Facebook researching human-powered personal assistant service to rival Apple's Siri, report says
With good number of major tech companies fielding their own brand of virtual assistant technology, Facebook is reportedly eyeing its own entry with "Moneypenny," a hybrid feature that helps users complete tasks like buying products and services online.
Being tested internally, Moneypenny, named after the James Bond franchise character who serves as M's secretary, is said to bring a human touch to modern digital assistants, reports The Information. For example, users might ask Moneypenny to research and purchase an HDTV.
Not much is known beyond a codename and vague feature overview, though it is thought to be under testing as part of Facebook Messenger. Sources did not specify how Facebook plans to process incoming requests, but the publication noted Moneypenny could follow similar business models in operation at so-called "concierge" firms like Magic, Operator and Fetch.
Apple, Google and Microsoft all have first-party virtual assistants in Siri, Google Now and Cortana, respectively, though none are backed by live human assistance. Moneypenny could look something like a mix between Siri and Amazon's "Echo" virtual assistant hardware platform, the latter of which rolls in support for ordering real products.
Facebook would presumably offer the service on all major smartphone platforms and the Web. It is unclear if Facebook plans to charge a fee for purchased items, though Moneypenny might pay for itself in driving Messenger adoption and expanding the company's access to consumer data.
Facebook has been working toward more direct transactions, and recently bolstered Messenger with person-to-person money transfers, a feature offered by competing social networking services like Snapchat.
Being tested internally, Moneypenny, named after the James Bond franchise character who serves as M's secretary, is said to bring a human touch to modern digital assistants, reports The Information. For example, users might ask Moneypenny to research and purchase an HDTV.
Not much is known beyond a codename and vague feature overview, though it is thought to be under testing as part of Facebook Messenger. Sources did not specify how Facebook plans to process incoming requests, but the publication noted Moneypenny could follow similar business models in operation at so-called "concierge" firms like Magic, Operator and Fetch.
Apple, Google and Microsoft all have first-party virtual assistants in Siri, Google Now and Cortana, respectively, though none are backed by live human assistance. Moneypenny could look something like a mix between Siri and Amazon's "Echo" virtual assistant hardware platform, the latter of which rolls in support for ordering real products.
Facebook would presumably offer the service on all major smartphone platforms and the Web. It is unclear if Facebook plans to charge a fee for purchased items, though Moneypenny might pay for itself in driving Messenger adoption and expanding the company's access to consumer data.
Facebook has been working toward more direct transactions, and recently bolstered Messenger with person-to-person money transfers, a feature offered by competing social networking services like Snapchat.
Comments
Luckily, I'm not on Facebook, for a whole number of reasons, but I don't see this SIRI clone being any good. It'll probably be as succesful as their Facebook phone, which turned out to be a total flop and terrible disaster.
I also feel that there are numerous political reasons to not be supporting an anti-American company such as Facebook. Their CEO, that Zuckerberg character supports illegal alien lawbreakers and has donated many millions to such causes. I wonder how Facebook feels about all of the American citizens that have been brutally murdered lately by some of these illegal alien criminals that should have never been in the country to begin with. No way could I support an anti-American company like Facebook. I feel that Facebook should relocate their HQ to another country.
Zuckerberg and Failbook can jump in a lake for all I care. Garbage service, garbage apps.
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why would i go to an app to ask a question when i can just do it normally on the iPhone?
nice name though.
They would've done better naming it "Pussygalore".
The name is awesome. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine how Facebook will compete with Apple and Google when they don't have mail, calendar, etc., apps that anybody uses. A personal assistant doesn't do much good without integration with other apps.
I sometimes wonder if we will ever be so lucky as to have a single thread without one of your shitty, off-topic, hateful rants, but of course that would be wishful thinking.
I sometimes wonder if we will ever be so lucky as to have a single thread without one of your shitty, off-topic, hateful rants, but of course that would be wishful thinking.
Have you not noticed that I've hardly been posting here for a few months now? I've been busy with a few other things, therefore what you claim is simply not true at all. Far from it.
And it's hardly off topic that somebody makes a comment that is directly related and linked to a company that happens to be highly controversial because of their massive political activities. Facebook seems more like a political action group than a so-called social networking site. The two go hand in hand, and it is difficult to separate the two, as it was their choice alone to become political activists. Nobody forced them to.
When Tim Cook and Apple marches in a gay pride parade (which I don't have any big issue with by the way), are they going off topic?
When an anti-capitalist on this forum complains that Apple charges too much for their devices, are they going off topic?
When a socialist on this forum complains about worker treatment in China, are they going off topic?
You know, it's no accident that chem-trails are forming a giant "X" over your home...
I just spilled my coffee laughing...
It's not hard to figure out how that would work. It just recommends the HDTV of whichever manufacturer paid them the most to recommend theirs.
It's not hard to figure out how that would work. It just recommends the HDTV of whichever manufacturer paid them the most to recommend theirs.
So, same thing as Google then? ;-).
I so I assume they'll be paying Ian Fleming's estate royalties?[/QUOTE]
Why the Fleming estate, if anyone, they would have to pay Callitech Limited, as their the ones who trademarked the name. However I don't think they have to pay anything if it's a free service, did Apple pay Siri the pornstar for the use of her name, who knows, maybe they did.
You are one of the most hateful people of things you don't use I've ever come across. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that you not only have a FaceBook account but you use it on an Android phone, oh and you beat up blind people, sorry, blind immigrant people. I'm sure your a native American, thus having every right to say these horrible things. Look at the murder statistics for your country, 84% of whites murdered are killed by other whites. You just believe any and all crap that the white Republicans of your country tell you, these immigrant killers is just another smokescreen put into play to blind you from the real issues that are affecting your country. Just like gay marriage has been for the last ten years. I'm not denying this isn't happening or isn't a problem, it's horrific, just that your blowing it way out of proportion, not ever illegal alien is a killer searching for their next white suburban house wife to kill. You'll forget all about this come next election anyway, as they'll have come up with a new boogeyman for you to hate and rally against. Damn communists, that's still a thing right.
Siri can't control the inner workings of other apps, personally I think every Web site and appp should have some sort of voice services, AppleInsider for instance, just say, "reply to the lastest post from revenant" and than you'll be able to just talk instead of type. Now I can do voice dictation easily enough on my BlackBerry Passport by just clicking on the little microphone icon but it's the commands that I'm interested in. "Find every post in the last week from revenant", "create new thread", etc.
This isn't meant to replace Siri, just additional help in navigating FaceBook.
Facebook doesn't sell your info, their really isn't any reason to do so, people freely share their info anyway. A simple script could parse thousands of users Facebook pages in a manner of minutes and get every detail about an individual for free.
You are one of the most hateful people of things you don't use I've ever come across. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that you not only have a FaceBook account but you use it on an Android phone, oh and you beat up blind people, sorry, blind immigrant people. I'm sure your a native American, thus having every right to say these horrible things. Look at the murder statistics for your country, 84% of whites murdered are killed by other whites. You just believe any and all crap that the white Republicans of your country tell you, these immigrant killers is just another smokescreen put into play to blind you from the real issues that are affecting your country. Just like gay marriage has been for the last ten years. I'm not denying this isn't happening or isn't a problem, it's horrific, just that your blowing it way out of proportion, not ever illegal alien is a killer searching for their next white suburban house wife to kill. You'll forget all about this come next election anyway, as they'll have come up with a new boogeyman for you to hate and rally against. Damn communists, that's still a thing right.
That's one bet that I would definitely accept. It would be the easiest money that I've ever made. Me on Facebook, and using it on an Android phone?
I have never once signed up for Facebook in my entire life, not under my name, and not under any fake name either. I have also never, ever owned any type of Android phone whatsoever. That's the funniest thing that you've ever written, in my opinion.
As for any elections, we'll see what happens when that time comes.