Artificial intelligence doesn’t just power our smart assistants and high-tech gadgets. It has all kinds of applications, including the creation of beautiful, original art. This is a fascinating look at how this technology works, and we’re sure AI’s creativity will blow you away.
Talk techy to me: Get your work done faster with this pro tip
AI still has a long way to go, but I’ll tell you one thing: Writing with your voice is getting a heck of a lot easier.
Maybe you dictate text messages, but there’s so much more you can do if you start dictating for work, too. I’ll show you how, plus I’ve got some tips to make your spoken words shine on the page.
Tricks of the trade
Depending on your operating system, version, software and the direction of the wind (just kidding), these dictation commands may or may not work. But most will, and they’re definitely worth trying!
- Insert punctuation by saying them explicitly, like “Kim exclamation point” for “Kim!” To insert a word that’s also punctuation, such as “comma” or “period,” say “literal comma” or “literal period.”
- “New line” or “New paragraph” will start a new thought or section. Say “Go to” or “Go after” and a word to move the cursor before or after that word.
- To correct the last thing you said, say, “Correct that.”
- “Select that” will select the last thing you said.
- Say “Caps” and a word to capitalize the first letter of that word.
- Say “Select” and a word or phrase to select it, or say “Cut,” “Copy” or “Paste” to edit your doc.
- To format your text, say “Bold,” “Italicize,” “Decrease font size” or “Increase font size,” for instance. Saying “Highlight” plus a color will highlight your text in that color.
- Create lists by saying, “Create a bulleted list” or “Create a numbered list.”
Choose your system or program
For Word: Open a new or existing document and go to Home > Dictate while signed into Microsoft 365 on a mic-enabled device. Wait for the “Dictate” button to turn on and start listening. Start speaking to see text appear on the screen. Easy-peasy!
For Outlook: While signed into Microsoft 365 on a mic-enabled device, start a new email (or reply to an existing one), select the body of the message, then go to the Message tab and select Dictate. Wait for the “Dictate” button to turn on and start listening. Start speaking to see text appear on the screen.
For Google Docs: In the Chrome browser, open a Google Doc. Click Tools, then Voice typing. A microphone box appears. When you’re ready to speak, click the microphone. When you’re done, click the microphone again.
For Windows 10: Open a document, email or other file you want to dictate within, then hold down the Windows key and press H to trigger the dictation toolbar. You can now dictate text. When finished, press the Windows key + H to turn off dictation.
For Windows 11: Press the Windows key + H on your keyboard. Next, press the microphone icon on the window that appears. To stop your dictation, say “Stop listening” or press the microphone button again on the voice-typing menu.
For MacOS: In an app, click your cursor where you want the dictated text to appear. Press the microphone button if available in the row of function keys or choose Edit > Start Dictation. Press the Dictation keyboard shortcut or the Escape key when you’re done.
Appliances and smart devices caught spying the MOST
It’s no secret our devices spy on us. The shocker is that it goes way beyond smartphones and laptops. That smart fridge of yours just might be tracking your eating habits and selling them to advertisers. Still want another beer?
Forgot why you walked into the kitchen? I love this trick to use with a smartphone assistant. Say, “Hey, Siri/Google, remind me to do [task] when I get to [location].” This is perfect for when you need to do something specific when you arrive at a place, like, “Remind me to defrost the chicken when I get home.”
Did you know “Alexa” wasn’t always Amazon’s smart assistant’s name? In its earliest development stages, it was called something altogether different. Was it … A.) Echofina, B.) Beza, C.) Laura or D.) Ivona?
Why asking Siri, Google or Alexa for medical advice is a terrible idea
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.
Sick of Google Assistant butting in? How to turn it off on your Android
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.
“SIRI!” Someone in my life (fine, it’s my husband, Barry) gets super frustrated with smart assistants and talks too loudly to them. That just makes it worse! Use your “inside voice” for the best results.
Annoying Amazon Echo and Alexa settings to change now
Amazon’s Echo speakers, and the Alexa assistant, are incredibly useful and pretty darn invasive. On the practical side, it can even function as a security alarm with a device you already own.
But creepy? Absolutely. I once found a voice recording of a conversation my Echo caught when I knew for sure I didn’t ask Alexa to listen in. It just thought it heard the wake word. Check out this massive list of terms that can trigger your smart assistants.
Genius! 7 must-try voice commands to use with Siri and Google Assistant
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.
How to add emojis using your voice with Siri and Google Assistant
Although voice dictation technology lets you send hands-free text messages, it has glaring shortcomings. For example, smart assistants often have trouble understanding you.
That means you’ll have to constantly repeat yourself when the AI doesn’t get what you’re saying. Here are five ways to make your smart assistant understand you better. Here’s another pain point: Smart assistants not sending emojis when you tell them to.
Digital assistant driving you nuts? How to get Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant to pipe down
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.
6 common tech myths and misbeliefs debunked
We once believed that Macs would never get a virus, closing apps would save battery life, and private mode was really private.
For the record, switching to incognito in your browser probably doesn’t do what you think. Tap or click for six practical reasons to use it, from keeping your search autofill clean to shopping without spoiling the surprise.
It's come to this - a charger that keeps your phone from listening
If you’re not sure if your devices are always listening, we’ll help you out. They are. Your smartphone, smart assistants/speakers, smart home devices and smart TVs listen for wake words or other vocal cues. Big Tech companies also listen to you through your devices.
Say what? You won't believe the dangerous thing Alexa told a young girl to do
Smart assistants are constantly evolving to offer more features and uses. They can help you keep a schedule, set the mood for movie night, remind you to pick up the kids or even watch out for intruders.
Some features recently added to Amazon Echo devices include sound detection for running water and appliances, along with occupancy routines. As useful as they can be, smart assistants like Alexa can also be intrusive to your privacy.
Alexa isn't the only thing to call your Echo - Here's what all the other names do
Smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home can make your daily tasks easier. They can also update you on traffic conditions and nudge you with specific reminders.
Even though they are only electronics at heart, you still need to call them by name to get their attention. While the standard “Hey, Alexa” will prick her ears every time, did you know that you can call her something else? Tap or click here to enable celebrity voices like Shaq on your Amazon Echo.
Alexa just gained a handy new music trick, but say goodbye to another longtime feature
Smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa are great at telling you what your day will be like. It is also helpful as a music player, allowing you to listen to anything your ears desire. If you have an Echo with a display, music videos will accompany the tunes. Tap or click here to solve one of Alexa’s most annoying problems.
Pop quiz: Between Alexa, Siri, Cortana and the rest, what collects the most data?
We accept that a degree of personal data needs to be collected by smart assistants to work properly. This is a big part of how they operate, and without it, personalized results, directions or things like local weather would not result in useful information.
Use your smart speakers to set a spooky Halloween mood
Halloween has always been a fun holiday, and then came advanced technology that made it even more entertaining. From inflatable and animatronic decorations to spooky sounds, technology adds flair to an already great holiday. Tap or click here to make your house the spookiest with digital decorations.
Still using Facebook? 3 ways to make sure it’s not listening
I have lost count of how many times I’ve been asked, “Are my devices listening?”
I will tell you this: They are always listening for the wake word, and tech companies admit smart assistants mishear commands more often than any of us would like. Tap or click to stop your smart assistants from hearing what you say, accidental or not. By the way, Google users won’t have to use a wake word at all using the new “Quick Phrases” feature.