Your smartphone can now act as your butler. Here are some virtual assistants you can download to make life easier
Love Jarvis, the virtual assistant that Iron Man keeps snapping orders to? Would you like to have a virtual assistant? Now you can set up one on your phone to help you get your life in order.
Assistant.ai
Free on Android, iTunes and Windows Store. In-app, or additional feature purchases starting from Rs.53.65 onwards
The app lets you choose an avatar for your personal assistant. It gives you news, and lets you search for specific terms and phrases on Google, find locations through Yelp, open the calculator, ask general knowledge questions and get answers from Wikipedia, make calls, send texts and emails and update the calendar and tasks list. If you want some entertainment, it can update your Facebook and Twitter pages, and play music and videos too. In addition, it can also navigate, translate and open other apps installed in the phone, and can be customized as well.
OK Google
Free on Android, iOS and Windows Phone
Holler “Ok Google” into the microphone of your phone and the voice search feature will find what you’re looking for. This includes quick translation to other languages, searching for an item or nearby places, calculations, weather information, flights, songs, navigation, asking general knowledge questions, setting reminders, and more. It also lets you track packages, and book event and flight tickets. If you ask for a restaurant’s location and then wish to see the menu, the assistant will show you the same restaurant’s menu. The Now feature provides information such as traffic conditions on the route to your office, weather updates, and meetings and news you might be interested in.
Siri
Free on iPhone
Siri converses with you through voice to send messages and emails, schedule meetings, make phone calls, and analyse your requests to open other apps. It can wake you up, play your favourite song, tell you the scores of matches or the prices of stocks you are following, and give you directions and reminders. It can take dictations in English and Hindi and post notes, emails or social media updates. If you say something like, “Tell my husband I’m running late”, Siri will send him a message. Apple is working actively with car manufacturers to integrate Siri into their car’s infotainment systems.
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