Siri - The New Search Engine?

For the moment, Siri, Apple’s new killer feature, is all the rage and has helped Apple sell over four million iPhone 4S this past weekend. The demo and the word of mouth from Apple, specifically iPhone fans, has permeated through the blog world and has entered the mind-share of the mainstream public.

More than that, Siri is still only in beta. For now, some might be able to argue that its abilities are limited. For the most part, I would have to agree. Siri has gained some features that are already available on Android via Voice Actions. And Google will surely double its effort to beef up its own voice feature. And beyond that, Siri can give snappy and sometimes sarcastic responses that has evoked amusement from users. But truly, that is all, isn’t it? If that is the case, why is Siri so popular? Will its use die down over time once the hype is over?


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iPhone 4S: Dictation Is A Feature You Don't Want To Ignore

This post isn't dictated but other posts that you've read since Friday were.  And they were dictated on the iPhone 4S.  Obviously, the best feature in iOS 5 isn't on just iOS 5 but on the iPhone.  Siri is only available on the iPhone 4S. And so is the ability to be able to dictate e-mails, messages, and notes.

Just as I've told a close family friend, who is an officer at a larger investment bank and hedge fund, if you can talk into your iPhone or any other phone before, why can't you talk to it?  It would not look more awkward than people walking around with a Bluetooth headset, looking like they're talking to themselves.

Since I got the iPhone 4S, I've begun a conscious effort to use only on Siri but also dictation.  As a matter of fact, I think this is the first phase in what I think could be contact-less interaction with our technology, not just mobile devices.

So, if you've got an iPhone 4S, you really ought to take advantage of this new feature.  And if you don't have an iPhone 4S, and you have another iPhone version, iPad, or iPod touch, I suggest you download Dragon Dictation from Nuance from the iTunes store and start using it.

Don't let all the 4S folks like myself have all the fun.  Embrace the future!

Note:  Though not entirely confirmed, it's been suggested that Nuance's voice tech was licensed by Apple and has been very much a part of iOS 5.  It certainly was a part of Siri when Apple bought Siri.

Rumormongers Now Chastised Apple for Not Meeting Wall Street Expectations

By all accounts, those that sanity still, Apple had a phenomenal financial quarter. Apple had over $28 billion in revenue, more iPhones sells any Yuriko, 11 million iPads so, handheld rector sale of nearly 4.9 million Macs.

Dad revenue $3 billion more than a $25 billion that Apple had guided analysts last quarter. However, I was not enough for Wall Street analysts. They went crazy and expected more than $29 billion. In fact, Forbes, well look loggers and they expected $33 billion in revenue.

That is to be expected from these people. There's nothing Apple, fans, or anyone else can do. Wall Street analysts have for years, quarter after quarters, fail to really understand what Apple is all about. And now, the same Wall Street analysts have failed again.

But let's move on. Let's move onto the publications who had been trading in rumors as click baits. Publications like the Wall Street Journal, who have continuously used unnamed sources, to help sell newspapers about Apple plans. Seriously can anyone outside of Apple really know what is to come next?

The same publications, the rumormongers, were also disappointed when Apple did not fulfill their rumors. In fact, Apple made them all look foolish. Apple made all these publications look like liars. Apple made all these publications look as if they went and made up stories.

And yell, some of these publications are you trying to get their revenge. Let's take the Wall Street Journal can. Now they are riding fine about how Apple has lost its magic.

Hey, Wall Street Journal. Why do you think Apple fail to meet expectation.? Let's look at the real reason. You spread all these rumors about when Apple was supposed to come out the new iPhone. You, the Wall Street Journal, also told people what the specs are and when the iPhone 5
is supposed to come out.

Of course, we all know by now that there is no iPhone 5. And I know I'm picking on Wall Street Journal but the practically all but a handful of bloggers on Internet have all made this great mistake. They are trafficking rumors, they all printed each other's rumors, and they speculated as if they were facts and when none of these things happen it were collectively disappointed. These same bloggers and publications also speculated when the next iPhone will be released. They range from August all the way through the end of September.

That is a full 6 to 8 weeks a potential buyers who could've bought the iPhone 4 but held off thinking that an update was just around the corner.

So Wall Street, there is your missing 4 million iPhones. Apple could've easily been your expectation but you try to play both side of the story. You spread rumors, stopped iPhone sales on their track, and still expect Apple to perform well.

And you know what? Apple performed well. Apple performed admirably. Record sales. More than $80 billion in the bank.

So, screw you Wall Street! Screw you, DigiTimes! Screw you, Wall Street Journal!

Note: to my readers, you noticed that I had not provided links to any of these publications I mentioned or to any other blogs that had talked about rumors but were disappointed when their rumors did not pan out. There is no point in doing it because they were wrong. If I had done it I would be perpetuating false information.

iBooks has 180 Million Downloads; What Does it Man

Today we learned that Apple has achieved 180 million ebook downloads. By most metrics, that is a very big achievement. However there is a lot of details Apple left out that I am not sure that we will ever find out.

The reason is because 180 million downloads can mean many things. It could mean 180 million books sold or one book was sold and downloaded 180 million times. Obviously, I think the truth is somewhere in between.

What's true is that I bought over 10 books and I think I've downloaded them at least thirty times.

Perhaps the truth is that it's somewhere in between. Even with 90 million books so that is quite an achievement. Can Apple really have sold 90 million books?

Regardless what's all this does mean is that a lot of iOS users are reading books on their devices. What it also means that e-books is a market that Apple should really really be serious about.

For a while, I had expected Apple to see the market to Amazon. I think Apple came to the game a little late realizing that Amazon is intending to create a platform with the Kindle.

And Amazon thinks that it has to dominate e-books, just let Apple has dominated the music market. And with kindle fire, Amazon hope to solidify hold on the books market.

The figure that Apple gave us today, 180 million downloads, is a shot across the now of Amazon. Apple one Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and anyone else to know that Apple is serious about the books market. I suspect that this will mean a lot of very important things in the coming year from Apple.

And perhaps this is why Amazon has been trying very hard to lock up authors and trying to beef up its publishing apparatus.

However, I don't think Apple can do much e-books market in the short-term. Amazon has a very big leap with the Kindle. What Apple can hope to achieve is trying to overtake Barnes & Noble and its Nook. If Apple can do that the next year or two, in the minds of users, Apple can be considered a heavy hitter.

Siri May Have All The Answers (Someday) And Be Our Friend But It Won’t Be Intelligent Or Sentient

Answers, Yes But Siri Is Still Closer To a Toaster Than A Fully Thinking and Sentient Intelligence

It's what I've suspected the whole time but is unwilling to face.  Siri may have the answers but it isn't smart.  I think you know it as well.  What Siri, really is, is an app that has the full force of a cloud-based computing network that is trying to "serve" you as it is.  

Siri doesn't understand you.  It might look like it does at times because that is the brilliance of Apple.  It's trying to be "just works" mentality to Siri. And in doing so, Apple is hoping that we'll forget that Siri is really lines of programs with brilliant algorithms and, instead, treat it like a digital friend.

Don't get me wrong.  Siri is revolutionary and there is a lot to get excited about.  However, it's closer to Tickle-Me-Elmo than it is to Commander Data on Star Trek.  In fact, the Enterprise computer isn't so smart either.  

Right now, a lot of people are having fun with Siri failed to remember it's still in beta.  So for all of you who are new to Apple and its products, this is only the beginning.  And as impressed as you already are, be prepared to be blow away.

Not Updating iPod Touch Was A Push To Make People Buy iPhones

After some considerations, I think it's like that we are seeing Apple trying to get more and more mobile warriors to carry a device with them that is always connected to the Internet.  And the iPod touch, while a great mobile device, isn't the iPhone because it lacks the 3G or any other wireless connectivity other than WiFi.  And WiFi means you can't always be connected to the Internet.

It's probably why we might not see Siri on the iPod touch even if Apple does upgrade the hardware.  And this could help push users towards the iPhone 4S and future iPhone upgrades that require an always-on 3G/4G connection.  And this is where the money's at, not selling iPod touches for Apple.

And if you don't think Siri and not having an updated iPod touch goes hand-in-hand, consider this.  Had Apple upgraded the iPod touch, it would mean that there is no reason why the touch with the A5 dual-core chip cannot handle Siri.

And for those with the iPhone 4, Blackberry, Android, or another phone who want Siri, just buy an iPod touch.  That'll hurt Apple's iPhone sales for the Christmas quarter.  So, I imagine that to continue to drive sales, Apple could potentially update Siri every few weeks to remind folks that to take advantage of all that is iOS and Siri, the iPhone 4S is the only way to go.

The iPod touch, updated only with white, is for everyone else.

Would You Prefer an iPad Mini or iPod Touch XL?

There's talk this morning that Apple is looking at a sub-10" screen to add a new tablet to its line-up.  I've been asking for something like this since the original iPad.  No, I've been asking for this since the iPod touch.  Will we get it?