1. addicted44's Avatar
    If RIM puts any time in something like that, I question their future.
    A lot of people with i4S's don't like it nor use it, the one's who do should look up speech technology and realize that Siri isn't something new and isn't even that remarkable, because I hate it when these re****s brag about it. Makes me want to accidentally push their phone off the table and laugh as their screen cracks.

    No but really, it isn't even necessary, RIM should just focus on the stuff that matters; improve web browsing, promote app dev,... Maybe even improving the camera would be beneficial because everyone is so into taking pictures everywhere now.
    Siri is very useful, but its use is limited to only a few cases. I love having Siri, but it is not a deal breaker.

    Siri is an awesome "nice to have" but it is not a "must have" at this point, and RIM would do well not to waste any time working on that until they have got the basics solidified.
    04-21-12 11:47 AM
  2. louzer's Avatar
    Getting back on topic, the op suggested that BB needs an app like Siri.

    There are two.

    First there's Vlingo and the paid version. Not quite as full featured as Siri, but very good. There are reports it wasn't working for some on OS 7.1. I can't be sure, since I removed it during one of the OS upgrades that was better at sucking the life out of my battery than enhancing my BB experience. Which was when I also started looking at which apps used a lot of battery. Vlingo was one of them, so it quickly got uninstalled.

    There is a second one that seemed to get beta tested right here in the Crackberry forums. At the time that it got attention, it seemed more alpha than beta and Vlingo Pro/Plus was one of the free apps from RIM, at the time. I never tried it, so I don't recall the name.

    There are reasons not to use any of them. I've mentioned battery drain. But there are several others. At least for me. I've never felt I was so important that other people's space needed to be be invaded by my announcing things in their presence. And I seriously doubt anyone working in a security or confidentiality related job would use it. Can you picture, "Siri, show me the propulsion system schematics for stealth drone A-24."? Or "Siri, which schizophrenia medicine do you recommend for patient 123874?"?
    I find that Vlingo works great, but I'm on OS6 and don't know about OS7 issues with the device. What I like is that it's a simple implementation to get you what you want and then get you out.

    One of my pet peeves about Siri is that Siri responds. I prefer telling Vlingo to find something and then just see the search results without being told something like "here are your search results".

    Vlingo is capable of executing commands in some of the core apps (calendar, messaging, search) but, more importantly to me, to fairly accurately take dictation for data input whether it's an SMS, email, or just text input into a website like this.

    I also like the option to have Vlingo read incoming messages out loud. There are situations in which I don't want to have to type a message and/or look down to read a message. I like that I can hear an incoming message, take my phone, press my convenience key (set for Vlingo), and dictate a response. This is the most valuable use of Vlingo for me.

    Finally, I completely agree with your point about exposing the rest of the world to your your use of your phone by speaking into it and having the responses spoken out loud. It's bad enough when someone is having a phone conversation in public. Now we have to listen to them organize their lives too? I only use Vlingo when I'm alone or absolutely need to have messages read to me (mostly driving).

    Because Vlingo is available for Blackberry, I don't feel slighted by not having Siri. Don't get me wrong. I think that the technology behind Siri is very cool. But it's no where near complete. Voice recognition is going to surface in all platforms eventually. But for now, I prefer the command-and-execute model for voice recognition as opposed to full-blown conversation.
    04-21-12 12:56 PM
  3. christenmartin's Avatar
    If RIM puts any time in something like that, I question their future.
    A lot of people with i4S's don't like it nor use it, the one's who do should look up speech technology and realize that Siri isn't something new and isn't even that remarkable, because I hate it when these re****s brag about it. Makes me want to accidentally push their phone off the table and laugh as their screen cracks.

    No but really, it isn't even necessary, RIM should just focus on the stuff that matters; improve web browsing, promote app dev,... Maybe even improving the camera would be beneficial because everyone is so into taking pictures everywhere now.
    Could agree more! Put out a real solid product, and do what they did not do the last year, MARKET. I am amazed at the total lack of marketing. I hear how bad bb phones a tablets are and I know it's bs but RIM needs to tell somebody. Siri is not what it's promoted as, but thats marketing. A half gadget that is the primary marketing angle of the iphone. It's flash to get some one to look, that's all. No more government contract, now you have to sell and compete. RIM has a good product, just sell it!
    Morty2264 likes this.
    04-21-12 01:29 PM
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