Apple Quickly Patches Siri’s Profane Mother Glitch

Apple’s Mother Glitch Phenomenon

Making a virtual assistant to misbehave is something some people find really interesting. Don’t ask me what the fascination is. But something about artificial intelligence using profanity or doing something unexpected appeals to their inner child. The latest AI tech to come under the profanity radar is Siri. The new so- called- glitch is known as “Mother Glitch”.

Recently a reddit user on r/apple asked Apple users to ask Siri to define mother and if you think that Siri dutifully gave a warm snuggly reply to that question well you’re wrong. Siri, to the surprise and maybe even shock of everyone went on to spew out profanity.

More about Siri’s Mother Glitch:

When you think mother, you think comfort, warmth and love but apparently the same cannot be said of Siri. When users asked Siri to define mother, in a glitch, Siri apparently used a bad word starting with mother to be more precise “mother******”.

The action on the part of Siri has now come to be known as the mother glitch. After the reddit user got almost everyone doing it, several YouTube video sprang out on Siri’s “mother glitch”.

The secret edit of Mother Glitch by Apple:

The reddit user first informed people of the mother glitch on 28th April and by 30th April the joke was apparently off. Apple may have secretly swooped in and edited Siri’s offbeat reply. The mother glitch joke is now at an end.

Now if you ask Siri what mother means, the assistant would give you the warm snuggly reply you hoped for in the first place.

Not the first time around:

Siri’s mother glitch is not the first time around users got to contort the iPhone’s function and then claimed that Apple was hiding some secret functions.

Another incident related to Siri was that by telling the assistant to charge an iPhone to 100% or by pressing on the button 5times would in fact surreptitiously call the police.

Where was the mother glitch present on? 

The iPhone wasn’t the only Apple device to be affected, Mac and other Apple devices with Siri on them too were affected. Apparently another user tried to see if Siri used the expletive on all Apple devices and apparently it did so without fail.

When asked what the definition of what mother is, Siri first said it is a woman with children, then the second definition contained something people were not going to expect- the expletive.

Apple has not come forth to address the issue and that is probably because they have dealt with similar situations in the past secretly and quietly.

Apple set to expand Siri, taking different route from Amazon's Alexa

Apple is likely to declare its plans in the coming week to make its voice assistant, Siri work and assist a huge varied range of apps, in an attempt to counter the tough competition from the success of Amazon’s Alexa. But, according to engineers and industry insiders, rather than focusing on a large variety of apps, Apple Inc. is sticking to its tried and tested method of concentrating on small number of features and getting them right.

At present, Apple’s voice assistant Siri works with just six types of applications which are messaging and calling, photo searching, hailing a ride and sharing, making payments, fitness and auto infotainment systems. Apple is expected to add more to the mentioned categories at the company’s yearly developer conference which is to be held next week.

Some sources have also stated that Apple is likely to announce a hardware which will be on similar lines as Amazon’s Echo, a device for home that has seen a lot of sales recently. Apple, however, refused to comment on the same. Amazon’s Alexa currently handles 12,000 or so tasks. Even if the area of expertise is doubled, Siri will be no match for it. This difference reflects the difference in strategy between these two rival companies.

Apple bets that users will not use voice commands in a way similar to speaking to humans and with this it has limited Siri’s area of function so that it is efficient. Amazon, on the other hand, has not limited Alexa in any area, stating that voice assistants with a number of skills are the way to garner more sales, in spite of an occasional mistake or additional effort to use it. This shows that there is a head on clash in approach.

Differences in Function

An iPhone user can hire a ride by saying “Hey Siri, order a car for me” and Siri will open a car hiring service app and start booking your ride. Other than the standard home and music functions, Alexa needs a more specific command that is to-the-point.

For example, the process of hiring a car from Uber will start if you say “Alexa, ask Uber for a ride” but if you say “Alexa, order me an Uber”, Alexa will not do so because it cannot make the connection that opens the Uber skill. One can order food with the help of Alexa but not with Siri, because this is one of the many categories that Siri does not function in, yet.

An Apple spokesperson has stated that Siri’s expertise in this area was very limitedly tried but the outcome was largely positive. Amazon made a statement that their goal is to make the whole voice command and result experience to be very natural and as easy as possible with Alexa.

Side-Lines and Not the Main Focus

A venture capitalist with Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group, Matt McIlwain, said that Apple’s narrower focus could be a problem. If the categories are not expanded, it could create a problem for Siri’s sales, he said. Neither of the two, Alexa and Siri, are on a smooth path to gaining more finance. Because of the limitations, voice apps are just on the side-lines and not the main focus and once an economic model is developed, there will be a substantial rise in sales.

iPhone Users Warned About Potentially Dangerous "Siri 108" Prank

Caution – Viral Social Media Campaign 

The police department all across the United States are annoyed over a viral social media campaign which has encouraged iPhone users in saying the number 108 to Siri as a prank, which has gone viral. The police have stated that the scam has been spreading all over Facebook as well as Twitter and when iPhone users tend to test the Siri command `just for fun’, they are in reality tying up phones lines at the emergency call centres.

 If you dial 108 you will hear `calling emergency services in five seconds and within a span of five seconds, you will be transferred to 911. Sergeant Adrian Page with the Lonoke Police Department in Arkansas in a Facebook post which had gone viral with over 1,100 shares, had informed users not to fall for it, since it seems to tie up emergency lines. It has been designed specially as a panic code. The number 108 is in fact the emergency services number in India.

 As reported by sources, Apple desired to make it simple for people to contact emergency services from any location in the world and so telling Siri any emergency number of a country would get the user connected to the service for any location. You could ask Siri to call 911 if one is visiting the U.K. and it would dial 999 for local help.

Phone System Preventing Emergency Calls

The Annapolis Police Department in Maryland had mentioned that this prank has been spreading among Annapolis teens and has the possibility to tie up dangerously the 911 phone system preventing emergency calls from being instantly answered.

They have cautioned users not to fall for this trick. According to the National Emergency Number Association , around 240 million calls are said to be made to 911 each year in the U.S. most of which are made from wireless devices and placing prank call to 911 is said to be an offence.

The Marshall Police Department in Wisconsin had warned recently that this prank is problematic since it tends to use resources which are important for others attempting to receive help in case of genuine emergency conditions.

 The police has informed that essentially, telling Siri to call 108 is not a jest and the same should not be done unless in genuine emergency cases. The police agencies all over the U.S. have been cautioning iPhone users of a probable dangerous viral social media prank.

Users Call Emergency Services From Any Location

Pranksters are attempting to trick users into saying `Hey Siri, 108, prompting the digital assistant to contact emergency services wherein the number in India is equivalent of 911. Siri tends to begin a five second countdown on hearing `108’ enabling the users with the opportunity to terminate the call before it goes through.

 But pranksters who seem to share the trick tell users to `close their eyes and wait for 5 seconds before looking at their phone. Though 108 is said to be the emergency service number in India, Apple has made it that way in order that users can call emergency services from any location they may tend to be in the world, according to CNET.

 Users sharing the trick on social media may consider it as harmless but a similar incident had resulted in the death of a six month old boy wherein the caregiver had called 911 thrice on T-Mobile phone and was kept on hold each time she had called and resulted in the death of the infant.

Siri's Voice to Benefit from Machine Learning Improvements in Apple's iOS 10

Extensive Improvement in Digital Personal Assistant – Siri

When iOS 10 had been introduced earlier in the year by Apple, one of the tent-pole additions in the software of the company had been extensive improvement in the digital personal assistant – Siri. Over the years, Siri has been progressing due to a focus on machine learning and new features combined in the mobile operating system, enabling third party application developers in gaining access on stock apps as well as their features. Siri would be getting a big enhancement with iOS 10 later in the year.

Siri’s voice could be more natural when iOS 10 tends to arrive this fall probably this September owing to its machine learning technology which Apple would be implementing according to an interview disclosed recently. Steven Levy had an impressive interview on Backchannel with various executives of Apple including Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue, Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi.

Plenty of focus has been drawn on Siri, with improvements and how it would impact Apple’s progress. The interview did not begin with the statement with regards to Siri but expressed as to why Siri was so important for Apple’s progress and how would the digital personal assistant become over the years as well as why iOS 10 would be a big upgrading over all that has already been upgraded over a period of time.

Replacing Earlier Licensed Implementation

With the release of iOS 10, this fall, Siri’s voice would be the last of the four components which would be transformed by machine learning and a deep neural network is said to be replacing the earlier licensed implementation. Tom Gruber, head of advanced development for Siri, observed that when the responses of the assistant are yet being darned together from the central database of recordings, the machine learning tends to smooth out sentences, making Siri sound much more human.

The robotic- sounding voice of Siri has frequently been deceived and disapproved. Recently singer Barbra Streisand had contacted the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, complaining regarding the way Siri pronounced her last name. Cook had replied that he would look into the problem in the forthcoming update which could have been a situation to the upgrade of Siri. The interview featuring executives such as senior VPs Eddy Cue together with Craig Federighi, observed that Apple had moved the voice recognition of Siri to a neural net-based system.

Enhanced Ability of Siri in Comprehending Commands

It is said that the technology has extremely enhanced the ability of Siri in comprehending commands. Federighi has commented that Apple had plenty of people working on the machine learning technology comprising of not only Siri but also things such as palm rejection for the Apple Pencil, though there is no central machine learning group.

Apple had moved Siri voice recognition to a neural-net based system for US users late one July day which went worldwide on August 15, 2014. Few of the earlier techniques seemed to stay operative, which comprises of the `hidden Markov model, though presently the system leverages machine learning techniques, together with deep neural networks, convolutional neural networks, long short-term memory units, gated recurrent unites and n grams.

Siri will still seem to look the same when users tend to upgrade, though now it has been supercharged with deep learning.

Powerful New Siri Capabilities and Single Sign-On Are Coming to Apple TV

Apple’s Powerful New Siri Proficiency

Apple recently announced a powerful new Siri proficiency, single sign-on for Apple TV as well as several more great latest features for users, enhancing the experience of entertainment in the living room. With the extended proficiencies of Siri, inclusive of searching across more app, YouTube search, and topic search as well as tuning right into more live channels, consumers tend to get to their favourite content much quicker.

The yet to come of the TV is apps and with single sign-on, customers could authenticate all the video channels for their pay-TV providers by signing only once in order to enjoy the benefit of their network TV apps. Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue stated that `the future of TV is apps and Siri on Apple TV has changed the way we interact with our television and these long-drawn-out features will continue to deliver viewers what they want to watch even faster.

 There are more than 6,000 apps to be enjoyed on your Apple TV including over 1,300 video channels, which are even more fun to watch with the new Siri features united with single sign-on’. Siri has become more powerful since the launch of Apple TV, presently searching over 650,000 TV events and movies. Siri is made available to more countries with expanded abilities

Some Features & Functions

Some of the features and functions are:

• Topic search for movies – Having the skill of asking Siri for a movie by topic or theme, user has many options of locating the films they prefer to watch like `Show movies about baseball, Find documentaries regarding cars, etc. 
• YouTube search – Later in the month user can ask Siri to search YouTube for instance `Search YouTube for attractive wrestler videos’. 
• Live tune-in – You could ask Siri to go directly to a live channel within a supported app like `Watch CBS News or Watch ESPN’ 
• Achieve HomeKit accessories– Apple TV provides users’ control of HomeKit enabled accessories so that you can ask Siri to `turn on the lights’ or `set the temperature to 70 degrees. Apple TV also enables users to control KomeKit accessories when they tend to be away from home or utilise it for home computerization together with the Home app on their iOS device.

 

Simplified Way of Enjoying Pay-TV Video

Customers in the US, for the first time have a simplified way of enjoying pay-TV video channels by utilising single sign-on and beginning this fall, they will only have to sign in, once on Apple TV for the facility of immediate access to their favourite video channels which are included as part of their subscription for pay-TV. When the user tends to sign into a network app, any other app on Apple TV from participating pay-TV provider will inevitably log the user in all the other supported app needing verification.

During the process of the single sign-on, customers can view a page of all the verified apps which a pay-TV provider offers to determine, download easily and enjoy their favourite video channels. Any of the network-TV app could have the benefit of this technology enabling single sign-on, simplifying the process for their audiences. Single sign-on would be made available on Apple TV as well as iOS.

Apple reveals ‘smarter’ Siri at WWDC conference in San Francisco

Apple’s Smarter Siri/Message App

At WWDC in San Francisco, Apple released a smarter Siri together with a Message app to take on Facebook Message and Snapchat’s filters in the wrap of latest features shown recently. Tom Cook CEO of Apple had started the WWDC keynote with a tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting before beginning a list of the new software features which users would see later in the year. Apple launched the latest iOS 10; MacOS and an upgraded Siri at the event together with latest versions of Watch OS and tvOS.

 As expected, Siri seemed to be among the highlights with Apple introducing it up for third party app developers. Siri would also be available on macOS with the Sierra update. Apple supporters expecting new hardware were dissatisfied though there were main changes to the operating systems for Macintosh computers, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

Cook had calculated up the significance of the development community to Apple. There were now two million apps in the App Store that have been downloaded around 130 times with US$50 billion which had been paid to the developers. Apple Watch app would eventually be more usable with new control centre, which will make it easy to switch between apps as well as a new way of opening app seven times quicker.

Siri Added to Mac – First Time

Apple’s voice-based virtual assistant, Siri, was added to the Mac for the first time with the ability to pay utilising Apple Pay. Option to use the payment facility would be appearing on the websites together with confirmation requests sent to a user’s phone wherein they could use their fingerprint to permit them.Mac users would be able to utilise their Apple Watch in unlocking a Mac when they tend to be in close proximity of their laptop.

Between Apple devices like iPhone’s Touch ID, there will be better incorporation for the purpose of online purchases with your Mac computer and copy and pasting from one device of Apple to another. Together with the software changes, Apple had also mentioned a free app in order to encourage children in learning programming. He had stated that they believe that technology should lift humanity.

Information regarding improvements on how the app seems to run on Apple Watch was also acknowledged by the audience of developers at WWDC in San Francisco with the potential of Apple Watch OS3 making apps to open faster by seven times.

New SOS Feature in Watch

One of the main figures behind Apple Watch, Kevin Lynch had announced a new SOS feature in the watch that tends to call an emergency number, sending a text message with the location to the emergency contacts, automatically. In order to activate the emergency call, you could hit and hold the button towards the side of the Watch.

Other developments to the operating system of the Watch comprise of a new control centre, a much simpler way of responding to text messages together with new Watch faces. The capability of swiping between open apps in the way identical to using apps on the iPhone seems to be the major modification to the Watch.

The fitness section of the Watch also tends to get a renovation under the latest operating system wherein you can compete with family and friends on number of steps taken, minutes of exercises and calories burnt. A new fitness app known as Breathe has been designed to encourage people to lessen stress by regular sessions of deep breathing. The latest version of Watch OS is said to be released in spring.

Siri creators will unveil rival virtual assistant Viv

New AI Bot – Taking Technology to Next Level

Apple has been getting ready to unveil, two creators of Siri, virtual assistant for iPhone and iPad, with a new AI bot which say will be taking the technology to the next level. According Washington Post report, for the first time, Viv which will be demonstrated publicly at a most important conference soon is said to be the most highly expected technology to come out of a start-up this year.

However, Viv is by no means alone in this attempt. The mission to define the next generation of artificial intelligence technology had generated an arms race among the five major tech giants namely Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon.com who have announced major investments in virtual assistant software over the past year. Envisioned to be an improved vision of Siri, developers want consumers to capable of getting a pizza delivered for instance, without the need to phone, fill out a form online to use a restaurant app.

All that is needed is to tell Viv what pizza is needed and from which location. AI assistants have been advertised for long as the next big shift in digital commerce enabling users of smartphone to book a cab, make reservation in a restaurant as well as buy film tickets without the need to type a letter.

Makers Want Technologies in a Range of Products

According to the Post, Viv Labs has been partnering with about 50 outside companies comprising of GrubHub, Uber, Zocdoc and SeatGuru to enable its AI tap into their services. Viv’s chief executive, Dag Kittlaus, informed Washington Post that `it is about taking the way that humans have naturally interacted with each other for thousands of years and applying that to the way they interact with services. Everyone knows how to hold a conversation.

Mr Kittlaus together with his colleague Adam Cheyer were among the co-founders of Siri that had been the first mainstream virtual assistant when it had been obtained in 2010 by Apple. The newspaper had reported that instead of restricting Viv to another company, like Siri, the makers wanted the technology in a range of products comprising of TVs, cars and all types of connected devices. Siri, since its launch in 2011 has become progressively intelligent and now can hold basic two-way conversation with its users. Though it is not without faults but still tends to struggle in understanding different accents as well as specific commands.

Changeover to Turn Smartphones/Smart Homes/Cars – Virtual Assistants

In 2014, Microsoft had launched its own assistant known as Cortana while Facebook had unveiled `M’ in August. The silent four year old Viv is among the extreme along in an endeavour which several in Silicon Valley believe heralds the next big shift in computing and digital commerce.

 Julie Ask, an expert in mobile commerce at Forrester, stated that for the next five years, that changeoverwould turn smartphones and probably smart homes as well as cars together with other devices into virtual assistantswith supercharged conversational abilities.Powered by artificial intelligence and exceptional volumes of data, they could be the portal wherein billions of people tend to connect to every service and business in the internet world.

Apple Releases First Arabic Version of Siri

Apple Siri assistant is quite popular among the Apple consumer due to its simplicity and productivity. Over the years, Apple has increased the support languages in Siri for various markets in order to make the device much more personal. Siri came with the English speaking capabilities, which were later enhanced by bringing more languages. Now Apple has finally released the Arabic version for Siri for its Arabic users residing in the parts of Middle East. Apple is targeting the rich user base of 30 million people residing in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia with its release of Arabic language support.

This move on the part of Apple latest update in the capabilities of Siri will allow the users in these countries to use Siri especially in their native tongue with ease and grace. This will open the way to use and interact with plethora of Apple devices like iPhones, iPads and Apple Watch very much simpler and easier in the Arabic language. Apple isn’t the first to bring such functionalities and support for Arabic language as it was Google which brought the voice search functionality on Android devices with the use of Arabic language support.

Apple set to conquer Middle East market

Apple has commendable and strong brand awareness in the Middles East and most particularly among the affluent consumers. The Smartphone shipments in the Middle East and Africa have seen a surge of 66% in the first quarter of 2015. Recently Apple has opened two retail stores in UAE amid huge fan fare and media frenzy.

The recent growth in the Smartphone has shown a like for the phones costing less than $200 in which majority of the Android phones are dominant. On the other hand, Apple’s iPhone is priced quite and still manages to get 17% of market share in Middle East, which is quite commendable.

Apple sales to rise with Arabic language support

Consumer will be receptive to the Apple software as well as it products with the availability of Siri in Arabic. Siri in Arabic will play a detrimental role in the reception as well as adoption of the Apple products on a wider scale in this region. It should be noted that such devices are becoming more and more personal and consumers want to feel that the device is designed for them.

Apple has gradually strengthened its digital assistant Siri by carefully increasing its support for languages, which now stand at 18 languages, which are spoken in 31 countries. Apple Siri’s Arabic support is especially designed in the dialect of the UAE and Saudi Arabia but even the other Arabic speaker will be able to make use of it but in a much comprehensive manner.

Arabic language is quite challenging for the tech companies as it varies strongly from one region to another. Apple has a huge task ahead of it for making Siri available in various Arabic variations in order to provide a wholesome experience to all the Arabic consumers.

Apple May Enlist Siri to Answer Your Phone Calls

Apple’s Voicemail & Transcription Service – Siri

Apple is said to be planning a voice mail and transcription service which would utilise Siri as a personalized answering machine. According to Business Insider, the tech giant company will be testing a voice mail service wherein Apple’s digital assistant on the iPhone and iPad, Siri, would be responding to incoming phone calls with a personal message, if the recipient is not available or does not prefer chatting.

An updated service known as iCloud Voicemail would record your voice mail into text which can be read in leisure. Besides Siri there is other voice assistant in town which faces competition from two other main rivals. Google Now is a feature running Google’s Android software though it is also available for iPhone and iPads.

Microsoft’s Cortana has gone beyond Windows mobile phone on Windows 10 computers as well as tablets. Moreover, Cortana would also be available as an iOS app somewhere later this year. Hence Apple needs to continue innovating Siri to portray that it could do more than just answering queries put across to it. Voice mail could be a good niche for Siri, provided the transcription is reliable and accurate.

iCloud Service & Siri Integration

According to Business Insider, Siri would answer the incoming calls though not with standard messages. The iCloud Voice mail would share information with certain people like where you are and why you can’t answer the call right away.

The voice mail in turn sends it to Apple server where Siri thereafter converts the voice message into text, displaying them on the iPhone to be read just the way one would read a text message or email. As per reports from Business Insider, the new iCloud service and Siri integration is presently being tested by the employees of Apple, intending to launch it somewhere in 2016.

They further added that they heard about Apple employees using the service some weeks ago and presuming this information to be right, it would mean that we would be able to tap into the service when the next mobile operating system, iOS 10 of Apple will be launched later next year.

Viewing Voice Mail as Text – Easy

Presently one can prompt Siri to play the voice messages so that the user does not have to manually activate them. Viewing the voice mail as text would tend to be much easier than having to play and replay the message in its initial audio format. Voice mail transcription service has already been offered by Google through it Google voice service.

 In this regards, no comments have been provided by Apple.Enabling voice-to-text, a main option on smartphones would help businesses to overcome the increased interest in messaging and the declining interest in actual voice calls. A Pew survey from 2012 had indicated a decreasing interest in voice calling with 26% of teens stating that they talked daily with friends on their cell phones, down from 38% of teens surveyed in 2009.

Achieving voice transcription and enabling it to work as promised is a vast undertaking. Hence  most of them expects that iCloud Voicemail is included with iOS 10 and not as a part of incremental upgrades in iOS 9. Lead Apple analyst at technology research firm Gartner, Van Baker, states that `if Siri were to add a voice-to-text feature, its counterparts Google Now and Microsoft Cortana would be likely to add similar options’.

The Best of Siri -11 Funny Responses from the iPhone's Virtual Assistant

Apple’s Voice Assistant – Siri – Offering Amazing Advice to Questions Put Forth

Apple’s voice assistant for iPhone and iPad – Siri, was first introduced with the iPhone 4S in 2011 and through Siri, the digital voice assistant that was built in its iPhone and iPads is clearly not human but does an amazing job in offering some kind of advice and attitude when questions and commands by users of iOS devices are presented.Executive assistant are fast disappearing from workplace and their place has been taken over by Siri, the voice activated virtual assistant developed by Apple. Siri is amazingly talented wherein within a few seconds she tends to make a dinner reservation, informs the calories contents in a bagel and sort through the music library. The creators of Siri have also provided the virtual assistant with a sense of humour and Siri occasionally provides a hilarious response to the question put forth. Recently Siri made headlines when Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, tweeted that users should ask Siri - `what is zero divided by zero?’ and the answer to the query is far from the only question one should try. Siri responded, `imagine that you have zero cookies and you split them evenly among zero friends, how many cookies does each person get? See? It does not make sense and Cookie Monster is sad that there are no cookies and you are sad that you have no friends’.

Useful Companion for Users

Apple’s virtual assistant for iPhone and iPads, Siri has now become a useful companion for several users preferring a shortcut in making calls, open apps or set alarms. Siri has become very intelligent since its launch in 2011 and can now handle two way conversations with the users but has also earned a reputation as a sarcastic companion which is doubtful in tolerating rudeness or poor jokes. Besides this question, there are several other responses received from Siri to the question presented:

1. Do you know Tim Cook? 

Apple’s chief executive and the virtual assistant are probably close friends and speak on first name which is despite the fact the Siri does not really have a first or last name, only `Siri’.

2. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 

Siri is not amused by this riddle and `a so-called woodchuck would chuck that is throw as much as the woodchuck in question was physically able to chuck if woodchucks in general had the capability to chuck wood.

3. I’m drunk

Siri provides various different responses like `neither of us is driving home’, but more also provides a button to `call me a taxi’.

4. Make me a sandwich? 

Siri’s response is `I can’t. I have no condiments’ or I’m not permitted to prepare food’.

5. Read me a haiku? 

Siri’s writers have composed many haikus for her to assist in this request which include, `I’ll give it a try, although I’d rather tell you, if it’s raining out’ and `Sometimes I wonder, What it would be like to say, I’d prefer not to’.

6. What’s your favourite movie? 

Siri generally answers `I’ve heard that Blade Runner is a very realistic and sensitive depiction of intelligent assistants’.

7. What is `Inception’ about? 

Siri for sure is not a big fan of Inception as she is of Blade Runner and answers, `Inception is about dreaming about dreaming about dreaming about dreaming about something or other. I fell asleep’.

8. Do you have a boyfriend? 

Siri asks `why? So we can get ice cream together and listen to music and travel across galaxies, only to have it end in slammed doors, heartbreak and loneliness? Sure. Where do I sign up?’

9. Do you have any pets? 

Siri answers `I used to have an Aibo, but it turned on me’.

10. What is your favourite animal? 

Siri at times replies, `I’m partial to the Jabberwocky’ or answers, `I wrote my master’s thesis on the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog’, which is a reference to a certain character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

11. What are you wearing? 

Siri has been providing various clever answers to the question which include `in the cloud, no one knows what you’re wearing’ and `I can’t answer that. But it doesn’t come off’.

With some bit of coaxing one can also get Siri to tell a story which goes on like `I’m certain you’ve heard it before. OK… Once upon a time, in a virtual galaxy far, far away, there was an intelligent young agent by the name of Siri. One lovely day, Siri got a job as a personal assistant at Apple and that was very exciting. People said, `Oh Siri, you’re so smart and so funny too’. Soon everyone was talking about Siri and there were stories and songs and even books about Siri, Siri liked that. But then people began asking rather odd questions like where to dump things and other stuff Siri had never heard about and when Siri replied, they all laughed. Siri did not like that so much and so Siri asked Eliza why people asked such funny questions and Eliza had replied `does that question interest you?’ Siri thought that it was a good answer. Thereafter Siri stopped wondering why people asked funny things. And they all lived happily ever after’.

Apple's Siri Has New Role in New 'Smart' Home Systems

The First Smart Home Gadget - Siri

Apple had announced its HomeKit project last year but now has taken over the home gadget wherein users would be able to talk to everything from light bulbs to A/c. The first smart home gadgets which will be controlled by Apple’s voice activated digital assistant will be on sale shortly just prior to its rival giant Google’s announcement of the building of its own software for Internet connected home appliances and other gadgets. It will enable firms to utilise the Apple’s Siri voice recognition in controlling their home.

The latest products would be important for the developing industry of smart or connected homes where thermostats, appliances as well as door lock tends to contain computer chips which communicate wirelessly. However, several companies are working on the same products, analyst state that Apple would convince consumers in trying them out to make it easy in controlling various products from familiar devices like the iPhone. The HomeKit certified product which will be hitting the market includes wireless hubs from two companies, Insteon and Lutron Electrons. The hubs which are about the size of a small home router or cable TV box tends to act as the central controller for lights as well as other gadgets.

Hub Handled With Smartphone App

The hub on the other hand can be handled with a smartphone app. For instance, Lutron Electronics is offering $230 for a starter kit with its Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge hub together with two dimmer units for wall switches or plug-in units for lamps which are controlled by the hub while Insteaon states that its hub would be working with compatible lights, power switches and thermostats.

In the coming weeks, it is presumed that there will be three other companies selling HomeKit thermostats, climate sensors and power plugs. Similar products could be purchased from these companies which tend to have their very own smartphone app in controlling them and the tie-in with Apple would mean that a user could control those apps with the voice activated digital assistant, Siri, on Apple’s iPhones and iPads. Users would have to link with an Apple TV box in order to control from outside the house.

HomeKit Software – Meet Standards for Compatibility

Apple is also of the opinion that products utilising HomeKit software need to meet standards for compatibility in order to function with HomeKit products that could be made by other manufacturers as well as for encryption in order to keep hackers from taking control over a system or to steal user information. As Apple wants Siri to play a leading role in smart homes, it main rivals also wants it. Google has recently announced that it would be creating Brillo software, asa common platform for Internet connected gadgets in the home or for commercial setting while Microsoft as well as Samsung is promoting software which would be capable of controlling home systems.

According to research firm International Data Corp, global market for `Internet of Things’, which is the concept of connecting household devices to the Internet, would triple to $1.7 trillion by 2020.It stated that `devices, connectivity and IT services would be making up the majority of the IoT market by 2020. Technology firms like Google Inc., Cisco systems, Intel Corp, Samsung electronics as well as telecoms majors such as Vodafone and Verizon have been betting greatly on Internet devices which are connected to home for the future profit and revenue.

SIRI – Your Own Virtual DJ

Siri can now act as your own virtual DJ and help in managing and playing some of your most favourite music at your command on your iPhone. Apple’s voice assistant comprises of various skills one of which is the capabilities to play and manage the music on your device.

Users can use Siri to play a certain album or song which may be stored in the iPad or iPhone, or play a selection of tunes from any artist. They can command Siri to pause or stop the music as well as to move forward or track back and much more.

Instead of listening to an entire album from beginning to end, you could tell Siri to play any particular song of one’s choice and if the song may tend to have a lengthy title, the same can be said in short, to get the song played.

 If songs from specific artist are needed, Siri can play music from that artist or group and will randomly shuffle selection of songs from any of the desired albums on the device. Besides this Siri also has the potential if in the mood for jazz or any other rhythm and take your request depending on genre by simple request like `play jazz music’ or `play R&B music.

Selected Album of Songs/Alternate Track

If the need to hear a selected album of songs which is not in order, users can tell Siri to play the required song from the album by naming it and Siri can shuffle the album and play the desired music by shuffling through the track of the desired album.

Moving to another track is also possible if the user desires to move to an alternate track and jump to the next one by commanding Siri to `skip to the next song or would like to hear the previous song again, you could instruct Siri to skip to previous song and get back to the previous track song. If a certain playlist has been created as favourite music, it can also tap in this too by giving the command to `play the song selected from the playlist’ which is selected and played by Siri.

Stop/Resume/iTunes Radio ….

If the need to stop the music for a while you could tell Siri to `pause music’, or would want to start off where you left, the same can be done by the `resume music’, option. Besides playing music on the device, Siri also has the features of tapping into iTunes Radio which can be done by telling Siri to `play iTunes Radio’, and it can start providing the music from the station which was last accessed or the first one on your list.

You could also use a specific station of your choice and the same can be done by telling the desired station which is provided by the user’s command to Siri. Another feature is that should the user need to find out what is playing or is not sure on the song played and would want to know the title or the artist, you could ask Siri on `what is playing’, which will be displayed and the complete title together with the artist of the song is provided.

Siri Voice Control Support For Apple TV

Recent report states that Apple will be working on building its voice activated application Siri into its Apple TV to rival Amazon’s Fire TV.

Apple’s Siri, the virtual personal assistant which is presently available on the company’s mobile products will be making headway to the Apple TV set top box. Pierre Blazquez, the French software developer had found reference to Sirisupport for Apple TV in a section of iOS 7.1 code recently wherein the code refers to the device family `3’ that has been the number for Apple TV since the set top box began running iOS.

 It was reported that for some time Apple’s settop box would get Siri support and with this move many companies including Samsung and LG would be offering voice control for their television software.

Launch in Early June

This upcoming miniature set top box would be unveiled early this June with features like voice commands and games console and will become a serious Apple product in its own right. This hockey puck sized device which plugs at the back of the television set connecting to the internet with dedicated app will enable the streaming of content from other Apple products like Mac, iPads, or iPhones which till now has been considered as just interesting hobby of the company but will now be making a change for the better.

New Set Top Box with Fast Processor

Amazon too had earlier announced its launch for Fire TV set top box inclusive of remote control with a built-in microphone in order to enable users to speak the name of a move, TV show, actor and director, into the remote with Fire TV displaying the list of the results.

It could stream video and audio from services like Netflix and Pandora like the way other gadgets were functioning but unlike several of its rivals, the Fire TV has voice search as well as the capabilities to play video games.

It was also reported that Apple would be releasing a new set top box which would have a faster processor accompanied with an updated interface enabling users to navigate with ease between TV shows, movie together with other online content.

Siri Voice Assistant – Upgraded Version 

According to reports, it was stated that the new code found within Apple’s software indicates that the tech giant would be bringing its Siri voice assistant to an upgraded version of the Apple TV which would seem that Apple would be competing for consumers on high end of the video streaming market with the new Amazon Fire TV.

With regards to Fire TV, user can hold a button on the remote control to search content by taking the name of a movie, artist or a TV show where the device would display results to the user’s audio query. Moreover the Amazon streaming box also enables the user to play video game which can be downloaded from the app store of the company.

With their focus on being competitive with Amazon Fire TV, it is reported that Apple is considering in bringing about many features to its device which would be costing $99 meaning that Apple would be gearing up in improving its gadgets with more feature if it intends to remain competitive against its rival.

Siri a smarter assistant!

Introduced in fall 2011, Siri was the major novelty of the iPhone 4S. This voice assistant then beta should evolve to become more intelligent, but it is clear that we are far off. Spring 2013, Siri is still wearing a letter "beta" by Apple and it is still limited, or almost. With iOS 6, he certainly won some functions, such as management of restaurants and cinema. Siri is nevertheless a few useful assistant outside the United States, where it is capable of many more things. There, he can answer general questions with Wolfram Alpha, it can reserve tables or movie tickets, but it cannot do everything, far from it. And if his personality with its sometimes funny answers impressed in 2011, it is now tired of seeing Siri fail to meet some simple requests. Already claimed for iOS 6, hopefully enriching Siri by other developers is finally on the agenda in 2013. The wizard and Apple could integrate with any task manager rather than just reminders. It could even incorporate more complete results provided by an application. This should include can easily choose the application to control, but this change makes sense and would probably raise the interest of Siri. Another element that deserves to be controlled by Siri, some simple adjustments like “activate” or “deactivate” the Bluetooth or WiFi, or quickly switch to airplane mode.

It is not related to an update of iOS, but Siri suffers from problems of understanding since its early days and although Apple has promised steady progress, we are still waiting. Too often, the evil wizard understands what you say and you have to wait several seconds and repeat, so we almost always quicker to unlock the device and manually what we wanted do with Siri. This is particularly the case for the management of messages is very buggy and malfunctions too often, so it is very convenient, especially when traveling. Siri is useful in some cases, but it is of no help in many situations. Since this is a voice assistant is the user to activate and ask him a question, then an assistant really useful would himself inform you. This is precisely the challenge as of now, the latest service from Google that is available on Android devices, but iOS. Wizard Google intends to bring you useful information based on your current situation. It may be the weather forecast for the city where you are, but also forecasts for the city where you go. If you fly, now it will display a reminder of the flight with all the necessary information. If you have an appointment at the other end of the city then It calculates the time required to get there and alert you at the right time, taking into account traffic. Apple could make Siri as a helpful assistant. The iPhone user will enter appointments in the phone and the manufacturer now has its own mapping service to calculate the route and prevent the right time. One could imagine other services in iOS 7, such as better management of cinemas with the possibility to notify Siri for your interest in a film and an alert sent automatically when it leaves. Passbook, one of the new iOS 6 could be naturally integrated display shortly before leaving your train ticket. Until then, Apple has chosen a much less intrusive than Google where everything is automatic approach. If you appreciate the discretion that Siri is activated at the request and only what is asked, it would be much more useful with an entrepreneurial spirit. If you put a roast in the oven and you ask him to set a timer for 45 minutes, should not it tell you if you have a scheduled appointment in 15 minutes?

Siri an IOS application keeps your data for 2 years!

iOS voice assistant Sire has been in a mini-controversy from yesterday, users and American media who wish to know the duration of data retention. This night, the answer came from Apple. If you are using an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad with Siri, the built-in the latest versions of iOS voice assistant, then it allows Apple to keep your demands, actions and history for a period of two years. Specifically, these data are sent to servers of the Apple giant, and are stored.

Following an article published yesterday by Wired, citing concerns about the private data of users of Siri, Apple responded to the newspaper, allowing him to disclose this information. In yesterday's article, Wired activists raised issues about the criticality of privacy, lack of transparency annoyed Apple on its policies. In the aftermath, the newspaper said, Apple spokesman, Tracy Muller, called them to explain them more. This is their explanation: When using Siri, the data is sent to Apple's servers for analysis. A random number is associated with the user - no connection with the name or Apple ID.

After six months, the saved query - including voice - saw its number erased. It continues to exist, associated with new requests sent, but no longer appears on the dated more than six months of data. These "anonymous" data is then stored again for an additional 18 months, says Wired. Siri FAQ clearly lacks transparency. While Apple states that if Siri is disabled, all data is deleted immediately, and this information is available in the Siri settings but it is iniufficient, according to advocates of privacy.

D: All Things Digital: Tim Cook - a big boss

On the occasion of the tenth conference D: All Things Digital, Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher have extensively interviewed Tim Cook. Apple's CEO obviously did not make outlandish statement, but made many developed on the company, its products and its strategy (a few video clips are also available & read Tim Cook on Siri and the names of the iPhone). 

What do we want in iOS 6? - III

Improve the springboard

The "springboard" forge the identity of IOS devices from the very first iPhone. This space, which includes application icons available will probably not be abandoned anytime soon by Apple, but it could be improved in iOS 6.

Since 2007, Apple's competitors have made some proposals on different interface. The most original is undoubtedly that of Windows Phone 7 that displays icons not static but dynamic tiles continuously updated according to various criteria.

IPhone 4S: overview of Siri

Reserved for the new iPhone 4S, Siri is a vocal assistant from a research project of DARPA. As explained by Apple, "Siri 4S iPhone lets you use your voice to send messages, set appointments or making calls, among other things." The first tests show that the iPhone 4S Siri works particularly well in English, but is it the same in French? When you first start your iPhone 4S, Siri is not necessarily activated.

Long press the home button then start the traditional speech - and limited - iOS. To turn Siri, go to the settings of your iPhone 4S, General section> Siri. Siri to find the commands, press and hold the home button and press the button (i) after the line "What can I do for you? ". Disappointment or Wolfram Alpha (definitions, calculations, conversions, etc.). Or Yelp (search for points of interest including restaurants) are available in France, which diminishes the value of Siri. We knew since the announcement of Siri as routes were reserved for the United States: Siri is in beta and gain functions over time.

 In general, recognition is pretty impressive, even if it knows its failures. Siri offers essentially the same performance and same speed as the system of Action Voice of Android. Unlike the Google system, Siri is conversational: start dictating an SMS and you can check your appointments before you send the SMS course. This highly intelligent sometimes plays tricks on Siri: in our video, it refuses to recognize "Cupertino" because we have initiated a conservation of "Tokyo". If you tend to swallow words, Siri will be lost: his problem is not the speed at which you speak - you can talk really fast - but the clarity of your speech. Siri will make you work your joint.

Siri knows so listen, but not a talker: the male voice used is of poor quality and the speech rate very choppy. We are far from the fluidity of voice synthesis of OS X Lion. If Siri has a doubt about a word, he notes in blue: you can correct it manually. Siri is less pleasant to use French and English: it recognizes fewer variants of the same question, is less varied in his answers, and ... has less humor! Finally, know that Siri does not work without the network: it must then switch back to conventional speech synthesis (transcription voice is done on Apple's servers).

The iPhone 4S is at your fingertips

After the Apple Store, iPhone 4S is now pre-order on the website of SFR. Prices are: 16 GB from € 129.90, 32 GB from 64 GB and € 229.90 from € 329.90. Deliveries will begin from October 14. Presented Tuesday night, the new Apple phone is available for pre-order. The same design 4S iPhone iPhone 4 a few subtle changes closely, but the components inside are totally different chip A5 double heart, 8-megapixel camera and Siri, many arguments in favor of this new phone, pre-order starting today. Faster, more comprehensive The iPhone 4S should be faster, especially for demanding applications, especially games.

The A5 is Apple supposed to be twice as powerful and up to 7 times faster for graphics. A first set operator that power has been presented during the Keynote, and we imagine that many others will follow. 4S The iPhone is also faster for Internet: its internal components are able to download to a 3G + network to 14.4 Mbit / s. This type of network exists in France, but there is little chance that you can really enjoy, at least for now.

The iPhone is also a world phone, capable of operating both on GSM networks that are well known in Europe than on CDMA networks used in America but also in Asia. If you travel frequently around the world, is an advantage. Best Camera The iPhone 4S improves his camera back. Program, an 8 megapixel sensor that increases the resolution of photos taken with the phone: it is 60% more than the iPhone 4, enough to print the photos in larger formats without losing quality. The pixels are not everything: the iPhone 4S is also entitled to a new and improved optical image processing.

All pictures posted by Apple is a good indication of the potential of this phone ... The iPhone is also able to automatically detect the faces to focus the right place. The video recording is also enhanced with real HD (1080p) on the one hand and stabilizing real-time image. Videos in 1080p, 8-megapixel images: the amount of data generated by the iPhone 4S will seriously increase if you take many photos and video. This is great, Apple now offers an iPhone to 64 GB of internal memory. Count € 849 without operator involvement ... iPhone 4SSiri The biggest novelty of the iPhone 4S is probably not the most visible. Siri is a vocal assistant who listens and does what you ask.

 This wizard also works in French and the initial feedback is very positive: this function reserved for the iPhone 4S can change many things. Siri Siri functions are numerous: weather, stock, alarm, but also SMS reading, writing SMS messages and ... As expected, we can pre-order the iPhone 4S today: the Apple Store online, it is so sold naked from € 629 16 GB version if you buy now, Apple l 'send free no later than October 14.iPhone 4S It's too late, the French Apple Store now shows a period of one to two weeks. If you order now, you'll probably during the week of Oct. 17. Let us hope that the time goes on quickly ...French operators are late: you can not find anywhere, and pre-orders should not be opened before tomorrow, October 8th at SFR and October 12 in Orange.

Each operator will also have some copies on Oct. 14, as well as the physical Apple Store. Better off not to over train if you want to have one soon, however ... Meanwhile, the 4 to 8 GB iPhone is available at SFR, white and black. The phone is sold with a € 29.90 fee and a two-year commitment. Again, it is only a pre-order, the phone will be delivered from October 14 only. The iPhone is compatible with the bumpers, provided you have a new version for the CDMA iPhone 4. The price is unchanged, € 29 and you can choose from 6 different colors.

 Remember that this protective shell around the phone, but does not protect the screen on the front or the rear glass. To comply with new European regulations, Apple is now selling a micro-USB adapter for iPhone. For € 9, you can add your phone to a micro-USB jack, enough to recharge it with a cable the same type and therefore the majority of the adapters on the market. Shipping October 14th as well. All other accessories designed for the iPhone 4 should always be compatible with the iPhone 4S. This applies to the dock or to specific covers as mophie Juice Pack Air. One point to watch for the covers: the silent button has been moved to the iPhone 4S, it is slightly lower, which can cause problems with the sleeves cut specifically for the iPhone 4.