Comments on: iPhone Voice-Activated Search: Good for You, Bad for Everyone Else

By: AC

AC — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:31:39 +0000

Well I wasn’t going to go there, but since you opened that door…

Using an iPhone reminds me of the touchscreen Entertainment-on-Demand service they now have on Air Canada flights — i.e., both make you look like you’ve no idea what you’re doing!

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:55:32 +0000

I have to say that although I do agree that people yammering on the phone on the bus does drive me nuts. The iphone has another series of features that drive me crazier, almost into a rage. Iphone users insisting one showing me their useless apps. Now I know that this new technology has a whole bunch of useful functions and that’s great. The thing is I really don’t want to see your fake candle or light sabre app that somehow reacts to the way to move your phone. Download them all you want, but to me these apps are about as annoying as facebook invites to non-events and e-mailed jokes.

By: Ed Miller

Ed Miller — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:37:28 +0000

AC:

Sweet! Thanks! Now I can order pizza from anywhere….

Ed
Halfway through his Bell contract

By: AC

AC — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:23:35 +0000

Hey Ed, Try GOOG-411; I imagine it uses similar (if not exactly the same) technology, and it's a free call from your mobile!

By: Ed Miller

Ed Miller — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:14:10 +0000

AC:

The moron behind me at a Passchendale screening took not one but TWO freaking calls during the climactic scene. To say I felt like bayoneting her in the forehead was an understatement….

Having read a few articles here and there about this voice-prompt system, I realized that everyone’s just paraphrasing Google’s press release and that nobody’s actually seen or demoed it yet. I wonder if it’ll work or require you to yell over and over until the software gets it right?

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:51:25 +0000

I think the demo looks pretty cool and useful, given that manual entry of long strings of text can be pretty arduous on a mobile. While people’s penchant for yacking while in public places is indeed annoying, voice recognition on a mobile makes way more sense than on a desktop where keyboard and mouse input are actually pretty efficient. Time will tell whether this turns into the next social annoyance of the future, but I’d say it’s no reason for Google not to try to make it happen.

By: Ed Miller

Ed Miller — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:46:53 +0000

AC:

For me, the annoying part of mobile device users, myself included, is when we get so wrapped up in those tiny screens and fail to notice other pedestrians, light changes, speeding locomotives, etc. I’ve watched people in the Blackberry Prayer mode walk into poles, so there is some comedic value, too.

PS: just what kind of cat toys are you buying?

By: carl

carl — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:22:13 +0000

I fear you could be correct. Even when I’m at the gym, with music and metal filling the air, the guy/gal on the treadmill who is yakking away on the phone seems to rise above all other sounds (and not in a good way). I might have to go to the UK and buy one of those cell phone zappers (yes, I’ve heard that such is illegal in the U.S. … but still).

By: AC

AC — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:08:59 +0000

I just think it's incredibly rude, is all, kind of like -- SWEET MOTHER OF JESUS WTF IS MY CAT DOING?!!

By: James Burland

James Burland — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:55:22 +0000

Isn’t it funny how we get so worked up about people speaking into their technology. I mean, what is it about the absence (or distance) of another person that makes the blood boil? – typed using my ‘lazy thumbs’! ^_^