Home » Features

Don’t get on with touchscreen? Talk to Siri.

The rise in popularity of the smartphone and also of tablet computers means that a significant proportion of the UK population are veering away from traditional keyboards and using touchscreen phones and computers more and more. For some people however, the idea of using a touchscreen just isn’t intuitive or they find it hard to type on a touchscreen interface. With the recent release of iPhone 5, users can enjoy an advanced smartphone model with a touchscreen interface without being completely reliant on it, thanks to Siri voice-recognition technology.

Now that we use our mobile phones for so much – to arrange our diaries and calendars, to check emails, , to take photo , to navigate our way around an unfamiliar area,  and of course to make phone calls – our smartphones contain our whole lives and can be thought of as mobile personal assistants. And just like a personal assistant, you can now provide your iPhone 5 with verbal instructions and it will take action accordingly. How is this possible? Through the impressive voice recognition Siri software that comes as standard with every iPhone 5, available to purchase in Carphone Warehouse stores and online.

Yeah yeah, you’ve heard it all before, but you might just be surprised at how smart this updated software is. We hold so much of our lives on our phones that Siri can learn a lot about its users and their lives, and can make some very educated decisions. For example, if you were to tap on your iPhone 5’s microphone button and say, “Remind me to call my Mum when I’m home”, Siri would do just that. Through the iPhone 5’s GPS location services, it can detect when you are in familiar places such as the home or the office, and therefore Siri can prompt you to call your Mum as soon as you walk through the front door – and all without even having to write anything down.

Siri’s potential is endless. You need never forget a friend or loved one’s birthday again by setting a reminder, you need never get lost in an unfamiliar place with the help of Siri’s directions, and believe it or not, Siri can even share its opinions about science fiction movies with you.

Are you a fan of the Siri software or do you stick to old fashioned typing?