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Windows 10 'Home Hub' Is Microsoft's Response To Amazon Echo and Google Home (mashable.com)
Microsoft's response to the Amazon Echo and Google Home is Home Hub, a software update for Windows 10's Cortana personal assistant that turns any Windows PC into a smart speaker of sorts. Mashable reports: Microsoft's smart digital assistant Cortana can already answer your queries, even if the PC's screen is locked. The Home Hub is tied to Cortana and takes this a few steps further. It would add a special app with features such as calendar appointments, sticky notes and shopping lists. A Home Hub-enabled PC might have a Welcome Screen, a full-screen app that displays all these, like a virtual fridge door. Multiple users (i.e. family members) could use the Home Hub, either by authenticating through Windows Hello or by working in a family-shared account. Cortana would get more powerful on Home Hub; it could, for example, control smart home devices, such as lights and locks. And even though all of this will work on any Windows 10 device -- potentially making the PC the center of your smart home experience -- third-party manufacturers will be able to build devices that work with Home Hub. You can read Windows Central's massive report here. Do note that Home Hub is not official and individual features could change over time. The update is slated for 2017.
Whether you like it or not!
Like we need Micro$haft to spy on us even more?! And create an even larger potential for more huge botnets to cause more problems!!??
A spoken virus from an echo, subverts cortana. and vica versa. Then they both gang up and tell the BWM to lock you in the garage.
Those old ways were completely exhausting.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
All your appliances will stop working until you locate the latest driver.
And this includes the microphone.
It will be listening, and listening. It might even know your favorites already!
...New Stupid Piece Of Shit That Doesn't Fucking Work?
And it will be removed from future Windows version as soon as people find it useful. MS is such a tease in that way.
Microsoft's smart digital assistant Cortana can already answer your queries, even if the PC's screen is locked.
Cortana. How do I break into this locked PC?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
These devices are totally not going to be spying on you 24/7.
Do people have no concept of privacy anymore? It's bad enough my DVD player wants my wifi password and my TV wants to be "smart" e.g. piping my conversations out ot the internet, but now people are actually BUYING devices solely for the purpose of eavesdropping?
Years back the government withdrew the concept of Total Information Awareness. Really, all they did was figure out a surreptitious way to accomplish the same thing.
I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
...what could possibly go wrong?
Table-ized A.I.
Hi, it appears you are having trouble sleeping. Would you like me to play calming thunderstorm sounds to help you sleep?
Hi, it appears you are trying to find something to watch on television. Would you like me to make suggestions based on your browsing history?
Hi, it appears you have ran out of shampoo. Would you like me to place an order while you are drying off?
Hi, it appears you are trying to disconnect me. Would you like to discuss your problems while waiting for a Certified Microsoft Reeducation Engineer to arrive?
I can't wait to have this patched into windows 10. Amazon's implementation is flaky, hopefully Microsoft gets it correct.
Haven't tried the Google one, but the Echo is garbage and no one really uses one. What a disaster and money pit for Amazon investors.
So does anyone use Siri on a regular basis? I have yet to see anyone use it for anything besides seeing if it works.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Seriously though, I've always wanted the Star Trek experience of being able to ask "Computer" a question or to perform a task but the reality of having an open mic in my house gives me pause.
Pick up the phone to use the phone. Pick up the pen and paper to write. The dog is your personnel assistant!
{BSOD}...
how do I permanently disable it?
Ah, Windows...the RC Cola in the Pepsi-Coke wars of the mobile computing space.
It doesn't matter what * expands to, Microsoft's price inevitably ends up being too high Microsoft can fill in the blanks with hard AI or FTL and I'd still give it back to them unopened. Or, rather, since they prefer to shove everything down your throat now, regurgitated back up as soon as I can rest control back and left in a burning paper bag on their front doorstep.
No thank-you.
Did anyone look at PopeRatzo's comment history. How could anyone be proud enough to attach a name to such moronic comments? You should be a coward.
Oh, I'm too effing lazy to log in
And still not a single company offers such AI without internet. All of them require internet connection transport user's activity and private information for money. Hey slashdot user, if you're geek what do you recommend? Open source will be great!
Users want a voice assistant when they are in living room, far away from the PC. Just like when iPhone was released, Microsoft has no clue that users might want to do something other than editing documents for printing on a desktop.
home hub is updating place try your request at a later time
I asked Cortana "What's the weather" yesterday just to try it out. It proceeds to give me the definition of the word "weather." Honestly, it's the most useless horseshit response I have ever had from a search.
"Microsoft's response to the Amazon Echo and Google Home is Home Hub, a software update for Windows 10's Cortana personal assistant that turns any Windows PC into a smart speaker of sorts."
No it's not. Based on Microsoft's track record it will be a poorly-designed, late-to-market, barely functional piece of shit that will garner no market share except for that of the die-hard Windows fanbois. After a year or two of disappointing reviews and craptastic software updates they'll discontinue it.
Once again the wizards at Microsoft see something that someone else designed and, true to form, all they can do is copy it. Poorly.
Really, Microsoft should change their slogan to, "Wait for us, we're the leader!"
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
What I recommend? Get off your lazy ass and turn on the fucking light the old fashioned way, dammit!
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Hey Microsoft, you too? We were about to close, but I guess you can still drink a glass and have some left over while we're cleaning. We have to get up early tomorrow for the next big thing. Wait, you didn't hear about it yet? Okay, just come tomorrow, but this time don't come too late. I know you've a name and think everybody is your friend, but it gets kind of embarrassing when you arrive when the show is over...
I live in Berlin. When conversation comes to Amazon Echo (or the likes), my usual answer is: "In former times, the state used to pay for that and even took over installation and made sure the wallpaper was fixed, while you weren't at home. These days, they expect *you* to pay for it".
Many people here understand, since they remember the Stasi and their bugs.
Once again, Microsoft plays follow the leader. Does Microsoft innovate at all? WTF is wrong with that company. Next, they'll try to introduce a bicycle.
I know some can't get enough of options when it comes to technology. Its why some buy a watch, when they already have a smartphone. Or someone who has a internet device in every room. Same goes for those who buy personal assistants who already most likely have plenty of devices that do the same thing. At least Microsoft realizes most already have the device, now all they need is the software. The problem is Cortana will have to do more that just answer questions and be a personal assistant. It's sort of like doing a app store but having no apps. If you going to do a personal assistant you have to expand it to do more and more tasks. The question remains, how many of these devices really will go beyond a novelty and become useful?
Microsoft has shown over and over that they propose things and then deliver less than 5% of what they propose.
If you know the politics within Microsoft you would know that a feature like this would never be allowed.
microsoft is already capturing and collecting microphone input in windows 10 for cortana, so might as well put it to use, right?
I can always tape over the microphone.
Oh, wait...
Yeah, that name will be changing.
BT (British Telecom) in the UK already make a Home Hub.
Also "Home Hub" is allegedly already trademarked by Apple.
I don't even have a microphone you insensitive clod!
Here, have a microphone connected to the Internet and Microsoft servers enabled in your house 24/7/365, listening to every sound and voice in your house! What could POSSIBLY be wrong with that!?
No, NO, NO, just NO!
That one has allowed Cortana full run on ones network. Some of us block that bitch at the firewall level.
Pen Tester and Security Researcher here...
I have done some auditing and research on Win10 and I am here to tell you I don't give a sh_t what MS says it IS NOT anonymous telemetry. All telemetry data is linked to the computer to your MS account if you were fool enough to open one and to the license key of the OS. Telemetry sends all system information and registry settings to MS. You can even be Geolocated with this information. They are even copying your personal data from your personal folders so do you really think they don't know who you are? Cortana if turned on is listening and sending data it captures back to MS at all times. Don't think you are having a private conversation when Cortana is on and your near your computer.
Please don't think for a minute this data is anonymous because it isn't!!!