The strange incident might have been just an Alexa glitch

Over the past year, Amazon Alexa has made the headlines with some of the creepiest things it said. The situation is far from being over, as the smart assistant came up with another strange thing to say. A man from California watched as his Amazon Echo paused his smart TV to utter a disquieting sentence.

Amazon Alexa uttered a really creepy sentence

Another strange situation came on the list of creepy events involving Amazon Alexa. The ‘victim’ of this incident received his Echo speaker in 2016 but didn’t use it much for its designated purpose. However, he thought he could still talk to it randomly.

No strange events have happened so far until, on June 18^th, he got terrified. As he was watching TV on his Amazon Prime account, his Echo speaker paused the program to utter a weird sentence. Afterwards, Amazon Alexa said “Every time I close my eyes, all I see is people dying.”

The speaker uttered the sentence on a perfectly normal tone and then said no more words. However, the incident was enough to scare its owner. He had no idea what could have prompted it to say this. When he asked Amazon Alexa to repeat the sentence, it couldn’t do it as it didn’t remember any such incident. Also, since it happened spontaneously, he didn’t have the time to record it.

Experts say these are only glitches

However, the experts are saying we shouldn’t worry. It’s not the first time when Amazon Alexa encounters some strange but funny problems, so this might have been just a glitch. In this case, they said Alexa might have recorded the sentence from TV and then chose to play it at a random moment.

Amazon Alexa has quite a long history with glitches that caused it to utter random phrases. For instance, in March, the smart assistant started laughing at its users for no reason. Then, in May, it recorded a conversation and then sent it to a contact in the owner’s address list. However, the creators said people should have no reason to worry about the speaker.

Image source: Pexels

The Bose Sleepbuds play soothing noises to help you sleep

Bose created the ideal earphones for those who have trouble sleeping. For only $250, you can get the Sleepbuds that can mask all the noises around you, allowing to have a peaceful sleep. After producing several pairs and successfully testing them, the company will now release these unique earphones that aren’t meant for listening to music.

The Sleepbuds are noise-masking earphones

With the Sleepbuds, Bose created the smallest earphones it has ever produced. They measure one centimeter both in length and in width, and are extremely light, weighing only 1.4 grams. Since they should help you sleep, it means you have to wear them after you get in bed. Therefore, Bose made them light and easy to fit in the ears.

Of course, the Sleepbuds are wireless, so you need to charge them before using. The process is simple, as the buds come with rechargeable batteries you can remove and then reattach. After one charge, they should work perfectly for 16 hours, just enough to keep you sleeping for two nights.

How should the Sleepbuds help you sleep?

Unlike other earphones, they don’t have noise cancellation properties. You should still hear your alarm early in the morning, so such an option wasn’t suitable for the Sleepbuds. Instead, they offer sound masking. This means you won’t hear disturbing sounds, as the earphones will play soothing noises to help you fall asleep.

These noises are stored right on the earphones, but you can transfer them to other devices with the help of a special app and a Bluetooth connection. The buds offer you ten sounds you can choose from and, by using the app, you can choose how long you want them to play. These will mask all the other disturbing sounds coming from outside.

However, the Sleepbuds come with one disadvantage. They can only store these sounds, and you cannot transfer other audio files to them. This means they don’t work like regular earphones and you cannot use them to listen to music.

Image source: Pexels

Live Listen will turn an iPhone into a microphone and AirPods into speakers

Although it kept it a secret until recently, Apple will soon release an exclusive hardware update regarding the AirPods. The update in question is called Live Listen and will arrive at the same time with the iOS 12 software update. If you ever experienced trouble hearing, you might have heard of this update from Apple’s special hearing aid program. What it does it to turn your device into a microphone and the headphones into speakers.

Live Listen turns your smartphone into a microphone

Once you roll out the iOS 12 update, you will be able to enhance sounds by using Live Listen. The update is basically a software one, but it makes use of hardware components to function. More precisely, what it does is to turn the smartphone into a microphone that directs the captured sounds to the AirPods. If you leave your phone on the table and someone speaks near it, you will hear these sounds in your AirPods.

This sounds great and innovative, but the update isn’t so new. Live Listen first appeared in 2014 and it was specially designed for people with hearing aids. By using the tool, these people could listen to people talking from a bigger distance or in a noisy place. The option also allowed people to pair their hearing aid to their phone. From there, they could turn Live Listen on or off or control the volume.

Live Listen is ideal for people with hearing aids, but not only for them

What Apple did right now was to enable the Live Listen feature in AirPods, making the devices even better than before. Since the update can enhance sounds and capture them even in a noisy environment, it’s perfect for people with hearing trouble. Some might not need hearing aids, but a feature like this could be great.

However, you still shouldn’t assume you don’t need a hearing aid. If you really cannot hear properly, it’s better to go see a doctor. Live Listen and a pair of AirPods cannot replace a proper hearing equipment, so make sure you get professional help.

Image source: Pixabay

The Pokeball sensor is both a controller and a sensor for movement and sound

Many people thought Pokemon Go was dead, but this is far from the truth. Niantic has just announced some exclusive releases that might really count as a huge breakthrough for the company. The game will cross platforms through two games specially designed for Nintendo Switch and will also bring a lovable Bluetooth sensor shaped like a Pokeball.

Two new Pokemon games on Nintendo Switch

If you played Pokemon Go from the beginning, you must remember that cute little sensor called Pokemon Go Plus. Whenever you passed a Pokestop or stumbled upon Pokemon you could catch, the device started vibrating to alert you of their presence and improve your gaming experience.

Now, Niantic has made great plans for the game and hopes to capture everyone’s attention again. Together with the video game developer Game Freak, Niantic decided to bring some special Pokemon titles on Nintendo Switch. The two games are called Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!

The games get an extra device shaped like a Pokeball

Also, they thought the idea of the sensor was a great idea, so now they are revamping that concept. The new extra device will be even more Pokemon-like, as it will look just like a Pokeball. However, it’s a lot more than an improved sensor. First of all, you can use it as a controller while playing the Pokemon games on the Switch.

However, the Pokeball Plus is even better than that. Niantic has revealed that, whenever you catch a Pokemon, the device will imitate its sounds and movements and you’ll feel it moving as if it were inside. Also, the sensor will light up with the Pokemon inside, thus turning everyone’s regular gaming experience into a magical one.

The companies hadn’t revealed exactly when it the Pokeball will be released. The two Switch games will be out on November 16^th, so the device should appear in the same day. However, you’ll have to buy each item separately.

Image source: Flickr

The Rick and Morty creator is reenacting the Nintendo 3DS scene in the show

All Rick and Morty fans will definitely remember the joke when Rick bought limited edition Nintendo 3DS and planned a scheme to get some extra money. The creator of the cartoons, Justin Roiland, is committed to the joke, and has now decided to start selling his own stock of 3DS consoles.

The Rick and Morty creator is committed to his jokes

When a show reaches that level of popularity, its jokes become a landmark. Therefore, it’s no wonder their creators are decided to turn these jokes into reality. Just like Rick, Justin Roiland really has a stack of Nintendo 3DS consoles that he is planning to sell.

The first item he’ll make available will be exclusive, as it also features Roiland’s signature and a drawing of Rick and Morty. The limited edition Nintendo 3DS is colored in gold, and it features a special theme – Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. It’s an XL model, and Roiland says he has purchased it from Walmart.

If this sounds appealing, you can find it on the Witschy website. However, you should get ready to spend $1,000 on it, as Roiland isn’t planning to decrease the price. The description of the limited edition Nintendo 3DS claims Roiland will also provide a certificate of authenticity. However, we’re not sure what to expect. The rest of the description sounds like this:

“(…) but who knows that dude is busy and certificate might just be drawn on a dominos napkin.”

Roiland bought the limited edition Nintendo 3DS consoles right before launching the show

However, there are other sources proving the console really belongs to the Rick and Morty creator. In a special interview, he explains how the entire scene in the show is based on his life. Roiland claims he bought all the limited edition Nintendo 3DS console with the intention of selling them.

Reportedly, there are 10 gaming systems that Roiland owns. He went and purchased them in 2013, soon after the console rolled out on the market. This happened shortly before the premiere of Rick and Morty, and about a year before the console joke made by Rick. Roiland didn’t reveal when the next console should be released, but we expect people to get excited about it.

Image source: Flickr

Smart assistants might be able to take silent commands we cannot hear

A recent research has revealed a serious breach in the security of smart assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa. It turns out these devices can take silent commands their owners might not even know of. This raises a series of concerns on the security of the sensitive data these assistants have access to.

Smart speakers can hear silent commands that we can’t hear

Researchers decided to test the security features of different smart assistants. This way, they found out the devices can perceive a series of silent commands that we are incapable of detecting. Of course, these results are extremely worrying for our privacy.

One first research was performed by some student scientists from UC Berkeley and Georgetown University. They could cover these silent commands with white noise and thus communicate with the smart assistants. These commands had them enter websites and switch to airplane mode.

How can white noise cover a spoken command?

White noise is a combination of all sounds our ears can perceive. Therefore, it can prevent us from hearing any other noise incorporated in it. By playing this to the speakers, they can hear the silent commands while we can’t. However, the next step of the research was even more worrying.

The same young researchers performed a new study that showed they could camouflage the silent commands into other audio files. This raises even bigger security concerns. It means that, while you’re listening to a song or a podcast, your smart assistant might be told to make purchases or change security settings.

So far, there’s no evidence that smart assistants have received silent commands outside of a laboratory. However, it’s still possible to do it. There’s only one step left until someone takes over your smart speaker and makes it perform malicious activities. These studies should highlight the need for an improved security system on these devices.

Image source: Pixabay

Apple’s latest smartwatch the Apple Watch Series 3 was an instant hit, with experts praising it as the best fitness tracker on the market and the best smartwatch one could have.

After Apple solved the LTE problem, the gadget became a huge seller especially among iPhone users. TechRadar experts, however, advise those on the fence about buying the wearable to wait a bit longer and purchase the Apple Watch Series 4, which is expected to be a life-saver.

The Apple Watch Series 4, which will be rolled out in mid-2019, will sport a heart rate monitor – just like the Series 3 – but will include EKG technology, which could be useful in spotting heart abnormalities before it is too late.

Apple’s Next Smartwatch Could Literally Save Lives

EKG can detect a heart attack and lower the risk of early death. Apple’s next smartwatch could be the first mainstream product to include the technology. However, don’t expect the new smartwatch to be called “Series 4”. Some experts believe it could be called “Series 3S” or something similar.

What’s more, the incoming smartwatch could have a round shape, not a square one, which is a feature fans have been advocating for for years. It could also be lighter and tinnier than the Series 3.

However, Apple will have to face fierce competition from Fitbit which has released the tremendously popular Fitbit Ionic. Experts praised that wearable for its “superb battery life” and superior fitness tracking experience. But the smart fitness watch from Fitbit has a major drawback – it can be too pricey for some buyers at $300.

Meanwhile, fitness buffs eagerly await the new Apple watch especially since it is expected to have better fitness capabilities than it already has. With the newest KG technology, the watch will surely be a must-have.
Image Source: Wikimedia