Central 1 Credit Union (CU) announced in a press release that it has launched “Canada’s first-ever, authenticated voice banking service using Amazon Alexa.” The CU’s clients, Innovation Credit Union and Conexus Credit Union, are “piloting the technology that allows customers to use their voice to command actions...
Defcon, the annual hackers conference, has turned up a new security concern in smart speakers like the Amazon Echo. Two presenters at the conference, Tencent’s Wu HuiYu and Qian Wenxiang, offered a presentation called Breaking Smart Speakers: We Are Listening to You, which detailed how they...
To help users on iPhones and iPads use Alexa, Amazon has unveiled voice interaction for the popular voice assistant on its iOS Alexa app. Through the feature, users of Apple devices have an alternative to Siri, BGR reported. With Alexa’s iOS functionality, consumers can manage...
Amazon has launched an open source release of the Alexa Automotive Core (AAC) SDK, or Auto SDK, enabling automakers to integrate Alexa voice control into a car’s infotainment system. According to VentureBeat, the software development kit is free for download on GitHub, bringing Alexa to in-car...
Amazon announced that Echo users can now use the smart speaker to shop at Whole Foods. According to Venture Beat, Alexa can now add Prime Now order items to a Whole Foods cart, with same-day delivery guaranteed within two hours. Amazon launched Prime Now deliveries...
Amazon is rolling out a new feature for Alexa enabled devices dubbed Alexa Cast, which enables users to control the music playing on the device from their smartphone. The Verge, citing Amazon, reported that the feature only currently works with the Amazon Music app but could...
Welcome to Five at Five, your late look at payments and commerce news of the day. Coverage includes Amazon signing on Yext to offer business info on Alexa devices, SWIFT will start testing a new multi-bank standard and the U.K. payments watchdog will review banks that process...
Shoppers wanting to find out where specific businesses are located and how long they are open can now just ask Alexa. The capability comes via a deal between Amazon and Yext, a company that deals in location data and associated services. “With this new relationship, consumers...
Predicting the future is hard work, and as we come to the close of the 21st century’s second decade, it is fair to say that the science-fiction writers of the 20th century did a so-so job of predicting the technological future. Despite much complaining on...