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It’s been a bit strange that Samsung, one of the largest audio companies in the world, hasn’t been pumping out smart speakers in the same way Google and Amazon have. But don’t let that lack of available products lead you to believe it hasn’t been hard at work on one – as it turns out, it has, and it’s called Project Ambience. In a demo on stage at the Samsung Developers Conference, Samsung CTO Injong Rhee was the first to show off the new smart device by turning a non-IoT speaker into a fully functioning smart speaker thanks to the help of Bixby. The device, which Rhee admitted is still a prototype and not a consumer-ready product, follows in the footsteps in the Google Home Mini and Amazon Echo Dot: It’s a miniature device that comes with a microphone built-in and has an 3.5mm Auxiliary jack that helps it connect to any of your existing speakers, turning dumb speakers into smart speakers. Rhee didn’t divulge any hard details about the device – there’s no release date or price yet – but he emphasized how products like these will revolutionize the smart home. Is this the rumored Samsung smart speaker? Technically, yes – although it's probably not the one DJ Koh, president of Samsung's mobile division, has been talking up. While Project Ambience has a lot of the markings of that speaker, it’s not quite an Echo or Home rival – it’s more akin to the Dot or Home Mini. Although, that said, the Project Ambience prototype is a very good first look at the technology Samsung will include in its smart speakers down the road. Rhee's demo followed the announcement of Bixby 2.0, a more powerful version of the smart assistant that will connect every Samsung device from TVs and refrigerators, to flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8. Digital assistants: Siri vs Google vs Alexahttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/papOmxgx-6A

Forget typing into a keypad or pushing buttons on a phone to make calls, access apps or play music. Thanks to the latest voice activated technology you can now do all this and more, simply by talking into a device - whether that’s a mobile phone, a computer or one of the latest digital assistants. New products are emerging all the time that will enable you to control every aspect of your home – from its heating to its lighting, and from its entertainment to its security – simply by using your voice. Several competing technologies now offer voice control, including Apple Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, all of whom offer smart speakers and mobile devices that come with their AI built-in. A fourth, Microsoft Cortana, is also on the market (primarily available through Windows 10 PCs, Xbox One and the new Harman Kardon Invoke) though it remains much less popular. The short history of voice controlLaunched in 2011, Apple’s Siri was the first voice activated technology to hit the streets in 2011 on iOS5 with the launch of the iPhone 4S. The following year saw search giant Google follow suit with Google Now on its range of Android 4.1 (Jellybean) phones. .... only to be replaced with Google Assistant which first launched in Spring 2016 with the Google Home. The most established of the is Amazon’s digital assistant, Alexa, which made its debut in November 2014, and has since branched out from Amazon's own hardware into a number of third-party devices like the C by GE Sol, Amazon Fire smart TVs and the Logitech Harmony Hub. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xjwj9HGuLFCpHxEbPmNRYF.jpg Smart speakersThink voice control technology and the first product that springs to mind is the Amazon Echo ‘smart speaker’, or its smaller and cheaper sibling, the Echo Dot. Very similar to the Amazon Echo devices are the Google Home products, including the recently launched Google Home Max and the entry level Google Home Mini – designed to compete head on with Amazon’s Echo Dot. Currently Apple’s Siri technology is found mainly on the company’s existing iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV products. However, the Cupertino-based company is planning to launch its HomePod smart speaker later this year. Increasingly Amazon and Google are licensing their voice technologies to third party manufacturers too. These include companies such as JBL, Panasonic, Harman Kardon and Sonos, for now, and likely many more in the future. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QvdFezUpPVCCNDNpdkBAf6.jpg Playing musicWhen it comes to playing music, neither the Google Home products nor Amazon Echo devices are audiophile products (though you are able to output audio to your own hi-fi speaker system via Bluetooth/line output on the Amazon Echo). However, what these digital assistants lack in power and precision, they more than make up for in convenience. For example, say ‘Play David Bowie’ into one of Amazon Echo’s seven built-in microphones and it will, naturally, find free tracks from Amazon Prime (if you have it). Alternatively, you can choose music from another source, such as Spotify, or from one of hundreds available radio stations. Similarly, Google Home will find music on Google Play’s 30 million plus catalogue or from YouTube Music (if you’ve subscribed). One advantage that Amazon has over the competition is that it currently has the best far-field microphone arrays – offering up to seven microphones inside the Amazon Echo. Google Home doesn’t have as many microphones, which might make it a bit less adept at hearing you over the dull roar of a conversation, and completely outclasses Siri, which has to use your iPhone or iPad's microphone to hear what you're saying. It isn't all bad for Apple, however. One of advantage of Siri for those who are watching programmes on Apple TV is if you can’t understand what an actor has said, all you need to do is ask Siri to repeat the scene and the Apple TV will replay the content complete with subtitles. Nifty! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CDnaCbYA82KZveXTdCHLcd.png Multi-room audioOne of the benefits of both Google Home and now Amazon Alexa is that they can be used to play music throughout your house without you needing to invest in an expensive multi-room audio system. (Cough, Sonos) Simply place each of the devices in a room where you want to listen to music and use the devices' respective apps to group the speakers together. With Amazon Alexa, go to Audio Groups and select Multi-Room Music within the app. It will then prompt you to create a group, so you can say “Alexa play David Bowie upstairs” instead of having to call out individual speakers. Introduced only very recently on Amazon Alexa, the multi-room feature is currently available for Amazon Music, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Pandora with Spotify support coming soon. Google Home, which has offered multi-room support for longer, already supports Spotify. Connecting the smart homeIn addition to music, digital assistants are increasingly being used for home automation, too. Again, Amazon is leading the way, given the head start on its competitors – but Apple's HomeKit program has really started to gain traction among developers, and Google's complementary hardware suite includes devices from Nest like the Nest Learning Thermostat. What does voice control do? One example is that you can use your voice to dim your home’s Philips Hue lights, adjust the temperature via Hive or Nest digital heating system or ‘arm’ your Blink video security system when you go out. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5CXWPEqAJ45BfUbeSPUyF9.jpg Since opening up the platform to developers in 2015, Amazon has been able to grow the number of ‘Skills’ (like apps but specifically for voice control) which Alexa offers to over 10,000 – a fairly large number, everything considered. Google is still playing catch up with approximately 70 third party manufacturers providing voice activated smart home devices and an expanding number of ‘Actions’ (Google’s equivalent of Amazon’s Skills) available in its store. Although Apple’s Siri is very much a closed system, in-car - where voice control is particularly useful - it has made some headway. Currently around 200 models including Audi, BMW, VW and Ford cars offer Siri via the firm's CarPlay software. Information and triviaOf course, what's the point of an AI if it's not a know-it-all? Want to check the weather forecast? Or maybe you just want to find a bit of trivia or simply hear a joke. Digital assistants can be really useful (not to mention good fun), especially if you have got your hands full in the kitchen making dinner. Ask Siri to tell a joke and most likely it will tell you ‘Google, get Siri-ous. Ha, Ha.’ But the truth is that of the three main voice technology platforms Google Home probably has the most developed ‘brain’ thanks to its integration with Google’s search engine. Google Home can understand context much better than Amazon Echo so, for example, if you don’t know the name of the Eminem song but you know that it features Rihanna, it should still find the track ‘Love the Way You Lie’. Similarly, if you ask a question about where was Adele born and then follow up with ‘tell me how many Grammys has she won?’ Google Home will know you are still talking about Adele. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/acKySqa5piHKF9g6feVE3j.jpg Multiple user supportOver the last few months, digital assistants have also been adding functionality to make the routine things in our lives a little simpler. For example, both Google Home and now Amazon Alexa can be used to set voice reminders and check events in your calendar. They’ve also both added multiple user support so the devices can be taught to distinguish the voices of different family members (all you have to do is speak various phrases into the app so it can identify your voice). They can then provide personalised information, such as calendar appointments, traffic and news sources, based on your profile. This is all particularly helpful when you start talking about voice calling... Voice callingAnother recently added feature, at least for smart speakers, is text messaging and voice calling – a novel idea that Siri has been offering for some time. The latest assistants are even able to tell the difference between callers, so if you say ‘Call Mum’ they know it’s your Mum and not say your Mum’s Mum. With Alexa, once you’ve synched your contacts in the Alexa app you just ask it to place a call. If you’ve registered your number in the Alexa app, your contacts will see that number and know that it’s you. In the US and Canada, Google Home can even be used to make calls to any number (mobile or landline) free of charge although it can’t receive calls. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mZM2j59ydZ8FjnLmKwrEXn.jpg Looking to the future and picking a winnerUndoubtedly, digital assistants are getting more sophisticated. And while they’re still mostly used for playing music or asking for information, they are increasingly being used to help make our lives easier - either through home automation or support with routine tasks. Of the three assistant technologies currently on the market Amazon’s Alexa remains the most advanced with products like the Echo Dot being a particularly good value for those looking to dip their toes into the smart home space. However, Google is fast catching up and next year we predict major advances from the search giant. As for Siri, it seems that Apple – once the pioneer of voice activated technology – has now dropped to the back of the pack. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/bocKr8se4ec

Ever wanted your dining room table to become a big touchscreen tablet computer? That’s now possible, sort of, now that Sony’s Xperia Touch projector is finally available in the US. (It's been available in the UK since June.) But, that said, at $1,700/£1,300 (around AU$2,185), it’s not exactly an everyman’s device. For that price you get a portable gadget that acts as both a projector and a Google Assistant-powered smart speaker in one nifty package that transforms any flat surface into what’s essentially a moderately functional Android touch tablet. Most of the time you’ll probably just use it as a 23-inch touch display on surfaces like counters and coffee tables, although you can expand that to 80 inches for viewing movies or games on the wall. Quality obviously suffers the larger you make the display, though, as it’s only capable of a 1366 x 768 resolution. As we said in our hands-on from February, it’s also kind of dim, as it offers only 100 lumens of brightness and a 4,001:1 contrast ratio. Sony likely reined in the brightness in order to extend the battery life, which nevertheless only lasts a pitiful hour without access to a direct power source. Not quite HolochessStill, it’s about as responsive as a regular tablet, thanks in part to its impressive 13-megapixel camera that captures your movements and interprets them at 60fps in infrared light. Remarkably, you don’t even have to touch the wall’s surface to interact with the projection, as holding up your finger in front of the camera usually suffices. It’s a cool concept – and one that might have some cool implications for the future – but for now it’s probably better seen as a rough draft of the technology. As we said in February, “Essentially, if Sony created an Android tablet at the size of the iPad Pro that you could use around the house, it would have all the benefits of the Xperia Touch without the lack of brightness you get with a projector." Clearly someone doesn’t mind slinging around this kind of cash for such a futuristic toy, though, as it’s already sold out on Amazon. With any luck, you'll also be able to pick it up at Sony Square New York City and some T-Mobile outlets in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. Speaking of Holochess, here are our initial thoughts on Microsoft HoloLenshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/RGOQbB5JKDE

Target has been testing the Google Express service in California and New York City for a while now, and today it announced that everyone in the contiguous US can now order its products through the service. Sorry, Alaska and Hawaii. Not only does this mean you can get Target products through the Google Express website on your smartphone, but you’ll also be able to ask your Google Home device for a product and it’ll provide some results from Target. For now, though, Target is limiting those products to dry goods rather than perishable produce. Walmart already beat Target to the punch, as "more than 2 million" of its products became available through Google Express in August. Similar services are offered by retailers Petsmart, Kohl’s, and Costco. The move is clearly an attempt to thwart Amazon in the realm of voice-activated shopping before it’s too late. Voice-command shopping through smart speakers like the Amazon Echo still hasn’t caught on in a big way, but that may change as the technology grows more precise. Expect moreNaturally, Amazon is already at an advantage because it not only provides the speaker technology, but it also has the products and the warehouses to fulfill the orders itself. To compete both through its Google Express website and on Google Home, Google needs to partner with retailers like Target and Walmart for mutual benefit. You currently can’t tie your Target account to Google Express, but Target says that will be an option in 2018. It’s worth looking forward to, as it means you’ll be able to take advantage of Target REDcard perks like 5% off all orders, free shipping, and, eventually, an option to pick up items you ordered through Google Assistant at a physical Target store within two hours of ordering. Walmart already allows customers to merge their accounts with Google Express. Currently you’ll only be able to use Google Assistant to order goods from Target if you own a Google Home device or an Android TV, but today Google also announced that it plans to extend the voice service to both iOS devices and Android phones "soon." Image credit: Google Will we see Google Home on sale for Black Friday 2017? You better believe ithttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/PjAVels3Vs0

Windows 10 might have a major new help feature in the pipeline according to the rumor mill, with news that Cortana is set to give clear step-by-step instructions on how to do certain things within the operating system. This comes courtesy of a video spotted by prolific Microsoft leaker WalkingCat, showing a new feature called ‘follow me’ in action, in which Cortana provides detailed guidance on connecting a Bluetooth device. The digital assistant shows the user exactly what to do, from hitting the Settings menu, through to going into the correct Bluetooth section, ensuring Bluetooth is turned on, and then connecting a device. As you’ll see in the video below, the procedure is clearly shown in slow and easy to understand steps, and the user can quit the guided navigation at any point by hitting the Escape key. Some of the best laptops out there use Windows 10 and CortanaBoon for beginnersThis could be a really handy feature for the less tech-savvy, as of course visual instructions are easier to follow compared to reading a breakdown of steps in help text. Sadly, there’s little information provided aside from the video itself, so it’s not clear how far along this feature is in terms of development, or when it might pitch up in Windows 10 (if ever – keep that salt shaker handy, as is always the case with anything that comes over the OS grapevine). But this does seem like a good move for Microsoft to make, and it wouldn’t be a surprising step, considering that the software giant already enlisted Cortana to help users set up Windows 10 (including providing voice commands during installation of the OS). Via: The Verge Does this tempt you to get Windows 10? Maybe we’ll see some great Black Friday deals on the OShttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5CuaiXftLJg

Yesterday news broke that a Google Home Mini speaker had gone rogue and started recording everything that was being said around it - not the way Google's smart speakers are intended to work and not the best way to earn the trust of users. It seems that the issue only affected a select number of devices, but now Google has turned off the ability to tap the top of any Google Home Mini to issue a voice command, which should be enough to stop the bug from reoccuring. The "OK Google" command can still be used to 'wake up' the speaker. Google Home Minis aren't actually in the wild yet (the faulty device we reported on yesterday was being reviewed by a reporter from Android Police), and Google is hoping to finish rolling out the update by October 15, a few days before the speakers officially go on sale on October 19. Listen upWhat was supposed to happen is that you could tap the top of the tiny speaker (or say "OK Google"), and then issue your command. For some reason a limited number of Google Home Minis were detecting touches constantly, and always listening for and processing commands, sending snippets of recordings back to Google around the clock. You can still tap the top of the speaker to control the volume and mute the Google Home Mini, Google says. Whether the tap-to-talk functionality will ever return with a future software update or hardware revision remains to be seen. "The Google Home team is aware of an issue impacting a small number of Google Home Mini devices that could cause the touch control mechanism to behave incorrectly," explains Google. "We immediately rolled out a software update on October 7 to mitigate the issue." These are the best Amazon deals heading your way for Cyber Monday 2017Via The Verge http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/FHXbeqEzgTU

A freshly introduced update for Windows 10 has apparently been causing havoc with some users’ machines, invoking the dreaded blue screen of death (BSOD), and in some cases triggering the even-more-dreaded boot loop (i.e. repeated rebooting). The problem lies with update KB4041676 for Windows 10 (Creators Update), and is described in this post on Microsoft’s ‘answers’ community message board, where the original poster says: “My computer keeps restarting because windows update won't install KB4041676.” A further post (from SCCMGuy74) describes the problem with multiple systems: “ALL of the systems running 1703 blue screen upon reboot AFTER applying this patch (KB4041676). The message that comes up is INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE. After that, it reboots automatically, attempts to boot again, and then displays the ‘Automatic Repair’ screen. None of these systems make it past this message.” Now, this is where it gets thorny, because the Microsoft moderator on the post notes that this is caused by a ‘dual patching disaster’ in enterprise environments. In other words, it’s not the fault of the update itself, but the fact that users have been led to install “both the delta update and the cumulative update which shouldn't have been pushed to WSUS [Windows Server Update Services] last night”. Black Friday bargains might include cheap deals on Windows 10Home free?So, your average home user simply downloading updates from Windows Update shouldn’t be affected by this issue – and yet there are reports on that same thread from such users who claim they have been hit by the problem. NicDG observes: “I had this issue on my home PC. After Automatic Repair failed, I rebooted and hit F8 to get the boot options menu and booted into safe mode. Windows started to load, then crashed. Rinse and repeat (once, maybe twice). Windows booted properly into safe mode, restarted, finished installing updates, restarted at least once and loaded Windows normally.” To throw a little more confusion into the pot, Microsoft has highlighted the following known issue with the KB4041676 update: “Systems with support enabled for USB Type-C Connector System Software Interface (UCSI) may experience a blue screen or stop responding with a black screen when a system shutdown is initiated.” Although user NicDG notes that his PC doesn’t have USB Type-C on board. At any rate, Microsoft has said it’s working on a fix for the USB-C issue, which will be provided in a future update. The workaround for now is to “disable UCSI in the computer system’s BIOS”, although that will fully disable UCSI features across Windows, of course. While there may not be much of an issue here for the majority of home users, if indeed any, the more cautious out there might want to give this particular update a little breathing room. These sort of potential problems, of course, are one reason why updates being piped directly and automatically to a Windows 10 PC can be a cause of frustration. Certainly, when it comes to the major updates, we’re never keen to be an early adopter, preferring the strategy of waiting to see what issues crop up (if any) before we take the plunge. Via: PC Gamer Windows 10 is the OS installed on many of our best laptopshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/aZxtU-5fUro

Amazon just made it a little harder for someone else to hijack your Echo – the Alexa voice assistant can now recognize individual voices and personalize its response, so you and the rest of your family can use your smart speakers without any overlap. You can set up voice recognition on an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show by reading aloud 10 phrases to create a voice profile (there's a tutorial video here). Alexa will then be able to identify you across any Echo device and 'most' third-party devices with Alexa attached, Amazon says. While Alexa has been able to handle multiple accounts before, you had to switch between them using the Alexa app. The new upgrade brings the Echos and other Alexa devices up to speed with the Google Home family, which added multi-user voice recognition in April. Smart speakers everywhereUsing your newly acquired voice powers you can send messages, make calls, buy stuff from Amazon without a confirmation code, play a personalized Flash briefing and access an Amazon Music Unlimited Family plan. This is another great example of how the various smart devices invading our homes are now able to add extra functionality with no hardware upgrade required. The new functionality should be rolling out from today, so if you've not got it yet, try updating the Alexa app on your phone. Features like voice recognition will become increasingly important as the smart speaker space gets more crowded. Apple's HomePod speaker is coming out in December, and Sonos just unveiled the Sonos One, an intelligent speaker of its own with Alexa on board. Meanwhile here are all the best Black Friday 2017 deals on Amazonhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ukTTMCbNsGQ

Image credit: Phrame Tired of having your Amazon packages stolen? Sick of seeing them destroyed by rain? How would you feel if you could let Amazon's delivery team inside your house or your car's trunk to deliver your stuff? What could go wrong? Amazon appears to have some confidence the concept could work, though, as a new report from CNBC claims Jeff Bezos' giant e-commerce company is already at work developing a "smart doorbell" to facilitate entry into your inner sanctum. If you're a little put off by the thought of letting someone into your home, you could have the packages delivered to your car's trunk. The report claims Amazon is also currently seeking a partnership with Phrame, which already makes "smart license plates" that essentially let you slip your normal license plate into what's essentially a remotely opened safe on the back of your car. In this case, the courier would arrive at the car and enter a code into a smartphone, causing the Phrame plate to flip up and grant access to a little pocket where you've stashed your keys. Alternatively, you could activate the plate remotely with your own phone. Once the package is delivered, the courier puts the keys back in place, closes the license plate, and everyone's happy. Or, so we hope. Phrame claims it attempts to keep this process safe by allowing only "secured one-time and time-limited access," and presumably Amazon is working under the same principle in the development of its "smart doorbell." Steal of a deal None of this is as far-fetched as it may sound. As TechCrunch reported last month, Walmart is already attempting something similar with smart lock company August, which allows employees to deliver packages into customers' homes or even food directly into a freezer. Perhaps it's worth the risk, if you can bring yourself to trust a courier to walk around inside your home while you're not there. Following a survey of 1,001 US homeowners from last year, August claimed that as many as 11 million homeowners had packages stolen last year. It also claimed that 69% of American homeowners believed that letting someone into their houses to deliver packages was preferable to leaving the packages outside. Letting strangers into your house opens up a whole other dimension of concerns, though, ranging from more theft to worries about whether pets will attack the courier. Smart locks and similar devices are increasing in popularity with every month, and earlier this year we compiled a list of our favorites. Savings ahead: get ready for lots of Amazon Black Friday deals http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/bGF6SdjiOsg

Amazon has dropped the price of its Amazon Echo Show smart speaker by $30, but the deal is only good for a limited time. The Echo Show, which, unlike the standard Amazon Echo smart speaker, features a display through which you can make video calls and view content (just not YouTube videos), now costs $199.99 on Amazon. The Amazon Echo Show price is normally $229.99. Save $30 on the Amazon Echo Show right nowIt's not clear why Amazon has dropped the Show's price, though there are a few good leads. For one, Google recently pulled YouTube support from the Echo Show, as it allegedly violated its terms of service. The price drop could be Amazon's way of sweetening the product for those who don't want to pay $230 for something that can't play clips from the world's most popular video platform. As spotted by Engadget, the lack of YouTube support hasn't gone unnoticed by reviewers, and it's likely impacted sales. Get more great deals on Amazon Echo speakers right nowSecondly, Amazon recently announced a bunch of new Echos, including the updated Amazon Echo (2017), Amazon Echo Plus and circular screen-wielding Amazon Echo Spot. Amazon is likely hoping a limited-time price drop clears out some Show inventory to make way for the newer devices. And, hey, if you don't mind the lack of YouTube, having a spare $30 in your pocket is never a bad thing. Watch out: Amazon deals on Black Friday 2017 will save you a tonhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/WdeI0gwh9YM

Microsoft’s virtual assistant is spreading its digital tendrils into fresh avenues with news that Cortana has now been incorporated into Skype. At least for users in the US to begin with, and those on iOS and Android phones for that matter, although doubtless these are the first steps towards a global cross-platform rollout for all Skype software. The big idea here is that Cortana can pop up in chats (group or private) to offer intelligent suggestions along various lines. (Or, as more cynical types out there might argue, Cortana will be constantly eavesdropping on your conversations and will butt in from time to time to annoy you). To be fair, the context-sensitive snippets Cortana will provide in chats sound quite useful in some respects, such as offering suggestions for short smart replies ('yes', 'no', 'let’s go') in order to help you make quick responses in chats. Or if you’re arranging to go for a meal, Cortana will suggest nearby restaurants. Black Friday could be a great time to buy a discounted Cortana-toting deviceSmart schedulingThe digital assistant will also pick up on when you’re scheduling something like an event, and offer to remind you of the event nearer the time (across all your Cortana-infused devices, naturally). Furthermore, Skype users will be able to chat with Cortana directly, and ask the assistant questions in one-to-one conversations, if needed. As mentioned, all this is coming to mobile initially, as this is the first obvious step when it comes to facilitating the slicker organizing of chats and meetings – and on-the-spot queries for Cortana – but it will doubtless be bound for the likes of the PC client before too long. Via The Verge Most of the best laptops of 2017 use Windows 10 and Cortanahttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/n3DDWYrWBFM

InfoWatch Group, a Russian company that produces end-to-end enterprise cyber-security solutions, will showcase its new Taiga smartphone at GITEX Technology Week 2017, which the company claims is designed to prevent data leaks. The technology behind the smartphone has been worked on by experts at InfoWatch and Taiga Systems for four years, and will protect against leakage of sensitive data like contacts, SMS, geodata, photos, videos and documents stored on an employee mobile devices. “With the rising risk of data leaks through consumer mobile devices, smartphone manufacturers, and software developers, the best way for corporations to reliably protect their information on a mobile device is the Taiga system that eliminates software backdoors and integrates DLP (Data Loss Prevention) Software," said Kristina Tantsyura, General Manager of InfoWatch Gulf. While the specs of the smartphone is yet unknown, it is at least said to be running on a “proprietary Android 6.0 firmware”. 10 best security and antivirus for Android 2017http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ucZiK3SgYQ4

A few short months ago I thought I knew where the world of smart speakers was heading. I made bold claims about how Amazon's Echo hardware was on the verge of redundancy now that a host of third-party manufacturers were rushing to produce Alexa speakers of their own. Now, though, after a couple of weeks that have included a host of new announcements by both Amazon and Google, I’m not so sure. Although my previous prediction looks a little crazy in retrospect, at the time I’d just walked out of a meeting with chip-maker Qualcomm where their representatives had proudly shown off some tech that would make it far easier for third-party manufacturers to equip their devices with voice assistants. Even Amazon was getting in on the action by opening up the microphone tech behind its Echo speakers. Not to be left behind, Google also got in on the third-party action. Everyone seemed to be preparing themselves for a tidal wave of Alexa and Google Assistant speakers as manufacturers rushed to tick this newest of feature boxes. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/s4y4CLJheWaNfUbu7YyYEH.jpg The Panasonic SC-GA10 is one such third-party speaker that's packing Google Assistant.At the time it felt like the point of Amazon and Google's own devices had been downgraded. They seemed to have been downgraded into something that was just meant to get the voice assistants into people’s homes, at which point Amazon and Google could take a step back and let other people manufacture the hardware. The two giants could then focus its efforts on the software in much the same way as Google did with Android in the pre-Pixel era. This tactic had been working surprisingly well. I saw numerous manufacturers rush to include either Alexa or Google Assistant in their new speakers at IFA, and just last week Sonos debuted the Sonos One, an Alexa-packing multi-room speaker. Even EcoBee built the assistant into the fourth generation of its smart thermostat. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CDnaCbYA82KZveXTdCHLcd.png The Sonos One comes packing Alexa.And then the last two weeks happenedThen we saw a whole host of new first-party announced over the past two weeks. Amazon was first with its surprised Seattle event in which it announced an abundance of Echo devices. These included a new version of the base Amazon Echo, an enhanced Amazon Echo Plus, and a miniature screen-equipped Amazon Echo Spot. Then, at its big Pixel 2 launch event earlier this week, Google followed Amazon's lead and announced two new first-party Google Assistant speakers, the Google Home Mini and Google Home Max. Its clear that neither Amazon nor Google have any intention to retire from the hardware race just yet. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DNFSpjUKY3gtbbXT7Nc8X8.jpg Amazon's Echo Plus shows the company has no plans to give up on its own hardware anytime soon.Where do we go from here?Now that my previous theory about Google and Amazon stepping back from hardware has been proved wrong (thanks for that guys), where do we go from here? It seems obvious that Google and Amazon intend to take a Pixel-esque approach to their hardware where they control the ecosystem while also producing the flagship hardware to show other manufacturers how it’s done. But the direction of this new generation of screen-equipped devices is a lot harder to pin down, especially now that Google is rumored to be joining Amazon with a screen-equipped device of its own. Maybe third-party manufacturers will be given the ability to make screen-toting voice assistant devices of their own? Could we be about to see an army of Spot-style speakers from Amazon’s third-party partners? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iXweW4TBXDGqw8syCHetwH.jpg Could we see screen-equipped devices from companies other than Amazon in the future?But then again, maybe part of its plan to produce the flagship Alexa devices means Amazon will want to keep screens as an exclusive feature for itself. Other manufacturers can make smart speakers of their own, but for the full experience you’re going to have to go to Amazon. At the moment, I’m leaning towards the latter, at least until we get firmer news on Google’s screen-equipped offering. You’ll still be able to have everything in your house listen to you, but for the premium experience you’re going to want to buy one of Amazon’s own devices. Really though, it’s still early in the war for controlling the smart home. Whoever eventually does win, though, will reap the benefits for years to come. Be sure to keep an eye out on Black Friday where Amazon is sure to lead the way on discounts for its Echo devices. Our Amazon Black Friday deals page will play host to all the company's best deals. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/rish7nmydns

iOS 11 is full of big changes for iPads and smaller changes for iPhones, but it’s not going to be the last software update we see from Apple. There’s no doubt that iOS 12 will arrive in 2018, and with it likely a whole heap of changes, improvements and new features. But what exactly will those changes and features include? Little is known yet, but we’ve come up with a wish list of what we want from it - and as more rumors and facts come in, this will be the place to learn about all of them. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? The next version of Apple's mobile OSWhen is it out? Probably around September 2018How much will it cost? Nothing!iOS 12 release dateBased on past form we’ll probably get our first official look at iOS 12 at WWDC 2018, which is likely to happen in June. A developer beta version of the operating system will likely be launched there, followed by a public beta, but the final, polished release probably won’t land until around the same time as the iPhone 9 – or whatever Apple calls its next phone - which will likely launch in or around September 2018. That’s when iOS 12 will probably be pushed to all compatible devices. And it will arrive as a free update to all iPhones and iPads built in the last few years. iOS 12 news and rumorsSo far we don’t know anything at all about iOS 12, but now that iOS 11 has arrived we’re sure to start hearing things soon and we’ll keep this page updated with every reputable rumor. These usually come from developers getting early looks at the software to release fancy new apps that take advantage of the new capabilities, so there are multiple ways for info to make its way onto the web. What we want to seeWhile nothing is known about iOS 12 yet we have a clear idea of some of the things we want to see, such as the following. 1. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles that work properlyhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hWFatNXdHVEeZcLr9o7Lnh.jpg Control Center has been improved for iOS 11, but one thing we’re not such fans of is the fact that you can’t actually turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth from it. Tap either toggle and your device will disconnect from Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth accessories, but won’t actually turn off their radios. There are good reasons for this, as it ensures accessories like the Apple Pencil and Apple Watch 3 will continue to work, as well as features such as AirDrop and AirPlay, but there are also plenty of reasons you might want to fully disable them. Currently to do that you have to head to the main Settings screen, so in iOS 12 we’d like there to at least be an option to have proper ‘off’ toggles in Control Center - perhaps with a harder 3D Touch? 2. Wish list returned to the App StoreThe App Store has been overhauled as part of iOS 11, and for the most part it’s for the better, but one feature has been killed off in the process, namely wish lists. Previously, if you saw an app or game you liked the look of but didn’t want to buy it then and there (perhaps because the price was high or you were using cellular data) you could add it to your wish list so you wouldn’t forget about it. You can’t do that anymore, and nor can you see your old wish list, so good luck remembering anything you’ve added. It was a handy feature and we’d like to see it – along with everything we added to it – returned in iOS 12. 3. Camera controls in the camera apphttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h5VpfSVaYFPNMykx47Ehih.jpg People often talk about how intuitive iOS is, and for the most part they’re right, but there are some aspects which really aren’t - namely the camera controls, or rather their location. If you’ve not used iOS before you’d expect to find them in the camera app, but some, including video resolution, file formats and whether or not to show a grid, are instead on a sub menu of the main Settings screen, meaning you have to actually leave the camera app and make several additional taps to change them. It also means that some users may not even know they exist, especially since some controls are housed in the app, so you might reasonably assume that they all are. We really want to see this changed for iOS 12. 4. A movable back buttonhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YLyvTmd6rjN8A7X9dN2Efh.jpg When moving around apps in iOS you’ll often want to go back to a previous screen, and as there’s no hardware back button you instead have to tap a tiny option in the top left corner of the display. This isn’t ideal if you’re right handed, as it can be a bit of a stretch when using a larger device such as an iPhone 8 Plus, so we’d like to see its position become customizable in iOS 12. 5. More powerful FilesFiles promised to be a file explorer and manager for iOS, bringing it closer to a desktop experience, or at least to Android levels of control. But in reality, the first time you open Files you probably won’t see much of anything. You can connect cloud drives to it, but anything locally stored won’t be visible unless you manually save it to Files. It makes the app a bit confusing and clunky and means you never have a true view of your system’s files and folders. For iOS 12 we’d like to see it turned into a proper file manager. 6. More Control Center customizationWith iOS 11 Apple has let you pick what you see in Control Center, but its selection isn’t comprehensive. We’d love the power to add any setting or app shortcut we want, and also to remove the likes of music controls and screen mirroring, which currently you can’t. 7. System-wide autofillhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oyHHEhwc5orwPaa2Za7Ajh.jpg Password managers are a fast, secure way to log into your various apps and accounts. Or, they’re secure anyway, and on most devices they’re fast, but not always on iOS. That’s because for a password manager to autofill the login fields of an app, the app’s developer has to have manually enabled it, which few have. Apple has somewhat improved things by adding a ‘Password Autofill For Apps’ feature to iOS 11, which does exactly what the name suggests, but only for passwords you’ve stored with Apple. Apps still can’t tap into your favorite password manager automatically, so the first time you log in to them you’ll have to either type out your username and password manually or copy and paste. On a computer or Android phone the password manager experience is seamless. On iOS it’s anything but, so we want this fixed for iOS 12. Having iOS 11 problems? Here's how to fix themhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/CPwd3XJ10N0

You can now run Windows 10 desktop on Samsung's latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S8, the S8+ and the Note 8 far more easily than before. While the service was available when the Galaxy S8 and its docking station, DeX, launched earlier this year, this time around Ingram Micro, the world's largest distributor of technology products, has teamed up with Samsung and Amazon to deliver a simplified solution that allows Samsung DeX customers to access a full Windows Desktop from their mobile devices. Ingram Micro Cloud’s solution automates the setup of Amazon WorkSpaces and Microsoft Windows Desktop as a Service (DaaS) for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and DeX prosumers so that they can set up and run a virtual desktop on their smartphones in just a few easy steps. By using the Samsung DeX Station, Galaxy Note 8 and S8/S8+ users can connect to any type of display with an HDMI port and use a mouse and keyboard to obtain a full desktop experience right from their smartphone. Surprising tie-up with AWSIt's worth noting that Amazon Web Services rather than Microsoft's very own Azure provides with that solution, another indication perhaps, that after the recent Cortana and Alexa, Amazon and Microsoft are warming up to each other despite their rivalry in cloud computing. When Samsung Dex is combined with Amazon Workspaces, users can have access to a full desktop experience complete with their own Microsoft Windows virtual desktop that allows them to use all of their files and applications. This is the first mobile device-based Windows cloud DaaS being offered directly to Samsung DeX customers and now students, freelancers and entrepreneurs can access a full Windows-based desktop directly from their Samsung DeX station and smartphones. A 30-day free trial of Amazon Workspaces will be available to all Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8/S8+ users in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, the US and the UK so that they can try it out for themselves. The offer can only be accessed through the Windows Desktop Free Trial DeX App on the Samsung Galaxy App Store. Check out Amazon Workspaces herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2u1lKoSMTvs

If you’re in need of a musically talented smart home speaker, and nothing from Apple or Google have caught your eye yet, Harman Kardon Invoke might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Additional details on the first Cortana speaker, which was announced back in May, have begun to leak out and include the speaker’s release date (October 22) and expected price ($199). If these leaks turn out to be accurate, that would put the speaker slightly above the newly announced Amazon Echo Plus, which is expected to come out later this month for $149 (£139, or around AU$200), but well under the cost of the new Google Home Max – Google’s hi-fi home assistant that costs $399 (about £300, AU$500), which is expected to come out in December of this year. What we know so far about the Invoke is that it promises 360-degree sound via three woofers, three tweeters and two bass radiators, and that the speaker will include Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant. Like both Amazon and Google’s assistants, the Invoke will be compatible Nest, Philips Hue, SmartThings, Wink and Insteon devices. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MGGyqE2atUAhgHyRevmwHe.jpg Image via MSPoweruser.comThe smart home showdownIf it feels like the Invoke is coming into a crowded market – you’re not wrong, it is. It follows the announcement of the Apple HomePod, the Amazon Echo 2017, the Amazon Echo Spot, the Amazon Echo Plus, the Google Home Mini and the Google Home Max, not to mention all of the upcoming Alexa-integrated third-party products like the C by GE SOL. This creates a lot of choice (yay!) but also a lot of confusion for those looking to buy a smart speaker for the first time (boo!). If only there was a tech website out there that could break down all the differences between the smart home speakers... Via MSPowerUser.com Don’t miss: Amazon Echo vs Apple HomePod vs Google Home: the battle of the smart speakershttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/9HLznpoEkcs

Google’s big hardware event for the year has finally arrived, and we’ve been treated to a slew of great new products from the company – including the all-new Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL. Those devices, however, weren’t the only new products from Google on display October 4 – in fact, the company introduced a number of devices under the “Made by Google” umbrella. On top of the new products made by Google, Google also recently unveiled its device partnership program, called “Made for Google,” which promises to showcase a ton of new products built specifically to work with Google devices. But what exactly define the “Made by Google” and “Made for Google” programs? And what kinds of devices should we expect to see for each? Here’s everything you need to know about the two major arms of Google’s big hardware push. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3uKgKKVAsnHmUyDfDM3UEN.jpg What is “Made by Google?”The Made by Google program is pretty straightforward – it simply includes any devices that are literally made by Google. In other words, if a device was designed and created by Google and is being sold with Google branding on it, it’s in the Made by Google series of products. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Google manufactures all the products in the Made by Google program. Instead, it means that the company played a major role in designing and developing the device. So much so, that Google is willing to brand the device with its own seal of approval. The majority of products in the Made by Google program fall into the major device categories like phones, laptops, smart home devices, and so on. Google largely leaves the accessories to the “Made for Google” program, where it promotes products that can be used in conjunction with its own. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c4Rpsw2rtmk4FFYbsdgL5b.jpg What is “Made for Google?”Made for Google basically covers all the Google-related products that Google isn’t building itself. The vast majority of these products will be accessories: cases for your phone, chargers, headphones, and so on. The main difference here is that the products won’t be branded as Google-built. An Otterbox case for the Google Pixel 2 XL may be “Made for Google,” but you can bet it’ll still say Otterbox on it. That doesn’t mean that Google isn’t involved in the product at all. In fact, that’s the whole point of the “Made for Google” program – it’s built to allow Google to recommend products for its devices. What that means is that you know there’s a certain level of quality in the building process. Google is likely taking the certification pretty seriously, and will only allow for a product to fall under the “Made for Google” umbrella if it meets certain standards – so, if you’re looking for a case for your phone, you’re more likely to get a quality one if you buy one that’s Made for Google. What products fall under “Made by Google?”Here’s a list of the products that fall under the “Made by Google” program: On top of these main products, Google also offers a slew of accessories, like phone cases, bases for the Google Home, and so on. Since these are actually made by Google and not just recommended by Google, they fall under the “Made by Google” category. Not seeing anything of interest? The Made by Google program will only expand. Not only is it most likely that Google will launch more phones in the near future, but it’s clear that Google is looking to take on Amazon with the Google Home series. On top of that, considering Google’s recent acquisition of a large portion of HTC’s smartphone business, it’s possible that Google will expand its smartphone lineup to include more phones across different price points. So where can you get Made by Google products for yourself? Well, the main way is through the Google online store, which you can find here. What products fall under “Made for Google?”There’s only a small list of categories currently part of the “Made for Google” program – but that list is likely to grow in the near future. Here’s the list so far: Libratone Q Adapt USB-C earphonesLibratone Q Adapt wireless headphonesOtterBox Defender Series for PixelPower Support Air JacketBellroy Leather CaseMoment Photo Case and Wide Lens KitPower Support Tempered Glass FilmOn top of these accessories, Google also sells a number of dongles and adapters for its phones and devices, made by companies like Belkin. You might notice something about this list – it’s mostly accessories. But that’s kinda the point of the “Made for Google” program: It’s aimed at offering products that work well with products that Google already offers, not at recommending products that might compete with what Google offers. Both the Made for Google and Made by Google programs are in their infancy. Google is only recently transitioning into a company with a major hardware arm, and we’ll see more and more Google-built products over the next few years. Of course, we’ll also see more products made for those Google-built products – so expect the Made for Google program to grow a lot in coming years. Here are the 6 biggest announcements from Google's Pixel 2 eventhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/aTfHWtTA91I

A few well-placed snippets of high quality footage can really bring projects to life – whether they're presentations, websites or your own home-made videos. Finding the right video clips can be tricky, though. Many stock video sites charge a subscription fee for their best content. Thankfully, there are also places where you can download high quality video clips completely free of charge for both personal and commercial use, with no royalties or strings attached. We've put the best free stock photo sites under the microscope and picked those that offer the best combination of video quality, variety of clips, and flexible licensing. It's worth bearing in mind that even if a video clip is in the public domain, you shouldn't use it to create that shows identifiable people in a bad light. Take a look at our roundup of the best free video editorshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BLueBXyqQzzi5zdtjFZdZ9.jpg There are some truly spectacular videos available on Pexels – all under a Creative Commons 0 (ie public domain) license, which means you’re free to use them for any personal or commercial projects without attribution. The time-lapse videos are particularly lovely, and there are plenty of fun clips from GoPro-wearing divers and climbers. Pexels also include a handy ‘mockup’ category for footage of mobile devices with green screens that can be easily replaced via chroma keying. Search results include premium videos from Shutterstock, but unlike most stock video sites, Pexels displays these at the bottom so you’re unlikely to mistake them for free clips. Videos are provided in MP4 format in HD. The only drawback is the lack of clips in 4K, but if Full HD is enough for your project, Pexels should be your first stop. If you need stock photos, Pexels also offers a great selection of stylish premium-quality stills under the same license. Pexels http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC2ruXerk2xvVwHfvvxeaC.jpg Stock Footage for Free feels like the video equivalent of free stock photo site Unsplash, focusing on quality rather than quantity. The footage is extremely impressive; we particularly like the selection of landscapes and looping backgrounds. You’re given a detailed description of the video so you can be sure it’s the right one before downloading it. This is a sensible decision; downloads can take a while because of the large file sizes. The site’s HD videos are provided in MOV format, but there aren’t currently any 4K clips available. Video clips are free for personal and commercial use, unless it’s a seriously high-budget production. Stock Footage for Free provides a detailed license agreement that makes explicit all the intellectual property information you’re likely to need. Before you can download files you’ll need to sign up for a free account or log in using Facebook. At the time of writing, an error meant that we were unable to log in using an email address, though the Facebook option worked fine. We’ve reached out to the company to find out if this is an issue that can be resolved. Stock Footage for Free http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ps53PPpkRFsxGNFYbUZKWF.jpg Pixabay is best known as a resource for free stock photos, but is also has a great selection of video clips available to download and use, no strings attached. The videos are all submitted by Pixabay’s community of users, and are generally under a minute in length. The site is a good option for abstract images like clouds, as well as somewhat niche clips (the video of a man preparing pieces of beef is a particularly odd example). There’s a small selection of 4K video too, motion graphics, and some infinitely looping clips that are handy for websites. All clips are provided free for personal or commercial use, with no attribution necessary. The files are provided in MP4 format, in a choice of resolutions. Pixabay http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W9SbmxkSBzqmdedEiDreZn.jpg Footage from Videezy is royalty free for personal and commercial use, but users are asked to credit ‘Videezy.com’ in their projects. Most videos are provided in HD resolution, but there’s also a good selection of 4K clips – mostly landscape scenes and abstract clips rendered using Adobe After Effects. The quality is mixed, but generally high. We particularly like the selection of aerial drone footage All videos are supplied in MP4 format, and you can see the resolution below the preview on the download page. Keep an eye out for search results marked with a gold star; these are premium clips only available with an iStock subscription. The first two rows of search results are sponsored videos from Shutterstock, which again require a paid membership to download. Videezy http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/guypwyTLuJYxq6fVrwuJ3K.jpg Videvo offers thousands of videos contributed by its community of users. Quality is variable (a few clips have clearly been shot without a tripod) but they’re generally good, and there’s a huge selection to choose from so it’s highly likely you’ll find something suitable – even if it takes a little while. If you'd like to contribute your own videos for others to download, you can do so after signing up for a free account. Videos on Videvo fall under one of three licenses, so be sure to check which one applies to your chosen clip before you start working: Videvo Standard License, which lets you use the clips in your own work without attribution, provided you don’t redistribute the footage. Videvo Attribution License, which is the same as the Standard License, but requires you to credit the clip’s creator. Creative Commons 3.0 Unported, which lets you share and adapt the clip, but requires you to credit the creator and indicate if you’ve made any changes. Clips marked ‘Editorial use only’ can’t be used commercially, but those labelled ‘All projects and media’ can. As with many free stock video sites, the top row of search results are actually premium samples from an advertiser (in this case Shutterstock). Scroll past these for Videovo’s own clips. Some clips are provided as MP4 files, while others are delivered in QuickTime format. There’s a small selection of 4K clips, but half of these are Christmas-themed motion graphics. If you’re specifically looking for 4K video, you’re better off looking at one of the sites listed above. Videvo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/JRETgElFNc8

With the dust now settling on Google’s host of new hardware announcements, it’s time to take stock of where the Google Home family of devices has ended up. There are now three official Google Home devices. There’s the original Google Home speaker, which was announced back in 2016, and the newly announced Google Home Mini and Google Home Max. Prior to the event there were rumors that Google might be preparing to announce a screen-equipped Google Home in much the same vein as Amazon’s Echo Show, but the rumored device was nowhere to be found on the evening itself. However, with three first-party Google Assistant speakers you now have a lot of choice if you want to get the search giant’s voice assistant into your home. Here’s a rundown of how the three speakers compare. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GA9VoxWzmDj9Y4Ww84UivY.jpg PriceThe three speakers sit at radically different price points. The Mini is the cheapest of the three, and costs just $50 / £50 / AU$79, which is identical to Amazon’s budget Echo speaker, the Echo Dot. The standard Google Home, meanwhile, costs $130 / £120 / AU$199. Finally, the premium Google Home Max was announced as having a price tag of $400 (around £305 / AU$510), which makes it the most expensive first-party smart speaker around, more costly that even Apple’s premium-styled HomePod which is set to cost $350 (around £265 / AU$450). http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h5tu6kCe5Z5kXgYqBCQPsT.jpg DesignAlthough the three speakers follow a similar design template, mixing clean plastic with colored speaker meshes. The small Home Mini is available in three colors, black, grey, and coral (aka pink). Underneath the speaker mesh are four lights that illuminate to show that the speaker is listening to you. The standard Google Home speaker features a white plastic shell sitting atop a colored speaker mesh. Different colored bases are available if you want to customize the speaker to match your home, although by default the speaker comes with a gray mesh. Its listening lights are located on the top plastic of the device. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/59XdqLN2A3Pj7dDkmj6H6n.jpg Finally, the Google Home Max is available in only black or white, with its four listening lights being located underneath the speaker mesh on its front. The Max is, as its name implies, a much larger speaker than either the Home Mini or the Home. Although it’s got rounded corners, the speaker is much more rectangular in appearance, and includes the option to be mounted vertically as well as horizontally. Sound qualityDue to their varying size constraints, the three speakers are equipped with radically different quality speakers. The Google Home Mini has the most basic speaker setup of the three. Google advertises its 40mm driver offers ‘360-degree’ audio. In our hands on time with the device we thought it sounded clear enough, though it was definitely lacking in bass. Things get a lot better when you move up to the standard Google Home. This speaker features dual 2-inch passive radiators for some added kick in the bass, and it pairs this with a 2-inch driver. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xDwXp3MXHphZQs8GN5pmYm.jpg The Google Home Max offers the most substantial audio quality of the three, and it achieves this through a combination of hardware and software. On the hardware side, the new speaker features two 4.5-inch woofers, and multiple tweeters. Google is yet to confirm the exact specifics of these drivers. On the software side, the Max also has content covered with a free 12-month subscription to YouTube Music. It also features Google’s room-sensing technology called Smart Sound, which apparently optamises the speaker to sound the best it can in whichever room it’s located. The technology sounds similar to what Apple is promising its upcoming HomePod is capable of. Suffice to say, when it comes to sound quality, it looks like you’re going to get what you pay for. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nYdk9wMo4gKTr6unrUT4iX.jpg ConclusionAside from differences in hardware, the three speakers will offer near-identical access to Google’s voice assistant. As such, you should be able to happily buy a Google Home Mini safe in the knowledge that it will be able to control your smart lighting just as capably as the premium Google Home Max. The difference, it seems, is in how likely you are to want to use the speaker to listen to music. If you want a smart speaker that’s going to mainly be used for setting timers and hearing the weather, then you can save some money with a Mini, while the Max should prove more than capable of being the centerpiece of a party. Of course, you could always buy one of the numerous third-party speakers equipped with Google Assistant that have been popping up all over the place, including the Harman Kardon Allure and Panasonic SC-GA10. Google also announced a pair of phones at the same event, the Google Pixel 2 and the Google Pixel 2 XL. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/pHCxxfudwtI

After over a year of promises, Sonos has finally announced its own smart speaker. Called the Sonos One, the speaker will combine the intelligence of Amazon's Alexa with the multi-room capabilities of Sonos when it releases on October 24. Not to be outdone, Amazon has also announced some new additions to the Amazon Echo lineup. There are now a dizzying array of different Amazon Echo speakers from the screen-equipped Amazon Echo Show to the miniature Amazon Echo Dot, but for the purposes of this guide we'll be comparing the newly announced Amazon Echo, since this is likely to become the default version of the smart speaker going forward after it releases in November. Here's everything you need to know about how the two speakers compare. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/juTmFGqgAWeVjrYctb94eX.jpg PriceIn terms of price, the Sonos One is much more expensive than the updated Amazon Echo. The new Amazon Echo will cost $99 / £89 when it goes on sale, while the Sonos One will cost $199 / £199. That makes the Sonos One over double the price of the new Amazon Echo. Depending on what you plan on using your smart speaker for, however, the extra money could be worth it. Sound qualityOne of the biggest selling points of the Sonos One is sound quality. With a pair of Class-D amplifiers and custom built drivers, the speaker looks set to deliver the same high level of audio quality that Sonos has become known for over the years. The Sonos one also features the same Trueplay speaker tuning as Sonos's other speakers, Amazon's record on sound quality has historically been a little more patchy, with the original Amazon Echo being roundly criticised for lacking in bass. With the new Amazon Echo, the company has promised that it's going to improve the situation. The new speaker features a dedicated tweeter and a 2.5-inch downward-firing woofer. In our hands-on review of the new Echo we thought that these improvements lead to a clearer and more immersive sound. Of course, if audio quality is your primary concern, then Amazon has also recently announced the Amazon Echo Plus, which features Dolby Processing for a better level of audio quality. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5mFadwHAhStt98qUhbaJEL.png DesignIn terms of design, the Sonos One follows the same design philosophy as the company's existing Sonos Play:1 with a plastic finish that's available in either black or white. In this regard Sonos seems to be following in Amazon's footsteps, as the finish will sound very familiar to anyone who's spent time with the original Echo. With the new Echo however, Amazon has given its design an overhaul, introducing wood, cloth, and metallic finishes. All this means the new Amazon Echo is the slightly more versatile looking of the two speakers overall. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wbLFNL6XHuLZpnhdhBBCB5.jpg Multi-room functionalitySonos was the brand that essentially invented the multi-room product category, and it's hence not surprising that the Sonos One will integrate with your existing Sonos speakers. You can either pair it up with other speakers to play the same music, or else have different music playing in different rooms. You can even pair two Sonos Ones together for stereo sound, add a Sonos Sub to improve the bass, or pair them with a Sonos Playbar or Playbase to integrate them into a surround sound setup. The Sonos One will also support Apple's AirPlay 2 with a forthcoming update, which will bolster its multi-room capabilities when used with iOS devices. Amazon has also added some multi-room functionality of its own with a recent update. It's not quite as substantial as Sonos's offering, but it should allow you to play music seamlessly across your house from all of your Echo devices. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nfFqXyYhJ9DHg5UHk6Hy45.jpg Physical buttonsAnother key difference between the two speakers is physical buttons. While the Amazon Echo gets by with just four buttons (two for volume, one to wake Alexa, and one to stop the device from listening to you), the Sonos One is much more fully featured. The latter features touch controls that allow you to skip tracks without having to use your voice, which is helpful if you want to skip multiple tracks in quick succession (notoriously difficult when using voice controls). Other featuresWe initially suspected that Sonos's new speaker wouldn't otherwise have too much to distinguish it from Amazon's own hardware, but that was before the surprise announcement that the Sonos One will be made compatible with Google Assistant next year. The update will mean you should have the ability to summon either voice assistant to control your smart speaker. It's not yet clear how the two voice assistants will be combined. Presumably there'll be some option to switch between them in the Sonos app to avoid awkwardly summoning Google Assistant when you meant to ask for Alexa. Naturally, as an Amazon-made product, the Amazon Echo will stick to just supporting Alexa. The best Amazon Echo Alexa skills and commands: The best uses for your Echohttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/3W5HOlWj7dc

Walmart has a blue light special today on the Google Home Mini – the new, completely unannounced product from Google that the tech giant was supposed to unveil at its big press event tomorrow, October 4. Instead, a pre-order page for the tiny smart home speaker appeared on Walmart one day ahead of schedule and included both a release date for the speaker (Oct. 19) and price ($49.99). TL;DR: Walmart really on this one. While this is really going to put a bee in someone’s bonnet over at Google, the news is actually really useful. We now have a clear idea of what the speaker is going to look like – spoiler: it looks like a pebble covered in fabric – and a price. The $49 price tag sticks it in direct contention with the Amazon Echo Dot, the miniature speaker from Amazon that comes with Alexa built-in, and will make for an affordable entry-way into Google’s burgeoning smart home platform. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qXdMoAy2fK3vqx7rmhbsoF.jpg Images via Droid-LifeProduct description RedactedBefore the page was pulled down, sites like 9to5Google and Droid-Life were able to get a few of the key features of the speaker. The Home Mini will measure in at 4.53 x 4.53 x 4.72 inches, for instance, and weigh less than one pound. The product listing refers to the speaker by its codename, “Joplin”, and adds in cutesy little details, describing the speaker as a “powerful little helper.” You know what’s not cute? Getting yelled at by your boss for posting a pre-order page for a product that has yet to be unveiled, potentially souring a relationship with one of the most important tech companies in Silicon Valley. Whoooops. Like small smart home speakers? Check out the Amazon Echo Spothttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/_fr_jrMWyW8

Ring already has a solid name for its video doorbells, which means there’s good cause to look forward to the inexpensive do-it-yourself home security system the company announced for pre-order today. Called the Ring Protect, it complements the company's growing range of security gadgets with a fairly conventional home security system that costs a mere $199 (about £150 / AU$254). That's the same price as the current model of its video doorbell. For that price, you’ll get the base station, a keypad, a motion detector, a range extender, and a single contact sensor you can hook up to a door or a window. If you want to purchase additional sensors, expect to pay $20 (about £15 / AU$26) for each, based on the price listed at Best Buy. Extra motion sensors sell for $30. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oHzmTj4YZdJsZKrf4iJB28.jpg Already got one of those fancy video doorbells? The Ring Protect will also connect with those units as well as any Ring security cameras. You'll also have to pay a subscription fee of $10 a month or $100 a year, which gets you monitoring around the clock as well as cloud storage for your video feeds. That means it won’t rob you blind, which is great since that’s probably what you were trying to avoid happening in the first place. No matter how you look at the Ring Protect, you're saving a ton of money. To receive similar monitoring from the likes of ADT, you'll have to fork out upwards of $400 a year. The Ring Protect is also less expensive than Nest's recently announced affordable home security system, which costs $499 (about £370 / AU$620) at the minimum. Pre-orders begin today on Ring’s site as well as on Best Buy and Home Depot. If you're not so keen on pre-orders, you can buy them at the latter two retail stores in person sometime within the next two months. At the moment, Home Depot is reporting an expected arrival date of November 7 - November 10. Want to smarten up your home? Check out the best smart home deviceshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/BUjzdZQ-Zk0

After Amazon’s event earlier this week there will shortly be a formidable amount different versions Amazon Echoes on the market. In addition to the existing Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Dot, Amazon Echo Show, and Amazon Echo Look, the ecommerce giant announced a newly redesigned Amazon Echo, a new speaker called the Amazon Echo Plus, and a mini screen-equipped device called the Amazon Echo Spot. Confused? We don't blame you. Here’s our guide to the Amazon Echo lineup as it currently stands, including all the devices that have been announced and are yet to be released. We’ve divided the list into two sections depending on whether they have a screen or not. In the short term we expect this list to shrink in size as Amazon discontinues its outdated models, but for now these are the smart speakers that are available, or have been announced for the future. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d3pbvHHhJr4zcEnLeFsRBP.png Amazon Echo (1st gen)Release date: Out now Price: $179.99 / £149.99 The smart speaker that started it all. The original Amazon Echo was released in 2014 and essentially created an entirely new product category of speaker that you controlled primarily with your voice rather than through a conventional app. It features just two buttons on the top (one for muting and one for waking Alexa), and the entire top of the device swivels to act as a volume control. The exterior is made of matt plastic, and there is no 3.5mm audio jack present, and the entire device is 9.25-inches (or 23.5cm) tall. Read the full review: Amazon Echo http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jqbGaS8M9LFMrfiNWFoT75.jpg Amazon Echo (2nd gen)Release date: October 31 2017 Price: $99.99 / £89.99 The new version of the Amazon Echo makes a number of changes to its predecessor. For one thing volume is now controlled with an additional two buttons on the top (much like the existing Echo Dot outlined below), and the matt plastic exterior has been ditched in favor of fabric, wood, and metallic finishes. In addition, the device has also seen improvements made to its speakers and microphone technology, so it should not only sound better but will also be able to hear your voice more clearly. Read our first impressions: Amazon Echo (2nd gen) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EmEvhvKsLSTk3tWquvVEph.jpg Amazon Echo PlusRelease date: October 31 2017 Price: $149.99 / £139.99 Also announced this week was the Amazon Echo Plus, a speaker that’s much more similar in appearance to the original 1st generation Amazon Echo. Under the hood, however, there have been a number of improvements made. The most significant of these is the addition of a ZigBee-compatible hub. Zigbee is the connection protocol used by a number of different smart home devices, which usually come with a hub that must be plugged into your router in order to allow them to function. Having a hub inside the Echo itself means that you no longer need this additional hub plugged into your router. So long as your Echo is connected to your home network then your smart home devices will function. The second major improvement is the addition of Dolby processing, which should provide a boost to the device’s sound. Read our first impressions: Amazon Echo Plus http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AsqukFruXZi3NMS2dyG5ag.jpg Amazon Echo DotRelease date: Out now Price: $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$109 The Amazon Echo Dot is a much smaller version of the original Amazon Echo, and is around the size of a hockey puck. There have actually been two generations of the Echo Dot released, with the second ditching the volume dial in favor of two dedicated volume buttons. The Dot’s size meant that some compromises on sound quality had to be made, resulting in a sound level that’s fairly weak and tinny and unsuitable for playing music. However, an included 3.5mm jack means that it’s perfectly possible to connect the speaker to an external sound system if you want to get your tunes playing. Read the full review: Amazon Echo Dot http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jevmzHKeEV3T3AFo8sphMG.jpg Amazon Echo LookRelease date: Out now (US), tbc (UK) Price: $199.99 The Amazon Echo Look is one of the weirder entries in Amazon’s Echo lineup. Rather than the all-purpose design of the rest of the lineup, the Look is meant more as a fashion-focussed device that Amazon claims can analyse your clothing choices via its camera, and make recommendations accordingly. If that sounds like something you’d find useful, then the Amazon Echo Look might be the smart device for you, otherwise you’d almost certainly be much better served by one of the other models on this list. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XHoRBAbgRZC3LjL6dZaaeB.jpg Amazon Echo ShowRelease date: Out now (US), November 16 (UK) Price: $229.99 / £199 The first Echo device to be equipped with a screen, the Amazon Echo Show is able to show you a wealth of information that would be impossible on a regular Amazon Echo. A picture is worth a thousand words after all. As well as displaying visual information, the Show is also capable of playing video content from a variety of sources including, of course, Amazon Prime Video. If you’re after YouTube videos however, then you might be out of luck. The screen can also stream a video feed from compatible smart cameras, and contains a camera of its own that you can view a live feed of from the Alexa app. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iXweW4TBXDGqw8syCHetwH.jpg Amazon Echo SpotRelease Date: December 19 2017 (US), 2018 (UK) Price: $129.99 The Amazon Echo Spot is a miniature version of the Show. It turns the 7-inch rectangular screen of the show into a 2.5-inch circular screen. This smaller screen means the device is less useful as a video-watching device (although this is still supported). Instead, you’re more likely to use the small screen to read messages, show virtual clock-faces, or conduct video calls. Its small size also means that the built-in speaker isn’t as good as the larger Show’s. Amazon is positioning this as a compact device that you might want to have on a bedside table as opposed to the Show’s countertop-sized form-factor. Read about Amazon's closest competitor, the Google Home smart speakerhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/sj9m-i5xnhE

Google is apparently working on a smart speaker with a screen on it, very similar to Amazon's Echo Show. It already has an Echo competitor in Google Home, and it makes sense for it to introduce a device with a screen, especially when you factor in Amazon’s recent announcement of the Spot, a small device capable of displaying video, bringing Amazon’s screened offerings up to two. This is all unconfirmed at the moment, and comes from multiple unnamed sources feeding information to TechCrunch. One of the sources is apparently getting information directly from a Google employee. Apparently, the device (codenamed Manhattan) is going to be pretty similar to the Show in terms of screen size, at around 7 inches. Unlike the Show, Manhattan will run on Android, which Google is hoping will make it easier for developers to build apps for it. Video killed the video starWhat’s interesting is that Google’s own app YouTube has recently stopped working on Amazon devices, although Google cited “Amazon’s implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates our terms of service, creating a broken user experience” as its reasoning. As one of the major ways that people consume video media, YouTube is an essential platform for whichever smart screen has it. Amazon has its own Prime video service, and we’re sure that on top of YouTube Red, Google will be wanting to secure third-party apps like Netflix for the Manhattan too. Price and release date are currently unclear for the new device. Reports indicate that the original release date was planned to be mid-2018, but due to Amazon’s releases, there is a push to try and release late 2017. There is a Google event on October 4 for the new Pixel, and we’re hoping that Google will tell us a bit more at that event, but recent leaks suggest we're more likely to see a Google Home Max and Google Home Mini. Want to know about Amazon's latest offerings? Check out the Echo Spot and the Echo Plushttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/k1Gf9MUkktM

At just over three years old, the Amazon Echo is due for a tune up. Thankfully, Amazon, the ecommerce giant and now well-positioned ruler of the smart home, realized this and has taken it upon itself to ratchet up the original and create the all-new Amazon Echo Plus. The Plus, therefore, isn’t just a marketing gimmick tacked on for the sake of selling more Echos, but a wholly new product that refines a lot of users’ biggest gripes with the original. In short, the Plus will have enhanced 360-degree omni-directional audio that will trounce its predecessor, and come with a built-in smart home hub that’s compatible with some of the largest product ecosystems like Zigbee, Philips Hue and Hive. That means no more buying separate hubs for those products, saving you space on the shelf and money in your account. Like the original Amazon Echo, the Plus will also benefit from a host of new software upgrades coming this time next month. You can look forward to calling anyone, anywhere similar to how the Google Home works, and the new group feature will let you tether two or more Echo devices together into a cohesive multi-room audio solution. So, are you ready for the Amazon Echo 2.0? Cut to the chaseWhat is it? A souped up version of the Amazon EchoWhen is it out? October 2017How much does it cost? $149/£139Amazon Echo Plus release dateThe Amazon Echo Plus is available to pre-order in black, silver and white trappings starting on September 27 2017 and will be available to purchase starting in October. Amazon didn’t give us an exact day when units would start hitting doorsteps, but the roll-out is going to happen quickly. The speaker will be available first in the US, UK and Germany and be available in the same timeframe as the new, smaller Amazon Echo (2017). While the two have a few similarities (they’ll run the exact same software, for example) the Plus will be the more robust-sounding, well-stocked option. Amazon Echo Plus priceThe Amazon Echo Plus is going to cost $149 in the US and £139 in the UK. Amazon has yet to announce the Australian price for the speaker, but expect it to be around AU$200. To put that number in perspective, it’s $50/£50 more than the new basic Echo, but only $20/£10 more than its closest competitor, the Google Home. We’ve gone into detail in other places, but the main differences between the Echo Plus and the Google Home will be the Plus’ ability for better-sounding 360-degree audio and the Home’s slightly better artificial intelligence. Both systems can make phone calls to whoever, wherever, and both generally are compatible with the same smart home products. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dK3aHUFAcAGRE6wNEfthQZ.jpg Amazon Echo Plus specsSo what’s happening inside the Amazon Echo Plus to make it a more powerful speaker? The two big additions are the built-in smart home hub and the more powerful speaker driver. As for the technical details, the 9.3 x 3.3 inches (H x D) and 33.6 oz. (235 mm x 84 mm, 954 grams). Inside is a 2.5" woofer and 0.8" tweeter powered by Dolby – by which we assume there’s some upscaling happening to make music come across clearer and more powerful than it did in the 2014 Amazon Echo. Along the top rim of the speaker, you’ll find seven far-field microphones and an LED ring, similar to the one found on the original Echo. At the base of the Plus, you’ll find a port for power and a 3.5mm jack. The Plus, as you might’ve noticed, is screen-less. If audio isn’t enough for you and your speaker feels incomplete without a visual component, you’ll have to upgrade to either the Amazon Echo Spot or Amazon Echo Show. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iBwWyyXfRVRUUksWGfAcdV.jpg So what does the Amazon Echo Plus do?A lot, frankly. For starters, it’s a Bluetooth speaker. It can stream music from some of your favorite services like Pandora, iHeartRadio, Spotify and Amazon’s own music streaming service among others. It also allows you to listen to audiobooks, news briefs and radio stations. But it’s not any ol' Bluetooth speaker. Like the Echo before it, the Amazon Echo Plus has Alexa, a semi-intelligent AI, built-in. Alexa can answer the majority of questions you have and manage a lot of minor tasks for you. You can add items to your shopping list, for example, and manage your calendar using Alexa’s help. Alexa’s greatest utility, however, is its ability to become the center of your smart home. Alexa can connect to many of the smart home ecosystems out there, allowing you to control your lights, thermostats and more with your voice. This can be handy when you have your hands full with little ones running around or when you’re setting the mood and don’t want to get up to fiddle with the lights. New for this year is the ability to use the Amazon Echo as a near feature-complete home phone: You can make outgoing calls via Alexa to anyone in your home country for free. It's something Google Home has had for a month or two already, so it's nice to see Amazon warming up to the feature as well. Perhaps more importantly than any of the above, the Amazon Echo Plus is an ever-evolving smart product – one that will very likely be more capable a year from now than it is today. Buying one is a ticket to the voice-controlled future, one that's a bit turbulent at right now, but holds a world of promises. What's it like to use one? Find out in our hands on Amazon Echo Plus reviewhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/h-_W_YTwUWU