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[perkiset]

The "big news" - AppleTV 3 will have a new low power BlueTooth 4 antenna and OS. "What could it be used for?"

The rumors are that it will be talk to-able by other bluetooth 4 remotes /yawn/

First, do we not remember that iPhone 4S very quietly was upgraded to Bluetooth 4? Apple doesn't add hardware without a plan. So will The IPhone talk to the new Apple TV? Perhaps even with Siri?

/yawn/

I predict that AppleTV with be the first non-iPhone deep integration with Siri. And it will be bidirectional. And it will be very smart.

Why not the iPad? Because there are app reasons to talk to it, but not like the phone. Most obviously, you ask to dial someone. The phone knows your contacts and it has a very specific hardware response set (dial, find, etc). The TV looks more like the phone than the pad because it has a very specific and very limited hardware response set to a known and quantifiable vocabulary of actions.

Consider the difficulty of integrating Siri with any old app on the phone or pad. "draw a circle." EYikes. Unless you are already in your drawing app and it has a known command set (like the functional voice command set stuff in Android) it becomes mad difficult to decide what to do after that command.

But if I say, "what's on TV tonight?" "I want to see the most recent Daily Show" "find me football" "when is shark week?" "Put CNN on" "Record Bill Mahr this weekend" or even "record every episode of Grey's Anatomy." Complex on the surface, but really clear if held in the context of the TV hardware, show schedules and a DVR. The only question would be storage- would the Apple TV have the authority to store shows in a home share available computer? (this actually would be a wonderful upgrade to the current software)

So I predict conversations about the TV:

Siri what's on tonight?
I've found 4 of your favorite shows on tonight. I've also captured Air Sharks from the discovery channel. Would you like to watch it now?
Yes. Play Air Sharks.
OK. I've found 2 TVs - which one would you like to play it on?
appleTV 1 in my bedroom.
would you like me to remember that AppleTV1 is in your bedroom?
Yes.
OK. playing Air Sharks in your bedroom.

All done either talking into the phone or Bluetooth to the TV directly. But the phone will be better, because Ill be able to tell it to record something for me for later, while I'm out and about. That will be one of the killer apps and will define the phone as the gateway to the rest of the world, much like the current hackers the have managed to start their car via the Viper interface with Siri.

Thoughts?

[walrus]

Me: Siri, give me porn.
Siri: Would you like SD, 720p, 1080P or 3D? What kind of porn would you like to watch ?
...
Siri automagically dims house lights and turns them purple.
Waits 5 minutes...
Siri: Would you like me to order pop corn ?
...
Waits 5 minutes...
Siri: Should  call your girlfriend over?
Me: NO!!
Siri: Ok. I just sent an SMS to a local call girl matching your porn preference. I automatically paid using the credit card data stored on the phone, by analyzing her phone's GPS data stored at Apple's HQ, she is on her way here, ETA 10 minutes.
10 minutes later, police comes knocking because Siri knows best.

[nutballs]

i am doubting any live tv integration because of cable card issues. Its not like Cox wants to give up the $15/month HD DVR fee they get out of me, so they seemed to always have a technical reason why a cable card wont work. Unless thats changed in the past few years.

What i do look forward to is my kid saying:
I want to watch Futurama on netflix.
or I want to want to watch turtles.

now if its smart enough to know who's voice it is... THAT would rock. because then, she couldnt accidentally buy a movie from itunes, or it could know to only display PG and under stuff.
And for me, R or higher.

I think it will be on the next pad, because why not? But I agree that app integration is tougher because of the infinite possibilities of vocabulary to be mapped to actions. However, that could be put onto the developer, and make it their problem. Siri will have to be released to the API, and I am sure that they will provide a mapping tool if they do. It's probably a matter of figuring out the smartest way to present the vocabulary, without presenting a 200,000 word dictionary, which I think is what already is done behind the scenes.

Example of siri mapping FAIL:
"remind me to download Science Friday podcasts for when I get home"
response: I have set a reminder for 9pm friday to download science.

[perkiset]

Me: Siri, give me porn.
Siri: Would you like SD, 720p, 1080P or 3D? What kind of porn would you like to watch ?
...
Siri automagically dims house lights and turns them purple.
Waits 5 minutes...
Siri: Would you like me to order pop corn ?
...
Waits 5 minutes...
Siri: Should  call your girlfriend over?
Me: NO!!
Siri: Ok. I just sent an SMS to a local call girl matching your porn preference. I automatically paid using the credit card data stored on the phone, by analyzing her phone's GPS data stored at Apple's HQ, she is on her way here, ETA 10 minutes.
10 minutes later, police comes knocking because Siri knows best.

[perkiset]

i am doubting any live tv integration because of cable card issues. Its not like Cox wants to give up the $15/month HD DVR fee they get out of me, so they seemed to always have a technical reason why a cable card wont work. Unless thats changed in the past few years.

There've been several rumors along this very line - that Apple knows it's the cable card issue. On my HD Tivo I had to rent their HD card which inserts in the front, handles licensing as well as bullet reception and decrypt for PPV. It went pretty easily, but I think you are right that there are a lot of challenges with that format. Another option is IR remote control ... but MAN that stinks like an non-Apple solution. The answer may well just lay in a f'reals Apple TV. There are several rumors along that line as well.

What i do look forward to is my kid saying:
I want to watch Futurama on netflix.
or I want to want to watch turtles.

now if its smart enough to know who's voice it is... THAT would rock. because then, she couldnt accidentally buy a movie from itunes, or it could know to only display PG and under stuff.
And for me, R or higher.

Agree, and hadn't thought of voice ID as opposed to just recognition. Good call NBs.

I think it will be on the next pad, because why not? But I agree that app integration is tougher because of the infinite possibilities of vocabulary to be mapped to actions. However, that could be put onto the developer, and make it their problem. Siri will have to be released to the API, and I am sure that they will provide a mapping tool if they do. It's probably a matter of figuring out the smartest way to present the vocabulary, without presenting a 200,000 word dictionary, which I think is what already is done behind the scenes.

I think prioritization, task dispatch, vocal and intention recognition are significantly beyond them today. Looking at how it's built, they have very specific end points for different lines of discussion (Wolfram, Yelp, Weather etc). Many of these are available on the 'pad today. If you could register apps for specific responses that'd be great - then Bria on the pad could replace the phone completely. But I don't see how they can just Wide Open the API anytime soon. However they might say, "We want (this) kind of response capability. Who's got the best app - we hook to them or buy them or whatever and they become the recipient of (this) vocabulary set." They probably have teams of people looking at every stupid request by everyone using her and gleaning the flow or at least trying to build a resolution path. The best part of Siri is context - since she can (sort of) understand what you're talking about, that is a strength towards universal voice control that is way beyond anything else out there today.

Example of siri mapping FAIL:
"remind me to download Science Friday podcasts for when I get home"
response: I have set a reminder for 9pm friday to download science.

Yeah this sort of thing is a real drag. I keep trying "Text Nutballs where I am" and she says, "OK - send 'where I am' to Nutballs" - I think it's closer than you and I can get our arms around, but there are still some really fucking gigantic chasms to cross.

Like having her available all the time, for one. Starting to piss me off how much she's out of order.

[perkiset]

I could be completely wrong:

http://www.cultofmac.com/132324/ios-5-1-beta-offers-developers-limited-siri-integration/

[rcjordan]

Somebody better get their ass in gear, there is a fair-sized gorilla over in the corner.


Move over, Siri.  New game....

"find content on Xbox 360 using voice recognition powered by Kinect and Bing."

http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/dec11/12-04Xbox360TV.mspx

[perkiset]

The device doesn't understand context yet. It's all functional, like the Android stuff. Read between the lines and you can see that M$ is "looking at" that sort of intelligent interaction. I think they're way behind on conversational VR, but clearly are WAY out front on physical interpretation. This is underreported for Siri, but is a way huge advantage that other players are gonna have a hard time getting to.

[rcjordan]

>all functional, like the Android stuff

Agreed, but now MS has Siri to show them the way it should be done.  After all, they've shown that they can poach Apple's UI ideas pretty effectively.  And the installed base xboxes as media centers (which had they best Netflix interface almost a full year ahead of contenders like Roku) gives them plenty of toehold.

[perkiset]

Agreed, but now MS has Siri to show them the way it should be done.

Probably the single most important point, and spot on. Siri has provided a research base for any group that wants to see how it can be done. That said, there are most certainly IP issues under the hood that will slow development (and more importantly, public release) of competing wares.

Personally, I don't understand why M$ doesn't have thousands of people working on Kinect and it's real future, rather than just games. IMO they own a freakin' gold mine there and it should be attached to every single PC monitor sold immediately. They need the public to start working with it at their machines, TVs, they should even make an iPad accessory and little hobby games, even if they suck, just to start sucking mindshare towards themselves again. Even if they just put some shitty little app on the iPad/iPhones camera and CALL it "kinectLite" or some hooie, they'd get more attention and Mo.

Similarly, I wouldn't be surprised it Apple eventually licenses Siri to other platforms (under the name Siri with a big'ol Apple logo) to read themselves into every other aspect of life as well. Siri is far and away the best right now, I think they're going to try to push that advantage. I should be able to open my 'fridge and say, tell me when we are out of yogurt."

Although I agree with your assertion that M$ should build their own, and that Siri gives them much more data on how, as a programmer I'm here to tell you it's a way bigger effort that you might think. They are at least 2 years behind, if I read their press correctly. Might as well be a millennium, today.

[perkiset]

I think M$ is listening to me: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/12/07/microsoft_releases_windows_phone_esque_xbox_live_app_for_ios.html

[perkiset]

Natch! I'm on a roll

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/12/08/apple_exploring_kinect_like_3d_input_for_controlling_macs.html