Video: Google Now Schools Siri

[jpeyton]

Minneapolis street test: Google gets a B+, Apple's Siri gets a D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw-RzN4xYyE

Interestingly enough, Siri actually depends on Google quite a bit for answers, but doesn't do nearly as well as Google itself.

 

[SAWYER]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDsOtdRtG0Q&feature=player_embedded

 

[Phokus]

That's pretty pathetic for apple.

 

[Bateluer]

Wow . . . impressive. Really makes Siri look pretty bad.

Its amusing that S-Voice was excluded from the comparison because it was too slow.

 

[soccerballtux]

Wow that's cool.
I like the Android's voice better.

My dual core with 1GB RAM phone from last year won't be getting this, thank you Motorola.

 

[BladeVenom]

Impressive, Siri got smoked.

 

[Zaap]

Anyone's really surprised, other than people that instantly bought all the Siri hype?

Even vs. the 'old' voice options on Android I've never been all that impressed with Siri. When it first came out and people said "Yeah, gee that's nice. I've had similar function already with Android" all I we heard was "BLAHH!!! SIRI IS GRATEST THING EVAR!!!"

Kind of like the whole keyboard non-argument. Nothing is ever "the greatest thing ever" based on the actual real-world function it has or (distant last) how well it allows a user to do a given task with the most/best options. Nope, it's just based on how much marketing bullshit was coughed up around it. And because Apple makes it.

 

[Dulanic]

That is semi impressive. The reason I MIGHT use it more than I would siri is when I am doing something like that I am looking for factual information quickly, and that seems to be what Google is offering.

 

[podspi]

Wow that's cool.
I like the Android's voice better.

My dual core with 1GB RAM phone from last year won't be getting this, thank you Motorola.

Probably not officially, but if you're willing to play around a bit, I'm sure everybody with a Bionic, RAZR, and DROID 4 will be able to enjoy JB goodness

 

[Bateluer]

Anyone's really surprised, other than people that instantly bought all the Siri hype?

Even vs. the 'old' voice options on Android I've never been all that impressed with Siri. When it first came out and people said "Yeah, gee that's nice. I've had similar function already with Android" all I we heard was "BLAHH!!! SIRI IS GRATEST THING EVAR!!!"

Kind of like the whole keyboard non-argument. Nothing is ever "the greatest thing ever" based on the actual real-world function it has or (distant last) how well it allows a user to do a given task with the most/best options. Nope, it's just based on how much marketing bullshit was coughed up around it. And because Apple makes it.

You'd be shocked how many iPhone users proclaimed Siri as the greatest thing ever made. Didn't matter that it duplicate the same features as Google Voice actions, only less effectively.

From a discussion I had with an iFan a month ago, Samsung completely ripped off Siri because the icon was nearly the same. Nevermind that the Siri icon, the Google Voice Actions icon, the Google Now icon and the S-Voice icon are all variations on the universal Microphone icon. His argument quickly fell off into petty profanity, thats how it goes with most iFans though. When facts and hard data are brought in, they invariably resort to name calling and profanity.

 

[Dominato3r]

Isn't Siri still in beta?

 

[ilkhan]

Anyone's really surprised, other than people that instantly bought all the Siri hype?

Even vs. the 'old' voice options on Android I've never been all that impressed with Siri. When it first came out and people said "Yeah, gee that's nice. I've had similar function already with Android" all I we heard was "BLAHH!!! SIRI IS GRATEST THING EVAR!!!"

Kind of like the whole keyboard non-argument. Nothing is ever "the greatest thing ever" based on the actual real-world function it has or (distant last) how well it allows a user to do a given task with the most/best options. Nope, it's just based on how much marketing bullshit was coughed up around it. And because Apple makes it.

If Apple calls it "new and magical and the best thing ever" the press calls it "new and magical and the best thing ever."

Jobs talked, the press parroted. It's been that way for years.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Siri sucks. I tried using it a couple of times when I got my 4S but it rarely did anything other than "Sorry I can't do that right now" (or whatever the message is). Haven't really tried anything since then.

 

[ponyo]

Siri and Google Voice search are still pretty limited when it comes to voice. Both tries to achieve same thing through different approaches. Siri is more conversational and tries to understand conversation type input. Google voice search is more robot/machine like in approach (but not in voice quality) and less talkative. Almost Star Trek computer like. And how the search is integrated and customized into Google Now is pretty slick too. Since I care less about conversation and more about speed and accurate result, Google voice search/Now is more my style.

 

[MrX8503]

With GV you have to memorize robot commands, with Siri you can talk like a human being.

 

[Phobic9]

With GV you have to memorize robot commands, with Siri you can talk like a human being.

Google Now seems to be a lot more forgiving when talking to it than the standard voice search.

 

[Slick5150]

With GV you have to memorize robot commands, with Siri you can talk like a human being.

Umm. It would seem you didn't watch the video in the OP

 

[ponyo]

Google Now seems to be a lot more forgiving when talking to it than the standard voice search.

That's what I noticed as well. I rarely used Voice Action before because I could never really remember the commands. But with Google Now, I'm using it more because I can speak naturally and it seems to understand and perform better. And everything seems faster and more responsive, input and output.

 

[Bateluer]

With GV you have to memorize robot commands, with Siri you can talk like a human being.

GV = Google Voice, a WiFi/VOIP phone alternative. This thread is about Google Now, an expansion of Google Voice Actions, originally launched in 2009.

Umm. It would seem you didn't watch the video in the OP

Eh? You need to link to the Zombie Steve Jobs blog for that.

 

[MrX8503]

GV = Google Voice, a WiFi/VOIP phone alternative. This thread is about Google Now, an expansion of Google Voice Actions, originally launched in 2009.



Eh? You need to link to the Zombie Steve Jobs blog for that.

Sorry I meant GVC.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I don't even know why Siri is so amazing.

Google voice commands already does 99.999% of what Siri does. Google Now is just a refinement of the tech.

 

[fierydemise]

Isn't Siri still in beta?

Another thing apple copied from Google.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I think certain sets of things like looking up facts, Google Now does an impressive job whereas Siri needs to pull up web searches.

Supposedly in the iOS 6 vs Google Now demos, the iOS 6 searches are pretty good on Siri.

There's one point in the video where the user asks Siri to set timer. I think a countdown timer is far better than having a simple Android alarm.

I think Siri loses in quite a few things in iOS5, but from the iOS6 demos, it seems pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDsOtdRtG0Q

This is a good video showing iOS6 vs Jelly Bean.

Siri is very conversational, and as a result sometimes it will be very smart in prompting you for more. Look at the reminder duel in the video. Google takes you to the Alarm menu and you now have to do the rest. Siri asks you a follow up question so you can tell it WHEN you want the alarm set for your reminder.

If you notice other things like asking sports scores and the height of Kobe, Siri delivers you more information in addition to the primary answer. Google Now gives you the basics and leaves it at that.

But seriously, what's with all the Apple hate? This search stuff was released in 2011 and at that time of release, it was pretty clear that Siri wiped the floor with Google Voice Search. All Google had to do was copy Apple and here we are today. So I wouldn't call Google Now's victory a complete sweep. It's really just Siri but it's gotten a lot more searching capabilities down. As I said, if you look at iOS6, we can see huge improvements in Siri, and I expect that to keep the battle relatively even.

 

[Yuriman]

Another thing apple copied from Google.

More like bought a competing technology that may or may not have predated Google's functionality, and released it with more polish and usability (at the time) than Google's tech. Google has answered, we move forward and things get a little better.

 

[cheezy321]

This is a ridiculous comparison. Every question is ridiculous and straightforward. Of course a robot understand them. He never gets beyond this. To call Round 2 difficult questions is just dumb. Why didn't he try actual complex commands, instead of his weaksauce 'Round 2'?

Things like:
'Remind me to pick up lettuce when I leave work'
'I need directions to the closest grocery store'
'Send message to Kim that I'll be home soon'
'I want to go see 'Brave'

These are actual tough questions, not robotic ones that he chose

This is also comparing iOS 5 to Jellybean instead of iOS 6. Here is what I get on iOS 6 when I ask 'Did the Yankees win?'

Epic Fail. Why compare a 1 year old OS to a 1 week old one?