Google Duplex: An AI System for Accomplishing Real-World Tasks Over the Phone

Google Duplex: Making AI Conversationalists

The biggest challenge when it comes to machines, is to make them natural conversationalists. Right now we can tell the machine to do this or that but we can’t really have normal conversations with them, that is where Google Duplex comes in. Google Duplex not only understands normal human conversations but also understands the context in which a person is speaking and then replies accordingly. Currently conversation systems in place, sound stilted and struggle to understand the basics of the conversation.

Here is where Google Duplex enters in. The AI network is capable of making certain conversations over the phone such as making an appointment. The conversation is supposed to be natural and the person on the other end shouldn’t even know that they are basically talking to a robot. Google Duplex is centered around only certain areas so that each of these areas can be explored extensively enough to help Google Duplex learn the speech requirements.

Challenges in making Google Duplex sound realistic: 

The whole idea for Google Duplex is for the system to sound natural,which means understanding the nuances of conversation like understanding when to pause mid- sentence and understanding the context of the conversation while making the right intonations.

When people have conversations with each other they often speak in more complex sentences, omit words and use words such as “umm” and “uh” often in the sentence. The problems of natural conversation is compounded by the fact that when the conversation is made over the phone, then word errors and such become all the more common taking into account background noises.

How does Google Duplex solve these problems? 

Google Duplex is a recurrent neural network. Google has trained Google Duplex to the highest level of precision based on a bunch of conversation data. Based on this conversation data, Google Duplex uses Google automatic speech recognition tech, features from the audio, the parameters of the conversation and the history of the conversation to learn speech requirements.

As for sounding natural, Google used text to speech or TTS engine for short and a synthesis TTS engine to help with intonation in a natural conversation. Google has also incorporated speech disfluencies or the “umms”and “uhhs” in conversation to make Google Duplex more natural sounding. They have also used timed pauses, as if a person is gathering their thoughts, in the Google Duplex system. But to make these timed responses more natural they have to be placed in the right places in a conversation, for that Google Duplex uses low-confidence models to decide when a pause is required and when it is not.

In Conversation with Google Duplex: 

The entire Google Duplex system is capable of carrying out sophisticated conversations all on its own without any human intervention.

The Google Duplex system also comes with self- monitoring capabilities that allow it to know when the conversation is going out of its depth and then it lets a human operator take over.

The Google Duplex system goes through a series of training wherein a real life instructor guides the system in conversation and can correct the Google Duplex system too in real time.

Apple Admits Some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Models Have Disabled Microphones During Phone Calls

Apple comes clean about disabled microphones during phone calls on some iPhone 7 and Plus models

For long Apple users believed that its products are devoid of any major kind of issues, bugs and virus attacks but sadly that doesn't hold true. Like every other smartphone, Apple's iPhone is also prone to bugs, glitches and attacks and this time around it’s quite embarrassing.

Apple has finally admitted that some of its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models have been suffering from a bug which is disabling the microphone during phone calls. This issue is persistent with the iPhone 7 and Plus models running on the iOS 11.3 or later versions. Most of the users suffering from this bug have been seeing their speaker button greyed out during the calls or while using the FaceTime to video chat.

Knowing but not accepting

A number of users have been actively complaining about this issue on the Reddit and Twitter platform for past few months. They had specifically described the microphone issues on the social media but Apple has simply overlooked it. However, one of the leaked documents has suggested that Apple was alerted by its authorized service centres network but Apple has simply failed to take the action in time.

Apple engineers had come to the conclusion that only those iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models have affected which are running on the iOS version 1.3 or later versions. However, Apple has affirmed it is aware of the problem at hand and it is taking the right course of action to come up with a solution at the earliest for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users.

A noble solution

Apple has advised the tech support workers to relay the instruction to the customers. The best way to resolve this problem on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models is to unpair or turn any kind of Bluetooth devices or accessories connected with the smartphone. In case this fails to resolve the issue then run audio diagnostics which will give alert messages like "device could not detect dock" or "accessory not supported".

Upon receiving this messages on the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus models the tech support workers can start the lumber-some process of fixing the smartphone. The leaked documents, however, fail to clearly mention the software or hardware issue which seems to be plaguing a number of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices.

Apple seems to be a bit sluggish for some time to perform widespread testing of its iOS updates before releasing it. The issues with the disabled microphone aren't widespread but it has caused considerable pain for quite a number of users who took to the social media to raise this issue.

Apple is known for its excellent yet stiff warranty policy which is both loved and hated by the iPhone users. This time Apple is making the exception of allowing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus beyond warranty to be fixed without any questions. The major thing to consider here is the price which has simply been non-existent on the leaked documents as well.

Apple Quickly Patches Siri’s Profane Mother Glitch

Apple’s Mother Glitch Phenomenon

Making a virtual assistant to misbehave is something some people find really interesting. Don’t ask me what the fascination is. But something about artificial intelligence using profanity or doing something unexpected appeals to their inner child. The latest AI tech to come under the profanity radar is Siri. The new so- called- glitch is known as “Mother Glitch”.

Recently a reddit user on r/apple asked Apple users to ask Siri to define mother and if you think that Siri dutifully gave a warm snuggly reply to that question well you’re wrong. Siri, to the surprise and maybe even shock of everyone went on to spew out profanity.

More about Siri’s Mother Glitch:

When you think mother, you think comfort, warmth and love but apparently the same cannot be said of Siri. When users asked Siri to define mother, in a glitch, Siri apparently used a bad word starting with mother to be more precise “mother******”.

The action on the part of Siri has now come to be known as the mother glitch. After the reddit user got almost everyone doing it, several YouTube video sprang out on Siri’s “mother glitch”.

The secret edit of Mother Glitch by Apple:

The reddit user first informed people of the mother glitch on 28th April and by 30th April the joke was apparently off. Apple may have secretly swooped in and edited Siri’s offbeat reply. The mother glitch joke is now at an end.

Now if you ask Siri what mother means, the assistant would give you the warm snuggly reply you hoped for in the first place.

Not the first time around:

Siri’s mother glitch is not the first time around users got to contort the iPhone’s function and then claimed that Apple was hiding some secret functions.

Another incident related to Siri was that by telling the assistant to charge an iPhone to 100% or by pressing on the button 5times would in fact surreptitiously call the police.

Where was the mother glitch present on? 

The iPhone wasn’t the only Apple device to be affected, Mac and other Apple devices with Siri on them too were affected. Apparently another user tried to see if Siri used the expletive on all Apple devices and apparently it did so without fail.

When asked what the definition of what mother is, Siri first said it is a woman with children, then the second definition contained something people were not going to expect- the expletive.

Apple has not come forth to address the issue and that is probably because they have dealt with similar situations in the past secretly and quietly.

Leaked iPhone Pics Show Glass Back and Headphone Jack

New iPhone to have Glass Back and Headphone Jack?

Apple launched the first iPhone SE back in March 2016 and now there are talks that a new iPhone is in the pipelines, this time around with a glass backing and a headphone jack. Seems Apple has not done away with headphone jacks completely and why would they? This phone is pegged as a budget iPhone, if there ever was such a thing. Recent prowling of the net shows that there are iPhone Pics out there, of the leaked variety, that has a glass back and a headphone jack.

These designs seem to be taking cue from iPhone 5 and let’s just say that we are really liking what we see. What’s more with the new iPhone is that it supports wireless charging too, just like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X models, putting it in line with Apple’s flagship offerings. Now I’m really liking what I see.

The Supposed new iPhone SE 2 Design:

There have long since been rumors that Apple is working on another updated iPhone SE smartphone. The first SE iPhone was released back in 2016 with a newer version released the next year with updated specs of course.

SE iPhone’s are the cheapest iPhones that Apple has to offer, with a 4 inch screen.

Recently pictures were released of an Apple iPhone with a glass backing and a headphone jack( oh! How we missed you) that is presumably got to do with iPhone SE 2.

Any talks of the new iPhone SE phone? 

WWDC to be held in June maybe the first time Apple may mention a new iPhone SE in the works. On the birthday of the SE iPhone recently, Apple held an event that to launch an education based iPad in Chicago.

Apple may have pushed news of the new SE iPhone to WWDC to be held in June, to make room for the new iPad and so as to not take away focus from the educational iPad.

At least the headphone jack is there in the new SE iPhone: 

While Apple removed its headphone jack from their flagship phones, it has thought to retain the jack in the iPhone SE 2.

This supposed low cost iPhone is meant for growing markets and therefore it make sense that Apple would want to retain the headphone jack. Not everyone can afford the wireless Apple earbuds to go along with their iPhones.

The iPhones SE are phones that are meant to serve an audience that can manage on the small screen and miss the headphone jacks.

These new pics surely have stirred up interest among the tech gurus out there and not only them but a whole lot of others as well. There is a debate going on the net whether the iPhone SE 2 will retain its headphone jack or not. There are also talks that the new iPhone SE will come with an upgraded camera and new hardware. Well at least for now it is a waiting game for the new iPhone SE.

Google Just Launched Grasshopper, a Smartphone Game to Teach Adults How to Code

Grasshopper: Google’s effort to teach adults coding

It’s no doubt that with computers being used everywhere in today’s world that computer programming is the highest paid job that is out there today. While many learn computer programming as a way to further their careers others are less inclined to do so and one of the reasons could be, is that it is too complicated. Well, Google wants to change all that with Grasshopper.

For those who want to learn coding and do not know where to start, Google’s Grasshopper seems to be the Launchpad. Moving from one level to the other through programming, Grasshopper tries to build interest in coding through a simple- enough- to- understand- game. There are already a number of games out there for children to encourage them to learn coding but hardly anything for adults. The gaming world, when it comes to coding, seems to be more centered- around children as the target audience rather than adults.

How Grasshopper wants to increase interest in adults to coding?

Product developer for Grasshopper stated time, money and access as some of the main reasons why adults don’t want to learn coding. When you are a child coding may seem a fun activity but as you grow older it just becomes something that you have to study and then you become less inclined to do so.

Time becomes the main barrier to learn coding. With many people having hectic lifestyles, coding becomes a little difficult to fit into the picture. But Google hopes to change all that with Grasshopper. Being in the form of a game, Google hope that adults would be able to fit in learning coding in their breaks or when they come back home and just want to unwind.

What does Grasshopper involve?

Grasshopper does not make you a programming genius overnight but in the hopes of introducing you to the basics of programming, Grasshopper aims to help individuals find out if programming is for them or not.

The game includes learning the fundamentals of JavaScript and also a schedule for very time you wish to play Grasshopper, you can set up a schedule of reminders for everyday or every other day or even none at all.

To complete each puzzle all you have to do is enter code, for every line of code one part of the puzzle is solved. It is as simple as that. Besides this, Grasshopper also includes quizzes that help people in understanding the basic principles of the coding their following.

Grace who is a Grasshopper that helps users along the way, is named after Grace Hopper a computer industry pioneer.

Google is also partnering with Coursera and LaunchCode to help users who feel like coding is for them. Grasshopper, which teaches individuals the basics of JavaScript, would be the first step and then if people like what they are doing and want to learn more, they could sign up with LaunchCode or Coursera as the next option available to them.

Grasshopper will be available on both iOS and Android operating systems.