Things are changing fast so it’s often enlightening to take a deeper dive into how society is handling our brave new world of smart home technology. The folks at Perficient Digital have been taking the pulse of the country for years, focusing on how people use voice commands in their everyday life. This week, a subsidiary of Perficient Digital called Stone Temple revealed the results of a survey of 1,700 people to learn how they use voice commands, when they use voice, and why.
“Why do we care? It’s simple,” the company says in this year’s survey. “The voice revolution is coming and it’s coming fast. In just a few years, it’s likely that you will spend as much, or more, time interacting with devices that have no screen as you do with devices that have screens, such as laptops and smartphones. This has the potential to drive huge changes in the market, including new winners and losers — and you want to be one of the winners.”
Let’s dive into some of the more interesting trends. The good news for companies working in this space is that over 60 percent of users reported that they are comfortable using voice commands with their devices at home.
Meanwhile, public use of voice commands in some odd situations is growing as well. Nearly 30 percent reported being comfortable using voice commands in a public restroom, in a theater, or in a restaurant, a result that Perficient calls, “stunningly high.”
There are also some schisms between sexes, generations, income, and geography. Among the results:
One interesting takeaway for manufacturers who are integrating digital assistant connectivity into their devices is that people are becoming more comfortable with the degree to which Google, Assistant, Alexa, Cortana, and Siri understand them, with the combination of responses marked, “Very Well, “Well,” and “Not Bad” rocketing up this year to nearly 75 percent approval.
Finally, Perficient also turned up the features that users would like to see offered in the future. These included a customized voice option, more direct answers, improved sequencing, more app integration and support for other languages.
By 2020, Perficient anticipates that 77 percent of all Internet-connected devices will be something other than a tablet, PC or smartphone while digital assistants and smart speakers continue to enjoy widespread adoption. You can check out the full results here.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.