Accuracy in answering questions fully: Google Now 88%, Siri 53%, Cortana 40%

[Phokus]

http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2ipc69/accuracy_in_answering_questions_fully_google_now/

I thought this was interesting. I use Google Now for almost half my searches now (the other half coming from google.com when on my desktop).

 

[jpeyton]

No surprise. You need massive amounts of user generated input to finely tune a system like Google Now/Siri/Cortana, and Google simply has more users making queries and helping its machines learn.

 

[Demo24]

Interesting study (why couldn't you just link the the website?), but not a surprising result. Would kind if hope google came out on top considering how long and how big of an operation search is to their company.


However, I've never used any of the voice things extensively but I feel siri/cortana were better about doing things on your phone.

 

[gorcorps]

Interesting study (why couldn't you just link the the website?), but not a surprising result. Would kind if hope google came out on top considering how long and how big of an operation search is to their company.


However, I've never used any of the voice things extensively but I feel siri/cortana were better about doing things on your phone.

Really? You're going to complain about not having a link and then not provide one either?

https://www.stonetemple.com/great-knowledge-box-showdown/#VoiceStudyResults

 

[Demo24]

Really? You're going to complain about not having a link and then not provide one either?

https://www.stonetemple.com/great-knowledge-box-showdown/#VoiceStudyResults

Because I was on mobile and it was more trouble than worth to do so, when it could've just been done in the first post in the first place.

 

[BrightCandle]

The data is biased by people self selecting the things they know work. I use Google now only for the types of queries I know it can answer (like the weather). I have tried a variety of things on it and eventually found a guide to all the commands. Once I had that I remembered what I could and couldn't do.

Google Now is far from answering 88% of my searches, instead I suspect 88% of the queries are based on things that people know will work or does so. There is a big difference.

 

[TheStu]

It irritates me when sometimes Siri will let me do a follow-up, and sometimes won't.

 

[Mopetar]

The data is biased by people self selecting the things they know work. I use Google now only for the types of queries I know it can answer (like the weather). I have tried a variety of things on it and eventually found a guide to all the commands. Once I had that I remembered what I could and couldn't do.

Google Now is far from answering 88% of my searches, instead I suspect 88% of the queries are based on things that people know will work or does so. There is a big difference.

I don't even know if you can make that claim as the methodology for the study is not well-described. Unless I've misread it, it appears as though they simply created a list of different questions which were fed to each of the services and then compared the results they received to what was expected.

The only way in which it might be a bad test is if the questions don't reflect the types of questions typically asked by users of the service. Even then it doesn't make the study useless as it does show that Google has some obvious advantages in terms of their ability to process requests.

However, none of the companies are going to share what kind of requests they're getting, which makes it difficult to compare. You'd need to get a few hundred participants and record all of their voice searches in order to determine what would make a good sample.

Also, self-selecting works in both ways. If Siri or Cortana users know something won't work, they're less likely to use those queries which would artificially increase their success rates. That's why it would be necessary to build a question pool that's platform independent or at least have enough participants so that any differences in the types of questions users of one platform or another typically ask can be identified and investigated.

 

[akugami]

Wow...this article is horribly written...no listing of the actual questions and what was presented (but maybe that's just due to the shitty formatting and writing of the article causing me not to find it). If you're going to pick examples, you need to show the same query example on all three. Not saying the results are wrong but I can't tell either way with what data was presented (that I can see) and couple that with a shitty article.

 

[openwheel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHOm0PjGn4A

Siri is not very good.

 

[Commodus]

I'll summarize the problem: it's not necessarily a matter of how many questions a service answers, but whether it answers the right ones and how well it answers them.

I still find that Siri is better for task-based things. Remind me to do X. Set a timer for Y. Play Z. Not that you can't do those on Google Now, but iOS gets them done faster and with better presentation. Google Now's advantage is... well, Google. It's better when you're searching for information. And Cortana is rough, but I think it's fine to be a bit forgiving when it only just recently launched. Microsoft had just better improve quickly.

 

[WelshBloke]

I still find that Siri is better for task-based things. Remind me to do X. Set a timer for Y. Play Z. Not that you can't do those on Google Now, but iOS gets them done faster and with better presentation.

Google now is pretty quick to set reminders.

"OK Google... Remind me to get some beer at Tesco"

Then when I get to Tesco it reminds me to get some beer.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHOm0PjGn4A

Siri is not very good.

What is your point? Just pushing Anti-Apple agenda as usual?

As someone who's used both they have their strengths and weaknesses. Google's power is in the ability to pull information quickly. Its excellent at pulling info from the web and answering quick questions. If you're at a trivia club and you wanted help, Google Now is the way to go.

However, Siri has its strengths too. Its very conversational. You want a burger? Just say "I'm feeling like a burger tonight" and you get a quick list of results. Google Now's display of a list of results to me is very hard to read and when I'm driving its a hazard if I were to try to figure out what's listed there. Back in 2013 at least, Siri could tell me WHERE my next appointment is and when it is. Google Now failed at that. They have since fixed that in 2014 I noticed, but to me that's a typical assistant-type question that would be nice to be answered. Siri in general seems to be better at doing assistant-like things--sending texts, setting appointments, booking calendar, etc. Remember how long it took for Google Now to finally allow setting of a timer. It used to be an alarm for the longest time, and this was something I pointed out back in 2012 when someone was first showing off Google Now vs. Siri back in the very first video comparison.

Cortana has its strengths too. The implementation of reading texts to you allowing you to reply, etc is VERY useful. Android or iOS do not have anything that comes close yet although Android Auto is supposed to help with that. However, for the vast majority of us who aren't getting new cares this year or next year or immediately when Android Auto debuts, it would be nice to have a good handsfree solution on our phones.

 

[openwheel]

Delerium. Take a chill pill and enjoy a laugh. Jeez...we all know you are extremely partial to Apple but goodness you cant even have a little laugh?

Time to take your girlfriend to town and release that tension a little.


Please refrain from going personal in your postings. Discuss the issues, not the posters.

Moderator TheStu

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Delerium. Take a chill pill and enjoy a laugh. Jeez...we all know you are extremely partial to Apple but goodness you cant even have a little laugh?

Time to take your girlfriend to town and release that tension a little.

I've seen the video before, but my point still stands. Why don't you add a little discussion to these threads? I mean surely you should have some insight being a tech enthusiast. I offered my analysis of the 3 pieces of software in question here.

And you keep regurgitating that same strawman argument over and over again that I'm partial to Apple. Is that why I've owned 7 Android phones now?

 

[cliftonite]

I've seen the video before, but my point still stands. Why don't you add a little discussion to these threads? I mean surely you should have some insight being a tech enthusiast. I offered my analysis of the 3 pieces of software in question here.

And you keep regurgitating that same strawman argument over and over again that I'm partial to Apple. Is that why I've owned 7 Android phones now?

And why are you bringing up Google Nows weakness 2 years ago and then say its been fixed now? What is the point of that?

 

[Dulanic]

I have to say, I have no experience /w Cortana, but I will say Google now is getting more and more accurate all the time. Especially the more you use it. I watch it change the words it "thinks" I said to things that make more sense... it's kind of impressive. When it comes to the amount of things it gets correct, it is insane.

I'm always amazed when I can say "Whats the score for the last xyz game" and it just knows what I'm asking and gives me the game. Even if I say a name /w a ton of different teams in different sports, it knows what I typically ask/search for and gives me the right info.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

And why are you bringing up Google Nows weakness 2 years ago and then say its been fixed now? What is the point of that?

It only got fixed very recently. I think this goes to show two things. One is that Google Now is still working on improving itself because IMO it has always been a bit behind Siri in terms of the conversational aspect. Its very good at doing what you need it to do if you how to tell it to do that task. It also shows that Google Now is always being upgraded in terms of voice search capabilities. Siri seems to only get a bump very iOS revision in terms of capabilities. I do see Google Now gaining new search queries and stuff, but at the same time, what I'm reminding people is that accuracy in answering questions is only one aspect of how these voice assistants work. For example I find it funny that you can ask for a ride on your Moto 360 but you can't use that same command on Google Now on your phone.

Without a doubt Google Now is strong in search capabilities. Its built on a search engine. However, I do like Siri's integration with Yelp (let's be honest, Yelp reviews are far more useful than Google+ reviews of restaurants and bars) and I feel like it excels as an assistant.

 

[openwheel]

And why are you bringing up Google Nows weakness 2 years ago and then say its been fixed now? What is the point of that?

Because he is extremely partial to Apple, but pretends otherwise.
He buys Android phones like Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and 1+One, but he complains about them repeatedly. Most of his posts are in defense of Apple, or something negative about an Android phone.

Deep down inside though, DeLerium knows how good a proper Android experience is. He just won't admit it. Also, he needs to learn how to have a sense of humor.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Because he is extremely partial to Apple, but pretends otherwise.
He buys Android phones like Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and 1+One, but he complains about them repeatedly. Most of his posts are in defense of Apple, or something negative about an Android phone.

Deep down inside though, DeLerium knows how good a proper Android experience is. He just won't admit it. Also, he needs to learn how to have a sense of humor.

You can make up stuff all you want, but I'm a tech enthusiast so yes I do have opinions on devices. If you were to ask me to choose between an iPhone 6/6 Plus and a OnePlus One, I would pick the OPO. But it doesn't mean its a perfect device.

I have complaints about both platforms. I think that's a little bit more fair than your continued attempts to deride Apple and to offer ZERO technical insight in discussions and instead just post troll comments.

 

[shimpster]

Because he is extremely partial to Apple, but pretends otherwise.
He buys Android phones like Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and 1+One, but he complains about them repeatedly. Most of his posts are in defense of Apple, or something negative about an Android phone.

Deep down inside though, DeLerium knows how good a proper Android experience is. He just won't admit it. Also, he needs to learn how to have a sense of humor.

Personal attack and off topic stuff removed. Further attacks, from anyone, will be met with an infraction

Moderator TheStu

 

[Red Storm]

Personal attack and off topic stuff removed.

What is this? I may not agree with DLeRium's opinions all the time but this isn't a place to be calling people out. It's a tech forum, discuss the technology, go some place else if you want to discuss people.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Android or iOS do not have anything that comes close yet

The Moto X line does. In fact that might make the X2 my next phone even though the battery is shit.

Because he is extremely partial to Apple, but pretends otherwise.
He buys Android phones like Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and 1+One, but he complains about them repeatedly. Most of his posts are in defense of Apple, or something negative about an Android phone.

Wrong. DLeRium has had very informed posts about Android since 2011 at least. I have learned a good deal about different Androids and ROM-development thanks to his posts. I don't always agree with DLeRium, but this is uncalled for.

 

[Strk]

Google is so creepy with it at times though, but at least in a good way. I got on the highway not too long ago and it immediately told me that there was an accident and redid the route. Mind you, I wasn't using navigation.

 

[PowerYoga]

Google is so creepy with it at times though, but at least in a good way. I got on the highway not too long ago and it immediately told me that there was an accident and redid the route. Mind you, I wasn't using navigation.

It's pretty amazing. That little feature alone has helped me navigate around 18 wheeler accidents that are blocking all the lanes on the highway. It was creepy the first time but a godsend that lets you get home at a reasonable time instead of 3 hours late.