CES 2019: Google Assistant to power one billion devices

"Ok, Google, how many devices are you going to be on?"  The answer to that question is a stunning 1 billion devices by 2019. Google wasn't the first to come out with a smart assistant for consumers (that honour goes to Apple's Siri, which is sadly an also-ran in the current race).

Amazon's Echo has exploded thanks to their line of Alexa powered devices numbering 100 million, but it seems Google is set to dominate since Google Assistant is in Chromebooks, Android and iOS devices, Android Auto car infotainment, myriad smart-speakers, smart TVs, plugs, bulbs, doorknobs...you name it. 

The big difference for Google Assistant is its language support. It was the first smart assistant with full French Canadian support from the get go (no surprise there, parts of the OS and hardware were developed in Canada).  

To date, you can parlez with Google Assistant in 30 languages and in 80 countries, talk about world domination. Active Google Assistant users have grown four times over the past year and as announcements out of International CES 2019 show, Google Assistant is being bundled in all sorts of cool and weird products.

Source: Engadget

The Apple Beat: Apple wins patent infringement case against Samsung, awarded $1 billion in damages

Text and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple Inc. has been vindicated in its unprecedented patent case against rival Samsung. The nine-member jury at the San Jose Federal court ruled for Apple  today in the case that began in April 2011. The landmark case revolved around Samsung's copying of Apple's design and functionality in its iPhone and iPad devices. Apple was not found guilty of any of the instances of patent infringement charged by Samsung.

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