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Apple To Open Up Siri To Developers, Release An Amazon Echo Competitor (bgr.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the always-listening dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from BGR: According to a new report from The Information, Apple is finally ready to let Siri grow up. Specifically, the publication relays that Apple will finally offer official Siri APIs to developers, thus paving the way for third-party integrations, the kind that Amazon Echo users can't seem to get enough of. Things like ordering an Uber or pizza are currently impossible, because Siri is locked down by Apple. What's more, Apple is also reportedly working on a standalone device meant to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google's recently unveiled Google Home. If that's true, it's huge news -- Apple has been lacking any kind of smart home hub until now, but a Siri-powered device would be a serious play to get Apple into our homes. Google is the latest tech giant to announce a virtual home assistant. It unveiled Google Home, a small round gadget with microphones and speakers that listen and respond to your questions and commands.

82 comments

  1. Cat Fight? by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can we put Siri and Cortana in a sound proof room and let them fight it out?

    --
    You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    1. Re:Cat Fight? by antdude · · Score: 1

      Will we be able to watch them fight though? ;)

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    2. Re:Cat Fight? by Deep+Esophagus · · Score: 1

      You know what would be even better? Combine Siri and Clippy.

  2. This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No, but seriously, when Apple gets involved with someone it becomes a lot more mainstream.

    Also I think having a audio box that spies on me inside my house and sells what I search for to advertising companies to be dumb, but to each his own.

    1. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by goombah99 · · Score: 2

      If Apple maintains its privacy oriented stance I might actually consider one of these.

      --
      Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    2. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by peragrin · · Score: 1

      except that Siri sucks.

      I was cooking dinner the other day and needed 598 divided by 5. my hands were a mess so hey, I haven't tried siri in a while let's try her.

      it took 6 tries, for siri to reconigize my voice, and give me a result. the correct numbers and operators appeared on the screen of my iPhone 4 out of 6 of those times, but siri kept failing to find a result.

      I don't have a tough accent, I don't stumble my words, yet when i speak voice recognition software falls (done on purpose) every time.

      70% accuracy isn't good enough.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    3. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Guy+Harris · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It'll probably cost double what the Echo does, and you'll have to buy a new one once a year.

      Yes, because every single Apple machine turns into a pile of dust one year after it's bought.

      You might choose to buy a new one every year because you get excited by the Apple event where the new one is introduced, but you don't have to do that. (I have to buy a new iPhone this year, but that's because next year it becomes an iPod touch with an extra useless radio. It still works, and is actually still mostly usable on the Intertubes.)

    4. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Still using an iPhone4 and and Mac mini from 2006, macbook from 2007 and a 2 year old air. Typing from a Sony xperia z3 which I use daily.

    5. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For your sake, I hope you really do speak clearly. But, if your writing is any indication, you may not be as clear as you believe.

      it took 6 tries, for siri to reconigize my voice, and give me a result.

      Why do you have those commas in there? Do you have weird pauses when you speak, too?

    6. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by KingMotley · · Score: 1

      It is probably your accent because siri works great for me. Just tried it and got it first try, just to be sure.

    7. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Dog-Cow · · Score: 1

      Considering the original iPhone was released in 2007, I am having a bit of trouble with your claim.

    8. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      It'll probably cost double what the Echo does

      I have an Amazon Echo. I would gladly pay double for something twice as good. The Echo is nice, but it has a lot of limitations, and there is plenty of room for improvement. For instance, I can tell it to "turn off the kitchen light" and I can tell it to "set a timer for 5 minutes", but I can't tell it "in five minutes, turn off the kitchen light". Another nice feature would be to recognize individual voices of household members, so if my daughter says "play some music" it plays something she likes, and if I say "play some music" it knows I prefer Willie Nelson over Taylor Swift.

    9. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well at least Apple realizes there is more to the world than just USA/Canada the FireTV is great but having to use a US postal code and timezone is annoying as hell.

    10. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Am I the only one shocked by the fact, that someone needs a computing device with voice recognition and cloud capabilities to do simple math?

    11. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Wait wait wait...so your answer for a shit product is 'they were saying it wrong'. Yeah, that is a real selling point for a pile of dog shit. It doesn't really taste like dog shit, you are just eating it wrong.

    12. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right now anything that supports 'push' will get my $$
      Echo is on way or half duplex.. I want my device to tell me when to take my pills or if my garage door is still open at 10pm.
      There is many things push will do. Amazon refuses to talk about it.

    13. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      It was an early prototype iPhone 4. You know, made by that leather case company in China.

    14. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by unami · · Score: 1

      oh, the high-tech irony... calculating 598 divided by 5 in your head would have taken as much time as it took asking and waiting for an answer once, and you'd also have the benefit of light mind-gymnastics...

    15. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by halivar · · Score: 1

      For voice recognition, saying it wrong will absolutely ensure failure.

    16. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Holi · · Score: 1

      But an absolutely correct Apple response.

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    17. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by TheGrimmReaper · · Score: 1

      Even I know he/she means the Mac MINI was from 2006, not the iPhone 4

    18. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Considering the original iPhone was released in 2007, I am having a bit of trouble with your claim.

      I think there might have been a missing comma after "iPhone4". Just replace the first "and" with a comma, then place the string " a " after that, and all will make sense.

    19. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Another nice feature would be to recognize individual voices of household members, so if my daughter says "play some music" it plays something she likes, and if I say "play some music" it knows I prefer Willie Nelson over Taylor Swift.

      That's a move AWAY from "speaker independence", which has been one of the great breakthroughs in natural-language speech recognition. No thank you.

      Not to defend Echo; but is it REALLY too hard to ask it to "Play some Willie Nelson"

      Honestly, speech recognition is getting damned good; but CONTEXTUAL recognition is almost as hard, and an entirely different problem.

    20. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by macs4all · · Score: 1

      it took 6 tries, for siri to reconigize my voice, and give me a result.

      One thing you didn't mention: What was the ambient environment like, audio-wise?

      Speech recognition in the "real world" is QUITE a different problem than it is with a headset, or with your mouth a couple of inches away from the microphone in a relatively quiet room.

      My feeling is that you had the iPhone/iPad sitting on the kitchen counter (itself being a pretty acoustically-reflective surface), and you weren't exactly close to, or "on axis" with, the microphone. Add to that that kitchens often have a relatively high ambient noise level, with "white noise masking" coming from exhaust fans, faucets with aerators, etc. Add to that the fact that most kitchens are HIGHLY echoic, with hard-surfaced walls, ceilings and floors, and you begin to see the problem. It all sounds like a big mish-mash by the time that Siri gets the audio.

      Ever recorded a conference or meeting with a voice recorder? Notice how "reverberant" even what seems to be a fairly "dead" room is on the recording? Ever notice how much harder it is to pick-out what is being said on said recording, than it was when you were listening in person?

      Well, THAT's what Siri is forced to "work with", ALL THE TIME.

      Quite frankly, I'm often very amazed at how well it DOES do, given the audio soup it has to parse.

      Next time, try bending down closer to the microphone and see if the recognition-factor doesn't go up dramatically.

      By the way, these issues apply to ALL speech recognition, not just Siri.

    21. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "No reasonable person would believe us".

      And yet people still believe the tripe they cart out.

      Even if you do believe them, just listen carefully. They never say they don't use personal information themselves for targeting purposes (that's exactly what they do with, say, music suggestions)... they just say that they don't sell your personal information - just like every other company.

      Google would be absolutely stupid to sell your data - they would be giving away the product they sell.

    22. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by narcc · · Score: 1

      That's pretty funny, but he's not off the mark. Voice recognition software loves my voice. I've had great results even on crummy old software from the mid-90's. I've had success getting the things to recognize all sorts of unusual words, words that sound similar to common words, etc. That's great for me, but no one else I know has had the luck with voice recognition software that I've had. I have very little doubt that there are people on the opposite end of the spectrum as well, who can't get the software to recognize their voice well at all.

      I wouldn't go so far as to say "they're saying it wrong" but it's pretty clear that their voice is why they have so much trouble with the software. Ultimately, it's the software's fault, as the technology is obviously not as advanced as we like to pretend.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    23. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      And if it can actually help you find things in the AppStore, I am sure that all Apple users will get one out of necessity...

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    24. Re:This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait wait wait...so your answer for a shit product is 'they were saying it wrong'. Yeah, that is a real selling point for a pile of dog shit. It doesn't really taste like dog shit, you are just eating it wrong.

      Well, yes.
      Garbage in garbage out. If your speak in a manner sufficiently distinct from that which the system was trained to recognize it'll fail.

      Or do you expect your difference engine to give the correct answer if you enter incorrect figures?

    25. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, You're confusing things. The ability to recognize speech without training by each speaker is, yes, a great advancement. Having speaker identification, used for preference, is totally different. Stop trolling. If you're not trolling, then unfortunately, your just a an idiot.

    26. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Wow, You're confusing things. The ability to recognize speech without training by each speaker is, yes, a great advancement. Having speaker identification, used for preference, is totally different. Stop trolling. If you're not trolling, then unfortunately, your just a an idiot.

      I'm not trolling; nor am I an idiot. I'm an embedded developer with nearly 4 decades of paid experience; so I think I understand the issues involved.

      Maybe (probably) we have gotten to the point where we can separate pitch, cadence and other "identifying factors" from the actual "words" themselves. In that regard, perhaps it would be possible to distinguish speakers reliably (however I kind of doubt it). Things like siblings of the same gender/age and mood of the speaker might be enough to make that an unreliable mess at this point.

    27. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm more worried that you couldn't approximate 598/6 to 120 for cooking without iWank. Seriously. If you failed at that then you probably don't know how to work Siri.

      The approximation accuracy is >70% that you are asking for.

    28. Re: This will change EVERYTHING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I made a typo... 598/5

  3. Not in my house by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ever.

  4. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now you are seeing the Post-Steve Jobs Apple. This is the start of the "Hey we have that too" reaction to product RND

    1. Re:Anonymous Coward by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 2

      This is the start of the "Hey we have that too" reaction to product RND

      You mean like they did with that failed MP3 player of theirs? What was it called the iMP3 or something?

    2. Re:Anonymous Coward by Guy+Harris · · Score: 1

      This is the start of the "Hey we have that too" reaction to product RND

      You mean like they did with that failed MP3 player of theirs? What was it called the iMP3 or something?

      I see you refrained from using either the word "Nomad" or the word "lame". :-)

    3. Re:Anonymous Coward by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 2

      Precisely. MP3 players were quite common, and Apple loved the UI of the Creative player, so they made their own and ripped off the UI. And then slickly marketed it!

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    4. Re: Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are right on and their stock price has shown that they are no longer innovators. Look at the latest offerings. Pitiful, now it's follow the leader.
      Maybe they need to listen to their customers wishes.

    5. Re:Anonymous Coward by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      MP3 Players were also fairly inexpensive, and you didn't need to have a Mac with firewire, and install malware to load your music onto them.

    6. Re: Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      only that the creative player was slow and had a shitty interface (separated internal memory and memory card - really ?)

    7. Re: Anonymous Coward by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Yes, a shitty UI. That's why Apple paid Creative $100 million for the rights to use that UI. Shitty, indeed!

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    8. Re:Anonymous Coward by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Precisely. MP3 players were quite common, and Apple loved the UI of the Creative player, so they made their own and ripped off the UI. And then slickly marketed it!

      Yeah, because organizing music by Artist, Album and Genre was SOOOO Unique and NON-OBVIOUS. I just can't IMAGINE how Creative thought of that, and I agree that PROVES that Apple ripped-off Creative. (Rolls eyes)

      That was a bad court decision then, and simply parroting a bad decision doesn't make it better.

    9. Re:Anonymous Coward by macs4all · · Score: 1

      MP3 Players were also fairly inexpensive, and you didn't need to have a Mac with firewire, and install malware to load your music onto them.

      WTF?

      FireWire I'll give you, sort of. But once Apple opened-up iTunes to Windows, they dropped the FireWire-Only interface, and of course the Mac requirement. Before that, it was a moot point, since EVERY Mac came equipped with FIreWire. Next!

      But "Malware"? I know a lot of people don't particularly like iTunes; but calling it "Malware" is a bit over-the-top, don'tcha think, even for you?

    10. Re: Anonymous Coward by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Yes, a shitty UI. That's why Apple paid Creative $100 million for the rights to use that UI. Shitty, indeed!

      It wasn't the UI. It was the DATA ORGANIZATION. Ya know, Artist/Album/Genre? That COMPLETELY UNIQUE method of Organization that NOBODY ELSE thought of?

      Fucking idiot.

    11. Re: Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It installs several background services without consent and even if you uninstall iTns, it leaves it there. It reports back to a central server the files on your computer and in some cases deletes your music. It occupies 100+MB for a glorified content downloader and often makes Windows more unstable.

      I can see where he's coming from, even if it's filled with hyperbole.

    12. Re: Anonymous Coward by macs4all · · Score: 1

      It installs several background services without consent and even if you uninstall iTns, it leaves it there. It reports back to a central server the files on your computer and in some cases deletes your music. It occupies 100+MB for a glorified content downloader and often makes Windows more unstable.

      I can see where he's coming from, even if it's filled with hyperbole.

      If you count all the software that installs Services (which are "background" pretty much by definition; so your characterization is unnecessary and redundant), you would likely be surprised. I believe that in the case of iTunes, it is two Services: One that checks to see if you have plugged-in an iPod, and the other to check for Software Updates for iTunes, QuickTime and (when it was relevant) Safari.

      That's not "several" it is "two". The Apple Software Update remains because QuickTime (and maybe Safari) remains. If iTunes Helper remains, then I will concede that is an Uninstaller-Script error, or perhaps a Windows Permissions Error.

      It only reports your music files if you have turned on the "Genius" function, or if you have "iTunes Match" on. And it is very clear about that in iTunes Preferences. Plus you can disable "Genius" and not participate in "Match", and avoid the intrusion/data-leak.

      It deletes your files: Well, the jury is still out on that.

      Last I heard, Apple actually sent two iTunes Dev. people out into the field to study the computer and user-habits of the person who allegedly lost 122 GB of music files to iTunes (which by the way, they actually had a backup-of, so nothing was actually lost). One of the things they did was bring along a version of iTunes that had some extra debugging/logging built-in, so they can see what happens, if/when it happens again. So, if it is indeed happening, it CERTAINLY isn't Apple's intent, and they are treating the complaint as serious.

      Oh, and iTunes is much more than simply a "Glorified Content Downloader". And I can't say that it has ever made any WIndows system I have had it on, some all the way back to XP SP1, "unstable" in any way. I have NEVER seen iTunes cause a "lockup" and certainly never a BSOD. I'm not saying it CAN'T happen; just that I haven't personally seen that with my iTunes-on-Windows, or with my Windows-saddled iTunes-using friends.

    13. Re:Anonymous Coward by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      ...says the poster with the fanboi name...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    14. Re:Anonymous Coward by macs4all · · Score: 1

      ...says the poster with the fanboi name...

      Funny. Because, if we go back and look at what the Slashdotters said at the time, the "mood" of most posters seems to be that Creative was only suing Apple because they were looking for some deep pockets to mine, and that Apple had "put it all together" with the iPod.

      So, I guess those were all "fanbois" too, eh?

  5. Too little too late by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With projects like https://jasperproject.github.io/ who wants to help apple improve their crap in their sandbox?

  6. loser by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Haha. Apple can't complete with Google.

  7. Double Loser by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That would be more of a problem except that Google can't even compete with Amazon.

  8. Amazon is Impressive by jetkust · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have to give them credit here. If anything, Google or Apple should have been the first one to release the first "Echo". But complacency is one hell of a drug. Looks like they've been dipping into Microsoft's stash.

    1. Re:Amazon is Impressive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Amazon's is no more impressive than either one of the others. All of them are still half assed and obnoxious. Alexa doesn't work any better than Siri, its just the new shiney. In a year, no one will give a fuck about Alexa just like no one actually cares about Siri except some SJWs who like to find every little thing that isn't perfect and raise holy hell at apple about it.

  9. Hey. Don't forget Google! by konohitowa · · Score: 1

    The summary didn't once mention the tech giant Google and their recent unveiling of Google Home.

    1. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      The summary didn't once mention the tech giant Google and their recent unveiling of Google Home.

      The summary does mention Google Home. But this Apple announcement is way more interesting than the Google Home because it will have an open API. That will make a huge difference. A voice activated API opens up a world of possibilities. Google Home offers nothing new over the Amazon Echo.

       

    2. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by konohitowa · · Score: 1

      Was that an attempt to outdo TFS by mentioning Goigle Home three times rather than only twice, as in TFS? Granted, unlike TFS, you didn't use the same wording each time.

    3. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by konohitowa · · Score: 1

      Goigle. Good ol' Goigle. Sigh.

    4. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by RavenLrD20k · · Score: 1

      Open API? Not good enough. I want to be able to have completely open Infrastructure under my direct control. Mycroft is the only AI that I'm probably going to build and rely on to operate my home. Why? Because if I'm going to have an assistant in my house, it's not going to be a closed box that someone else has the keys to with ownership over the hardware processing my information system. If I'm going to have an AI assistant, I'm going to be in sole control of the Hardware (on premisis), network infrastructure, and any APIs that operate the system. At least now I might have a use for my Tesla cluster that's been collecting dust (no I didn't pay nearly that much for the three of those).

    5. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      Your paranoid nut case but thanks for the link to myCroft.
      It looks really interesting I have some ideas for a better echo than echo but the Echo's api is too limited.
      I want the option to use it as a multi room speaker system, intercom, support for google music, and some other functions as well. myCroft looks like it will really help me out.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    6. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by macs4all · · Score: 1

      The summary didn't once mention the tech giant Google and their recent unveiling of Google Home.

      Oh, you mean their "Me too" "HomeKit", which Apple has had for a year or two now?

    7. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by macs4all · · Score: 1

      The summary didn't once mention the tech giant Google and their recent unveiling of Google Home.

      The summary does mention Google Home. But this Apple announcement is way more interesting than the Google Home because it will have an open API. That will make a huge difference. A voice activated API opens up a world of possibilities. Google Home offers nothing new over the Amazon Echo.

      Yes it does. Data mining.

      Start talking about "new cars" around the Google Home "hockey puck", and I'll bet a ZILLION dollars that you will start seeing new car ads appear in web pages.

      Apple won't do that. In fact, they have completely disbanded their only foray into that sphere, iAd; proving that they see absolutely no value in coming anywhere near the stinky business of making their Customers their Product. But with Google (and to an extent, Amazon), that is really their ONLY business.

    8. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Open API? Not good enough. I want to be able to have completely open Infrastructure under my direct control. Mycroft is the only AI that I'm probably going to build and rely on to operate my home. Why? Because if I'm going to have an assistant in my house, it's not going to be a closed box that someone else has the keys to with ownership over the hardware processing my information system. If I'm going to have an AI assistant, I'm going to be in sole control of the Hardware (on premisis), network infrastructure, and any APIs that operate the system. At least now I might have a use for my Tesla cluster that's been collecting dust (no I didn't pay nearly that much for the three of those).

      So, that will be fine for you; but most people lack the time and/or the skills to make that a reality, even if they cared.

    9. Re: Hey. Don't forget Google! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "No reasonable person would believe us"

      Just because they're getting rid of the branding doesn't mean they'll stop.

      Think about it: they have to suggest media ands apps to you. They've always done this and is pretty much the same thing Google does: look at your patterns and suggest items for you. At no point does the advertiser have access to the personal
      Information.

      Side note: seems like nobody cares that Google Now has had an open API for a year now.

    10. Re:Hey. Don't forget Google! by konohitowa · · Score: 1

      No, I mean TFS mentioned it twice with nearly the same wording.

  10. Do you value privacy? by goombah99 · · Score: 1

    Yes, privacy is more expensive. Do you value privacy?

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    1. Re: Do you value privacy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. I think for many people the answer is, a little. It depends how much the creepiness is hidden from them.

  11. I don't get it by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    Why do we need a device to set on the counter? Can't we just as easily set a smartphone on the counter and do the same thing? Maybe this is aimed at people who refuse to buy a smartphone.

    1. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Phone mics are terrible at picking up from across the room. That and an always-on gizmo won't have a dead battery, or be misplaced, like a phone.

      Think of a light switch. Sure, you can automate them, but in the middle of doing something else, do you want to go digging for a smart phone or remote... or just flick the switch on the wall? Same sort of idea applies to voice recog gizmos like the Echo.

    2. Re:I don't get it by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      An always on gizmo won't miss the conversation where the terraists talk about the van full of fertilizer. Or the conversation about Dear Leader that isn't reverent enough. Or even the sound effects of illegal sexual practices underway.

      Granted, the cellphone will do a pretty good job of some forms of evesdropping ("Ok, Google" being something it ostensibly is always on to listen for), but not from a fixed geographic location that makes it easy to dispatch peace officers to intervene and stop the antisocial acts.

    3. Re:I don't get it by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      After I get home from work I put my phone on the charger so I do not have it with me all the time at home. You could of course put this software on your tablet and or smart phone.
      The idea of the Echo and probably the home is a little different. Being a stand alone device that is always plugged in does have some advantages.
      1. It can have much bigger speakers for better quality sound.
      2. It can have a much more complex microphone array for better voice recognition.
      The Echo is not that much more expensive than a good bluetooth speaker and it can do home automation and some other functions. Love the idea but I really want a more open API.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  12. Re:Timmy Timmy Quite Contrary by jcr · · Score: 1

    Sad to say that at Apple Inc. Cuper-town Infinite Loop Basement Bunker, there is no one who understands Lisp, let alone C.

    Want to bet?

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  13. virtual home assistant. Just another gimmick by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Unless it can cook and clean, what good is it?

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    1. Re:virtual home assistant. Just another gimmick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you have met my wife then...

  14. .Elppa seod ti drawkcab niaga by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Shouldn't Apple first work on making Siri USEFUL, instead of making it act like a half-deaf, bitchy, senile 82 year old great-aunt? It's so frustrating to use, between not understanding what I'm saying, and giving cheeky answers to SERIOUS goddamned questions, that I actually DEACTIVATED IT, regarding it as a less than useless, complete and total waste of my goddamned time trying get information out of it.

    What's worse, so many things that it SHOULD be able to do, it can't because you have to unlock it first, defeating much of the purpose of using the digital "assistant," and there doesn't seem to be a way to change that in the options or settings.

    I wish there were a "snark" option I could turn off.

    1. Re:.Elppa seod ti drawkcab niaga by macs4all · · Score: 1

      What's worse, so many things that it SHOULD be able to do, it can't because you have to unlock it first, defeating much of the purpose of using the digital "assistant," and there doesn't seem to be a way to change that in the options or settings.

      Believe that most of your concerns have been addressed with iOS 9 and the iPhone 6s and SE.

      Time marches on. Things (usually) improve. Do try to keep up.

  15. Hey Siri! Be more like how you used to be by PanAmaX · · Score: 1

    So they're finally opening it up to developers. Maybe they'll regain some of the features that they already had, but subsequently lost after they acquired Siri.
    Meanwhile the original developers of siri have moved on to viv.

    But the real issue is that Apple have hobbled the usefulness of Siri by not letting it gather all the information on you like Google Now (Google Assistant) so it will never be as personal or as useful.

    I'm predicting that they will make it, it will be good but not a best in class, it will integrate with apple tv and air play, and will only be bought by dyed in the wool apple fans. Other than that it will fall flat when compared to Google Home and Amazon Echo. Time will tell, and I don't have a horse in this race, I just feel like Apple could have, and should have been WAY out in front of this when they bought Siri, but they crippled its usefulness.

    1. Re:Hey Siri! Be more like how you used to be by Ayanami_R · · Score: 1

      "But the real issue is that Apple have hobbled the usefulness of Siri by not letting it gather all the information on you like Google Now "

      This right here is the double edged sword of these services. They really aren't very useful without forgoing privacy.

      --
      "Science is the power of man"
  16. Re:Timmy Timmy Quite Contrary by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    You hang out in Timmy's basement bunker? What's your safeword?

  17. Re:Timmy Timmy Quite Contrary by macs4all · · Score: 1

    Timmy (and his Gay Lover Jonathan Ive)

    Jonny Ive isn't Tim Cook's lover. That would be Eddy Cue. He even hinted at same at a Keynote, when he said that "Eddy wouldn't let me buy" a new set of Beats headphones. If you're gonna hate, at least try to make it "informed".

    Sad to say that at Apple Inc. Cuper-town Infinite Loop Basement Bunker, there is no one who understands Lisp, let alone C.

    You're not actually serious, are you?

    So, the place that writes nearly EVERYTHING in a variant of C (Objective-C) doesn't have ANYONE who understands C? Is that REALLY your position? As for Lisp, I would bet there are some old-timers that have Lisp experience, and if not, Apple can have a team of Lisp-experts there with resumes in-hand in an hour.

    Sometimes you Haters just crack me up...

  18. For who? Old people? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why is this even a concern? They've already got their digital assistant all over everyone's phones, and everyone already has one.
    This is a very niche gadget for people who don't have a phone.... And those people probably have no idea what this does or that it even exists. Big deal