Google Chairman Eric tells US senators Apple's Siri could pose 'competitive threat'

[dkf]

Eric Schmidt, Google's chairman and former chief executive, admitted to the U.S. Senate antitrust subcommittee that Apple's new Siri personal assistant technology is a "significant development" in search and could pose a threat to his company's core business.

--

Schmidt even went so far as to cite two publications for calling Siri a "Google killer" and Apple's "entry point" into the search engine business.

In the letter, Schmidt backpedaled from a previous statement in September 2010 where he had denied that Apple and Facebook were a "competitive threat."

"My statement was clearly wrong," he said. "Apple’s Siri is a significant development—a voice-activated means of accessing answers through iPhones that demonstrates the innovations in search."

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/11/05/google_chairman_eric_tells_us_senators_apples_siri_could_pose_competitive_threat.html

[JCMach1]

1. Convene the 'search agent' wars

[polichick]

2. Siri is definitely interesting - we've asked all kinds of crazy questions...

...and even fooled *her* with similar family voices.

[Spider Jerusalem]

3. Siri is a "he" in the UK...

and it's even easier to fool...or just perplex, confuse, bewilder, and get a response of "I'm sorry, but I don't understand 'sideways moustache bicycle'" when that's nothing like what you said (it doesn't understand Scottish accents; the thought of Apple fanboys cursing the uselessness of something they spent £300 or more on when they find out it won't work unless they put on a fake accent is kind of amusing though).

[polichick]

5. "Sideways moustache bicycle" lol - Wonder what Siri does with a Southern accent in the U.S.

[Fumesucker]

7. Probably the same as it does with a Brooklyn accent..

Or a New England accent..

Or a Minnesota accent..

[polichick]

16. Doubt those accents would be as difficult to translate electronically...

...as Scottish or U.S. Southern.

[Fumesucker]

17. Why?

Because *you* understand them better?

That's a fairly chauvinistic view.

[polichick]

18. Nice try - I'm from the South so have no problem with a Southern accent.

[Fumesucker]

19. Then perhaps you could explain why you think a Southern accent would be hard for a machine ?

"Because I said so" is hardly convincing.

[polichick]

20. I didn't post "because I said so." Think a bit - you might figure it out.

[Fumesucker]

21. No, you offered no explanation at all..

Which basically boils down to "because I said so".

[polichick]

23. I'm not into spoon feeding rude posters.

[Fumesucker]

24. Your opinion is worth nothing if you refuse to elucidate the reasons you hold it..

:hi:

[polichick]

25. Additional rudeness noted.

[Atman]

8. Even when Google admits Apple has done something good, the haters can't resist.

Frankly, if I'm going to be called a fanboi, I'd rather it be for Apple than for Bill Gates or the DIY computer shop. What would it take for you people to ever utter a positive word about Apple? The iBlowjob? You'd probably still complain that you could get an open-source blowjob free at the local bus station.

[Spider Jerusalem]

10. "Hater"? What? The problems the iPhone 4s has with Scottish accents...

(and apparently not just Scottish ones) are well-documented. (There's a video on Youtube of a Scotsman trying and failing to get his iPhone 4s to give an answer to the question "how many miles are there in two kilometres?", for instance).

[Atman]

12. Whenever people start throwing around "fanboi," it's clear where they're coming from.

I'll be sure not to speak to my phone using nonsense phrases in a Scotish brogue. That should help alleviate the problem.

[NYCGirl]

26. In this one, Siri performs quite admirably

http://youtu.be/3Z8K6VMw92U

[NV Whino]

22. I suspect there will be a solution to this very soon

Dragon Dictate allows you to choose a regional accent. Siri will probably eventually have the same option.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

4. I have yet to see anyone do anything with "Siri" other than

make obscene propositions just for the reaction.

[Atman]

6. Self delete - wrong place

.

[Fumesucker]

9. Why be a fanboi at all?

I use whatever works and that I can build for cheap, most of my hardware comes out of thrift stores, flea markets, Craigslist and yard sales.

Indeed, I have three Pentium 4 boxes sitting here right now that I got just for installing Linux on a computer at a local thrift store for the utterly non-tech people that run the store. I'll install Linux or Windows on them and either give them to people I know who need a computer or sell them for cheap on Craigslist.

The vast majority of people who don't game on their computers don't need anything more powerful than a decent Pentium 4 machine to do anything they're likely to do, email, websurfing, watching videos, using a word processor or spreadsheet.

[Atman]

11. A fanboi is anyone who dares to actually like anything Apple does.

Interestingly, the people who use the pejorative are usually even more vehement in their defense of their chosen device, but don't considers *themselves* fanbois, just superior and smarter. As you stated, I use what works for me. I've been using Apple products since the very first Mac II -- and I only switched to an iPhone a year ago. I've used Windows-based machines, but with the investment in software, hardware and education, it makes no sense for me to chuck it all just so some DIY geek doesn't call me names. I tried two or three other MP3 players before buying my first iPod...they all were laughable pos compared to the iPod. And with Apple hardware at home at at my office, the iPhone makes perfect sense, works seamlessly with my existing set-ups...and every previous phone was a joke by comparison. So I'm a fanboi...I found a company that makes reliable, quality products that do what I need them to do.

BTW, I wasn't directing those comments at you, I realize you were just responding to my response...which, by the time you posted it, I had moved it.

[mainer]

13. Haha. My husband's having an affair with Siri.

At least, that's what it sounds like when he asks her: "What are you wearing?" "Will you go out with me?"

I swear, Siri's just an invention to keep bored men occupied.

[Atman]

14. BTW, to all those complaining that Siri isn't perfect...it's only a beta release.

Apple rarely does beta releases, so they apparently were aware there would be problems. That's what a beta release is for, to help figure out where the problem spots are so the can be corrected.

[dkf]

28. The biggest problem is their servers can't handle the amount of traffic.

But the wonderful thing is that because it is centrally done, it can be fixed and improved so easily. And it's learning! I can't imagine the kinds of data they must be pouring through while they try to better their responses. It's rather scary how much our machines will know about us.

Between apple, Facebook and google, our data may tell someone more about us than our loved ones know.

[AsahinaKimi]

15. Maybe he should just GOOGLE a solution?

"GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND..."
:hide:

[saras]

27. not quite as good as "damn you, autocorrect" but still pretty funny

http://whysiriwhy.com/

http://damnyouautocorrect.com/

Have a nice day.

[whistler162]

29. Does it have fringe on the top?

Do chicks and ducks scurry?

[n2doc]

30. I fail to see the problem here

Apple isn't even the #1maker of smart phones. Google's Android is on more phones. Is he arguing that Google has a right to be protected from competition?

[dkf]

31. No I think they are giving Google heat on owning the search market.