Editor's Note: The author is the Manager, External Affairs, for the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). CTIA represents the US wireless communications industry. To learn more about the association's mission and advocacy, visit theCTIA website.
Voice assistants have opened up a world of possibilities and convenience for millions of people. From hearing the latest news to playing music on demand, the Amazon Echo and Google Home voice assistants can offer a level of convenience not available from a smart phone or computer.
Are you the only person in your family still using a flip phone? Maybe that phone has some text-to-speech capabilities built in that allow you to still use it even though your vision is deteriorating, or perhaps has gone altogether. Despite the urging of younger family members, you have resisted switching from the familiar interface of your old phone to a smartphone such as an iPhone. Maybe you received an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad as a gift over the holidays and now you're wondering how on Earth you go about actually using this new-fangled gadget.
Everyone keeps telling you, "You have to get with the times and buy a computer and a smartphone." They want to stay in touch on Facebook, and send emails and receive them from you in return. You've finally agreed, and now you are getting an earful of advice from those same people telling you which model of what device you should buy.