Saturday, December 14, 2024
Archived Post

Always-on voice and an ‘iServe’ would be a great combo

Months ago Google released a Chrome extension that enables always-on voice search from a desktop. When Google.com is open, just say “Ok Google” and then your search term. This always-on voice search is in the right direction for what we should expect from our computing devices. 

This is something an Apple home/small officer server — which I call the “iServe” — would be useful for implementing throughout a home or office. Imagine a range of iServe appliances, all based on the Mac mini form factor, that provide services throughout homes such as always-on With microphones distributed throughout a home, it would be easy and useful to have this capability.

Apparently, Apple has at least investigating the idea of an iHome-like device. The company has filed for a parent (number 20130097286) with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for pairing a media server and a media client. The patent (see the graphic) involves a system for use in presenting media content that includes a media server configured to provide media content and a media client configured to obtain the media content from the media server and to present the media content on a device.

So who knows. I may eventually get my iServe — and always-on voice, along with it.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.