Google Is Putting An Algorithmic Audio News Feed On Its Assistant (theverge.com) 22
Google is adding an algorithmically determined news feed to its Google Assistant via a new service it's calling "Your News Update." The Verge reports: Google uses the information it has learned about you over the years alongside your location to custom-build a series of short news updates from partners from which it has licensed audio. It hopes to foster an ecosystem it's calling "the audio web," according to Liz Gannes, Google's product manager of audio news. These aren't podcasts so much as news bites, similar to the hourly news updates that can be heard on the radio. Your News Update replaces the current way of getting news updates from Assistant, which consists of a straightforward list of news sources. With that system, you have to choose which sources you want and what order they're played in.
Before, you would have had to ask for the news and hear the hourly update from NPR, then The Daily from The New York Times, then CNN (or whichever news sources you chose). Now, you will hear individual, topic-specific news bites from Google's news partners. And instead of it cycling hourly or daily, it will play based on those topics. Google says that once Your News Update goes live, users will be able to choose between either the new system or the original one.
Before, you would have had to ask for the news and hear the hourly update from NPR, then The Daily from The New York Times, then CNN (or whichever news sources you chose). Now, you will hear individual, topic-specific news bites from Google's news partners. And instead of it cycling hourly or daily, it will play based on those topics. Google says that once Your News Update goes live, users will be able to choose between either the new system or the original one.
No (Score:4, Interesting)
I'll look at/listen to what I want to in the way I want to. I may have some favorite topics, but there's always something I see which interests me outside of those topics.
Using this method, I would miss out on those stories, such as the latest from the CDC about the five antibiotic resistant bugs going round. Fun stuff.
Sometimes I'll even read a story about something I would not normally care about, just to keep up with whatever it is in case it comes up in a discussion.
But I'm sure, being an outlier, there will be those people who will love only hearing about things they want to hear about, shutting out all those distractions and unnecessary stories so as not to be exposed to different opinions or ideas which may make them think.
Re: No (Score:2)
Audio web is the story here, and I think it sounds brilliant. Why not do things online during all the tasks that take our eyes and hands but very little thought?
Re: (Score:2)
Why would you miss out on other stories, unless you only get news from Google Assistant audio?
When I ask for audio news in the morning, I get stories from ~8 different media outlets now. But most of the stories are repeats. With this, I'll be able to hear each story once.
When I'm reading text, I'll read the same story from three different outlets so I can see multiple sides of the issues. But for audio news, I just want a quick summary.
Re: (Score:2)
You know exactly what they are really saying beyond the double speak of "Your News Update", what they are really saying is "Our corporate propaganda and advertising demand" and audio, fuck, for those listening in for calls, you can image getting bombarded by screaming advertisements between calls, Russia evil update, China greedy update, CIA not Cunts Idiots and Arseholes, buy, buy, buy, buy in now right now. Imagine the SJFs googlites continuously whispering in your ear every waking hour of the day (check
So Google Assistant is like a parrot (Score:2)
The kind who used to serve in the british navy.
How to be obnoxious with the help of Google. (Score:2)
I mistakenly interpreted this at first... (Score:2)
.... as Google using algorithms to write news, which sounded like a terrible idea.
But then again... hmm, let's let TalkToTransformer give it a try.
Completion
Mother Theresa emerged victorious in the world heavyweight boxing championship on Friday, defeating authoritarian ruler Saddam Hussein in the final round by technical knockout.
According to the Associated Press, the nun "put down her opponent with a single punch."
The victory for the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church comes at a pivotal moment for Ir
Re: (Score:2)
Completion:
The British political scene was rocked today by the news that former prime minister David Cameron is having an affair with a pig. The Independent has seen a letter that he wrote to his mistress in which he reveals that he has "been intimate" with a pig named "Molly".
The letter is dated December 28th, 2009, and sent to an account at a financial services firm in Paris. It is a letter from the former PM.
According to a copy of the letter seen by the Independent, the "sensible man" who is now the lead
Re: (Score:2)
Completion:
In a candid moment during an interview with the Daily Mail, former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson admitted that he secretly feels that the 2011 Nissan Leaf is the best car ever made.
In addition to the car itself being a "great" design, Clarkson also believes the "fun factor" of driving a Leaf is "off the charts," and that the vehicle itself is "easy and safe," which was the first time he mentioned the Leaf's fun factor.
The reason he feels the Leaf is the best car ever made, according to Clarkson,
Re: (Score:2)
Could even have a cooking section.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tbsp cyanide powder
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups ice cold water
Instructions:
1. Pour flour into a bowl, add cyanide powder and powdered sugar.
2. Mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes smooth.
3. Add milk, one cup at a time, until all the milk has been added.
4. Add ice cold water as it begins to thicken and stir until it comes together.
5. Heat a pan to high.
6. Add flour mixture to the pan and stir until it comes together.
7.
Nope (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Most of the Google recommendations I get now point to stupid clickbait sites with tons of ads.
Re: (Score:2)
I have not visited Google News for ages, 5 years at least, and when I did, to check your criticism, it was much better than I was expecting.
It is definitely better than any individual MSM sites. It has more structure, and it has local news more organized.
Re: (Score:2)
Reinventing the wheel: Radio (Score:2)
Okay, so let it sink in ....
>" custom-build a series of short news updates from partners from which it has licensed audio
>... similar to the hourly news updates that can be heard on the radio."
Doesn't that sound exactly like the news updates for Radio? A technology that has seen wide and popular application since the 1920s?
So what do we take from this? Personal radio news? In a format thats already so short you can cover world news and local news in 10 minutes, at a rapid pace?
And it will be like most
Text is much better (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Same. Audio presents information too slowly.
Maybe if they had a double-speed option.
who ordered the echo chamber? (Score:2)
I'm getting tired of algorithms hiding shit and foisting what others think I need to see on me.
War Of The Worlds (Score:2)