Submitted by Marshall Walker on
The number one question I get asked about the iPhone 4S is... "How's Siri?" I never have a good answer, since I hate to deter people from buying the iPhone 4S because she can't comprehend my mumbling. Siri is great when she understands me, but due to my slight lisp and inability to talk clearly, we have a love-hate relationship. I can forget about asking Siri to "skip songs." Too many "ssss" sounds. I can handle asking Siri about the "weather" because it only requires one word. Too bad that I rarely care about the weather. I'm also embarrassed to talk to my iPhone like it's a person in public, especially when I normally have to ask two or three times.
Siri seems great for people who can talk clearly and want to use their iPhone while driving. If you have already pre-programmed their address into your contacts, asking for directions to your friend's house must be a cinch. Even if it's not that easy, at least you're in the comfort of your own car. Asking Siri for directions while walking down a crowded NYC or Philly sidewalk is awkward and never seems to work for me. Trying to keep up with the fast moving traffic of busy people while yelling "directions to so-and-so's house" at my phone seems hazardous to my health. And now, to make things even worse, Apple has made my Siri disability even more embarrassing by releasing two commercials starring Samuel L. Jackson and Zooey Deschanel.
It's almost like Apple is saying to me: "It's not Siri's fault that you're not a smooth talking Hollywood actor. Samuel L. Jackson has no problem using Siri to find organic mushrooms for his risotto." I tried asking Siri about "tomato soup" in the comfort of my own home, just like Zooey Deschanel, and it worked! And Siri did suggest an organic grocery store near me when I told her I needed "organic mushrooms." Maybe I'm using Siri wrong? Maybe she's just too embarrassed to talk in public, like I am, and loosens up in the safety of my bedroom!