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The article overlooks one of the major reasons for wanting a non-voice interface to an audio experience: Being quiet. Most of the time, if I'm wearing headphon
by nickelcitymario 6y ago
The article overlooks one of the major reasons for wanting a non-voice interface to an audio experience: Being quiet.
Most of the time, if I'm wearing headphones, it's so as to not disturb others around me. Otherwise I'd play it out loud.
This benefit goes away when everyone around me suddenly hears me bark out loud to adjust the volume, or send a text, or what-have-you.
I'm a big believer in audio-as-a-platform (particularly the AR possibilities), but I hate audibly trying to speak to a computer. It's by far the worst input interface.
(On the other hand, much like cameras, the best interface is the one you have with you. I yell at my Google speakers all the damn time, because my hands are busy around the house. But those are also speakers, not headphones, and therefor a different use case.)
- cma 6y ago> Most of the time, if I'm wearing headphones, it's so as to not disturb others around me. Otherwise I'd play it out loud. Maybe that's the key to its network effect as a platform. If you don't want to hear everyone talking to themselves in the library, you'll need noise canceling headphones too.
- ch4s3 6y agoNoise canceling headphones don't seem to do much for people talking in the background, or really any sudden loud noise.
- bogwog 6y agoSo far the only thing I find myself using voice commands for is to set alarms on my iPhone. Saying "Hey Siri, set an alarm for 15 minutes" is so much easier than doing it manually through the clock app. Other than that though, I haven't found any practical use for them. Maybe once AI improves a lot, and it feels like you're talking to an actual person, it might be more useful.
- kemayo 6y agoShopping list while I'm cooking. "Hey Siri, add tomatoes to my shopping list". (And then said list is shared with my family.)
- bengale 6y agoI use it for that and home control stuff mainly. Turn off the heater, turn on the lights, etc. Sometimes I’ll set a reminder.
- kitsunesoba 6y agoSimilarly the only use Siri gets on the kitchen HomePod is for hands-free timers while cooking. In my eyes the primary thing that's standing in the way of voice assistants being useful isn't even as high of a bar as general AI, but just the ability to parse a command into multiple, potentially chained commands. Even with the inability to figure out things like context that would boost usability a lot — for example, it'd allow commands like, "set timers for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and an hour" instead of having to make each request separately.
- 0xCMP 6y agoThe first one to support a "conversation" even if with same level of intelligence and understanding today will be a MASSIVE improvement. If it would listen while talking so you can interrupt it. Would be so much more useful.
- wincy 6y agoAlexa will shut up immediately if you say “Alexa shut up” or “Alexa SILENCE” when she’s talking. We got an echo dot which came with our Alexa enabled microwave, and now that I have it set up to stream Apple Music, we use it all the time. Our thermostat also has it although when we change the temperature she’ll sometimes inexplicably change the house temp to 60°F which we won’t realize until 3am when we’re freezing in bed.
- SecurityLagoon 6y agoWait... Alexa enabled microwave? I am genuinely interested in what the point of that is.
- Zhenya 6y agoTo sell more microwaves!!!! /S
- smoe 6y agoAs someone that has last used microwaves on a regular basis when they just had two dials, I could see the use for Alexa to figure out how the more more modern ones with like 40 buttons work. The first time I tried the office kitchen microwave, I had to ask someone from accounting standing around, how to heat my cup, because that stupid thing just responded with a condescending beep to whatever I pressed :/
- anonymouse008 6y agoCurious — is the use case mostly cooking? Or is it prep for X mins before Zoom calls?
- Hamuko 6y agoI use timers for making tea, cooking and knowing when my car has finished heating up. Unfortunately iOS only supports one timer at a time so I can't make tea while my car is plugged in.
- kemayo 6y agoWeirdly, HomePods do support multiple (optionally named) timers. Since they're also based on the general iOS family, there's a bit of hope for the feature eventually making its way to the phones. I'd assume it's held up on them having to redo the UI, if anything.
- e40 6y agoAgreed. Lately I've been asking Siri how to spell words (not that I'm worse recently, I just found it that worked). Much easier than the alternative.
- corobo 6y agoI find myself setting alarms too.. the problem is I'm trying to set timers haha "timer 1 hour 30" is parsed into "Make an alarm at 01:30 named Timer." Every time I do laundry I get woken up at stupid o'clock the next morning haha. Edit: Sorry to those below for the confusion I seeded. To clarify I mean the 1 hour 30 is the bit that doesn't work. If I add minutes to the end of it it works perfectly fine.
- hackmiester 6y agoI definitely recommend just saying a sentence. The system isn’t designed to understand requests the way you’re presenting them.
- corobo 6y agoI'm not going to try changing my behaviour for a voice assistant lmao. It works or it doesn't. That's how I talk. Thats how I've talked for 32-$childhood years.
- hackmiester 6y agoBut you are changing your behavior. If you told a human “timer 1 hour 30” they’d look at you very strangely. My suggestion is to stop using special phrasings for voice assistants.
- corobo 6y agoIf I told a human to set me a timer they'd look at me strangely anyway. I want quick, done, command, action. It is a computer. I'm not having a conversation with the thing, I want it do do something. Command, parameters.
- wlesieutre 6y agoI told bash computer, list the invisible files in my home folder but in a shocking turn of events, when you use it wrong it doesn't work
- graeme 6y agoI have a couple other small ones: * Hey siri what’s the weather * Hey siri add broccoli to my grocery list * Hey siri remind me when I get home to take out the recycling Same principle. Simple request, hard to get wrong, low stakes, faster than clicking
- andykellr 6y agoAlso, * Hey siri remind me every other Tuesday at 8pm when I'm at home to take out the recycling Some things are more easy to say than to configure with 20+ taps on the Reminders app.
- jfengel 6y agoEspecially the shopping list. I most often notice that I need something when I'm in the middle of using the last of it, which means my hands are full and often dirty or wet. But I also don't want to put it off because it's something I do need to do.
- mikewhy 6y agoI'm also a fan of "hey siri, turn off the tv" when leaving. I have huge gripes with "what's the weather". Siri will for sure say the temperature, which means nothing in a city where the windchill is often ten degrees lower.
- dkonofalski 6y agoIf you have a HomePod and an Apple Watch, you can have Siri turn off all media devices when you leave the house. If you have a CRC receiver for your TV hooked up to an Apple TV, you can have it power down the whole entertainment system when you leave.
- siquick 6y ago>* Hey siri add broccoli to my grocery list Are you using a specific app for this or is it just a list in Notes called 'grocery list'?
- 6y ago
- jeffwass 6y agoI have a HomePod in the kitchen and use Siri for two main things : 1. Hey Siri, add Olive Oil to the grocery list. Super easy. When I’m cooking and running low on something, no need to break my stride and pull out my phone, or clean my hands. It’s immediately into my grocery list and out of my mental inbox. 2. Hey Siri, play some Jazz. Or whatever music. This is nice and easy to get some music on the HomePod for either cooking, working, or dinner background. The only annoyance is that Siri can be super particular at times unlike when searching Apple Music on my phone. Also sometimes my kids hijack my music selection with their own, hehe.
- selykg 6y agoI have a couple HomeKit devices. “Hey Siri turn the lamp on” is easier than walking across the room as I enter the house in the dark.
- dkonofalski 6y agoThese types of things are my favorite use cases. I set up a little test with a beacon inside my bedroom and now it automatically turns on the lights for me when I walk in (if I'm wearing my Apple Watch) and then turns them off when I leave. It's not perfect but it's very convenient. I also have a few automations that are set up for when I leave the house to make sure music turns off and my thermostat is set to "Away" mode.
- meepmorp 6y agoCould you share some details on the beacon setup? I'd like to try messing around with something like that.
- selykg 6y agoYea, I have during the winter months a "when arriving home after sundown turn the lamp on" automation as well. During summer months I turn that one off. I've generally really enjoyed basic smart home stuff. I have a handful of smart wall switches that work well, and for the lamp a wall-wart that I use. One of these days I'll just retrofit some actual lighting in the living room and can skip the lamp situation but until then... this is a nice workaround.
- r00fus 6y agoThings that work for voice commands for me (iOS/watchOS): * Call my wife (or $person) * tell $person $message - sends a text eg: “tell Dave ETA 25min” * ping $myname iPad - plays sound on my iPad so I can find it. * set timer for $duration (I wish Siri wouldn’t be so loud in acknowledging) * remind me $task on $date $time (you can switch the arguments around) * take me home * redial * take me to $location (mostly used in my car)
- bombcar 6y agoApple has a list of commands somewhere - even if it’s just the source code. That I cannot find that list and have to try and guess the magic words pisses me off to no end.
- r00fus 6y agoA default list (for core iOS) would be nice. I imagine the entire possible list could be infinite given Shortcuts and app-specific key phrases. Edit: found a list online [1] - seems to cover a lot of default commands [1] https://www.sparhandy.de/apple/info/siri-commands/ https://www.sparhandy.de/apple/info/siri-commands/
- noja 6y ago> I wish Siri wouldn’t be so loud in acknowledging Hey Siri, speak quieter / speak at 25%
- bogwog 6y agoIf you whisper to Alexa, she'll whisper back. Example (NSFW/NSFL/gross): https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeMeSuffer/comments/l8d0qo/who_knew_alexa_had_a_fart_fetish/ https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeMeSuffer/comments/l8d0qo/who_kn...
- madeofpalk 6y agoSetting timers is basically the main use case for any voice assistant that people use it for.
- dkonofalski 6y agoI was the same way until I got a HomePod. After a little bit of trial and error, I use Siri a lot for automations, timers, shortcuts, spelling assistance, and a whole slew of other things. That has now translated back to my phone so it's nice that the interface across all my devices is the same for this.
- IgorPartola 6y agoHere are my use cases: 1. Timers. Super useful when cooking. Also my kids can use it as they are doing remote learning and need to know when to get back to their video calls. 2. Playing videos while cooking. Sometimes I enjoy watching a sitcom while cooking on my Echo Show. Or I might want a cooking video though that’s more rare. My roommate uses it all the time for questions like “how long do you bake salmon?” With mixed results. 3. Controlling lights. “Alexa give me a light” as I walk into a room is way easier than turning on three separate switches in separate parts of the room. Turning them off is equally nice. 4. “Alexa tell me a kids joke” is a frequent thing we use. 5. Answers to random questions while at the dinner table. “Alexa who is the prime minister of New Zealand?” That type of stuff. It feels more natural than whipping out our phones. 6. We tried using Echo Show’s drop in feature but it is just too intrusive as compared to something like FaceTime. The other side doesn’t have to pick up the call. You just are in their house, camera on and all. 7. My kids really like when we play Harry Potter quiz. It’s a silly app but it is somewhat entertaining. 8. Really funny “routines” (their word for scripts). “Alexa, set condition two throughout the ship” to turn off all the lights. “Alexa, release the kraken” to set off the Roomba, etc. 9. My kids listen to podcasts all the time. 10. My kids use it to help them spell difficult words. What I wish I could do a bit more with it is integrate it with things like random status dashboards. I combined a power metering AC plug with my washing machine and Home Assistant to know when it’s done running. Would be nice to be able to say “Alexa notify [roommate’s name] when the washer is done.” Overall I think something much simpler that does processing locally could replace it for me but so far these things are cheap enough (echo dot) to put in every room.
- jyrodgers 6y agoI use VoiceControl while feeding my infant. The phone is mounted nearby and I can navigate using voice commands like “Swipe up”, “Tap [button]”.
- theshrike79 6y agoI live in a country where a good six months I'm wearing a warm hat and gloves and my phone is buried deep in my clothes to keep the battery over the freezing point. It's a lot easier to say "Siri, play podcasts" (Which triggers a Shortcut to start playing a specific playlist in Overcast) rather than opening my jacket, digging out the phone, taking off my gloves and fumbling with it to get the podcasts running.
- germinalphrase 6y agoAlso, Airpod Pros were also not made with cold weather in mind. The squeeze can become impossible with gloves on.
- skinkestek 6y agoIn addition to that I frequently use "Hi Siri, call the cute one" (probably bad translation but feels natural in my native tongue and amuses my kids.)
- whimsicalism 6y agoI wonder if we'll ever get technology that can interpret very, very quiet vocalizations, almost a subvocalization. That would definitely be something I would buy on to.
- mmorris 6y agoThere's been a fair amount of research into this, eg: https://news.mit.edu/2018/computer-system-transcribes-words-users-speak-silently-0404 https://news.mit.edu/2018/computer-system-transcribes-words-...
- lambda_dn 6y agoI agree, but don't throw the baby out. One of the most useful uses of voice I've found is using a Fire stick with Alexa. Just press the mic button on the remote and say a actor/movie/tv series and it presents everything it finds from all your subscriptions. It's rare it doesn't understand and as a Glaswegian that's impressive.
- 1shooner 6y agoThis is true for me, on Roku. Considering the context, that's far from a platform, it's not even an interface. It's just an alternative input to the physical tv remote interface. If I were to simply re-task a tablet or old phone as my TV remote (easy to do with Roku), I'd stop using voice, and get much more out of the second screen.
- r00fus 6y agoIn science fiction, the step before mind-machine interface is sub-vocalization. What would it take to allow an interface device to be able to hear you but others not?
- mmorris 6y agoI think sub-vocalization-driven interfaces could be amazing, I was super excited when I saw this research (posted it elsewhere in this thread too): https://news.mit.edu/2018/computer-system-transcribes-words-users-speak-silently-0404 https://news.mit.edu/2018/computer-system-transcribes-words-...
- rlyshw 6y agoThe spatial audio feature makes me think that Apple has some level of head movement tracked with airpods. I'm imagining a system where you can just use nods/head shakes to move through some sort of binary decision tree to execute some basic interactions, like reacting to incoming alerts/messages. new text, music pauses, siri reads it to you: "Your mother asks if you'll be home by dinner, Would you like to respond?" shake head no -> interaction cancelled, music resumes nod head yes -> "Ok, how would you like me to respond? Yes, you will, or no, you won't?" gesture head for appropriate response Easy? Dumb/ridiculous? Sure, you can't get suuuuper deep with the decision tree and it's tough for non-binary responses, but it's enough of an interface to have a meaningful, non-verbal engagement with a computer.
- bredren 6y agoThe platform is AirPods, Apple Watch, and the yet to be announced AR product. Just like with the M1, if you squint, Apple is testing and iterating in the open. The spatial audio is a good example but so is the Watch’s auto-detected hand washing countdown. There are public sprinkles of this coming platform elsewhere, such as in Apple fitness workout HUD Rings widget. The proximity-based handoff is another. The author is correct that Siri is not a good platform but for reasons they do not identify. Voice based interaction model is weak from a UX perspective. But for Apple it is even weaker because the company is unable to use any of the unique advantages it holds over the competitors. For example, apple’s array of services, control over the technology stack, reliable and secure intra-device communication, the App Store, the iPhone as a unified configurator, access point, update manager and biometric authenticator. You can’t pull that stuff out of a hat. Siri sucks. I have a few HomePods, use plenty of homekit and try to get the most out of it. But it is bad at almost everything it sets out to do. Siri is clearly not the focus for the company, and if anything it sent competitors scrambling to own a space Apple doesn’t even want. The interaction model includes physical hardware, like the big crown on the new APMs, but I suspect it is likely going to be based largely on eye movement. Something not too twitchy. The enormous amount of sensor data from watch and AirPods are like the gps and gyroscope of iPhone. Apps can require either or none. So I think the author is right that AirPods are important but they are not the center. They are a component of the next platform.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]