# Google accelerating development of Siri competitor for Android devices



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 19, 2012)

Makes sense, voice is the future of computing in the way that mouse and keyboard are now:



> The report does not offer any additional details on the project, but it noted: “In coming weeks, Google is expected to unveil a lower-priced Android tablet that it developed with Asustek Computer.” Google recently acquired Clever Sense, the makers of popular local recommendations app Alfred, and some have speculated the technology could be included in Google Siri competitor. Many expect the Google tablet, mentioned by _WSJ,_ to unveil later this month at Google I/O, where we could also possibly see some of Jelly Bean and this rumored assistant feature.


 
Full article here.


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## editor (Jun 19, 2012)

Their voice recognition is already better than Siri's so they should manage something pretty decent (if shouting at your phone is your thing).


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 19, 2012)

I've never once had to shout into my phone to use Siri. Haven't heard anyone having to either. Accents appears to be a bigger issue for this at present but this is early days, Siri and things like it will revolutionise how we use computers over the next decade.


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## elbows (Jun 19, 2012)

Even if this stuff fails to go much beyond gimmick for many scenarios, I expect they will keep plugging away at it if for no other reason than making these devices even more useful when driving.

Apple and Google should have no trouble plugging all sorts of useful data & services into this voice stuff over the next few years. What bothers me most remains the issue of speech recognition accuracy - it really doesn't take many errors before the feature loses all appeal, its not a frustration people are very tolerant towards, and feeds off the sort of frustrations we feel when having to repeat something to another human.


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

Yep, speech recognition is _useful_ but as a general input it's just not likely to get off the ground in the near future. Too many really, really difficult areas to get right - there's a very good reason (well, several very good reasons) that it lags behind other technologies... You have to deal with stuff like ambient noise, decrease in reliability with extended vocabulary, accents, speech problems etc etc. Basically there are fundamental problems with interpreting sound that are very hard to get around, before you even get to the fact that a speech input just isn't appropriate for some applications and environments.


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

I'm intrigued by the Asus google collaboration though, Asus are excellent but suffer from not being that well known - could be good for both companies if the relationship produces more stuff in the future.


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## EastEnder (Jun 20, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Siri and things like it will revolutionise how we use computers over the next decade.


For certain types of devices and applications reliable voice recognition will come in very handy, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it'll revolutionise computer use. Being able to search, look things up, ask for directions, fire up apps, tell it which video to play, etc, etc, all very useful with proper voice control. But there's far more things one does with a computer that simply don't lend themselves to voice commands. If a web page has 30 links on it, some of them words, some of them images, some of them symbols, etc, it would take longer to verbally describe which one I want than to simply click on it with the mouse. Trying to write code by dictating it would be utterly agonising. Not to mention that an office full of people shouting at their computers & gadgets would soon lead to bloodshed. And I'd rather type my sordid, mucky pic searches into google than face the shame of saying them out loud. Keyboards & mice aren't going anywhere any time soon.


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## editor (Jun 20, 2012)

Who wants to sit in an office hearing everyone telling their computers what to do?
Voice tech has its uses but it'll be a long time before the keyboard/kepyad is replaced for many tasks.


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## souljacker (Jun 20, 2012)

The only use I can see for voice recognition is driving and then all it has to do is recognise "call bob", "navigate to N1" and "skip track".


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## The Octagon (Jun 20, 2012)

Can we not just skip to brainwave controls?

Who's currently working on that?


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

Miniaturisation of something like the kinect combined with holographic projections or decent 3D might work, but touch screens are simple and keyboards/mice have a nice tactile element.


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## elbows (Jun 20, 2012)

souljacker said:


> The only use I can see for voice recognition is driving and then all it has to do is recognise "call bob", "navigate to N1" and "skip track".


 
Corporates with an eye on net advertising revenue have their sights set on stuff like 'direct me to the nearest burger establishment'.

I doubt they are betting that this stuff is certain to become huge, but they don't want to chance losing their grip should things go in this direction.


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

The Octagon said:


> Can we not just skip to brainwave controls?
> 
> Who's currently working on that?


 
You can have it provided you don't mind walking around like this:


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## weltweit (Jun 20, 2012)

Is it just me or are Google (and Microsoft) just followers now rather than innovators. Apple makes Siri, google responds, Apple makes an Ipad, microsoft responds. Facebook makes social media, Google makes G+. Are Google and Microsoft totally unable of leading development at all?


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

Mind control also has resolution problems; you can get 'left' and 'right' pretty quickly and reliably iirc (you have to train the user and/or the computer), but a binary input is only of limited use. Beyond that it gets more difficult. There are several other simple opposites you can use iirc 'up/down', 'yes/no' etc, but I think it gets progressively harder to do.


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## EastEnder (Jun 20, 2012)

weltweit said:


> Are Google and Microsoft totally unable of leading development at all?


Google may not be quite as original as they once were, but Microsoft has a very long history of plagiarism. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Microsoft _really_ like to compliment other companies.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 20, 2012)

weltweit said:


> Is it just me or are Google (and Microsoft) just followers now rather than innovators. Apple makes Siri, google responds, Apple makes an Ipad, microsoft responds. Facebook makes social media, Google makes G+. Are Google and Microsoft totally unable of leading development at all?



Brave words to post on here.

But seriously, I'd suggest it's a little more complex than that. The theft argument is largely a big fanboy rage inducing red herring at this point...


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## weltweit (Jun 20, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


> But seriously, I'd suggest it's a little more complex than that. The theft argument is largely a big fanboy rage inducing red herring at this point...


I am not suggesting they steal others ideas, just that they seem to be followers rather than leaders.

You would have thought with all those clever expensive people working for them that Google and Microsoft might be able to think up a few original tech ideas for themselves and act on them to get first mover advantage. I mean G+ to compete with facebook, it just ain't going to happen is it!! and Surface to compete with the ipad - also latecomers to the party.


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## ohmyliver (Jun 20, 2012)

exactly MS launched a tablet pc in 2002, running XP with a touch interface... there's loads of images of Mr Gates holding one with a big grin... not nearly as slick as the ipad I grant you... but as Mr Eternity above said idea theft with tech is a complex issue best left to shouty brand advocates...


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 20, 2012)

weltweit said:


> I am not suggesting they steal others ideas, just that they seem to be followers rather than leaders.
> 
> You would have thought with all those clever expensive people working for them that Google and Microsoft might be able to think up a few original tech ideas for themselves and act on them to get first mover advantage. I mean G+ to compete with facebook, it just ain't going to happen is it!! and Surface to compete with the ipad - also latecomers to the party.



At this point doing something well is more important than doing something new IMO.


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 18, 2012)

Nick Bilton of the New York Times has proper fallen out of love with Siri. Much prefers Google Voice Search:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/with-apple’s-siri-a-romance-gone-sour/?ref=business


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

skyscraper101 said:


> Nick Bilton of the New York Times has proper fallen out of love with Siri. Much prefers Google Voice Search:
> 
> http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/with-apple’s-siri-a-romance-gone-sour/?ref=business


Not surprising seeing as it's a superior product, if talking to your phone is your thing.


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## 2hats (Jul 18, 2012)

The Octagon said:


> Can we not just skip to brainwave controls?
> 
> Who's currently working on that?


 
These folks, for one. (Work on providing Hawking the option to write/speak via brain activity).


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 18, 2012)

I've had an extensive play with Google Voice Search... I can see its uses. Though its a very minor thing in terms of overall phone usage.

For a while its fun asking things like.. 'How tall is Barrack Obama' and then a special fact card shows up and speak at you: "_Barack Obama is 6 feet 1inch tall_". Ask something similar, 'How tall is the Empire State Building' - same thing. Ask something less obvious like 'What is the fastest car in the world?' or 'Why is the sky blue' it doesn't speak, but takes you straight to Google and usually to a link with the exact same question (i.e. Yahoo answers). I can see its uses if you're in a hurry or doing something which makes it fiddly to type like walking. Who knows..maybe I could get used to talking at the phone instead of typing. Just not in public, its too weird.


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> Who wants to sit in an office hearing everyone telling their computers what to do?
> Voice tech has its uses but it'll be a long time before the keyboard/kepyad is replaced for many tasks.


 
On a similar note.. I absolutely loathe those voice recognition telephone systems where you have to say 'yes' or 'no' or speak the menu option you want. They're _de rigeur_ in the US and I bloody hate them, and everyone listening in to your telephone menu option commands.


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## Hocus Eye. (Jul 18, 2012)

When I first heard of Siri I was a bit surprised that it was flagged up as a new thing. I had already given up using my Android equivalent as not being particularly useful although it worked OK. I am still to this day mystified as to which came first. Who wants everyone around to know what you are doing on your phone? Also who wants to hear someone shouting at their phone?


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 18, 2012)

It's just handy to be able to speak a question and get an answer without having to type when typing is inconvenient. That's all it is, essentially. Just another (rather clever) input method.


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