Both Google and Amazon are allegedly considering adding a voice calling feature to their industry leading smart speakers, Google Home and Amazon Echo. That move could spell further doom for the ailing landline home phone market.

Rumors from "people familiar with the matter" claim that both devices have software in place to support Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls. If put into place, the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa artificial intelligence assistants would be able to recognize simple voice commands similar to those used on smartphones to ring contacts and answer incoming calls.

According to the Wall Street Journal's anonymous sources, the feature could be arriving as soon as this year in selected, unconfirmed regions. These sources also indicate that Amazon is considering assigning a unique phone number to the Echo (or Echo Dot) to enable calls, or syncing the user's mobile number with the smart speaker.

With the technology reportedly already in place, the delay in its implementation has been blamed on concerns "around privacy, telecom regulations and emergency services." The latter appears to be the biggest sticking point, with calling emergency services in the US a less clear cut scenario than the UK.

The reports also note that both Google's parent company Alphabet and Amazon are mindful of the fact that not everyone is comfortable having phone conversations via a speaker, particularly as both the Echo and Home record audio for voice activation purposes.

Although Amazon would apparently only collect call metadata rather than actual audio clips recorded during calls, WSJ's Google sources did not specify Home's recording capabilities, though they would likely be similar to its Google Voice app for Android which only stores metadata, voicemails and any user-specified calls.

So, given all the rumors, could this lead to the end of the landline?

With Google Home and Amazon Echo already capable of controlling music libraries, heating systems, lighting and ordering anything from an Uber taxi to a takeaway pizza, the addition of voice calling is a logical next step for both platforms. 
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So casual chats using Internet of Things-friendly smart speakers with AI assistants could be the future of calling friends and family from home. Only time will tell.

Senstone may be one of the world's smallest wearables — and perhaps one of the most useful. 
The tiny device has one function: to help you keep track of your ideas, to-do lists, and notes while you're on the go. 

Senstone records voice memos, uploads them to an app, and transcribes them for you. The device is on Kickstarter with the goal of raising $50,000.

Here's how it works. Senstone records voice notes that are then uploaded to an app on your iPhone. The device connects via Bluetooth. To record a note, you push a button on the side of the device. To stop recording, you press it again.

The device is designed to help "capture the things in your daily life that you don’t want to miss" — things like goals, ideas, or notes. Rather than taking out your phone and typing out a note, Senstone wants to be like a low-effort journal. 

With different interchangeable backs, you can clip it to your collar, wear it as a necklace or even wear it as a wristband.

The device can record for up to one minute at a time — for now. Eventually, Senstone will be able to record for up to four hours offline, and longer when it's paired with your phone. 

You can charge Senstone by sitting it in this charging dock, which connects to any USB port. Early testers have used the device for up to a week without charging the unit. 

Finally, Senstone's technology can automatically transcribe your notes for you, saving both a written version and the original recording and labeling them by the date, time, and location at which you recorded. It supports dictation in 11 languages including Mandarin and Ukrainian.

And by saying "hashtag" and then a word before you stop recording your note, Senstone will identify that as a category tag. If you press the hashtag button at the top of the app, it will take you to all of your notes from your hashtagged categories. 
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Early backers of Senstone's Kickstarter campaign can get the aluminum or plated brass versions of Senstone by pledging $80.

Starbucks is embracing voice-based computing with the launch of a new feature in its mobile app called My Starbucks Barista, which allows customers to order and pay for their food and drinks just by speaking. This includes being able to modify their drink order, as if they were speaking with a barista in real life. Additionally, the company is launching a skill for the Amazon Alexa platform, which lets customers re-order their favorite items by speaking to their Echo speaker or other Alexa-powered device. 

The feature utilizes artificial intelligence to process the incoming orders through a new messaging interface in the Starbucks app. Here, customers can also interact with the virtual assistant by messaging their order, chatbot-style. The assistant can confirm which location you want to order from, and help to process the payment, as well. 

Starbucks says that the new assistant will initially only be available to one thousand customers using iOS devices nationwide during a limited beta test, with a phased rollout planned through summer 2017. The Android version will be available later in the year. 

The launches come at a time when voice computing is on the rise. A recent forecast from VoiceLabs estimates that 24.5 million voice-first devices will ship in 2017, with platforms like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home leading the way. Customers are also getting more comfortable speaking to assistants on their mobile devices, like Siri, Cortana, and Google Assistant, as a means of accessing information or performing tasks. 

It makes sense then, that Starbucks would join this trend with efforts of its own. Its app has already led the market in terms of advancing technologies like mobile payments and order-ahead, so being among the first in its space to debut a voice assistant is the next logical step. 
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 “The Starbucks experience is built on the personal connection between our barista and customer, so everything we do in our digital ecosystem must reflect that sensibility,” said Gerri Martin-Flickinger, chief technology officer for Starbucks. “Our team is focused on making sure that Starbucks voice ordering within our app is truly personal.”

ValsTech, Inc. Has just started a new KickStarter project for an underwater housing for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The company was named after one of its founders: underwater housing pioneer Valentins Ranetkins. Val is the founder of the industry-known manufacturing companies Amphibico and Aquatica. He is also known for designing the first underwater housings for National Geographic. 

Five-time Emmy Award-winning underwater cinematographer Anthony Lenzo co-founded ValsTech with Val and his team to create a truly advanced underwater housing for iPhone.

The units are now available for subscription on Kickstarter for $229 (planned retail price will be $395) for the iPhone 7 and $450 for the iPhone 7 Plus ($749 retail). Estimated delivery is June 2017.

Here are some of the stats on the device.

Optics. The optical dome lens has been designed for land and underwater use with an anti-reflective coating. It also comes with a built-in functional selfie lens. The unit has two internal “flip” UR Pro color correction filters for accurate underwater colors.

Controls. The unit has ergonomically designed controls which enable access to all iPhone camera functions, shooting modes and access to resolution and frame rate settings.

Protection. The LenzO is depth rated and tested to 100 meters. The retaining system keeps the iPhone securely in place and amortizes shock. The main safety lock is designed to aid in accurate and effortless opening and positive closing of the LenzO. The unique dome mount design prevents cross threading and provides a positive safe lock mechanism.

Several environmentalists and professional photographers have now tested the unit and have very good things to say about the design and functionality. Jean-Michel Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society says “LenzO is perfect for shooting and sharing my underwater adventures.” Nick Caloyianis, a premiere underwater film maker and winner of both Oscar and Emmy awards for his films and underwater documentaries says, “Just as the iPhone revolutionized the cell phone world, the LenzO underwater housing has revolutionized the way we quickly assemble and use an underwater recording tool.”
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If you’re using an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, ValsTech already offers a model for you from their website for $295.