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Siri Alternatives: 5 Assistants For Android And iPhone That Use Voice Recognition

The Huffington Post   Jason O. Gilbert   First Posted: 10/20/11 12:19 PM ET   Updated: 10/20/11 12:19 PM ET

Everyone is talking about Siri on the iPhone 4S. For some, the virtual voice assistant is the number-one reason why many chose to upgrade to the newest Apple smartphone.

Virtual assistants that can get things done and can understand natural speech are not limited to the iPhone 4S, however: There is a solid selection of third-party apps for both Android and iOS that can accomplish much of what Siri can (though obviously not with the same level of ground-floor integration into the system as Siri).

If you're finding your iPhone's Voice Control or your Android's Voice Actions lacking for whatever reason, check out these Siri alternatives:

Vlingo (Android and iOS, Free)
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"Looking for Siri-like functionality on your Android device?" asks the product description for Vlingo in the Android Market. "Look no further."

Vlingo, actually available on both Android and iOS, does not understand natural language like Siri does; the list of accepted commands that you can use with Vlingo appears on the app's home screen. Vlingo still has a good amount of functionality, included some actions that Siri still cannot do: It can (again, per the Android Market description) send texts and emails, voice dial, search the web, find local businesses, get directions, update Facebook and Twitter, check in to Foursquare and launch apps. It has also added a very cool (beta) InCar edition for totally hands-free voice command when you're driving. Neat stuff.

Speaking of neat, Vlingo can also be chosen as the default Voice Input within the settings of your Android phone for direct access when touching the microphone key on the keyboard.
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Everyone is talking about Siri on the iPhone 4S. For some, the virtual voice assistant is the number-one reason why many chose to upgrade to the newest Apple smartphone. Virtual assistants that ca...
Everyone is talking about Siri on the iPhone 4S. For some, the virtual voice assistant is the number-one reason why many chose to upgrade to the newest Apple smartphone. Virtual assistants that ca...
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fairplaystacy
263 Fans
07:41 AM on 10/21/2011
Q: If I can use SIRI hands free with a blue tooth head set, why would I want to use any of these
A: Nostalgia
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fairplaystacy
263 Fans
07:38 AM on 10/21/2011
Q: Who killed "search engines"?
A: "Answer Engines"

Q: When should I short GOOG stock or buy GOOG puts to profit from the decline in Google's stock price?
A: NOW
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wellingtonian
55 Fans
08:57 PM on 10/20/2011
I just tried two of these, I think they'd be better if it understood my accent because they don't know what I'm trying to say half the time. I'm trying to do my best Monica Geller impersonation to get these apps to work (I must look like a muppet though).
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GunnyJ
I do my best every time.
381 Fans
 
07:13 PM on 10/20/2011
I had Vlingo all this time and never knew I could voice text...... DUH!
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jflorish
114 Fans
06:33 PM on 10/20/2011
All the voice apps are generations behind siri.
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SickHippie
No, YOUR micro-bio is empty.
683 Fans
 
10:09 PM on 10/20/2011
You mean the Siri that people are complaining about all over the Internet? The one that (by more than a few accounts) has about a 60% recognition rate? The one that is a massive security flaw, leaving your phone open to voice by default even with the screen locked?

"Generations behind"?
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NaClH2O
81 Fans
06:08 PM on 10/20/2011
The phone has been on the market for 6 days and people are already sick of it?
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wilray
50,000 Screaming Fans (Ignore that other number)
782 Fans
02:42 PM on 10/20/2011
I'm glad someone finally said it. Yes, of course, I am sick of Suri. Everywhere you look Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have their kid stuck in your face.

Wait ... What? Oh, you said Siri. In that case, never mind. Carry on.
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mrputera
0 Fans
12:09 PM on 10/20/2011
Now the voice recognition it's becoming a trend in smartphones but however as I read in Yahoo articles people reported that Siri isn't working at some places for iPhone 4S,Siri still going on BETA version so wait to be updated in futures.
Even newly revealed Galaxy Nexus too has voice recognition.Hope this technology helps people in good ways.
http://yuppygadget.com
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jgeurian21
90 Fans
12:28 PM on 10/20/2011
That is the case for me. I don't have 3G where I live from AT&T so Siri is not on my phone. Nor is location based reminders.
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Stu11
17 Fans
02:11 PM on 10/20/2011
I know the apple people will flame and say siri is the best because apple created but android/google has had voice recognition for a long time like 3 years. I have it on my thunderbolt and it works well but I feel crazy talking to my phone so I dont use it a lot.
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Angelus2007
200 Fans
 
11:46 AM on 10/20/2011
I like Dragon Go! While it doesn't offer the native speak options like Siri and doesn't take advantage of thinks like your calendar and texting, it does a great job of searches. Things like directions, sports scores, news, wikipedia searches, google searches ect it does an amazing job. It seems to understand more of what I say than Siri. I did a search for LOL Cats and it found it, while Siri searched for Elle and Elle cats.
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