Harman Kardon Invoke – Lautsprecher mit Microsoft Cortana vorgestellt

Schon bald kann der technikaffine Anwender sich Microsofts Cortana ins Wohnzimmer holen. Harman Kardon – mittlerweile eine vollständige Tochter des Samsung Konzerns – bringt den ersten Lautsprecher mit dem persönlichen Assistenten aus Redmond auf den Markt – den Harman Kardon Invoke.

Schaut man sich den Konkurrenten des Amazon Echo etwas näher an wird man ziemlich schnell feststellen, dass sich die Designer nicht die Mühe gemacht haben Ähnlichkeiten zu dem Konkurrenzprodukt des Online-Riesen zu verbergen. Es handelt sich um ein ähnliches Aussehen mit dem Unterschied, dass der Invoke nach oben hin spitzer zuläuft. Oben wird es einen drehbaren Ring geben, der ebenfalls blau leuchtet, wenn Befehle entgegengenommen werden oder euch Cortana Antworten gibt. 145 Millionen Menschen nutzen aktuell den Microsoft Assistenten, was eine ziemlich große Nutzerbasis ist. Wesentlich mehr als Amazon anbieten kann. Dennoch hat Alexa im Moment klar die Nase vorn. Der Invoke soll im Herbst 2017 vorerst nur in den USA auf den Markt kommen. Ob ein Europa-Launch geplant ist, ist im Moment noch ungeklärt. Auch wie teuer das Teil sein wird.

Pressemitteilung:

HARMAN Reveals the Harman Kardon Invoke™ Intelligent Speaker with Cortana from Microsoft

STAMFORD, CONN. – HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets; today announced new details of the Harman Kardon Invoke™, an elegant voice-activated speaker featuring the intelligence of Cortana, your personal digital assistant, from Microsoft.

Combining Harman Kardon’s rich audio heritage with Cortana’s intelligence, Invoke is developed for busy people balancing the competing demands of work and home. This sophisticated device is perfect for those who want to make the most of every moment of their day.

“We’re excited to work with Microsoft to develop a premium speaker that will deliver an exceptional experience to every customer using 360-degree Harman Kardon sound and the intelligence of Cortana,” said Michael Mauser, President, Lifestyle Audio Division at HARMAN. “Voice-enabled technology is the future; by teaming up with Microsoft, we’re delivering on our promise of elevating a connected life through smart technology, superior sound and the stunning design that is Harman Kardon’s hallmark.”

Invoke, with Cortana, is a voice-activated speaker that can play your favorite music, manage calendars and activities, set reminders, check traffic, deliver the latest news and much more.  With Skype integration, you can make calls to cellphones, landlines and other Skype-enabled devices. You can also control your smart home devices using voice to do things like turn out the lights or control the temperature.

Cortana is used by more than 145 million people across devices and platforms with best-in-class natural language recognition and deep integration with Microsoft’s suite of knowledge and productivity tools, helping the user stay productive whether at home, the work place through a Windows 10 PC or on the go with a mobile device.

“We are excited to partner with Harman Kardon to create a speaker that combines premium audio and stylish design with the intelligence of Cortana.” said Jordi Ribas, CVP, AI Products at Microsoft. “This is our next step in bringing Cortana to even more devices to help users be more productive wherever they are.”

Available in Pearl Silver (White) and Graphite (Black), Invoke has a sleek, modern design that enhances any home.  Crafted from premium materials, Invoke’s striking metallic speaker cabinet delivers power and projects sound a full 360-degrees, filling even a large room or space. Harman Kardon’s unparalleled sound reveals all the beautiful details in your music.

Flawlessly blending form and function, Invoke is equipped with easy to use features, like a ‘touch to surprise’ user interface panel at the top of the speaker, interactive Cortana lighting, and intuitive buttons. It is the first of its kind to feature Skype integration, allowing users to make and receive crystal-clear, hands-free calls.

Invoke is outfitted with HARMAN’s SONIQUE™ far-field voice recognition technology. It is a proprietary 360-degree adaptive technology (featuring 7 microphones) that recognizes all details of voice commands even in environments with high ambient noise. It uses HARMAN’s beam forming, echo cancellation, and noise reduction algorithms to ensure Cortana can hear you, even in challenging environments.

AVAILABILITY

Harman Kardon Invoke™ with Cortana by Microsoft will be available in the USA only at select retailers and Microsoft Stores in fall 2017. For additional information on Invoke, please visit www.harmankardon.com/invoke. For additional information on Microsoft Cortana, please visit www.microsoft.com/cortana

Invoke Key Product Features
Premium Sound
Harman Kardon high-quality sound featuring 3 woofers and 3 tweeters give full range, true 360-degree sound.  The 2 passive radiators are tuned to give a solid bass performance from a small enclosure.
Cortana –

Personal Digital Assistant
Cortana is your truly personal digital assistant designed to help you be more productive. Cortana can set reminders, make lists, manage calendars, provide answers to questions, and much more. Cortana also works across devices, including PC and mobile, so she’s there whenever you need help.
Skype Calling
Make and receive hands-free calls to cell phones, landlines, and any Skype-enabled device.
Smart Home Control
Control your smart home devices including lights and thermostat and more.

(*Home automation works with select providers)
SONIQUE™

Far-Field Voice technology
Featuring 7 microphones embedded into the speaker, using Harman’s beam forming, echo cancellation, and noise reduction algorithms to ensure Cortana can hear you, even in challenging environments.
* DISCLAIMER: Set up requires Cortana app for Windows 10 PC or phone, Android or iPhone (requires Android version 4.1.2 or higher, or iPhone 4 with iOS 8.0 or higher

ABOUT HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things.  With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.