Siri is amazing...

[nStyle]

I just went by an AT&T store and tried out the 4S.

Obviously, there is no real reason other than Siri for 4 users to upgrade to a 4S. Personally, I will be skipping this release for this reason. I think Apple did this to keep attention and remind everyone they make the best phone on the market.

I was very shocked at how accurate and useful Siri was. It clearly recognized everything that I threw at it. I even said "T.J. Maxx", and it heard what I said and formatted it just as the name would suggest. In other words, instead of returning "Tee Jay Max", it was smart about it. This pleased me.

I think Siri + iPhone 5 is going to be amazing. Siri was very integral and essential feature that the iPhone needed and Siri is something the iPad needs desperately. Before Siri was released, I was thinking that the iPhone/iPad needed a better way for input other than having to type everything. Even though the iPhone has the best virtual keyboard on the market in my opinion, it is still a meticulous job sometimes to input exactly what you want.

Anyway, just wanted to share my experience.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

I just went by an AT&T store and tried out the 4S.

Obviously, there is no real reason other than Siri for 4 users to upgrade to a 4S. Personally, I will be skipping this release for this reason. I think Apple did this to keep attention and remind everyone they make the best phone on the market.

I was very shocked at how accurate and useful Siri was. It clearly recognized everything that I threw at it. I even said "T.J. Maxx", and it heard what I said and formatted it just as the name would suggest. In other words, instead of returning "Tee Jay Max", it was smart about it. This pleased me.

I think Siri + iPhone 5 is going to be amazing. Siri was very integral and essential feature that the iPhone needed and Siri is something the iPad needs desperately. Before Siri was released, I was thinking that the iPhone/iPad needed a better way for input other than having to type everything. Even though the iPhone has the best virtual keyboard on the market in my opinion, it is still a meticulous job sometimes to input exactly what you want.

Anyway, just wanted to share my experience.

Of course there are other reasons than just Siri. Siri is just one part of this new device.

 

[sakau2007]

I was really underwhelmed by Siri. I'm hoping in the next iPhone there is a button on the side that can just be held down and wherever you are in the phone (text message, a text box on an internet forum or commenting on someone's blog) that you will just be able to talk and it will type for you.

I kind of look at Siri today like I look at my Kinect with my Xbox 360. Revolutionary, yes (well, that's debatable given it and competitors have been in the app store for north of a year) but really just scratching the surface of what it should be able to do.

I'm eagerly awaiting improvements to Siri to where its built in more naturally to the phone... and I'm also eagerly awaiting the next generation of gaming consoles to see how the next iteration of Kinect/PS move/Wii work because right now they are more technological marvels than truly awesome for gaming.

 

[verwon]

I was really underwhelmed by Siri. I'm hoping in the next iPhone there is a button on the side that can just be held down and wherever you are in the phone (text message, a text box on an internet forum or commenting on someone's blog) that you will just be able to talk and it will type for you.

I kind of look at Siri today like I look at my Kinect with my Xbox 360. Revolutionary, yes (well, that's debatable given it and competitors have been in the app store for north of a year) but really just scratching the surface of what it should be able to do.

I'm eagerly awaiting improvements to Siri to where its built in more naturally to the phone... and I'm also eagerly awaiting the next generation of gaming consoles to see how the next iteration of Kinect/PS move/Wii work because right now they are more technological marvels than truly awesome for gaming.

You can do speech to text with the mic on the keyboard!

 

[sakau2007]

You can do speech to text with the mic on the keyboard!

Is this 4S only? I must've completely missed this. And it would change my perception of Siri a bit. I don't see a microphone anywhere on my keyboard (iPhone 4).

If Apple left this off of iPhone 4, I'd be really aggravated because there is no way you can tell me with a straight face this "needs the A5 chip" when I can do voice to text on the 4 and even 3GS in other apps and it works very well when you speak clearly.

 

[Helixc0de]

Is this 4S only? I must've completely missed this. And it would change my perception of Siri a bit. I don't see a microphone anywhere on my keyboard (iPhone 4).

If Apple left this off of iPhone 4, I'd be really aggravated because there is no way you can tell me with a straight face this "needs the A5 chip" when I can do voice to text on the 4 and even 3GS in other apps and it works very well when you speak clearly.

Apple made siri/voice to text input a iPhone 4s Exclusive feature for many reasons. The main one is so you will upgrade. I'm sure there will be a jailbreak add-on that will allow you to run siri on a iPhone 4. If I were you just go ahead and do the upgrade.

 

[cyks]

I just went by an AT&T store and tried out the 4S.

Obviously, there is no real reason other than Siri for 4 users to upgrade to a 4S. Personally, I will be skipping this release for this reason. I think Apple did this to keep attention and remind everyone they make the best phone on the market.

No real reason other than Siri... or the better camera or (much) faster processor.

 

[sakau2007]

Apple made siri/voice to text input a iPhone 4s Exclusive feature for many reasons. The main one is so you will upgrade. I'm sure there will be a jailbreak add-on that will allow you to run siri on a iPhone 4. If I were you just go ahead and do the upgrade.

Well, the only time I'd really use Siri in its current form is to text while driving. I don't have an upgrade yet and I'm damn sure not paying $500 to get these small features which could've easily been included in iOS 5. Trying to force me to upgrade and selling their computers at crazy high markups is how Apple has gotten to be one of the richest companies in the world, and it is also the reason that keeps me hoping Android will become a little more Apple-like in its streamlineness but stay less Apple-like in holding back features so they can just unveil them in their next keynote.

 

[stisdal]

Well, the only time I'd really use Siri in its current form is to text while driving. I don't have an upgrade yet and I'm damn sure not paying $500 to get these small features which could've easily been included in iOS 5. Trying to force me to upgrade and selling their computers at crazy high markups is how Apple has gotten to be one of the richest companies in the world, and it is also the reason that keeps me hoping Android will become a little more Apple-like in its streamlineness but stay less Apple-like in holding back features so they can just unveil them in their next keynote.

I sold my 4 for $300 on Craigslist, and got the 4s. It really is much more than just Siri. (I get an upgrade every year as the primary on a family plan)

Cell signal is much improved, speed is very noticable, and as I travel for work, speaking my texts and emails is a lifesaver. Siri is a bonus, the other stuff was the important stuff for me.

That said I believe that Siri will improve in functionality through the year, it IS a beta at this point....

 

[sakau2007]

I sold my 4 for $300 on Craigslist, and got the 4s. It really is much more than just Siri. (I get an upgrade every year as the primary on a family plan)

Cell signal is much improved, speed is very noticable, and as I travel for work, speaking my texts and emails is a lifesaver. Siri is a bonus, the other stuff was the important stuff for me.

That said I believe that Siri will improve in functionality through the year, it IS a beta at this point....

Oh I know it is much more than just Siri... but for me, it isn't worth upgrading for me. With the 4 running iOS 5, I still feel like I have the 2nd best phone out there. I'll just wait until my carrier subsidizes my phone upgrade next summer or fall.

 

[uiop.]

Is this 4S only? I must've completely missed this. And it would change my perception of Siri a bit. I don't see a microphone anywhere on my keyboard (iPhone 4).

If Apple left this off of iPhone 4, I'd be really aggravated because there is no way you can tell me with a straight face this "needs the A5 chip" when I can do voice to text on the 4 and even 3GS in other apps and it works very well when you speak clearly.

And this is why they did it. I agree, I doubt the 4 would have any issues running it. But they know people will want to upgrade if their phone doesn't do something the new one does. Similar to how the 3GS got the (simple) voice control and video recording ability, but the 3G didn't.