I use Siri to send texts, put my phone on Do Not Disturb before I record, set meetings and lots more. One time I don’t use it? In an emergency. Luckily, emergencies are few and far between in my life (knock on wood), but I wouldn’t risk it.

Researchers asked voice assistants questions related to cardiac arrest emergencies. Yep, it was a complete disaster. You might think a quick “Hey, Siri” would pull up the instructions quickly and clearly, but that’s absolutely the worst thing to do. 

Click here to read full story.

Remember screaming, “Dinner’s ready!” Or maybe you had a fancy built-in intercom system in your house? Those clunky old systems feel outdated today, but man, were they handy.

Good news: You have access to the future world version if you own any smart speakers. It’s super easy to set up. Let me show you how.

Click here to read full story.

When we have friends and family with kids over, voice assistants can become a favorite attraction. At best, someone will start another “Baby Shark” round and you’ll sing it for a week.

But what if one of those curious kiddos buys toys with your Amazon Echo? Or maybe your niece, Alexis, will have the Echo going haywire.

Click here to read full story.

Think of everything you do online and in real life that says something about who you are. Your likes, clicks, hobbies and activities all add to the wealth of data points companies already have on you.

What about your conversations with Alexa or Siri? How is that data used? Let’s take a deep look at how they use your conversations to create profiles.

Click here to read full story.

Ever think about how much Google knows about you? You don’t have to wonder. Sign in to your Google account and check this page to see exactly what the search giant thinks you’re interested in.

It’s not just search. Your Gmail inbox, Google Drive files, Maps history, YouTube views and much more are added to the dossier of info on you. Here’s a buried Google Maps setting you should change right now.

Click here to read full story.

You’re suddenly thrown into a situation where you must perform CPR to save a life. Oh no. You don’t remember anything from that course 15 years ago.

You might think a quick “Hey Siri” would pull up the instructions quickly and clearly, but that’s absolutely the worst thing to do. In a recent study, researchers asked voice assistants questions related to cardiac arrest emergencies. Yep. It was a complete disaster.

Click here to read full story.

You’re gonna love this! Forget fumbling with your phone. Start talking to Siri or Google Assistant. (Sorry, Samsung — no one uses Bixby.) Here are a few great voice commands you’re going to love. Just say, “Hey Siri” or “Hey Google” before the command.

“Find my phone.” Siri and Google will have your phone make sounds so you can locate it, even if it’s lost in the couch with the remote.

Click here to read full story.

Look up next time you’re outside and guess where the airplane above you is headed. Los Angeles? New York? Paris? Ask Siri this phrase, “What flights are overhead?” You’ll see the carrier, flight number and altitude in seconds. I love sharing simple digital life tips that make things easier.

Your phone’s smart assistant is high on the usefulness scale — if you know the correct commands. Here are five I use all the time.

Click here to read full story.

Siri. Alexa. Google Assistant. We love our smart assistants, and we know you do, too. Sometimes, though, enough is enough. Tap or click for six fixes for annoying Google Assistant problems.

If you’re sick of Google Assistant butting in when it’s unwanted, we feel you. But how do you disable Google Assistant on Android? Luckily, it’s easy to disable with only a few quick commands.

Click here to read full story.

Virtual assistants can be used with smartphones, tablets, computers and smart devices, including speakers, TVs, lightbulbs, thermostats, surveillance cameras and more. While Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, Bixby and others are designed to make your life easier, it helps to know everything they can do.

Google Assistant is among the most popular virtual assistants, and there’s always something new to learn when it comes to what it can do for you. We’ve gathered five neat tricks you may not know about.

Click here to read full story.

A voice assistant is like your own genie: Your wish is its command. For example, you can use it to open navigation apps while you drive. This way, you’re keeping both hands on the wheel and focusing on the road instead of your screen.

As long as you speak clearly, it will do exactly what you want. Tap or click here for five ways to help your smart assistant understand you better.

Click here to read full story.

Google Assistant is one of the most helpful tools on your smartphone. It can read the news or tell you a joke to brighten your day and so much more.

Did you know you can use Google’s virtual assistant to order a coffee? We can’t think of a better way to start the day. Tap or click here for five Google Assistant tricks you may not know about.

Click here to read full story.

Digital assistants are helpful gadgets to have around the house and on the go. They can help you with the weather, the traffic on the road, daily reminders, music suggestions, morning routines and more.

More vehicles are equipped with technology to better sync your phone to your cars, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This also makes it easier to use your voice assistant on the road. While this can be useful, what’s the legality of talking to your phone’s smart assistant while driving? Tap or click here to find out.

Click here to read full story.

Communication can be challenging at the best of times, but it’s especially rough when speaking with a robot. Frequently, Alexa will spout off, “Sorry, I don’t know that one,” or Siri will say, “I’m not sure I understand.” Tap or click here to get Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant to understand you better.

Despite the occasional frustration, having a smart assistant around can do you good. When it’s listening correctly, it can turn on lights, open apps and even play music. You also get a hands-free way to call other people, which is great when you’re gobbling up Cheetos and don’t want orange dust smearing across your screen.

Click here to read full story.

Smart assistants can be used with smartphones, tablets, computers and smart devices to make life easier. You can turn the lights on, set a reminder to get the groceries, recommend a restaurant, play your favorite music and set the mood to watch a movie. The possibilities are truly endless.

A smart assistant is only as good as the commands you give to it. Sometimes it can get confused and needs further clarification. This can be frustrating, but it’s important not to lose your cool, making things worse. Tap or click here for five ways to get Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant to understand you better.

Click here to read full story.

Calling up a business only to be placed on hold is so frustrating. You are most likely to encounter it when you phone a large company and the person you need to speak to isn’t available. Tap or click here to see how T-Mobile’s Scam Shield blocked 21B scam calls in 2021.

It also regularly happens when you get transferred between departments. The receiver of your phone call uses a call waiting system, which places you on hold. They can freely swap between lines, but you need to sit tight or hang up.

Click here to read full story.

Google is no stranger to questionable privacy procedures, with numerous concerns raised over its data-collection methods over the past few years.

While Facebook and Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa, have faced similar accusations, new technology for Google Assistant makes it entirely possible for the devices to listen in on conversations without your knowledge.

Click here to read full story.

The invention of Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant made our lives so easy with voice-activated search features. While it started just answering simple questions, it’s evolved way past that. Tap or click here for Amazon Echo tips and tricks.

You can order groceries, hear the latest news and even tell April Fools jokes with your Alexa if you are feeling funny. Siri and Google Assistant offer similar handy features.

Click here to read full story.

When tech giants exist in the same space, a rivalry is inevitable. This ranges from lighthearted poking through advertising or aggressive campaigning and lawsuits. We, the users, are usually forced to pick a side. But some companies realize they can retain their customer base and expand interest in their products by offering greater compatibility with other devices and platforms.

Windows is the most popular operating system globally, so it makes sense that Windows compatibility makes for a good selling point. You can run Windows on a Mac using Apple’s built-in Boot Camp Assistant. And now, you can connect an Android phone to a Windows PC.

Click here to read full story.

When it comes to smart assistants, we tend to hear about Alexa more often than other options on the market. But while Alexa can admittedly do some pretty cool things, so can other smart assistants.

Take Google Assistant, for instance. We got a little taste of Google Assistant during a Super Bowl commercial that had everyone in their feelings last year. It depicted the bittersweet story of a man using Google Assistant to come to terms with the loss of his wife, Loretta.

Click here to read full story.