Two Visions of Input Devices

Gabe Weatherford:

The keyboard is an answer to a question from the 50′s: How do we communicate commands to a computer with only our hands?

Siri is an answer to a more general question: How do we communicate commands to a computer?

I didn’t even consider this implication of the Surface Announcement. Microsoft isn’t even par for the course when the “major selling point” is a keyboard. Apple’s major selling point on the other hand is a revolutionary user interface.

▪ Tuesday June 26, 2012

  • http://developingux.com Caleb Jenkins

    Siri is not included in the new IPad or MBPs was it? Did I miss that? Seems to be apples to oranges..er Windows?  ;-)

    • http://behindcompanies.com/ Marcelo Somers

      It’s coming to the iPad with iOS 6: http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/siri/

      The new iPad already had voice dictation for text input.

      • http://developingux.com Caleb Jenkins

        Gotcha.. I hadn’t seen the Siri on iPad announcement, in that case.. welcome to the party ;-) http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsvista/speech.aspx

        Although Siri is clearly a step beyond voice dictation, it’s nice to know that voice command has been on Windows for years and years and years now.. although very few people ever use it or even know that it’s there. :-/

        I do hope that Microsoft is working on a more fluid, natural voice interaction for Windows 8 (Surface Tablets), I agree, a Siri way of interacting (not just dictating) is a game changer.

  • http://developingux.com Caleb Jenkins

    Siri is not included in the new IPad or MBPs was it? Did I miss that? Seems to be apples to oranges..er Windows?  ;-)

    • http://behindcompanies.com/ Marcelo Somers

      It’s coming to the iPad with iOS 6: http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/siri/

      The new iPad already had voice dictation for text input.

      • http://developingux.com Caleb Jenkins

        Gotcha.. I hadn’t seen the Siri on iPad announcement, in that case.. welcome to the party ;-) http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsvista/speech.aspx

        Although Siri is clearly a step beyond voice dictation, it’s nice to know that voice command has been on Windows for years and years and years now.. although very few people ever use it or even know that it’s there. :-/

        I do hope that Microsoft is working on a more fluid, natural voice interaction for Windows 8 (Surface Tablets), I agree, a Siri way of interacting (not just dictating) is a game changer.