SIRI – 5 Killer applications

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1: SIRI search

The fact that SIRI is returning so many web-searches for its users is sure to have google spooked and scrambling for a response. The shift to voice activated search will increasingly eat away at google’s bread and butter.

2: SIRI TV

Steve Jobs famously said shortly before his death “I finally cracked Apple TV”, SIRI is sure to play a leading role

3: SIRI Car integration

Just imagine: “SIRI, direct me to the airport without using the 5, oh and close the sunroof”

4: SIRI home appliance integration

“SIRI, run me a bath and preheat the oven to 275 degrees”. Remember you wouldn’t have to be at home to do this either!

5: SIRI controlled shoes 

Imaging telling SIRI to inflate your sneakers or turn on your sunglasses? Apple have been spending billions on R&D into new chips, some say they will leave AMD and Intel in the dust, so expect Apple to soon be providing computing power to all sorts of weird and wonderful new devices, and they’ll all be controlled by SIRI.

 

The first to market with natural language voice commands was always going to have a distinct advantage. Right now, millions of users are asking SIRI all sorts of questions, some of which the developers of SIRI never thought of. All of this data will help Apple stay ahead of the pack. This kind of technology evolves with use – remember SIRI is still in beta – imagine how much Apple (and SIRI) will have learned 6 months from now with their billions of user searches. Anyone else trying to get into this space anytime after that is going to risk getting it wrong and ending up with a lot of frustrated users jealously eying the iPhones around them.

Famous Last Words

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As last words go, Steve Jobs managed some pretty memorable ones.

 History is littered with the comical:

  • “Don’t worry, it’s not loaded” the last words of Terry Kath, rock musician in 1978.
  • Del Close in 1999 said “Thank God. I’m tired of being the funniest person in the room”
  • My favorite is “…and now for a final word from our sponsor…” from Charles Gussman a TV writer who died on October 8th 2000

There are countless serious, matter-of-fact examples:

  • “I have a terrific headache” FDR 1945
  • “Dammit…. Don’t you dare ask God to help me” Joan Crawford 1977
  • “I have tried so hard to do right” Grover Cleaveland (US President, died 1908)

Buddha’s last words (often differ depending which translation you read) were:

  • “All compounded things, all experiences (mental and physical), all phenomena by their very nature decay and die, and are disappointing: it is through being not-blind-drunk on, obsessed by, or infatuated with, the objects of the senses that you succeed in awakening, or obtain liberation” 543 BC
I could only find a handful of mystical quotes, none quite as succinct as those from Steve Jobs.
  • The inventor Thomas Edison’s last words in 1931 were “It’s very beautiful over there”, perhaps he and Jobs shared a glimpse of what lay ahead
  • Mata Hari said before she faced a firing squad “Everything is an illusion“
  • Timothy Leary said one simple word in 1996 “Beautiful“

One day we’ll all have a chance to find out what Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison may have seen, until then I for one will be maintaining the very human tradition of trying to figure it out.

 

 

Steve Jobs’ death: The reaction

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I was quite amazed at the outpouring of grief after the announcement of the death of Steve Jobs. He was just 56 when he died, my condolences go out to all who knew Steve, to his loved ones, his family and friends who will now be just beginning the slow and painful process of carrying on their lives without him.

I cannot think of any other CEO’s passing that has created such an incredible reaction across the world. Apple has received over one million e-mail tributes. Here’s just a few of the e-mails the site has received:

“Thank You

Steve, You created a company that has played a significant role in my life and my happiness. Your products have given me a creative voice that will soon be my means to live by. I thank you for all you’ve given the world. 

Logan”

 

“Thank you Mr. Jobs for improving life as we know it.

You will be missed.

John”

 

“thanks

Just a big “Thanks” to Steve for getting me ‘connected’. I used ‘PC’ at work & never touched a computer after 4:30 pm because it just wasn’t enjoyable. Since I got my Macbook my world has expanded exponentially. Add in my iPhone and my world totally rocks! RIP, Steve. You are irreplaceable.

Karen”

I read about his death on a device he invented, I’m making this website using an Apple computer, his companies products are helping change the way the world communicates. He has had a significant role in shaping the modern world and I can understand why so many feel connected to him – we are connected through the ingenuity of his inventions.

In many ways Apple is like a religion, and the reverence we have for Steve Jobs is of the kind normally reserved for religious or spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders should be judged on their moral and ethical positions, on their willingness to stand up and fight for what is right. The concern I have is that the leaders of our new religion will be judged on one thing: profit

I found this article written by David Levi an interesting alternative viewpoint on the death of Steve Jobs