Originally published at: Mycroft AI Launches Mark II, The Next Generation of Privacy-focused, Open-Source Smart Speakers - Mycroft
MYCROFT AI LAUNCHES MARK II, THE NEXT GENERATION OF PRIVACY-FOCUSED, OPEN-SOURCE SMART SPEAKERS
Fully-Customizable, Voice-Activated Hardware Sets
New Benchmark For Personal Data-Respecting Technology
KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 20, 2022 – Mycroft AI, creators of the world’s first privacy-driven, open-source technology platform, announced it has begun shipping its much anticipated Mark II smart speaker. The Mark II is a completely customizable, open-source, programmable IoT device that is privacy-driven, works offline, and is compatible with Home Assistant for home automation right out of the box.
With the Mark II, all personal data stays private, which means Mycroft does not collect information unless users opt-in. It can go head-to-head with other high-end smart speakers without capturing and storing personal conversations and behaviors used to serve targeted ads, build ongoing profiles and other invasive data collection practices. In other words, the Mark II doesn’t mine or store your data, sell you products, or try to own your online identity. It can even run without an internet connection*.
Introducing the Mark II: a customizable smart speaker that respects your privacy.
All units ship with a Mark II custom version of Mycroft Core, dubbed Dinkum, and users can customize their updates. Upcoming features can be previewed by selecting the Beta channel, the LTS channel selected for only critical fixes, automatic updates can be disabled altogether, giving users total control. Developers, makers and hackers will soon have another option: download the Debian Bullseye based image and install whatever version of Mycroft is desired. And for those who really want to get down to bare metal, Mycroft provides the drivers and HAL for the Mark II’s custom hardware.
Together with our community of hardcore hackers and programming proteges, Mycroft is excited to build a future where voice interaction isn’t synonymous with invasive technology and can’t wait to discover the creative ways you’ll use the Mark II.
Mark II Infographic
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Built for Makers – With focus on customizable software and hardware, Mark II was engineered to empower creativity and exploration. The unit includes two full-sized USB 3.0 ports and two full-sized USB 2.0 ports that extend general device storage and allow owners to create a local-only media library or add new USB-based hardware, like a TPU. Owners can even install their own software on any bootable USB. Other core components include:
- CPU – QuadCore Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit, 1.5GHz
- RAM – 2GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM
- Wireless – 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac
- Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
- Wired Gigabit Ethernet
- Display – 4.3″ IPS wide-viewing angle, full color, touch screen
- Far-field Microphone array
- 5MP Camera – infrared and visible light
- GPIO – including I2C and UART
- Designed for Disassembly – Mycroft believes in a consumer’s “Right to Repair.” If you own something, you should be able to tinker or repair it yourself. Our products are designed with this philosophy in mind. Mark II hardware can be quickly disassembled and reassembled with just a screwdriver.
- Developer Community – Mycroft’s community of hundreds of developers and tens of thousands of community members from more than 60 countries around the world continues to grow on a daily basis.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging – The device’s packaging is 99% cardboard and 100% recyclable. The plastic housing of the product itself is made from 35% recycled plastic content.
Mark II owners can look forward to a variety of software updates on the horizon, including bluetooth streaming audio, local speech-to-text, even completely offline operation: no account needed.
“Growing up watching Star Trek, I never imagined that saying ‘Computer, dim the lights,’ would result in my request being stored in some data center in Silicon Valley,” says Mycroft AI CEO Michael Lewis. “Getting the Mark II in the hands of our community brings us one step closer to enabling smart homes of the future without megacorporations analyzing what we say and then deciding who we are.”
For more information on the Mark II or to order your own unit, please visit the device’s product page. To learn more, check out Mycroft.AI and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Mattermost and Instagram.
*Experimental feature to be standardized by year-end
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