Notsofast

So much of the superiority of Google's assistant is just hype.  I wish more folks, especially bloggers posting articles like this on sites like AI would research it more.  Assistants need to be able to do much more than Internet searches.   Indeed it's really how well can they perform a variety of tasks.  Alexa is well behind Siri and Google, who are very close, with Siri able to do some things that Google can't and vice versa, but with Google, you have to give up all privacy.

Here's a recent thorough test of the big three against each other with a wide variety of tasks.  

http://www.businessinsider.com/siri-vs-google-assistant-cortana-alexa-2016-11/#so-what-did-we-learn-here-46

To whet your appetite,  here's from the author's summary of the face offI know,

 "I know — there are a lot of embarrassing moments for Google up there. If I were to simply count each "winner" above, Siri would be right there with it. Things are closer than the recent Google hype machine would suggest."

Please help educate Americans who are confused about these tax credits. Because of so much inaccurate reporting, many Americans believe Wisconsin has given billions to Foxconn. That's not true, and it's not ever going to be true. What Wisconsin did is to say if you build your factory here and create thousands of jobs, we will give you a break regarding the taxes you would have to pay. Whether you agree with giving companies tax credits like this, it's very different than taking existing tax dollars and giving them to a company. Ditto with how it was falsely and ignorantly reported that NY was giving huge amounts of to Amazon that could be used for other purposes. LOL. Those dollars were credits against the tax dollars that Amazon would owe. And now that Amazon isn't coming there, they don't exist!

Spotify is in deep trouble as it has always paid among the worst for songwriters and artists,  almost half of what Apple Music pays out to artists. It finally crept above Amazon this past year.   That's why Apple is viewed most favorably by artists. Here's the latest on who pays what to artists.  (*Note, Napster is likely to go under)  **Also note how Google is hosing artists!!

gatorguy said:

MplsP said:

One of the reasons I tend to stay away from Google is because of privacy/data collection concerns; If Apple can improve Siri while maintaining privacy it would be great

Not that it likely matters. but Google has been using differential privacy in Chrome for some time (not exclusively tho). It's also meant to be used with Google's AI efforts from what I've read.

Apple does have stronger user-facing privacy protections compared to Google, no question. Still neither one is bad when viewed alongside other data aggregators, and both companies are aggressively protective of any user data they've been entrusted with. 

You're being a little disingenuous.  Google is amassing a dossier on everyone that law enforcement can access with subpoena, corrupt goats's, criminal and casual hackers and foreign and domestic intel can obtain and that is frightening in its scale.  Every email, sent and received is scanned and retained, every trip you take, every search you make, every thing you post, every document you upload, etc.,every photograph you take or receive, etc., etc., is given a central identifier to link so Google can track you wherever you go and whatever you do, all in the name of marketing you and your family to companies.  You give them a worldwide license for them and "their partners" to use all that data forever.  Once their ad model falls, they can sell that data to another company and that company will give you a new privacy policy.  What will be the future uses of the dossier they have built on you?  Read your terms of service.  Google knows you won't.

There's a reason Google changed their company motto from "Do no Evil."  

Hard to believe there's much left to say, but a couple of key items the nattering pushers of negativity left out were that there were 100 MILLION new activations of devices in 2018 and there were many developed countries that set new records for revenue.

Amazing how many folks don't appear to have even read the article as they aren't addressing any of the facts/points he brings up.  Instead, just their own "screeds" that "you don't get it, Apple's phones are too expensive."  LOL.  Go back and read the article.  Then come back here and post some facts, not your feelings, that counteract what he and Tim Cook and actual financial analysts are stating. 

This article skims over a key fact that many readers will miss-- Each of these apps can still use always on location tracking!   All Apple did was to wisely eliminate it as a checkbox choice, FOR EVERY APP.  Instead, an app will have to make an explicit request for always on tracking and then the user has to take a few seconds to go into privacy settings and allow it.  

These particular app companies are being disingenuous in that they are afraid that they can't make the case for always on tracking and they are currently relying on people giving them permission without thinking about it.  They are not afraid that you won't be able to use their apps, because obviously if you download it, you are going to give it permissions to work, but they fear that having people make a more conscious decision to allow "always on" tracking will result in fewer people choosing to do so, and them having less data to harvest and sell.  

gatorguy said:

Notsofast said:

Spotify is in deep trouble as it has always paid among the worst for songwriters and artists,  almost half of what Apple Music pays out to artists. It finally crept above Amazon this past year.   That's why Apple is viewed most favorably by artists. Here's the latest on who pays what to artists.  (*Note, Napster is likely to go under)  **Also note how Google is hosing artists!!

Google Play Music at #4 is just one teeny percentage behind Apple Music @#3, .00676 compared to .00735 per stream. But Google is "hosing artists!!" while Apple isn't?
BTW, your source posted an update on those rates based on actual royalty reports the next month:
https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/01/30/2018-streaming-music-price-bible/

Absolutely.  Youtube music is estimated to account for almost 50% of all music streaming.  From Forbes "YouTube is far and away the most popular option in the world when it comes to streaming music."

bells said:

jdw said:

A truly heartwarming story, and sadly one of the few things SIRI can do correctly.

You are just a hater. I just bought a home pod and I was expecting to hate siri based on what people like you say, but she is even more awesome than on the iPhone. First, she understands me incredibly well, from quite a distant further than my iPhone, and she can do quite a bit. Set a timer, make a phone call, tell me just about everything about famous people, countries, companies, etc. She can tell me what is playing at the movies, where the closet pizza place is, what the best pizza place is based on reviews, etc. Honestly, I find new things everyday she can do.Tell me about my day, jokes, the weather, the list goes on and on. 

It's one of those Internet myths that folks care about the 70K "skills" Alexa can do.  Yes, people have written various "skills" such as different fart sounds, but EVERY survey shows that Siri on Homepod can already do what the vast majority of people want their smart speakers to do, e.g., make calls, check on traffic, check on calendar, play music, set timers, read messages, control lights, etc. Of course, Siri does it without compromising your privacy and without having to listen to music or podcast with a tinny sounding throwaway speaker.