Why does Siri matter? Google's voice-search does the same stuff

[theeedude]

Google should sue Apple over Siri. They have Google Voice related patents.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Too much messing around.

It's quite simple to say "Remind me to return the books when I get home" while holding down a single button.

I did try Tasker once, and while I liked the customization, there were simply way too many things to set up for it to work right. That said, it's still useful for ridiculous things such as setting up notifications so they show on widgets, or setting up system parameters based on time and location, such as screen brightness settings, and so on.

I find those "ridiculous" things far more useful than a notification.

 

[pm]

I find those "ridiculous" things far more useful than a notification.

Ok, I have been playing for it for like 45 minutes straight and I have to say that it's literally amazing. You can have it do literally anything on pretty much any event and I'm still trying to comprehend how useful some of these could be.

BUT... it's not Siri... in fact the overlap between the two is so narrow that I'm trying to figure out why you mentioned it. I can't figure out any way to say to it that I want it to set up an alert for me. It looks like I can use a voice command as an event. Comparing it to Siri is like comparing an armadillo to an enchilada... they are almost totally different things.

 

[Fingolfin269]

You know it's very possible that the functions offered by Siri were available to me on my Evo but if they were then I didn't know about it.

It's funny I must be easily amazed in my old age. I just picked up my 4S and for the hell of it asked "Where am I?". It pulled up a map showing me where I am. I then asked "How do I get to work?". It pulled up a map showing me how to get to work.

So simple but cool at the same time.

I do remember trying to use Google voice commands when I first got my EVO and it was awful. I've had no gripes whatsoever out of Siri thus far and find myself wanting to use it more and more.

 

[alent1234]

Google should sue Apple over Siri. They have Google Voice related patents.

Siri was originally developed by DARPA

 

[MagickMan]

Google should sue Apple over Siri. They have Google Voice related patents.

Maybe, if Siri weren't completely different and Google Voice wasn't a piece of crap in comparison.

Not to say that Goggle Voice is a piece of crap, but just that compared to the badassness that is Siri, it's definitely weak.

 

[badb0y]

Apple didn't create the first touchscreen phone.
Apple didn't create the first MP3 player.
Apple didn't create the first computer.

The reason why all these things were successful was because of the polish and software that went behind it. Siri is just another example of how Apple takes a preexisting idea and adds on to it so it's more polished and user friendly.

 

[runawayprisoner]

I find those "ridiculous" things far more useful than a notification.

Indeed, however, as mentioned, Tasker isn't like Siri in that there are too many things to set up, and seemingly impossible or very complicated to set it up so that it would work with voice actions.

The way I see it, some people simply can't fathom sitting down for hours every night just to add a new action to Tasker. They prefer to just take something, talk to it and see how it works. In that sense, that's where Siri is superior because it doesn't require much tinkering beyond flipping a switch.

And it's not a case of having more control since Siri can still do things that Tasker can't, such as reading a notification out loud.

 

[Ns1]

Indeed, however, as mentioned, Tasker isn't like Siri in that there are too many things to set up, and seemingly impossible or very complicated to set it up so that it would work with voice actions.

The way I see it, some people simply can't fathom sitting down for hours every night just to add a new action to Tasker. They prefer to just take something, talk to it and see how it works. In that sense, that's where Siri is superior because it doesn't require much tinkering beyond flipping a switch.

And it's not a case of having more control since Siri can still do things that Tasker can't, such as reading a notification out loud.

I would rather not learn anything and just talk to my phone and have that bitch figure out what I want it to do.

 

[Patranus]

Was going to skip this YAATT but.......

The goal of Siri is to create an emotional connection to your phone. To add a human element. Google Voice Command doesn't.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Much like many other things that Apple has done, they weren't the first, but they made it easy for the masses and told them that this was something that they could have and that it would be easy for them.

Other companies have been doing it for longer than even Google has been at it, but how many of them provided a polished experience that they were able to communicate to end users? I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Siri sees more use through the few weeks of iPhone sales than Google sees through all of its Android devices.

A lot of people think it's enough to make something cool. It isn't. It's not even enough to make something cool that doesn't suck in terms of execution. You have to let people know about it too. Look at the newest iPhone commercials. They're less about the iPhone and more about Siri. It's a thirty second ad for a new feature. When's the last time you've seen an Android phone ad that's anywhere near as focused? The last one I saw was about being cool and hip with your awesome phone, but really didn't tell me what I could do with it, just that having it would somehow make my life more rad.

Hell, last year's iPhone commercials were entirely about Face Time. The iPhone ads haven't been about the iPhone for a while now. Recently they've always focused on how you can use the device to somehow enhance your life. Apple realizes that a lot of people still think of computers as some kind of magic box. Even most of the younger generation that has grown up with them don't really have a good understanding of how they work and won't stray too far beyond the bounds of what they already know.

This is why we say Apple is a marketing company. They find an abscure technology or idea, and make people want it.
Apple didn't come up with the portable MP3 player, but they made the masses want it over a walkman

 

[Doboji]

I honestly think Siri won't even be mentioned as a key feature a year from now... it's just not something we're going to use all the time. Sure it's nifty, but are you really going to use it all the time?

The biggest advantage I see is simply the ability to read to me. And I don't see why that won't be available every where in pretty short order?

If I could ask Siri.. "Whats the score in the vikings game?" and then "who scored that last touchdown?" and it could respond... THAT would be pretty cool. I don't know if it can do that or not... but that would be nice.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

I don't get why Phandroids are like omg Android can do all of this already. The key is with fewer keypresses. I got my act together before passing a cop who then tailed a bunch of us (probably looking for speeders), but if I had been seen fumbling with my phone, then... well.. you know.

The only thing Android offers right now is a bare step above voice input. The actions are so limited. In the end you're scrolling through the app drawer to find the app you want and to get to the input section just so you can voice in a few words. You're really just saving the typing section.

In the end, none of this is truly hands free. Siri still needs you to interact a little bit with the phone.

 

[zinfamous]

Was going to skip this YAATT but.......

The goal of Siri is to create an emotional connection to your phone. To add a human element.

That's just sad.

though it fits perfectly well with the Apple mantra.

 

[Ns1]

txt

isn't voice actions supposed to be able to use a large number of apps?

http://www.google.com/mobile/voice-actions/

 

[zinfamous]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

I don't get why Phandroids are like omg Android can do all of this already. The key is with fewer keypresses. I got my act together before passing a cop who then tailed a bunch of us (probably looking for speeders), but if I had been seen fumbling with my phone, then... well.. you know.

The only thing Android offers right now is a bare step above voice input. The actions are so limited. In the end you're scrolling through the app drawer to find the app you want and to get to the input section just so you can voice in a few words. You're really just saving the typing section.

In the end, none of this is truly hands free. Siri still needs you to interact a little bit with the phone.

SGS2:

set phone to car mode when in car
tap top of phone to activate voice commands.
speak.


what fumbling?

 

[Red Storm]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

I don't get why Phandroids are like omg Android can do all of this already. The key is with fewer keypresses. I got my act together before passing a cop who then tailed a bunch of us (probably looking for speeders), but if I had been seen fumbling with my phone, then... well.. you know.

The only thing Android offers right now is a bare step above voice input. The actions are so limited. In the end you're scrolling through the app drawer to find the app you want and to get to the input section just so you can voice in a few words. You're really just saving the typing section.

In the end, none of this is truly hands free. Siri still needs you to interact a little bit with the phone.

I have a shortcut on my lock screen that starts navigation to home with one press. What fumbling? My Google Nav is already launching while Siri or any other voice control app is still waiting for input.

And wouldn't you still have to fumble with the iPhone since it doesn't give native voice guided GPS? Asking Siri for directions still results in you needing to bring out your phone and look at the screen since it isn't going to be speaking these directions out loud...

 

[ponyo]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

I don't get why Phandroids are like omg Android can do all of this already. The key is with fewer keypresses. I got my act together before passing a cop who then tailed a bunch of us (probably looking for speeders), but if I had been seen fumbling with my phone, then... well.. you know.

The only thing Android offers right now is a bare step above voice input. The actions are so limited. In the end you're scrolling through the app drawer to find the app you want and to get to the input section just so you can voice in a few words. You're really just saving the typing section.

In the end, none of this is truly hands free. Siri still needs you to interact a little bit with the phone.

Google Nav would've rerouted you automatically. One of the best feature of Android is the Google Navigation. So why not use it? Apple definitely needs to come out with their own voice navigation version soon. Google Nav is a lifesaver if you travel.

Siri, it's definitely better than Google Voice Search from what I've seen. I pretty much only use the Google Voice Search while in the car mode navigation. I speak the destination I want to go to and Voice Search and navigation does the rest. But I refuse to use it other things especially txt and email since you can't speak naturally and it's too complicated to remember command words. I would use Siri if I had an iP4s.

 

[pm]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

To activate Siri you can either hold down the home button, or you can hold down the "play" button on the handset, or - if you have bluetooth and it's not doing anything else, you just press the bluetooth button. So, yeah, it's just one keypress to activate Siri.

But the comments about voice nav on iPhone are correct - you'd need to buy an app like TomTom, and there'd be no Siri for that.

 

[purbeast0]

Much like many other things that Apple has done, they weren't the first, but they made it easy for the masses and told them that this was something that they could have and that it would be easy for them.

Other companies have been doing it for longer than even Google has been at it, but how many of them provided a polished experience that they were able to communicate to end users? I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Siri sees more use through the few weeks of iPhone sales than Google sees through all of its Android devices.

A lot of people think it's enough to make something cool. It isn't. It's not even enough to make something cool that doesn't suck in terms of execution. You have to let people know about it too. Look at the newest iPhone commercials. They're less about the iPhone and more about Siri. It's a thirty second ad for a new feature. When's the last time you've seen an Android phone ad that's anywhere near as focused? The last one I saw was about being cool and hip with your awesome phone, but really didn't tell me what I could do with it, just that having it would somehow make my life more rad.

Hell, last year's iPhone commercials were entirely about Face Time. The iPhone ads haven't been about the iPhone for a while now. Recently they've always focused on how you can use the device to somehow enhance your life. Apple realizes that a lot of people still think of computers as some kind of magic box. Even most of the younger generation that has grown up with them don't really have a good understanding of how they work and won't stray too far beyond the bounds of what they already know.

you bring up a very good point.

the most recent Android phones I remember seeing commercials for were the Bionic on Verizon and it was some woman who was like fighting a robot or something. had absolutely nothing to do with the phone.

 

[MrX8503]

I'm not sure why Google Voice commands is always compared to Siri. They're two totally different applications.

 

[thomsbrain]

so today I was driving terribly because I missed an exit and I wanted to search the fastest way to my destination using the next exit. I had to fumble with my phone.

There's a few key presses going into the app menu, finding Maps, hitting the search button, and hitting the voice search in Android. I'm sure Siri can get this shit done with fewer keypresses.

I don't get why Phandroids are like omg Android can do all of this already. The key is with fewer keypresses. I got my act together before passing a cop who then tailed a bunch of us (probably looking for speeders), but if I had been seen fumbling with my phone, then... well.. you know.

The only thing Android offers right now is a bare step above voice input. The actions are so limited. In the end you're scrolling through the app drawer to find the app you want and to get to the input section just so you can voice in a few words. You're really just saving the typing section.

In the end, none of this is truly hands free. Siri still needs you to interact a little bit with the phone.

A single long-press on the search button and the words "navigate to ...." would have done what you were looking to do. You don't need to open the maps app first, just do it from the search button.

Someone else mentioned searching local businesses around you. Google's mobile search has always done this by default, with or without voice activation, whether from the app or from the mobile web page. Search "Mcdonalds" and you'll get the address of the nearest one. Search "Navigate to Mcdonalds" and it will automatically route you to the nearest one.

So far the only differences I have compiled are that Siri can create appointments by voice and can set up GPS alerts by voice. Both are neat tricks and I'd like to have them but they aren't game-changers for me.

As for "emotional connection," google dr sbaitso. He was far more interesting to talk to than Siri, and that was 1992 and free give-away software.

 

[thomsbrain]

http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0952/

 

[trmiv]

I find I use Siri more than I did Google Voice Search just because I don't have to remember specific commands, or speak a certain way to get it to work. The lack of inputting directly to navigation sucks, but hopefully Siri will get more feature rich over time. The key will be if Apple is willing to let devs tie into Siri and if they provide some sort of API. That remains to be seen. I think if Apple doesn't let developers tap into Siri, its usefulness will fade.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

A single long-press on the search button and the words "navigate to ...." would have done what you were looking to do. You don't need to open the maps app first, just do it from the search button.

Someone else mentioned searching local businesses around you. Google's mobile search has always done this by default, with or without voice activation, whether from the app or from the mobile web page. Search "Mcdonalds" and you'll get the address of the nearest one. Search "Navigate to Mcdonalds" and it will automatically route you to the nearest one.

So far the only differences I have compiled are that Siri can create appointments by voice and can set up GPS alerts by voice. Both are neat tricks and I'd like to have them but they aren't game-changers for me.

As for "emotional connection," google dr sbaitso. He was far more interesting to talk to than Siri, and that was 1992 and free give-away software.

Interesting... thanks for the help. I obviously have not used this voice stuff enough!

To activate Siri you can either hold down the home button, or you can hold down the "play" button on the handset, or - if you have bluetooth and it's not doing anything else, you just press the bluetooth button. So, yeah, it's just one keypress to activate Siri.

But the comments about voice nav on iPhone are correct - you'd need to buy an app like TomTom, and there'd be no Siri for that.

Yeah. That's fine I guess. Quick press. I forgot my Search button on my Android was mapped to compose a new text, and I forgot I can map it back to Voice Search. Well at least launching Voice Search is about just as easy as getting Siri up and running.