful for ensuring dialog is not overshadowed by combat sounds in adventure games.

For a well-balanced, full-sounding mode that suits most games without needing to switch between modes, RPG mode is recommended. It maintains clear voices and provides an atmospheric sound that works well for a wide range of games.

Audio, News

Apple Music’s Cheapest Plan Has Been Discontinued

Apple has discontinued the Apple Music Voice Plan without publicly stating a reason. This decision comes in the wake of recent price hikes for several of Apple’s subscription services.

One such service is Apple TV+, the company’s streaming platform that has gained popularity with shows like “Ted Lasso.” Its monthly price will be raised from $6.99 to $9.99. This increase has been met with disappointment from existing subscribers, as Apple TV+ has a smaller library compared to its competitors.

Apple Arcade and Apple News will also see price increases, with prices going up to $6.99 and $12.99, respectively. Apple has been encouraging its users to subscribe to Apple One, a bundle that offers a discount and includes access to services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+. However, the monthly rate for Apple One has also increased, with individual plans now costing $19.95 and Family plans costing $25.95. The Premier plan, which includes Fitness+, News+, and additional iCloud storage, has been raised to $37.95. These price changes are effective immediately for new customers, while existing subscribers will see an increase in their bills within a month.

Subscribers who were on the Apple Music Voice Plan and want to continue using Apple Music will need to upgrade to either the $10.99 per month Individual plan or the $16.99 per month Family Plan. However, students can still take advantage of the cheaper $5.99 per month Student tier, which offers more features than just Siri control.

Motorsport

Mercedes MBUX Update Lets You Control Smart Home Devices With Your Voice

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a new feature to its MBUX Voice Assistant that allows users to control their smart home devices with their voice. This update enables users to control appliances and security equipment in their homes using voice commands.

The MBUX Voice Assistant now supports products from popular smart home brands such as Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, TP-Link, and myQ by Chamberlain Group. Users can control a variety of devices including lights, smart plugs, thermostats, motion detectors, and garage doors.

In addition to controlling devices, users can also check the status of their home appliances and systems by simply asking the MBUX Voice Assistant. For example, users can ask, “Hey Mercedes, is everything okay at home?” and the system will provide information such as “All the windows are closed, and the light is still on in the bedroom.” This update allows different smart home systems to be connected simultaneously.

Connecting smart home accounts to the vehicle is easy. Users can simply ask, “Hey Mercedes, connect my smart home account,” which will generate a QR code on the central display. The user can then scan the code with their smartphone to streamline the process. Alternatively, users can also add accounts through the Mercedes me connect mobile app.

This new feature is part of a larger update for Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system. The update includes Dolby Atmos sound, as well as other Voice Assistant updates that allow users to control infotainment features such as playing music or accessing news through the NewsFlash app.

Mercedes has also introduced the YouTube web app to select 2024 vehicles, including the S-Class, EQE, and EQS models equipped with Entertainment Package Plus. The Hyperscreen in the EQE and EQS models also receive increased functionality, allowing passengers to listen to dynamic content with in-car audio and select a personalization photo for the dedicated screen. This update has been offered on over 700,000 vehicles worldwide.

Mercedes is also preparing the third generation of its MBUX system for 2025, which will feature app integrations and automations to make it easier to control various vehicle settings.

The smart home function is available now on Mercedes vehicles equipped with MBUX Voice Assistant. It does not require any additional cost or package upgrades to use.