Advancing From Virtual Worlds to Virtual Realities: A Completely Interactive Experience

     The high tech industries involved in creating virtual realities are gaining momentum in a big way. The latest progress in virtual realities comes from Sony's announcement of their initiative "Project Morpheus", a gaming headset for the Playstation™ 4. This fully immersive virtual reality takes gamers on an interactive experience where they actually feel apart of the video game. Check out the clip below for more information on the prototype of Project Morpheus. Although virtual realities are becoming popular in the gaming community, they are not only for video games. Dr. Richard Marks, of Sony's Research and Development department stated, "Virtual Reality will becoming the 'preferred medium' and will even extend beyond games to other industries." 

     Similar to the blog I wrote about virtual worlds, Throwback Thursday: Then and Now: Lenovo's eLounge vs. Disney's "Avatar Land", Lenovo created an interactive experience for online shoppers circa 2009. This eLounge was created to give customer a unique "trip" when shopping online. Consumers can get information on the products they are interested in  buying or they can share their experiences with other avatars (online shoppers from all over the world). 

     We have come a long way since 2009. Instead of just interacting with a virtual world, we are able to totally immerse ourselves in a virtual reality, not just for gaming, but also for eCommerce, customer service, and more. What do you think the about virtual realities? Will immersive experiences become the norm for all Internet/Online related interaction?

Throwback Thursday: QR Codes and Virtual Agents

Quick Response codes, or QR codes, have been around for quite some time. The announcement of QR codes was released in 1994, but during that time they were mainly used to track parts for vehicle manufacturers in Japan. Today, QR codes are used in a variety of ways. For example, many marketers utilize QR codes in their strategies, as well as commercial tracking, product labeling, etc. 

With the rise of the smart phones, the use of mobile recognition technology has risen as well. It is predicted that by 2015, there will be double the amount of money invested into mobile recognition technology (364 million dollars) and a large part of this includes QR codes. QR codes are gaining popularity because it is a quick way to scan and get information. In other words, it is an easy to use resource for end users. 

Offering access to a Virtual Agent through scanning a QR code is a great tip for companies looking to elevate their customer service and support strategies. Providing consumers with Virtual Agents via a QR code gives them more power to make an informed decision about the product of interest. Consumer knowledge is key to gaining new customers and creating loyalty. 

QR codes are just one way to access a Virtual Agent via your mobile device. In addition to native mobile apps, and mobile friendly VAs, there are other alternatives that might appeal to your company's target audience. Some alternatives include:

1. SMS short codes 
2. Augmented reality apps
3. UPC bar code reader
4. Bluetooth and NFC (nearfield communication)

To give you an example of one of the alternatives to QR codes, Bluetooth and NFC work like a sensor. When you walk near or through these "sensors", they trigger a notification to be sent to your mobile phone. (More information about NFC can be found here.) For a Virtual Agent, the notification can range from a personal virtual shopper, a virtual assistant, information on products, or limited time coupons to entice consumers to purchase products on the spot.   

In short, mobile recognition technology (whether it be QR codes, SMS short codes, etc.) are an important part of a mobile strategy. Monitoring the target audience and adapting to what the consumer wants is essential when adopting mobile strategies.  How does your company make it easy for customers to interact with your brand via mobile device? Does your strategy include QR codes or apps? Share your mobile marketing or support strategy here. 

www.nohold.com

One of the Top 3 PC Manufacturers Along With the Leader in Networking Renews Contracts with noHold, Inc.

March 20, 2014, Milpitas, California – noHold customers continue to renew contracts after achieving multi-year success with Virtual Agent and Knowledge Management solutions. Virtual Agents continue to achieve popularity with advances in Artificial Intelligence and market validation from leaders such as Apple® (Siri®), IBM® (Watson™), Google™, and more.

One of the largest PC and Consumer Device manufacturers has decided to continue its relationship with noHold, marking the 6 year anniversary date. The company began its partnership with noHold in 2008 and has successfully expanded to support products such as PC, peripherals, mobile devices, as well as gaming systems. A Virtual Agent is a popular choice for the end customer, specifically with gamers and technology aficionados who enjoy the Artificial Intelligence (AI) interaction with quick and accurate responses. In addition, the increasing demand for a mobile support/service option places the Virtual Agent at the top of the preference chart due to its ability to carry a conversation similar to text messaging.

The leader in networking has also opted to renew its relationship with noHold, marking an 8 year anniversary date. This company started its partnership with noHold in 2006, and has leveraged the Virtual Agent as well as Knowledge Management solutions across business units such as consumer electronics, small business, video teleconference, and more. The trusted brand has won multiple awards for support and self-service and is a visionary in the Internet of Everything (IoE) movement. Virtual Agents have proven to be ‘butler-like’ applications that will change the way humans interact and experience the IoE.

noHold customers continue to achieve Return On Investment (ROI), Higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS), and consistent adoption by expansion of Virtual Agent technologies. In recent analysis Virtual Agents in PC and related industries performed very well, with a cost per session (full conversation) less than the price of a vending machine gumball.  With clients in pertinent industries such as Consumer Electronics, Telecommunications, Computing, Finance and more, these Virtual Butlers are proving to be the customers’ preferred interaction channel.

"The industry has evolved incredibly since the late 90's. It has been nice to witness and be part of every single step forward. However, I believe the best is yet to come. We are happy to have such great customers who share that vision,” said Diego Ventura, CEO of noHold.

About noHold Inc.
noHold is a privately held company established in 1999 and is headquartered in Milpitas, CA, USA (Silicon Valley). noHold is the acknowledged leader in Web based Self-service solutions with a mission to deliver real answers to real questions - real fast. Simple to use, easy to implement and as close to human as you can get, noHold turns automated customer support into cognitive customer interaction. noHold customers include Toshiba, Lenovo, Cisco and a host of industry leaders. More information can be found at www.nohold.com.


Press Contact
Sarah Ramoz
Marketing Operations Manager
sramoz@nohold.com
408.946.9200 ext. 305
Copyright © 2014 noHold Inc. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners.

Robots Learn to Express Human Emotions

This is a short clip from technologynewsvideos entitled "Robot Baby Learns How to Express Human Emotions." It is an interesting video showing the advances the robotics community is making with Artificial Intelligence in relation to cognitive functioning. Robots (as well as Virtual Agents) are incorporating more of a human element to their user interface to augment the friendly feel and personable connection between man and machine.

Developing "humanoid" robots that are able to, in a sense, feel emotions, is a controversial topic. Are robots created to enhance our lives? Are we venturing into uncharted territory? Where do we draw the line? To learn more about the future of humanoid robots check out this 2014 documentary, Future Humanoid Robots- From Fiction to Reality.

Cheers!
www.albertai.com 

Throwback Thursday: Happy 25th Birthday to the World Wide Web!

Yesterday (March 12, 2014), was the 25^th birthday of the web. Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, wrote as a guest blogger on Google’s official blog a couple days ago. Click here to read the entire blog. He comments on how the project first came to fruition and his decision that would affect the entire world forever, to make the web accessible to everyone without paying royalties. Berners-Lee states, “This decision enabled tens of thousands to start working together to build the web. Now, about 40 percent of us are connected and creating online. The web has generated trillions of dollars of economic value, transformed education and healthcare and activated many new movements for democracy around the world. And we’re just getting started.” 

The web is still very young; with the technology and knowledge we possess today, the possibilities with the Internet are endless. What started as an open "information management system" has turned into something that has enhanced the lives of billions. Experts are predicting that by 2025, "The Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big data will make people more aware of their world and their own behavior" (Internet 2025: How It Could Look Like). With the direction the web is going, people are anticipating a more interactive and immersive experience. (Manufacturers are already moving towards the development of products that have the capability to connect to the Internet only.) 

The Internet has only reached a fraction of its potential. What do you think the future of the web will look like? 

I'll leave you with this photo of the first web server on the World Wide Web used by Tim Berners-Lee, displayed at Microcosm (the public science museum at CERN).

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Throwback Thursday: Virtual Agents Replacing Old Habits

Mashable

Do you remember the time when letters were handwritten and sent via the postal service? What about when a disposable camera was necessary to capture those priceless moments on vacation? To the right is an infographic depicting 50 things society has replaced thanks to technological advances. Some examples from this infographic include making a phone call to find out accurate movie times, recording favorite shows using a VHS recorder, and one I am guilty of no longer taking part in, keeping printed bills and bank statements. Do any of these sound familiar to you?

Today, everyday tasks are made accessible electronically and/or via self-service. There is no need to call movie theaters to get show times. All we have to do is pull out our Smartphones and look it up online. Banking options are also available online now, such as paying bills, depositing checks, transferring money, and tracking bank statements. It seems like we have transitioned from an era of full-service to an era of self-service (the consumers preferred channel).

We have come a long way with technology, and as you can see have made great changes, but there is always new ways to do things lurking around every corner. With the invention of all these new smart machines, virtually everything can be connected to the Internet. There are Smartphones, smart cars, smart dishwashers, smart watches, and more. Virtual Agents are able to act as butlers to augment these devices and the Internet of Everything. We will soon be able to ask a single Virtual Agent to do multiple things that before, we would have had to do manually. For example, changing the temperature in your home can be accomplished through inquiring a Virtual Agent on your Smartphone. Similarly, you can set your DVR to record your favorite show through that same Virtual Agent. Using Virtual Agents as a butler will help simplify your life and make using your smart devices more convenient. And as you can tell from looking at how we've done things in the past and comparing them to how we do them today, technology is created to make daily tasks easier. The possibilities are endless. What do you think the future has in store for technology? What things do we do today that might change in the future?

Happy Throwback Thursday!

And the Oscar goes to... Artificial Intelligence!

...Spike Jonze, the screenwriter of the film "Her", a film based around a man (Joaquin Phoenix) that falls in love with his Operating System (Scarlett Johansson). Congratulations to Jonze and all the individuals who worked so hard on the film. This movie has really opened people's eyes to a world of advanced technology; a world integrated with Artificial Intelligence. An A.I. movie winning an Oscar is validation that people are more comfortable with the evolution of A.I. and the reality that it will become apart of our daily lives.

Similar to the Oscars, some of our clients win prestigious awards for improved Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and great Customer Experience, augmented by self-service technologies such as a Virtual Agent (i.e. Artificial Intelligence). Fortune 500 companies utilizing Virtual Agents as a primary resource for online support are winning award titles such as TSIA's STAR Award for "Best Online Support" and "Excellence in Online Support." This just further solidifies the success and consumer demand for this technology. 

Have a great week!