digital assistantn.
/ˌdɪdʒᵻtl əˈsɪst(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˌdɪdʒᵻdl əˈsɪst(ə)nt/ 1. A (usually hand-held) portable computer; esp. one that combines the functions of an electronic organizer with the capacity for networking and telecommunication; = personal digital assistant n. 1.In quot. 1992, this is still a hypothetical device.
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society > computing and information technology > hardware > computer > [noun] > portable
portable1933
luggable1978
notebook computer1982
lap portable1983
laptop1983
transportable1983
lap-held1984
notebook1988
mobile device1989
notebook PC1989
notepad1991
digital assistant1992
personal digital assistant1992
netbook1999
1992 Indianapolis Star 25 Oct. c2/6 Tandy, owner of the Radio Shack chain, has teamed up with Casio Corp. of Japan, known for its miniaturization skills, to build a digital assistant.
1993 Macworld Dec. 33/1 Apple, which says it sold 50,000 Newtons and 1500 copies of the Newton software-development kit during the palm-held digital assistant's first two months on the market, is offering a free upgrade to the Newton's operating system.
2009 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 31 Jan. b1 It shipped a hand-held digital assistant called the Axim, but dropped the device because of lackluster demand.
2. A program (or device running a program) that can respond to commands or questions and perform tasks electronically; (in later use esp.) one that is connected to the internet and is voice activated; = virtual assistant n. 1. Cf. voice assistant n. at voice n. Compounds 2, personal digital assistant n. 2.
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1995 Independent 12 Oct. (Review section) 16/6 None of the reading tablets includes digital assistant functions.
2010 J. J. Bryson in Y. Wilks Close Engagem. with Artific. Compan. 63 If a digital assistant listens and talks to a human, it is a robot- it is an agent, an actor, living in and changing the world.
2020 Indian Express (Nexis) 17 Nov. Microsoft Cortana was initially pitched as an answer to Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri. However, the voice-based digital assistant failed to compete with other digital assistants.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1992