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There’s almost no question the one good thing iOS 6 has going for it is their voice recognition app, Siri. After being the subject of commercials starring everyone from Samuel Muther-effin-L Jackson, to Zoey Daschnel, Siri has taken on a full fledged personality of her own, giving the iPhone that one must-have feature for the masses.
Samsung hopes to capture a little some of that magic inside the Galaxy S3 (getting set to launch next week) with their all new S Voice application coming pre-loaded. To call S Voice simply “inspired” by Siri would be naive. Everything from the UI to bubble conversations not only scream Siri, but the 2 are almost indistinguishable from each other at quick glance.
We’ve seen Siri go up against stock Google Voice Actions in a Motorola head-to-head in the past, so how well does S Voice perform when up against arguably the only great feature iOS has to offer? Watch the video below to find out.
Looks like S Voice fared pretty well for itself against Siri. The one place where Siri fell short was in its lack of navigation in the video producer’s country (though, to be fair, that could be fixed in iOS 6). What did you guys think of the results? Anyone ready for Google to officially release something similar (with beautiful Holo UI)? Or do you find Google’s current solution — Voice Actions — adequate enough?
Sadly, seemingly every Android user was dismissing Siri when it came out. I wonder how this technology will be received now that it is on Android. Please do not comment about Vlingo. I have used it on my N1.
I don’t know who was dismissing it. I think most were bewildered that all the Apple users thought it was something new and innovative when it was merely the next step in what was already on the Android OS. I have always liked the voice commands in Android and am glad Apple is stimulating manufacturers and Google to make it even better.
The ones dismissing it off hand, were the equivalent of the ignorant Apple rabble rousers of which there are many as well.
Siri was and still is a fad. I know lots of iPhone users and I have yet to actually see one of them using it (aside from showing it off occasionally). The problem with the technology is that it’s not reliable. There is a ‘cool’ factor yes, but it needs to mature quite a bit. Until then, mobile phones are simply not ready for accurately interpreting casual conversations. And this is not taking accents into consideration. When I can talk to my phone at any rate and get a 99.9% result 99% of the time then I’ll seriously consider the feature.
The Voice function on Android phones do work well when you talk slowly and right to the point… which is fine. Even then,,,, hardly anyone uses it.
Both Apple and Samsung are using this technology as a marketing ploy, it’s simple as that.
So yes, as an Android user I still dismiss it as a fad (on both systems).
Totally agree. I know there are intelligent people on these forums like yourself. It is just when I see blindly rabid bashing of a mobile platform of all things, it is a little disconcerting.
We dissed Siri when it came out because its the biggest selling point of the iPhone 4s, and it still isn’t a big deal. But just to have it as an added bonus on my superior Android device makes me smile. Apple should have brought true multi tasking or widgets or even 4g to the iPhone 4s over voice commands that’s why Siri got dissed. Since my Android phone has all the other features covered then why not improve on what’s already been on Android for many years now. (Yes Android has had voice commands for years Apple did not create this)
I totally agree. I just find it amusing that after all is said and done, in the case of Samsung at least, they do try to follow Apple’s lead.
I personally think it is a gimmick. Apple tries to market it as some sort of artificial intelligence you can fully interact with. This is as stupid as believing those actors actually sit at home alone talking to a stupid phone.
Both are cool, but I am way too impatient to sit and wait for these apps to do work for me that I feel I could do faster and more efficiently. What I mean is that they could give me something I’m not looking for, or won’t hear me correctly, etc. All of that is unproductive and wastes my time. I think for me personally it will be a long time from now before I would ever use such an app on a daily basis. Plus I feel it’s faster to do many of the tasks I would ask the app to do on my own, such as setting my alarm, or looking up directions to a place.
I feel it’ll be a long time before I even use such an app on a monthly basis. Or even a yearly basis. As you said, most of those actions I can do quicker without speaking to it. Setting an alarm… I have a shortcut to my alarm app in my dock, so I can set a new alarm in no time. Looking up directions to somewhere… shortcut to navigation on my homescreen. If I want to try to speak the destination I can, or I can type it.
Ever since they first announced Siri, it’s been a gimick. And Voice commands like this will never be anything more than a gimick to me.
The main think that grabs me through watching this is how convoluted the whole process is. For example is that the way they both always deal with text messages or just a lengthened version for the video?
I rarely use voice actions but a couple used now and again are text and alarm, they’re simple; press the voice icon on the home screen and say; “send message [name] “Hey babe, on my way home.”” then press send. Or “set alarm 7am” and it’s done. No fancy voice telling me it’s finished. It just is. I thought it was supposed to make things easier?
Oh and the fact the video didn’t make use of the “Hi Galaxy feature to wake the phone was strange, I would of thought this was something else to highlight as a difference between the two programs.
If Google make their own version of these features built into vanilla Android, I really hope it’s done for the right reasons and not just jumping on the Siri bandwagon because a few famous people advertised it.
“If Google make their own version of these features built into vanilla
Android, I really hope it’s done for the right reasons and not just
jumping on the Siri bandwagon because a few famous people advertised it.”
Sadly, this is most likely exactly why they did it.
jumping on a band wagon? voice actions came before siri
Yes voice actions came before Siri but turning voice actions into a personal assistant was very much Apple & Siri and that’s what Samsung are doing with S Voice.
The point is, if Google intend to make this personal assistant style voice actions a part of Android rather than just having voice actions as they stand (or very similar) then hopefully it’ll be done because they are actually improving the breed and not glueing something together as another alternative because Apple are selling it so well.
I remember my flatmate had a Ericsson T10 the little coloured flip phones with monochrome lcd screen back in 1999/2000 and it had voice commands for dialing. As I remember you only said the contacts name after selecting a function from the contacts menu.
Yeah, Google is definitely planning their own. Not sure the release time frame.
Hey I can make predictions without any proof too. Apple is definitely planning to build an iPhone with a 4.5 inch screen. Not sure the release time frame.
I noticed that too, about him not saying “Hi Galaxy” to wake up the phone. I found that strange.
I’m a rabid fan of Voice Search on my DX. I love sending messages, looking up things, calling places not in my phone book, and navigating to somewhere all by a single voice command (each). If S Voice can do better than that, I’m going to be one very happy camper. If not… there’s always Voice Search!
For me, the voice recognition thing was cool in concept, but that novelty wore off and I never integrated it into my phone habits… the first time it gets a word wrong is enough for me to just type it out and know it’ll be right 100% of the time… not to mention I don’t want to be that tool talking to his phone in public…
I’ll probably keep typing until Google patents the brain stem implant ;)
I agree, there’s a big difference between talking on my phone and talking TO my phone. One of those situations is normal, the other makes me look like I might need to seek physicactric help.
I almost never use voice functions in public – it’s usually too loud when others are around to make it useful anyway. When I do find it extremely useful is when driving!
I never thought much of siri really until Apple’s recent disclosure of how its improved in iOS6… you can now ask about sports scores of current games as well as stats, etc. plus you can launch an app with it as well. It would be cool if S Voice could do this. Maybe it can, not sure. I’ll be getting it in a couple weeks when it arrives so I’m excited to see what it can do.
lol, hit both button at the same time! This way the video is shorter and we see the speed difference!
doesnt really matter all that much samsung won as its more functional and accurate as we see here but vlingo mage both so the similarities are there
lol, Apple bought Siri years in April 2010, that is over 2 years ago.. S Voice was whipped together probably since last Oct… and they work the same lol :/ .. and Google stock version is better than them all. Last thing I need is a computer talking to me… with google I say it, it does it, fast and no lip service!
S Voice was not “whipped together”. It’s powered by Vlingo, the same platform which has powered Samsung’s voice actions since the original Galaxy S.
Whipped together in the sense that Siri launced in Oct, after years of development by Apple. Samsung response is fast probably just after Siri launch.. and it works.. Says alot about the technology, siri is hardly anything special… and I’ll take a silent approach as is googles any day of the week anyways
Are you feeling alright? Google’s voice recognition is the worst of them all…it’s not even toy quality. It doesn’t even come close to usable. Google needs to get on the same bandwagon as Samsung and Apple and use a real recognizer.
Sorry, it’s really not.
lol, I say it, it works. I say it, it types it. I say it, it navigates to it. I say it, it google searches it for me. I say it, it brings up my music. I say it, if it had a voice and I am glad it is silent, it would tell you you are dead wrong
What’s that tiny little phone right next to the SIII?
Oh that tiny phone? The one samsungs been copying all this time, and one that despite having a smaller screen the quality and resolution of it is a heck of a lot better, have a nice day :)
Lets not forget Samsung make majority of “their” parts, have a nice day :)
Let’s not forget apple dictates specifically how they want it and what to use in those parts, have nice one too :)
The S3 is leaps & bounds ahead of the tiny 4s but Each to their own, have a nice day :)
Iron Horse 01 just got served! LOL!
Let’s not forget that Apple dictates everything about YOUR phone… including how YOUR phone is setup, and how software on YOUR phone works, and even what software YOUR phone can run. MY phone is MY phone and looks and acts exactly how I want it to. When YOUR phone can do that, let me know. (it’ll probably be an Android or WP7 phone at that point)
Oh, and have a nice day :)
Very Nicely put, have a nice day :)
Lmao wow dude you just exceeded the amount of YOUR that you’re supposed to use in a run on, I mean paragraph, anyways you seem mad, however, wp7 ?? You’re either hilarious or delusional, and I’m going with the second one lol, one more thing, if you wanna customize YOUR iPhone just jailbreak it and it does pretty much anything an android does, go ahead YouTube it ;) oh yes, as always have a nice day :)
The word YOUR was capitalized to emphasize the point that these products belong to the consumer, not the manufacturer. It was not done because I’m mad. Anyway, the consumer should be able to customize as he/she wants because it is their phone, not the manufacturer’s phone, not the carrier’s phone, and not the OS creator’s phone.
WP7 is becoming a very nice OS. Since you’re obviously an Apple snob, you probably haven’t even seen a phone running WP7, let alone used one, so you wouldn’t know. Personally, I’m still an Android man, but WP7 is nice for some people. One of my friends has a WP7 phone and it’s nice, but it’s not for me.
Good day sir :)
(I decided to be British for a bit)
I love when I see someone reply to Android’s ability to customize and personalize with ” dood just jailbreak it”. If I wanted to customize my phone would I:
A) Buy a phone that offers full customization of everything from which browser I use to the location of files on my phone.
B) A phone that is heavily locked down and ages behind in hardware just to jailbreak and potentially slow my phone down to a creeping crawl?
Not even sure why people like wasting money on iPhones so often.
iphones become slower when jailbroken
I said GOOD DAY, sir! -Williy Wonka
Agreed, Samsung ripped off everything they could from the iPhone. Oh, they couldn’t rip off the gorgeous stainless steel and glass build quality.
Please, I love my Android phone too (Inc2 running CM9) but be real.
Hmmmmmm the glass on the iPhone 4s is the same as the glass on my Galaxy S 1st gen.
Read up buddy.
I’ll be sure to let all those cracked screen owners of the iPhone 4 know that.
Have a nice day.
yeah, apple are not origonal, look at icloud. they show it as if it is origonal, but it is amazon cloud and microsoft azure
I am enjoying my SIII and I am having a great day!
I love Chris Chavez as much as the next guy but I honestly cannot stand his prose. His constant grammar and spelling errors take away from the article way too often. Not trying to be a wad or “troll” but most of his articles lack a sense of professionalism that other Phandroid news editors can conjure up effortlessly.
I’m a big fan Mr. Chavez but come on, step it up.
On the other hand, I much prefer his casual style. And, as far as errors on this website, Chris certainly doesn’t hold the phranchise!
Can I turn it on using S-Voice?
it’s hard to find a open mind these day.
Dis it just me or does the gs3 sound just like sir I?
Didn’t they say S-Voice IS Vlingo?
It’s made by Vlingo but I have both on phone along with AIVC and stock Google voice commands…S-Voice does work slightly different to Vlingo and it picks up more I’ve noticed. However I would probably use AIVC more. There’s lots to try out there that do more than Siri. I don’t really use any of them day-in-day-out. Only good to impress someone with dumbphone and who has one of them nowadays?
All I know I don’t use it but I found Android 4.0 Voice Command to be extremely more fine tune then other versions of Android. Or maybe its just first time I have actually owned a Nexus phone maybe that’s why it works better. I had every flagship Android phone excluding the Nexus phones and Evo. But I had them all it be the Thunderbolt to the G1.
im impressed. I used siri before and now i got the s3 and i have to say that i am impressed with S-voice. Good job Sammy!
Bummer for Siri being useless outside the US. I did like the accent though. Gave it that little extra that people look for. Plus, the little “beep” sound for you to talk on the SIII is a little generic and Samsung should think of something else if they want to set themselves apart like they say they do. Functionality wise, it seems to have an edge on Siri, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Google make their version. That way i can show my friends what it does then go back to not using it.
On a side note, I’m not a fan of the SIII design, but it looks amazing next to the i*hone, even with its obsolete hardware button.
S Voice really sounds like GLaDOS oO
SIII>Blackberry>Windows Phone> Bird carrying a message> iPhone
i love watching the iSheep get all red in the face over Android. iPhone’s are great for those who are just looking for simplicity and zero ability to personalize. Any serious tech enthusiast realized long ago that there are countless features that make Android the clear winner. Hardware options, endless customization, removable battery’s, removable storage, etc. The only thing Apple really has at this point is the retina display and the brand recognition. That display, in my opinion, is not enough to justify all the other functional deficiencies. What it does have, in clear numbers, is countless sheep who tow the company line and cough up 500 – 600 dollars every 10 months for marginally improved software and slightly improved specs. Apple better come out with something impressive in iPhone5 or they are going to be in some trouble.
Someone seems optimistic. They have come out on their own and stated they will not change the form factor of the iPhone. That is all I want out of the thing. Give people the choice in what it looks like. But of course not… Apple will never change their ways because they are infinitely perfect in their eyes.
What I mean by that is if they change something substantial in the new iPhone and call it an upgrade, they basically just made the older iPhones obsolete and in a sense just admitted they were at one point in time wrong.
The guy needs a better voice synthesis engine. I use IVONA (Amy to be exact), and it’s much nicer than the stock Google voice.
i know which one im getting
I would say Voice Actions is far more than “adequate” enough. It is designed to complete actions as quickly as it can for the user, completing what you ask of it far faster than either of these solutions. I don’t like these solutions, they are merely gimmicky so you can feel cool. My phone is a phone, I tell it to complete actions, not have a conversation with
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