Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Friday 8 June 2018

Honda, GM to develop electric Amazon unveils nearly hands-

vehicle batteries together free streaming TV device

By YURI KAGEYAMA duce a hydrogen fuel cell
AP Business Writer system in 2020, including
TOKYO (AP) — Honda Mo- trying to make fuel cells
tor Co. of Japan and U.S. and hydrogen storage
automaker General Motors more affordable.
Co. agreed Thursday to They also both have elec-
work together in develop- tric vehicles in their model
ing batteries for electric ve- lineup.
hicles, mainly for the North Pressure is growing on au-
American market. tomakers to become more
The companies will collab- environmentally friendly as
orate based on GM's next- well as develop other tech-
generation battery system, nology for vehicles such as
both sides said. That will al- semi-autonomous driving.
low both manufacturers to Nissan Motor Co., one of
continue to keep distinct the leaders in electric ve-
products, while saving on hicles, is working with part-
costs for customers, they ner Renault SA of France
said. on electric vehicle tech-
Detroit-based GM and To- nology, while Toyota Motor
kyo-based Honda already Corp. is working with Japa-
work together on fuel cell nese rival Mazda Motor
vehicles, which are zero- Corp. "This new, multiyear
emission and run on the agreement with Honda
power created when hy- further demonstrates Gen-
drogen fuel combines with eral Motors' capability to
oxygen in the air to pro- innovate toward a profit- This undated image provided by Amazon.com, Inc. shows an Amazon Fire TV Cube.
duce water. able electric portfolio," said Associated Press
They have a manufactur- Mark Reuss, General Motors
ing joint venture to pro- Executive Vice President.q By JOSEPH PISANI trolled Fire TV devices re- clocks. Getting people to
Associated Press quire a push of the remote's use Alexa keeps them tied
Facebook to fund NEW YORK (AP) — Alexa mic button or a separate to Amazon's services and
Echo device with Amazon's ultimately
for couch potatoes is com-
buying
more
original news shows ing: Amazon's new stream- Alexa voice assistant. Un- from the online retailer.
ing TV device will let users like the other devices, the The Cube will be available
shout out when they want Cube will let viewers switch later this month for $120.
from ABC, CNN, others to turn on the TV, flip chan- between streaming servic- Nvidia's Shield also offers
nels or search for sitcoms es like Netflix and regular hands-free streaming using
— all without pushing any cable channels with such Google's digital assistant.
buttons. voice commands as "Al- Other devices, including
The Fire TV Cube is not en- exa, turn on ESPN." The new Apple TV, require activa-
tirely hands-free yet, how- device can also do typical tion with the remote's mic.
ever. Some apps or stream- Alexa tasks, such as playing The unveiling of the Fire TV
ing services may require "Jeopardy!" or fetching the Cube came as Amazon
viewers to pick up the in- weather, even when the TV became the first internet
cluded remote to rewind is off. streaming service to buy
or stop a show. Amazon Amazon sees Alexa as a rights to Premiere League
says it's working with those major part of its future. soccer matches, though
services to integrate voice It has struck deals to put they will be available only
commands. the voice assistant in cars, to Prime members in Britain
Amazon's other voice-con- refrigerators and alarm under a three-year deal.q

Google pledges not to use AI

This March 28, 2018, file photo shows the Facebook logo at the
company's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif.
Associated Press for weapons or surveillance

NEW YORK (AP) — Face- the company continues to
book says it will fund origi- grapple with fake news and By the Associated Press are "socially beneficial," human-sounding digital
nal news shows created by misinformation, not to men- Google pledges that that avoid creating or concierge that booked
such news organizations as tion plain old "click bait" on it will not use artificial reinforcing bias and that appointments with human
ABC, CNN, Fox, Univision its users' news feeds. intelligence in applications are accountable to people. receptionists in a May
and Mic. Campbell Brown, Face- related to weapons or The announcement follows demonstration.
The move comes as Face- book's head of news part- surveillance, part of a new Google's reported decision Some ethicists were
book plans to kill off its nerships, says the shows will set of principles designed not to renew a Pentagon concerned that call
"trending" news section to be original and exclusive to govern how it uses AI. contract in which its AI recipients could be duped
make way for what it con- to Facebook, rather than Those principles, released technology helped analyze into thinking the robot was
siders "trustworthy" and "in- adapting TV programs by Google CEO Sundar drone footage. human. Google has said
formative" news. Despite from elsewhere for a Face- Pichai, commit Google to Google recently Duplex will identify itself so
efforts to clamp down, book audience. q building AI applications that announced Duplex, a that wouldn't happen.q