Siri

Apple's OS X 10.9 may feature Siri and homegrown maps

Apple's next major release of its desktop and notebook operating system is once again expected to gain additional features from iOS devices, according to Apple blog 9to5mac.

Citing trusted sources, the blog today says Apple plans to add full-on integration with Siri, the voice assistant that can be found on Apple's iPhones, iPods and iPads.

Apple already took the first step in that direction earlier this year by adding dictation to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, which was released in July. The dictation feature lets users talk into their microphone and transcribe into text, but it does … Read more

You can replace Siri with Google's Voice Search, but there's a catch

I'll catch some flak for this, but I still like Siri.

In fact, I find it extremely useful for things like setting reminders and sending text messages hands-free. It's not perfect, but neither is it as useless as many people seem to think.

That said, Google's newly updated Voice Search is all kinds of awesome. It's blazing-fast, amazingly accurate, and in many ways just plain smarter than Siri. Use it a few times and you'll immediately start wishing you could ditch Siri for it -- or, at the very least, make it as push-button accessible.… Read more

Apple Store app update adds Siri integration, gift cards

Apple updated its Apple Store app today to include more advanced Siri integration and the ability to send gift cards via the iOS 6 Passbook app. This update should work on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

However, it appears that the gift card feature isn't exactly working, according to The Next Web.

The way the gift card feature works is it lets users buy Apple Store gift cards to send to friends or relatives with the Passbook app, which is Apple's stab at a digital wallet. But, according to The Next Web, users aren't yet able … Read more

How to set up your iPad Mini

Setting up your iPad Mini doesn't take a lot of time or effort, but for those first-time iOS owners who aren't too sure about the process, it can be a bit intimidating. Don't let it be. Below you'll find a slideshow of the entire setup process, from start to finish, explaining what each screen is and means to your end experience.

Before you begin, it's a good idea to have access to a Wi-Fi connection or a computer connected to the Internet with iTunes installed. You'll need one or the other to complete the … Read more

In iOS 6.1, Siri will help with movie ticket purchases

Siri will get a little smarter with the next version of iOS.

The iOS 6.1 update will give the voice-command feature the ability to order movie tickets through Fandango, according to 9to5Mac.

Users can ask to get movie tickets for a specific film and location, and Siri will bring up a theater and showtime. Users can then click to purchase the tickets, which brings up the Fandango apps to finish out the transaction. If the device doesn't have Fandango, Siri will direct users to a link to download the app.

The feature is exclusive to the U.S., … Read more

Google offers up secret sauce on new voice search

How voice search technology listens to and spits out information is a complex endeavor, but Google has attempted to explain what mechanisms make its voice search app work in a new research paper it posted earlier today.

Basically, it boils down to data, and lots of it.

According to Google, more data improves all Web services. This may seem obvious, but for better speech recognition, it doesn't only mean a sheer amount of data but also how that data is organized. Google's voice search technology mainly uses data from anonymized queries on Google.com to get the information … Read more

Google Search vs. Siri: Voice search speed test (video)

Google Search (free) has been on iOS for some time, with well-known search capabilities, access to Google apps, Google Goggles for identifying products, and Voice Search. But an update to the app yesterday enhanced Voice Search with spoken answers, and it quickly became clear Google Search had an edge on Siri -- especially when it comes to speed.

Siri has a distinct advantage in most cases because it's integrated with the iOS. This means you can have Siri "Call Rebecca," for example, and Siri accesses your contact list along with your phone app to make the call. … Read more

Siri now gives Chinese prostitutes the cold shoulder -- report

Siri may have run afoul of Chinese law over the past few months, forcing Apple to rein her in.

Some users have apparently asked Apple's voice-activated assistant where they could find prostitutes in China, according to the government-run Xinhua News Agency. And Siri has been directing them to supposed nearby locations. Prostitution, however, is illegal in China.

The novelty of Siri's responses prompted China's version of Twitter, Sina Weibo, to light up with comments and jokes. According to the BBC, one user wrote that finding an escort is easier than finding a Chinese restaurant.

"When I … Read more

Google challenges Apple's Siri

While CNET's New York office works to get power back after the storm, we're bringing you the Update show from our San Francisco office. Tuesday's top tech stories include:

- Superstorm Sandy has knocked out power, Internet and phone service across the east coast. Nearly 8 million people were without power as of Tuesday.

- Google introduced new gadgets: The Nexus 10 will go head-to-head with the iPad. It has a 10-inch screen with higher resolution than the iPad. (But these screens are so good, the difference may be imperceptible to most of us.) And Google released … Read more

Judge steps down in patent lawsuit filed over Apple's Siri

A recently filed lawsuit over Apple's Siri has already run into a wrinkle -- the judge assigned to the case has stepped down because of his "interest" in Apple.

District Court Judge Gary Sharpe recused himself from the case yesterday, citing a law that says, "Any conduct that would lead a reasonable [person] knowing all the circumstances to the conclusion that the judge's 'impartiality might reasonably be questioned' is a basis for the judge's disqualification."

It's not clear what Sharpe's "interest" in Apple was, but most likely it was … Read more