Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Lifestyle
LifestyleTechnology

Voice Commands on Google’s New Voice Action on Android Jelly Bean Do Well Vs. Siri

Posted byBy Stan | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Google’s Android platform has woven in voice actions for some time, but it’s only in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean that Google has managed to bring voice commands to the forefront in a meaningful way. Mostly, by dressing up the voice search interface, and making voice search available from any screen.
Apple deserves much of the credit for first making its voice assistant, Siri, the star, and for making Siri accessible from the iPhone’s central hardware button. First Samsung and then Google followed suit with more engaging voice action assistants that also spring from the bottom of the phone screen when you press a button (Galaxy S3) or swipe up (Jelly Bean).

Unfortunately for Samsung, Siri trounced S Voice in one-to-one performance combat, but luckily for Google, Voice Search’s new Voice Actions feature was fairly accurate in our tests. The two of us, Brian and Jessica, each tested half the commands on both the iPhone 4S and on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus updated with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Brian tested the phones in New York and Jessica tested in San Francisco. Here’s what we found.

For simply making a call with your voice, it’s hard to beat Siri’s simplicity. After holding down the iPhone 4S’ home button to launch Siri, Brian said, “Call Jessica Dolcourt, mobile.” Out of three test attempts, Siri understood Brian perfectly every time.

The experience with Google Voice Actions wasn’t as smooth. To kick Android Jelly Bean into listening mode, you swipe a finger upward from the bottom of any home screen. From here you either say “Google” or tap the microphone icon in the Google search window. Brian’s first few tries to command the Galaxy Nexus to place a call were misinterpreted.

He was successful on the third attempt, with the Nexus properly carrying out orders. Interestingly, Google Voice Actions’ accuracy increased when Brian spoke to the Nexus through a quality Bluetooth headset.

Using the iPhone 4S to send text messages using just our voices was a breeze as well. After Brian uttered, “Send text to Jessica Dolcourt,” Siri quickly prepared Brian’s message, then asked…

Read more:

 

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top