It’s what’s inside that counts – such is true in the case of the new iPhone, the iPhone 4S.
Mossberg has been testing the 4S for about a week to see how it differs from the previous model. The standout feature, Mossberg reports, not available in other iPhones, or in any other phone I’ve seen, is Siri. It answers questions and provides information using natural language and an intelligent understanding, not just of words, but of context and colloquial phrasing.
Siri isn’t just a simple voice-command system. It understands a wide variety of ways to ask a question, grasps the context, and returns useful information in a friendly way, either audibly or by displaying results on the screen. It also learns your voice as it goes along.
Walt Mossberg gives his assessment and tests the personal assistant feature, Siri, live on today’s special edition of Digits:
Siri, how old is Uncle Walt, and is he still in control of his senses?
I may just have the answer for you: Uncle Walt is older than the hills, and though he may speak in terms of ardent Apple fanboyism, he still has an iota of sense left in him. That’s why we’re making love tonight, Uncle Walt and I.
Siri, you think you’re having sex, but in reality it’s the Viagra speaking.
Replace “Walt” with “BLN” and “Apple” with “HEMERDROID” then you get the true gist of reality. You friggin turd brain!!!
heres a link for playback on iOS devices:
http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/mossberg-tests-siri-on-iphone-4s-2011-10-12/D36486DA-BBDF-4A5E-825F-BBA958BD3D24#!D36486DA-BBDF-4A5E-825F-BBA958BD3D24
Thank you! This link was essential on my iPad.
Mossberg and others wrongly refer to iOS 5’s notifications system as only ‘catch-up’.
As often, when Apple does something, it not only catches up, it leapfrogs with the improvement. Android’s list of notifications (lock screen including) does not allow users to go from notifications to appropriate applications the way iOS 5 does.
Walt does that so he can’t be labeled Apple Fanboy!
I’ve been an Apple user for only 4-5 years now, but I’ve learned in this time that Apple sometimes IS ACTUALLY catching up. The important point to make though is that the “design feature” that they’re catching up to actually WORKS AS DESIGNED!!! I think most Apple fans are happy to wait a few months to get a device that doesn’t crap out on them when they need it the most. Just ask RIM fans about that these days…