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Meta's next-level smart glasses include some incredible new technology, but there are still lots of missing pieces.
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In the months ahead, the company will add AI-powered voice search for its smart TVs and streaming players. While Roku's existing voice search can find specific programs, actors, or genres, the upgrade will allow for more conversational queries, such as "What's the Barbie movie about?" or "How scary is The Shining." It will also support follow-up questions.
Other forthcoming Roku features include a "What do you like to watch?" feature to tweak Roku's home screen recommendations, live scores in the Sports section, and a search function in Roku's live TV guide. Roku is also updating its recently-launched Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus to support private listening through Bluetooth headphones and earbuds.
TV-focused AI
Unlike rivals Amazon and Google, Roku isn't trying to launch an all-purpose AI that also happens to work on TVs. Roku doesn't sell its own smart speakers, and users primarily interact with voice control through the mic button on Roku remotes. The new AI-powered assistant will only respond to entertainment-related queries, Roku says.
"Even in this case, with us evolving Roku voice to now answer entertainment Q&A, we are specializing in a TV-related solution only," Amit Desai, Roku's director of product and UX for voice and conversational AI, told reporters. He added that the feature will use a combination of in-house and commercial AI technology.
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The Nest Thermostat Gen 4 display now has more customization options to turn your thermostat into art.
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 Diminished tech privacy appears to be another ripple effect from Trump 2.0. The Information reported on Wednesday that Meta has changed its tune on facial recognition. After considering but ultimately bailing on the technology for the first version of its smart glasses, the company is now actively working on wearables that can identify nearby faces. Remember when being a "Glasshole" was considered a faux pas?
According to The Information, Meta has recently discussed adding software to its smart glasses that scans bystanders' faces and identifies people by name. The company has also reportedly considered adding the tech to future AI-powered earphones with built-in cameras.
Facial recognition tech would be part of a Meta feature dubbed internally as "super sensing." The feature would build on the glasses' live AI feature, which can only remain active for around half an hour (thanks to its battery). But in future devices, expected in 2026, it could run for hours.
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