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Siri on HomePod Correctly Answered 52.3% of Queries in New AI Test
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I haven't tried Alexa
But this is about right in my experience of Siri vs Google assistant.
The gap is only widening each year. A shame, because Siri was the first one on the scene but has been surpassed by other assistants by a wide margin
Siri is good for basic things like setting an alarm but limited outside of that.
But this is about right in my experience of Siri vs Google assistant.
The gap is only widening each year. A shame, because Siri was the first one on the scene but has been surpassed by other assistants by a wide margin
Siri is good for basic things like setting an alarm but limited outside of that.
I don’t get why Siri is still useless, it only understand me if I’m asking for a timer to be set, anything else and it is quicker to type a search into google. Having said that I still cannot believe they have put it into this device if it works only 50% of the time.
I am not stuck anywhere. Stereo sound is not a history. Virtually all music you are listening today is recorded in stereo. Obviously HomePod castrates it. The only explanation for anyone to argue that omni-directional sound (which by definition means void of spatiality) might be the next thing after stereo is that this person has not had a chance to listen to a decent (it does not have to be very good or expensive) stereo system. I understand that with the rise of game consoles and smartphones HiFi equipment lost its luster and many people simply have no idea how good a stereo system can be. So my reaction to HP praise is that of a sadness. Too many people simple do not know what they are missing. HP has its function and a decent hardware to perform it but this function is not to provide a high quality music playback (for dedicated listening). Nor is it suitable for a TV sound system (at least not for a quality TV setup)
iOS support goes back for quite a few years and there are regular point updates every 2 months or so. Can hardly be mention for Android world. So what’s the basis of your claim?
just over half correctly answers out of 99.4%, and the remaining 0.6% percent it didn't know ... The 6% is couldn't understand, that's pretty good..
but the fact it missed half, its getting there, yet still needs work.
I feel now that Homepod is available, we will have a battle for which voice assistant is better *again*
We did it with phones,,, now we'll probably be moving into the lounge room.... "Which device performed before when screaming across the room?" "Homepod" "Amazon Eco" or "Google Home"
but the fact it missed half, its getting there, yet still needs work.
I feel now that Homepod is available, we will have a battle for which voice assistant is better *again*
We did it with phones,,, now we'll probably be moving into the lounge room.... "Which device performed before when screaming across the room?" "Homepod" "Amazon Eco" or "Google Home"
Glad you are but speaker design these days have altered the directionality limitations of past, as such, the sense spatiality has changed ie. HomePod’s sound delivery. I agree, orchestral works, one needs that second speaker but for vocals, this HomePod does wonders using its intelligent sound delivery with its multitude of twitters. It’s a different world.
You know, people can justify this however they want. If you really just want to do nothing more than control music, more power to you. I mean, you could do that with your watch and or phone/iPad too with the right additional hardware. Granted this is an all in one solution but... I digress.
What I can't really understand is... why not just leave this product with the ability to que up your music and call it a day? I don't presume to know how "Apple feels" about this, but I'd certainly be embarrassed that my smart speaker (are we calling it that? This isn't meant to be cynical I just don't know if that's what we call them, but it felt apt) really isn't all that smart.
At a near 1:1 failure rate, I don't know that I would ever care to use Siri (I already don't, unfortunately). I suppose different people use Siri for different things. And for some, a smart assistant that can air songs, add a quick calendar alert, and start a timer is enough. And I'm not even knocking those users needs and wants. I guess, for the price, I expected something more than just s nice speaker.
Beyond that I see people talking about getting two for stereo. Or placing them in multiple rooms. Again, maybe I'm just not seeing what they add in value. And I guess that's ok too. Did these folks not have a stereo system at home? If not, is it because it was too complicated? We are talking north of $700 for a stereo of AirPods; that could get you into a better than entry level system that, if calibrated right, should beat the pants off this speaker.
Rereading what I wrote, I hope it's coherent. And I hope people don't take this as jidgemental against a persons personal purchase preferences. It's just a bit of a bewildering product in that it does sound better than other products like it, but then everything else just kind of seems to fall short.
What I can't really understand is... why not just leave this product with the ability to que up your music and call it a day? I don't presume to know how "Apple feels" about this, but I'd certainly be embarrassed that my smart speaker (are we calling it that? This isn't meant to be cynical I just don't know if that's what we call them, but it felt apt) really isn't all that smart.
At a near 1:1 failure rate, I don't know that I would ever care to use Siri (I already don't, unfortunately). I suppose different people use Siri for different things. And for some, a smart assistant that can air songs, add a quick calendar alert, and start a timer is enough. And I'm not even knocking those users needs and wants. I guess, for the price, I expected something more than just s nice speaker.
Beyond that I see people talking about getting two for stereo. Or placing them in multiple rooms. Again, maybe I'm just not seeing what they add in value. And I guess that's ok too. Did these folks not have a stereo system at home? If not, is it because it was too complicated? We are talking north of $700 for a stereo of AirPods; that could get you into a better than entry level system that, if calibrated right, should beat the pants off this speaker.
Rereading what I wrote, I hope it's coherent. And I hope people don't take this as jidgemental against a persons personal purchase preferences. It's just a bit of a bewildering product in that it does sound better than other products like it, but then everything else just kind of seems to fall short.
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Sorry to say that I think you are living in a dream world if you don't think that Google collects more information about its users than does Apple.
Google collects just about everything, they even scan your emails if you use gmail. However, Apple may have the most restrictive data sharing arrangement in the industry.
Take, for example, Siri and Google's voice assistant. Request made through Siri are completely masked as to identity even to Apple, while Google's voice assistant tags everything you request with your identity.
In terms of sharing user information Google is probably the worst in the industry, while Apple may be the best at protecting customer information and identity.
My understanding of the ‘smart’ lies with the way how HomePod controls its array of speakers and adjusts their individual output according to the room’s dynamic response. That’s what’s really important for me on that word. Siri is nice but that’s hardly a major advancement at this point.
So basically a calibration process that isn't up to the user to run?
That's pretty neat. Particularly if you're traveling with the thing (thinking hotels, parties, etc). But receivers have had such features for well over a decade. They're more involved, slightly, but it's basically a one and done setup, unless you end up severely altering the acoustics of the room it's in.
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As long as products sell, I'm unsure it matters. This is true with anything. Based on the replies here, clearly there are a decent subset of individuals that couldn't care less about Siri functionality with the HOmePod. While I don't know that I understand that, it's just the way it is.
Ultimately Siri's shortcoming don't seem to be hurting Apple in the slightest. She's now been with us longer than she hasn't and iPhone sales continue to rise. This basically translates to everything else about the platform being enough value for people to overlook it. Or, Apple users, in average, simply don't care about Siri as much as day, Android users care about google assistant.
Nothing distinctly wrong with any of these scenarios by the way. I share the sentiment that I'd love Siri to be much better. We just don't seem to be on that path.
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Collecting information versus selling it to the highest bidder are two distinctly different things. You may not be comfortable with either (and I'm not disagreeing that Apple isn't better in this way), but it's worth noting there's a distinct difference there.
Anyone truly worried specifically about snnin home assistant can set up s throw away account and carry on with their day. Sure, you won't be adding things to your calendar (since it's a throw away account), but you're queries and usagebststistics won't be tied to your main google account, if that's worrisome.
I personally think the only sure fire way to forever keep your information safe is to never put it online in any form. That's what I always tell people that seem worried about their internet privacy. Even usage stats, after a while, provide the keen observer with a profile that can pretty well estimate your age, sex, ethnicity, income level, education, etc. this is all despite never specifically putting any of that information out there AND using "fake accounts".
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Siri sucks, plain and simple. And it’s such a shame a company In Apple is unable to offer better AI than Siri.
Me personally, I think Siri has sucked so bad it’s brand has suffered. If Apple one day is able to provide something equivalent to Hey Google or Alexa, it is going to need to get rid of the Siri brand. That crap is awful. I know Apple is ashamed of it behind closed doors. They will never tell us though.
Me personally, I think Siri has sucked so bad it’s brand has suffered. If Apple one day is able to provide something equivalent to Hey Google or Alexa, it is going to need to get rid of the Siri brand. That crap is awful. I know Apple is ashamed of it behind closed doors. They will never tell us though.
The comment was made about speaker capabilities, not against artist recordings.
I agree a stereo image played back on a well recorded CD, or record player, which in turn is connected to a good amplifier with quality interconnecting cables, which in turn is biwired to speakers that are carefully positioned, on weighted stands, slightly toed in will provide an amazing sound experience that gives you shivers on your back, and when you close your eyes will get you right there. When you sit in the relatively narrow spot of the main listening position.
What the real breakthrough of the HomePod is that amazingly they get really close to that experience with just one speaker with integrated amplifier and source.
Is it going to replace my main audio and home cinema set up no. Not for a few years yet. But will it make a difference in most other rooms where there truly isn’t such a thing as a main listening position. Oh yes.
Exactly iOS was my main reference (though macs apply as well). Everyone with an old iOS device knows that for every new release the device gets slower and less compatible with the newest features. It has been like this since the first iPhones. So despite that "in paper" you get several future iOS updates, older devices suffer a lot from the newer versions of iOS, even to a point to become unusable. Older devices are better off with an older OS. Hence my initial comment, if you want the lastest software performing decently, you have to get the lastest hardware. This is specially true since the homepod has been released with a 3 year old processor (A8). By the time Siri gets improved, it will need more power to process all the new algos, this year the A12 will be out and when the HomePod turns 1, the A13 will be out.
Siri...
"Set a timer for [x] minutes"
"Add [y] to the Shopping list"
"Directions Home"
That's about it. That and some cute jokes. It's not AI; it's voice commands. We're a long way from passing Turing...
"Set a timer for [x] minutes"
"Add [y] to the Shopping list"
"Directions Home"
That's about it. That and some cute jokes. It's not AI; it's voice commands. We're a long way from passing Turing...
We all knew navigation was going to be low guys. Apple can't get Maps right... like ever.
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The problem is, a lot of people are "justifying" the premium in price because of its "smart" features aka siri. But if siri sucks then... what are they really buying it for? :/
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The problem is, a lot of people are "justifying" the premium in price because of its "smart" features aka siri. But if siri sucks then... what are they really buying it for? :/
Are you expecting free lunch for life? Seriously, HWs age and get out of date. The fact that Apple allows firmware updates to permit currency as much as possible is to be respected. Did you really expect old HWs should go faster? Get real!
Agreed and my Denon has one of the most sophisticated systems (Bar perhaps Anthem and Arcam) there is. It does do an amazing job as well. Something I always felt I had to correct with Yamaha and Onkyo previously.
But;
* you got to find the microphone and cable
* you got to find a tripod
* you got to find alone time so not to disturb anyone
* you got to be quiet
* you got to be in the main listening position
Definitely a lot easier than it was, I used to do this with a sound pressure level meter. But the results are strictly just beneficial for where you are sitting.
And whilst that is great for a home cinema style setup, that I would argue is irrelevant for the HomePod setup.
I understand it adapts as to where you are in the room. And not only that, but to what you are playing.
True, but if you collect more you can certainly sell more and that was my point. You can't sell what you don't collect and I'm sure that Google both collects more information and sell more of what it collects.
That said, Apple does offer some of what it collects to third parties (they even say so in their privacy statements). But, I never disputed that in my original response, I merely said that Apple collects less personal information than does Google.
Obviously you have no idea what you are talking about. At this point I can only call it willful ignorance.
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You: "Siri, give me directions home". Siri: "You are at home."
Siri is embarrassing and Apple should really work hard to improve it. It has been many years that iOS releases are poor and mostly featureless, hopefully iOS 12 will have a great focus on Siri, but Rumors say otherwise, and apparently it will be another featureless release.
They’ve started to do this in iOS11 there something called Siri knowledge and it’s doesn’t seems like it was pulled from google.
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Featureless release is for iOS itself not Siri I think.
And most of command was processed in Apple server so they can add it whenever they want.