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First Look: Using iPhone 4S with Siri voice assistant - Page 6

post #201 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post

I agree, the swan 930 is confusing, and I wouldn't want Siri to achieve consciousness and think humans are an idiot species that is only fit for termination. It could mean tickets to see The Swan at 9:30, or it could be a place called Swan 930.

The thing is, the people receiving the message "Swan 930" aren't confused. They know it means a pub called the Swan and not an invitation to see Swan Lake the ballet.

My point is that since siri can't accurately translate an 8 character text message that I send at least once a week, I'll just continue to send the text the "old fashioned way" with my fingers. And because siri can't handle one of the apparently simpler things that I do on the phone, I don't really have the trust to use it for anything more complicated.

I appreciate that siri is beta... but I'd be interested to know how it could or would be "trained" to an individual's voice. If siri doesn't translate, say, the body of the text message correctly, then I'm either going to cancel and send the message the old fashioned way, or manually correct what siri has come up with, and then send it. In either case, how is siri getting the feedback of what it thought I said vs. what I intended to say? Is the copy of the text message being sent up to the siri servers to allow comparison with the speech sample?
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post #202 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woffles View Post

Curious as to no one is questioning why the iPhone 4 doesn't have SIRI. Since it's a server side app the original 4 should have no problems running it. Besides I already had SIRI before they shut it off. Nice upgrade Apple. Thanks for nothing. And no, I can't get a 4S, my phones too new.


Apple wanted something to make more people spring for the 4S. The bumps in specs are not enough - Apple buyers don't care about specs because they are never as good as the competitor's.

So they made Siri exclusive. It is the major selling point for one of Apple's largest target demographics - technophobes. They contemplate just talking at the phone and being able to use it, no learning necessary. It is magical.

If Siri worked on the low-priced iPhones, then the target demographic would spend less money. But the 4S is easily the most profitable model Apple currently sells, so they wanted to steer the newbies towards it.

There is no technical reason for Apple to exclude the vast majority of current customers the Siri experience. There is every reason for Apple to make sure it has a compelling reason for large numbers of target customers to buy the high-margin model.

It is all very simple.
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post #203 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twelve View Post

I appreciate your questioning. It's a sign that your mind is functioning and I appreciate it.

Think, however, about how many different ways the "Siri" algorithm can be partitioned between phone and back-end servers, and what's best for the sake of latency, not to mention privacy.

Perhaps it's useful to point out that doesn't work without a network connection isn't equivalent to doesn't do anything on the iPhone. So, those saying that, or that there's no reason it couldn't have been made active on earlier phones, really have no basis at all for their statements.
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post #204 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twelve View Post

Just think for a moment about the level of accomplishment this is. It's akin to sending up the first Space Shuttle and bringing the astronauts back home safely.

That is way too modest. Siri is akin to colonizing another galaxy and fighting a major war with bizarre intergalactic beings in order to defend it. Oh! And then a new saviour is born in the wreckage from the war, bringing everlasting peace to the cosmos. A new era! A new Home!

That is what Siri is like.


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post #205 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by friedmud View Post

I just don't understand this line of thinking. How are you "being screwed"? Didn't you purchase a phone for a caertain amount of money with a particular feature set at that time because you thought it represented a good value? Does your phone continue to have those features (plus more)?



His phone used to have Siri.

Apple fucked him. They took away the capability.

Is that too hard to understand?
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post #206 of 220
10/17/11 at 6:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woffles View Post

Are we having fun yet? Oh, for any of you that don't think Apple "owes" you anything. Who the heck do you think makes them possible? It's you, not them. Your hard earned dollars built Apple. They didn't do it on their own. Course with Apple, the customer is never right. Sad way to run a business. Makes Microsoft look nice.

You don't understand loyalty to a corporation. When you fall in love with a business entity, you have to expect that they will take as much of your money as possible, and will give you just enough to keep the cash flowing.

So what if they did what you say and allowed old customers to run the coolest new software? Then the old customers would have less incentive to give Apple more money! That makes no sense whatsoever!

Look - this ain't a two way street. You knew it when you signed up. Apple does what it does. If you are faithful and true, you give them more money. That was ALWAYS the deal.

If you want to bask in the knowledge that you are a better person, you need Apple. And if you need Apple, then you need to give them money every time they condescend to offer you new toys. If you think Apple is going to just give yo new toys for free, then you are deluded.

/sarcasm
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post #207 of 220
10/17/11 at 6:19am
I'm sorry... Siri is friggin sweet. You have to mumble a bit less than normal... but from what a lot of people are posting here, that might not be bad practice!

"Play some Chili Peppers" ... "OK, playing Warlocks" (that's a song on Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

"Remind me to send Jeff an email when I get to work"

"Remind me to call my mom when I leave home" (What's awesome about this is when the reminder pops up, you can tap one button, and it CALLS YOUR MOM. Brilliant).

"When is my girlfriend's birthday?" ... "Here's that contact information"

Just brilliant. I'm still learning what she can do. And this is the starting point. Can't wait to see what they do with it.

I've had some spottiness as well with "can't connect to server", but I'm chalking that up to the millions of iPhone users using her non-stop for the first couple days... It'll get better.
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post #208 of 220
10/17/11 at 6:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woffles View Post

Maybe. 7+ months is still excessive to me. Is wanting two whole features greedy on my part? Two, count them. Air play video and Air play Keynote. That's it. Siri, I already had and lost. We'll see if that comes back. That's just an annoyance. In the end I may get the Airplay feature.

It's just plain stupid that their software didn't have it to start with. I guess I'd make a lousy businessman actually giving customers the features they wanted and not nickel and diming them to death.

It is not unreasonable for you to want features - any features - but it is unreasonable and unrealistic for you to expect Apple to add them just because you want them. Apple's market, amazingly, does extend beyond you, and their product features and specs are driven by a host of factors - feasibility, cost, where it fits in their long-term plans for the product, and, to some extent at least, customer desires.
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post #209 of 220
10/17/11 at 6:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

You don't understand loyalty to a corporation. When you fall in love with a business entity, you have to expect that they will take as much of your money as possible, and will give you just enough to keep the cash flowing.

So what if they did what you say and allowed old customers to run the coolest new software? Then the old customers would have less incentive to give Apple more money! That makes no sense whatsoever!

Look - this ain't a two way street. You knew it when you signed up. Apple does what it does. If you are faithful and true, you give them more money. That was ALWAYS the deal.

If you want to bask in the knowledge that you are a better person, you need Apple. And if you need Apple, then you need to give them money every time they condescend to offer you new toys. If you think Apple is going to just give yo new toys for free, then you are deluded.

/sarcasm

Sarcasm notwithstanding - Apple has done a pretty good job of ensuring backwards compatibility in their hardware over the years - one of the reasons that Apple hardware tends to live longer than most other brands.
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post #210 of 220
10/17/11 at 6:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

His phone used to have Siri.

Apple fucked him. They took away the capability.

Is that too hard to understand?

No, but it is a completely out-of-proportion reaction.
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post #211 of 220
10/17/11 at 11:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

That is way too modest. Siri is akin to colonizing another galaxy and fighting a major war with bizarre intergalactic beings in order to defend it. Oh! And then a new saviour is born in the wreckage from the war, bringing everlasting peace to the cosmos. A new era! A new Home!

That is what Siri is like.



Right, because ConradJoe can successfully design a service for 4 million users in his sleep!

Hmmm...that might be more accurate, actually.
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post #212 of 220
10/17/11 at 2:20pm
Quote:
Originally posted by The Steve
"Change 500 mexican pesos into US dollars."

This is not a *question*; why are you surprised that there is no answer?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

Because your "personal assistant" should respond to commands.

The phone doesn't come with a dollar drawer to fulfill that "command"..... ...and where would you stuff the 500 pesos in the first place?

It's obvious Siri (via Wolfram) would've returned the correct answer to "How many US dollars are there in 500 Mexican pesos?" and probably even to "convert 500 Mexican dollars into US dollars."

The ambiguity of "Change" is the likely culprit here.

An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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post #213 of 220
10/17/11 at 3:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twelve View Post

Right, because ConradJoe can successfully design a service for 4 million users in his sleep!

Hmmm...that might be more accurate, actually.

I suspect he would do us all a great service if he'd sleep more... a whole lot more!
"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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post #214 of 220
10/17/11 at 3:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigpics View Post

The phone doesn't come with a dollar drawer to fulfill that "command"..... ...and where would you stuff the 500 pesos in the first place?

It's obvious Siri (via Wolfram) would've returned the correct answer to "How many US dollars are there in 500 Mexican pesos?" and probably even to "convert 500 Mexican dollars into US dollars."

The ambiguity of "Change" is the likely culprit here.


I tried: "Exchange 500 Mexican pesos for US dollars"

Siri: "I found a number of Mexican restaurants in DC..."
"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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post #215 of 220
10/17/11 at 3:24pm
Here's a cartoon that reminds me of the two positions that people seem to take on Siri:

"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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post #216 of 220
10/17/11 at 3:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twelve View Post

Right, because ConradJoe can successfully design a service for 4 million users in his sleep!

Hmmm...that might be more accurate, actually.

Actually, he means Siri can colonize another galaxy and win a space war, but it can't change 500 Mexican pesos into US dollars. And for that, we should all scorn Apple.
"And just like that, everyone here realizes you're just another sweaty little Google licker with an axe to grind and no idea what he's talking about." --addabox
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"And just like that, everyone here realizes you're just another sweaty little Google licker with an axe to grind and no idea what he's talking about." --addabox
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post #217 of 220
10/17/11 at 5:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post

I tried: "Exchange 500 Mexican pesos for US dollars"

Siri: "I found a number of Mexican restaurants in DC..."

That's still asking Siri to perform an action verb in the physical world rather than to perform a lookup that answers a question, do math, transcribe text or invoke another program.

It can and certainly will calculate currency exchange values in response to a number of inputs.....

An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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post #218 of 220
10/21/11 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lamewing View Post

My main annoyance with Siri is not the artificial limitation Apple has imposed on the hardware...that is just business. The problem I have is Siri cannot accept simple commands like "Open Music", "Open Calendar", "Open ??? App". Siri states she cannot do this. Windows Phone 7 Mango can do this with no problem. I can also hold entire text conversations on Mango where the phone reads the text and lets me speak my new text. Now, Siri is MUCH better at voice recognition, I am just confused why it cannot do simple commands such as Open Apps, Close Apps, Shutdown Phone, etc etc. Maybe Apple will add these features in later...

I'm hearing this complaint and don't understand it. What point is there to use the 40yo "open" command without actually doing a useful task? ItWhy tell Siri to open Reminders instead of telling it create a reminder, edit a reminder, read a reminder, etc. Why tell it to open Music instead of simply playing a song, artist or playlist? Why tell Siri to open Safari instead of simply telling it to do a search?

I suppose there is an argument to be made for simple, mostly static, output-only apps, but I don't see that as a common feature. I do expect that just like the original iPhone when people complained that there were no 3rd-party apps or SDK that we'll see APIs for Siri to allow it to better understand your other apps. Perhaps then you'll get an API for it to open an app and then do nothing.
Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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post #219 of 220
10/21/11 at 9:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post

I tried: "Exchange 500 Mexican pesos for US dollars"

Siri: "I found a number of Mexican restaurants in DC..."

You're not really exchanging. Try using the word convert.
Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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post #220 of 220
10/21/11 at 6:57pm
I read this entire thread and only learned one thing. "The Swan" is a stupid name for a club.
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