SquareTrade Warranty Blog

Lost in Transcription: Is Google's Nexus One censoring you?

Share

Though I'm still enjoying my iPhone 3GS, I must admit there is much about Google's Nexus One that continues to impress me. There are many times, for example, when its built-in voice recognition software would sure come in handy for me. So, why does the Nexus One have some people saying "What the ####?"  As Reuters discovered when putting the smartphone through its paces, the Nexus One appears to have a built in muzzle for those with a potty-mouth!

Try uttering a curse word into the Nexus One, and the well-mannered device will automatically replace the offensive expression with a string of # symbols. Thus, a jocular text message inquiring about a buddy’s whereabouts is transcribed as “Hey #### where are you?” on the Nexus One; A spirited rejoinder to a dubious assertion becomes “that’s bull #### and you know it."  - Reuters

Why the no-cussing policy? According to a Google spokeswoman, this is not about censoring your colorful language. It's actually an effort to prevent offensive language from accidentally being transcribed. This is still a potential concern due to the kinks and current limitations still inherent with current voice recognition technology. We filter potentially offensive or inappropriate results because we want to avoid situations whereby we might misrecognize a spoken query and return profanity when, in fact, the user said something completely innocent,” said Google. “Ultimately our goal is to return results that show exactly what you said, and we’re constantly working to improve the technology to better fit our users’ needs.” How did they decide what's "offensive or inappropriate"? Personally, I'm curious about the process behind making this decision. Who decided which words would be deemed "offensive or inappropriate"  and which words were they afraid might be misrecognized? And, of course, I can't help but wonder which words ultimately made the potty-mouth list. Alas, I haven't had the opportunity (nor the nerve) to swear at a friend's Nexus One to find out. Sound off: Have you experienced this phenomenon first-hand? Do you include this newly discovered "feature" amongst the complaints about the Nexus One? Feel free to sound off below or join the conversation on Twitter!

Apple's newest creation to be revealed!

Share

As always, there's much speculation about what Apple has up its sleeve. Rumors have been flying about whether the company will soon unveil a tablet which may have (not-so-)secretly been in development for several years. Today, Apple made it official!  We now know when and where Apple will be unveiling their "latest creation!"

Amidst numerous rumors and speculations, Apple sent out invitations this morning which teased people to "Come see our latest creation."

The highly anticipated event will be held in San Francisco at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts next Wednesday morning, Jan. 27th - just a couple blocks down the street from SquareTrade's Headquarters!

Will we finally be introduced to what speculators have been calling an "iTablet" or "iSlate"? Regardless, I'm prepared to be dazzled by Apple and have these rumors put to rest (so we can start speculating about their next innovation)!

Mum's the word for now, but stay tuned!

As usual, Apple seems to be keeping a lid on confirming any other details so be sure to check back for further updates.

In the mean time, feel free to share your speculations in the comments below or join the conversation on twitter. What do you hope to see Apple unveil next week?

SquareTrade Fans - Be first to check this out!

We have some very exciting news to share! We couldn't wait for the official announcement before sharing the inside scoop with our fans on Facebook and Twitter.

Want in on our little secret? If you haven't already, hop over to SquareTrade's Facebook Fanpage and find out about one of the cool projects we've been working on.

What do we ask in return? Give us your feedback!

Want a hint? Well, even if you don't have a ____, you probably know someone who'll be giving or receiving one as a gift...and they'd probably love you for telling them about this. 

But, first we need our fans to give us feedback. So check it out and let us know what you think!

TUAW lauds SquareTrade Accidental Damage Coverage

Sang Tang of TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) writes of lessons learned when his MacBook has an unfortunate encounter with Diet Coke. As he reconsiders the value of extended warranties and laptop insurance, his experience highlights how the value of SquareTrade coverage stacks up when compared to AppleCare.

While AppleCare is certainly compelling for many (phone support and timely repairs of manufacturer defects by Apple-authorized technicians, among its values), its defect is that hardware repair coverage is restricted to manufacturer defects.

Creative? SquareTrade Fans are Awesome!

We've been blown away with the response to our 10 Day, 10 Kindle Giveaway!

It's a known fact that SquareTrade fans are clever. (After all, you're savvy consumers who know where to get the best deals - and you've helped us start a revolution!)

With the announcement of our 10th Birthday, you have floored us by responding with such enthusiasm and creativity. So much so that yesterday we announced the addition of the Creative Entry Award: $1000 Amazon Gift Certificate!

Here's a glimpse of how real fans are getting really creative:

While we consider an appropriate response to this marriage proposal - here's some creative inspiration. This is just a sampling of some of the #squaretrade entries that caught our attention. Check back to see if your entry is featured on our blog!

Think your entry should be featured here? Check back and post in the comments below. (If you entered via Twitter, be sure to include a link to your tweet.) Thanks!

Go Digital with Sony's new PSP Go

 Have you met the newest kid on the game console block?

This week, Sony released the PSP Go, touting it as the "smallest and mightiest PSP system yet."

Haven't gotten our hands on one yet to confirm the latter, but it gets a thumbs up from us for being the most portable PSP to date.

So, what sets it apart from its rivals and other PSPs? 

"It's all digital," explains Peter Dille, Sr. VP of marketing and PlayStation Network for Sony.

Yup, it's the first dedicated game device to leave physical game disks in the dust.

Some are saying it's a smart move on Sony's part as Apple has stepped into the world of gaming on the go - providing thousands of instantly downloadable games in its App Store for your iPhone or iTouch.

But will gamers go for the new PSP?

Vodafone follows Orange. End of US iPhone exclusivity?

To date, being an iPhone customer in the U.S. has meant being married to AT&T, for better or worse.

For nearly two years, O2 has also enjoyed a parallel position with exclusive rights to sell Apple's iPhones in the U.K. 

 

This week, iPhone owners across the pond watched in excitement as two rival carriers stepped in to bring an end to O2's exclusive deal with Apple. Many in the U.S. now wonder what the implications are for AT&T's exclusive partnership in the U.S.

Apple makes global moves to boost iPhone sales: UK, others transitioning to multicarriers

On Monday, France Telecom's mobile carrier Orange revealed that it would be bringing Apple's iPhone to the UK by the end of the year. Within 24 hours, Vodafone announced it will soon sell the iPhone in the UK and Ireland.

While Vodafone won't have the phones in time for Christmas, the announcements of these two network rivals mark the end of the exclusive UK deal that O2 had enjoyed over the iPhone.

Exclusive deals were the norm when the iPhone originally rolled out in 2007. In Germany, for example, T-Mobile still has exclusive deals with Apple on the iPhone. But Vodafone's announcement has analysts stating that iPhone exclusivity is rapidly coming to an end.

AT&T seems pleased with iPhone MMS

AT&T finally activated Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) for Apple's iPhone 3G and 3GS phones late last week.

Like several iPhone users nationwide, I waited patiently to receive the following message from AT&T (pictured below) informing me of the update.

Depending on who you ask, the activation went smoothly. AT&T seems pleased. Are you?

The update went seamlessly for me but several early users reported transmission delays on AT&T's facebook fanpage.

There were even discussions on the Apple support forums complaining about the MMS 'Message Send Failure.'

The lack of MMS capabilities has often been targeted as a major weakness of the iPhone - especially since the BlackBerry and even most entry-level handsets have had this capability for years.

For its part, Apple included an update for this feature in its earlier 3.0 iPhone software update released this summer.  AT&T, on the other hand, said it wasn't ready to roll out the feature for fear that it's network would not be able to handle the strain.

Some might say the complaints rolling in are validating AT&T's earlier concerns.

Is MMS working for you? Let us know in comments below or join @SquareTrade in the conversation on twitter.

The iPhone is an Accident Magnet, but SquareTrade Covers Clumsiness!

Thanks to our fans, word is getting out about how we help save your money and your gadgets! SquareTrade was featured in Gizmodo Friday: SquareTrade's iPhone 3GS Warranty Covers Clumsiness, Stupidity, and Human Nature

....and our updated iPhone study has been featured in TechCrunch: iCrack: The iPhone Is An Accident Magnet

 

The study has generated quite a buzz! You can view the full study or check out coverage in the news.

iPhone failures from moisture - beware of sweat and shower fog!

There has a bit of noise in the news lately about Apple’s policy towards iPhones with moisture damage.   A lot of complaints have been surfacing on twitter, forums and blogs that iPhones are so sensitive to moisture damage that a sweaty hand at the gym or a few episodes of being in the same room as a steamy shower can trigger the moisture sensor and cause a manufacturer’s warranty claim to be rejected by Apple.  Not good.  I bring my iPhone to the gym with me all the time, and I typically bring it into the bathroom so I can hear it when I shower. 

If you treat your iPhone the way I do, you have reason to be concerned.  Until recently, Apple’s policy towards such claimants was “simply ‘too bad’” - requiring customers to pay the full $399/$499 replacement cost of their phone, according to Amy Davis at Click2houston.com. But with Apple’s new policy, “Customers whose iPhones were damaged from moisture can now purchase a replacement iPhone for the reduced price of $199” – with that $199 getting you a refurbished iPhone.

Still not a great deal in my book, since you can now get a refurbished iPhone from AT&T’s website for $99/$149 for the 8gb and 16gb models, respectively (with new 2-year contract).  But at least it's another option, where you don't have to renew your contract.  It's maybe worthwhile if you just want something to last out your current contract, but if you’re anything like me, you won’t be switching from your iPhone in the foreseeable future!

For all of you that purchased the SquareTrade iPhone warranty, you’re in luck.  Moisture damage is covered by our Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) policy.  Since AT&T still doesn’t offer insurance for the iPhone, it’s really the only way to protect yourself against moisture damage.  And we’ll also reimburse you for $399 or $499 (8gb / 16gb) minus a $50 deductible if it’s water damage, so you can get a brand new iPhone (with 2 year contract) instead of having to settle for a refurbished model.

We’ve in the process of preparing an update to our research report on iPhone failure rates from last November, and we’ve found water damage to be a significant factor in iPhone ADH claims.  It’s something that we’ll discuss in more detail in our report update.   But for now, I’d encourage anyone who is buying a new iPhone to consider the SquareTrade iPhone warranty to protect against moisture damage and other accidents that aren’t covered by the manufacturer’s warranty!

Oh, by the way:  Our Current Special:  20% off an iPhone warranty.