Customize your company’s voice
Google recently launched a few updates to its Contact Center AI product. Among them is Custom Voice, available in beta, a new capability for CCAI and Text-to-Speech API that lets you create a unique voice to represent your brand across all your customer touchpoints, instead of using a common voice shared with other organizations. By taking advantage of the custom Text-to-Speech model created with Custom Voice, you can define and choose the voice profile that suits your business and adjust to changes without scheduling studio time with voice actors to record new phrases.
How could this new feature be used? Tech Crunch provided one example: Maybe your company has a well-known spokesperson for example, but it would be pretty arduous to have them record every sentence in an automated response system or bring them back to the studio whenever you launch a new product or procedure. With Custom Voice, businesses can bring in their voice talent to the studio and have them record a script provided by Google. The company will then take those recordings and train its speech models based on them.
Improving your work-from-home experience
When it comes to computer monitors, seeing is believing. The editors at Wired included the best computer monitors for home offices in a recent work from home gear guide. Among the top recommendations:
- Acer SB220Q Bi 22-Inch Full HD monitor for $90 (“This simple 1080p monitor will do the job for most people and it’s about as affordable as monitors get.”)
- HP 24F 24-Inch Full HD Monitor for $180 (“It can’t be mounted, but it’s ultrathin and shouldn’t take up much space on your desk.”)
- Asus VA24EHE 24-Inch Full HD monitor for $110 (“It’s well built, looks sleek, and the screen is sharp and gets incredibly bright. It’s plenty colorful, too.”)
- LG 24-Inch Full HD monitor for $130 (“Like the Asus, this is another good option if you want to mount your monitor.”)
- Dell S2719DM 27-Inch QHD monitor for $380 (“This monitor is bigger, has a very slim profile, a higher 1440p pixel resolution, can be mounted, and even supports HDR for better colors in supported apps.”)
- LG 34-Inch ultrawide monitor for $377 (“If you’re frequently in front of a monitor and find yourself craving more screen, consider an ultrawide.”)
Read the full gear guide at: www.wired.com/story/work-from-home-home-office-gear-guide/#intcid=_wired-homepage-right-rail_2db1b67a-7d68-42ab-8557-212f46352dc7_popular4-1.
End of an era
According to The Verge, game console manufacturer Nintendo has discontinued the 3DS nearly 10 years after its release. Nintendo’s focus is now fully on the Switch, with the console’s hybrid nature removing the need for a dedicated handheld system. The 3DS received several revisions throughout its life: the larger 3DS XL, the improved New 3DS, the cut-price 2DS, and finally the sleek 2DS XL. In total, Nintendo shipped more than 75 million 3DS consoles worldwide – fewer than half as many of its predecessor, the phenomenally popular DS, The Verge reported. “But overall, the system can be seen as a success, and helped steer the company through the rocky Wii U years with more than 384 million games sold.”
The company has shipped more than 61 million Switch consoles as of the end of June – a figure that is likely to overtake the 3DS this holiday season.
Game on
Speaking of game consoles, Sony’s PlayStation 5 is set to debut this month. The electronics company announced it will launch the PS5 in the United States on Nov. 12. A digital edition of the PS5 will sell for $399.99 while the standard model will sell for $499.99. Sony is touting the console will come with lightning-fast loading with an ultra-high speed SSD, a deeper immersion with support for haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and 3D Audio, and an all-new generation of incredible PlayStation® games.
Samsung launches Galaxy Watch3 Titanium
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced the launch of Titanium model of Galaxy Watch3. “Galaxy Watch3 boasts all the craftsmanship of a high-end timepiece, built with premium materials and a stunning signature rotating bezel,” the company said in a release. “And now, for the first time, Samsung is offering a titanium smartwatch model: elegant and lightweight, yet built to last. With military-grade durability and water resistance, your watch is fit for any setting – whether you’re running through the backwoods or meeting in the boardroom.”
The Galaxy Watch3 is packed with advanced monitoring features that offer valuable insights into your fitness and wellness. On-demand SpO2 measurements can track how well your heart is pumping oxygen, while VO2 max readings can evaluate overall endurance during training. To help you smash your fitness goals, enhanced sensors ensure that you stay within your target zone during workouts, home training programs allow you to exercise from home, and new sleep management tools maximize recovery. Starting at $599.99, Galaxy Watch3 Titanium will be available this fall at Samsung.com and major retailers.