Siri is a UI game changer

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Medical device makers are making devices to tie into iOS. Not impossible to imagine home appliance/mechanical/security devices getting the same access. Put in bluetooth or wifi, write an app, away you go.

Apple has patents in home automation btw.

 

[Kzach]

"Siri, pre-order the new Heroes of the Feywild for me and have it shipped to home," that would be so freaking cool.

 

[Morrus]

"Siri, pre-order the new Heroes of the Feywild for me and have it shipped to home," that would be so freaking cool.

Oh, that's a no-brainer. There's no chance in hell that that is not their intention.

Whether they manage to pull it off or not is another question; they have to strike the right agreements and partnerships.

 

[LightPhoenix]

There's a lot of doubt that Apple will do that. There'd be a lot of conflicting instructions and app developers trying to claim certain keywords for their app. How many would want "tweet", for example? (Bad example, because it'll be able to tweet natively soon with no need for a third-party app). Does Apple have a "first-come-first-served" application process to grab keywords? What about keyword squatters?

This is ultimately the reason why voice-activated commands by and large won't ever (and haven't yet) become mainstream. There's too much fluidity in the semantics and intent of language to make it really practical. That's not even getting into the actual mechanics of languages - notably different dialects having semantic collisions (British vs. US English is an excellent example).

There are other reasons why I don't think this is as revolutionary or awesome as other people do, but this is (IMO) the big one.

 

[Morrus]

This is ultimately the reason why voice-activated commands by and large won't ever (and haven't yet) become mainstream. There's too much fluidity in the semantics and intent of language to make it really practical. That's not even getting into the actual mechanics of languages - notably different dialects having semantic collisions (British vs. US English is an excellent example).

I speak British English (obviously) and have had not a single dialect or phraseology based issue with it. Thus, so far they cover three English dialects and two foreign languages. They do those few very well.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Medical device makers are making devices to tie into iOS. Not impossible to imagine home appliance/mechanical/security devices getting the same access. Put in bluetooth or wifi, write an app, away you go.

There are also some Apple only medical apps and websites, which are a primary reason we're getting a flotilla of iPad 2s for my Dad's practice.

Hadn't thought much about Siri, though...

 

[Janx]

There are also some Apple only medical apps and websites, which are a primary reason we're getting a flotilla of iPad 2s for my Dad's practice.

Hadn't thought much about Siri, though...

It's probably a good fit. I hadn't realized it, but a friend of mine's wife had to get software for her blackberry because as a nursing student, when she was working the hospital, they were all expected to have it for looking stuff up and texting to communicate.

In my own company, we have doctors who use Dragon Dictation Medical edition for dictating their notes (cheaper than paying a service for transcription). But they can't control their computers with voice. Siri just might solve that for signalling when to record dictation and what patient to associate the notes for.

I also wouldn't assume it's just Apple and Siri. granted Apple bought Siri, but other companies are going to mimic this and probably be more open about it. That'll help drive it to be a mainstream feature.

 

[Morrus]

So all the tech blogs are currently predicting that Apple's next big thing is an HDTV with Siri integrated. That does seem a logical step - Siri on your TV as well as your phone.

That'll be pretty Star Trek. Asking Siri to place a FaceTime call on your TV; although video calls still haven't taken off (partly because there's no universal service like there is for voice, and partly because it requires Wi-Fi to function well).

 

[Kzach]

Asking Siri to place a FaceTime call on your TV; although video calls still haven't taken off (partly because there's no universal service like there is for voice, and partly because it requires Wi-Fi to function well).

Nah, the reason video calls haven't taken off is a little less complex than that; how often would you really feel comfortable making or receiving a call at home where the other person can see you in your underclothes

 

[Morrus]

Nah, the reason video calls haven't taken off is a little less complex than that; how often would you really feel comfortable making or receiving a call at home where the other person can see you in your underclothes

True enough!