Amazon Alexa can now be your default voice assistant on Android

Google has always been okay with its users turning to other AI-powered smart assistants from its competitors. Android already supports Microsoft Cortana and now it adds Amazon’s Alexa into the mix. A Reddit user found that you can access Alexa by holding down the home button. Depending on what phone you use, setting up Alexa is going to look a bit different. But you just need to update your Alexa app, afterwards head over to your phone’s settings and head over to the “Assist app” section to make the change.

There are some caveats, though. It can’t pull up maps or make native calls and you can’t activate it by voice or by squeezing the phone but you can do a quick Google search with it. Some of the phones that seem to have access to the feature include Google Pixel 2, One Plus 5, One Plus One, Xperia, Moto G5 Plus, Essential Phone 1, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S9 devices.

Source: The Verge

WhatsApp adds support for in-line Instagram and Facebook videos on iOS

When you share YouTube videos on WhatsApp, your recipient will be able to watch the video right from the conversation thread. The same thing can be done now for Instagram and Facebook videos, at least for iOS users. WhatsApp brings these features to the 2.18.51 update of the app. It also brings more feature to group chats, including the ability to add or revoke administrator privileges of other users in the chat as well as the ability for active admins to edit the description, icon, and subject of an ongoing chat. The update is currently rolling out to users so you may or may not see it immediately. No word yet when these features will be coming to Android.

Source: Android Central

Microsoft makes major pivot towards AI and multisense and multidevice experiences

Photo from Digital Journal

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The world is a computer, or at least, it could be. Microsoft's announcements today at their yearly Build developer conference shift away from consumer-facing products and focuses on bigger picture innovation on a much larger scale. The shift is towards ubiquitous computing which will be event driven, serverless and powered by the Azure cloud.

There was hardly any talk of Windows during the keynote, once the centre of focus for the company. Windows 10 has now been merged with Office 365 into Microsoft 365, software and solutions as a service. Moving forward, the Windows OS and the Office productivity suite are inextricably linked as components of a singular product.

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Toronto Startup hopes to combat loneliness and isolation among the aging population

Toronto-based startup Amintro is making it easier for adults 50+ to find new friends with the launch of their new online friendship-making platform and app (available for free download for iPhone and iPad on the App Store, and Google Play). Launching across Canada, Amintro aims to combat loneliness and social isolation among older adults by increasing their social circles near them.
 
Amintro was designed exclusively for Canadians over 50 as an alternative and safe place to meet like-minded individuals and foster new friendships. The service matches people based on their profile and close proximity for platonic friendships.

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