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Do you use voice command?

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We were talking at work about voice command on phones and I seemed to be the only one that used it.

 

I tend to use it while cooking so I can set timers hands free, but also tend to set Google Keep voice notes for myself when I'm out and about and can't be bothered to type. And its not quite the same, but I do leave WhatsApp voice messages with a friend (sometimes for practising Italian, mostly just because I'm too lazy to type).

 

Do any of you guys use it? On your phone, tablet, computer, console or whatever? What about out in public?

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I dont use it on my phone but now I have the Amazon Echo I've definitely become a lot more comfortable with it. I do still get the occasional "who are you talking to?" though which brings me back to feeling self conscious about it.

 

EDIT: Oh and I used to use it on my old Smartwatch to do simple stuff like set a timer for cooking. My new one the voice command is different and I still haven't bothered to learn the activation words!

Edited by Happenstance

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I never use it. Half because I just assume it won't work, and half because I'm worried I'll sound like a twazzock.

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I use it if I need to change the sat nav whilst driving, but that's about it.

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I think I'm in the same group as Happenstance. I never used to use it on my phone but since I've had an Echo it's certainly becoming more 'normal' for me.

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I don't use it. Never works that well; the voice recognition isn't great, but it never even initialises for me. There's only so many times you can shout "OK GOOGLE!!!" before you give up and smear your greasy fingers across the screen.

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I don't use it. Never works that well; the voice recognition isn't great, but it never even initialises for me. There's only so many times you can shout "OK GOOGLE!!!" before you give up and smear your greasy fingers across the screen.

 

You sure it's not just forgotten who you are? Mine did.

 

Sometimes, for reasons unknown, Google Now doesn't retain the commands you have given it. If all else fails, it might be time to re-train your digital companion.

 

In order to do this, you'll need to go to the Google Settings App, locate the Search & Now option, followed by Voice then OK Google detection. Now just hit Retrain Voice Model and say "OK Google" three times, as you did when you initially set it up.

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I use it daily to set alarms. And when I'm drunk and need to google something and can't be bothered to type out the question.

 

I would use it even more if we had the Star Trek computer's voice instead of Siri:

 

Star Treks’ original series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager all have one actor in common: Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry). She voiced the iconic computer for all those series, letting captains know what various atmospheres are composed of and which decks are breached.

 

Barrett-Roddenberry was the science fiction precursor for Siri and Google Now, the same way the communicator was the precursor for the cell phone.

 

And even though she died in 2008, she still might be part of the upcoming show Star Trek Discovery. Roddenbury Entertainment revealed on Twitter this week that Barrett-Roddenberry’s voice was phonetically recorded. This means she can be the computer’s voice for a new ship.

 

Majel's voice is recorded phonetically, & we're working to get her voice for things such as Siri, maybe voice of the computer on #STDiscovery

 

This is great news as-is, but it gets better: we might possibly see a wide release for this library. It’s too early to know what that might look like, but we could live in a world where Barrett-Roddenberry’s iconic voice lives in our phones, reading notifications and directions to us during our own adventures.

Edited by somme

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I don't use it. Never works that well; the voice recognition isn't great, but it never even initialises for me. There's only so many times you can shout "OK GOOGLE!!!" before you give up and smear your greasy fingers across the screen.

 

You sure it's not just forgotten who you are? Mine did.

 

Yeah, it's worth checking. I've always found it quite accurate. Of course, like everyone, I use my super clear but slightly unnatural voice when talking to it. Seriously, why is it impossible to talk naturally when talking to voice recognition? I always end up talking like these guys:

 

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I'll 'HEY SIRI' if I need a cooking timer, that's about it really.

 

I once had a very friendly homeless man give me a full demonstration of voice recognition on his Android smartphone outside Euston station. He was very polite and respectful to Google, ensuring he offered thanks for every piece of information provided. This remains one of my more surreal recent memories.

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You sure it's not just forgotten who you are? Mine did.

 

Isn't it already programmed to acknowledge the OK Google sound?

 

Either way I don't use voice shizzle. Only when searching for something on the Google and I can't be arsed to type it in.

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I use my Echos (big one in the kitchen, Dot on my desk) all the time, love them. Mainly used for music but also use shopping list, alarm, timers and reminders. WHen I'm cooking I'll often ask Alexa questions about converting units and stuff. Really useful for that.

 

As for Siri? The only time I'd ever want to use it is in the car but even though my car is really quiet it can never hear me say "Hey Siri".

 

My friend who has problems using his hands uses Siri all the time though and that works really well for him.

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Isn't it already programmed to acknowledge the OK Google sound?

 

Either way I don't use voice shizzle. Only when searching for something on the Google and I can't be arsed to type it in.

 

You have to set it up in the first instance but it seems sometimes it forgets and you have to retrain.

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I use siri for a countdown, alarm, or reminder, but anything else I just feel a bit silly.

i never use it, it doesnt understand my accent :(
I use my Echos (big one in the kitchen, Dot on my desk) all the time, love them.

Having experienced both your accents first-hand, I'm finding something hard to believe here :p

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I actually tried using Google to send my wife a text the other day. It worked surprisingly well. I can imagine trying it in the car, or something similar, but I'd feel very subconscious trying it anywhere public.

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I sometimes send WhatsApp voice messages while out and about (you can at least hold your phone and pretend like you're on the phone), but yeah I probably wouldn't say "OK Google, remind me to do something at 2" out and about.

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I sometimes send WhatsApp voice messages while out and about (you can at least hold your phone and pretend like you're on the phone), but yeah I probably wouldn't say "OK Google, remind me to do something at 2" out and about.

I was thinking more:

 

OK Google, text my wife - "Hi Snookums, can you pick up the cream from the pharmacy on your way home? OK, love you loads, bye"

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I was thinking more:

 

OK Google, text my wife - "Hi Snookums, can you pick up the cream from the pharmacy on your way home? OK, love you loads, bye"

 

That's why I ask that kind of thing in a foreign language.

 

I did send a voice message while walking down Oxford Street last week to someone in Italian asking the proper verb to use for masturbation ("do" or "have"). As it turns out you essentially say "I need to do a wank to myself".

 

Also "wank" in Italian is "sega".

 

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I never use voice commands. I just feel awkward using them, and I really hate when a phone customer service system makes you say stuff instead of pressing buttons.

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Having experienced both your accents first-hand, I'm finding something hard to believe here :p

 

Haha, I'm also very surprised. Echo works far better than Siri. Scottish accents generally don't work with voice commands.

 

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