[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlm_Dg4B09Q[/youtube]
Most of those who have tested Apple's Siri system have come to the conclusion that for now the software implemented by the company in iOS 5 is mostly useless. I said in the iPhone 4S review that Siri can be useful and that in general Siri is a more beautiful method of searching the web using the Wolfram Alpha system. Practically Siri is related to Wolfram Alpha because through this search engine it finds answers to more complicated questions asked by users.
In the video clip above we have a short demonstration of how to generate a secure password with Siri, how to find out the morse code for an expression, how to search for a color by a code plus much more . I come back and say that Siri can turn into a very useful personal assistant, but only to the extent that users ask the right questions. Below you have some commands used to get the information from the clip and based on them you can configure others for other answers:
- Roll a Random Number. Say "Wolfram, random integer." Wolfram returns a random value between 0 and 1000. "Wolfram, random number" provides a 0 to 1 floating point value.
- Look up nature facts. Say, "Wolfram, what is the scientific name of a mountain lion?" It's Puma concolor. Rabbits are Leporidae, and Peacocks, Galliformes.
- Check upcoming holidays. Say, "How many days until Thanksgiving?" This returns both the number of days as well as a helpful calendar so you can chart out the time until then.
- Create a secure password. Say "Wolfram, password." Wolfram generates a difficult-to-crack 8-character password. Scroll down for alternates. If you need a longer password, you can append these together.
- Convert text to Morse code. Say, "What is Morse code for horsefeathers?" You'll see the entire sequence laid out for your tapping pleasure.
- Check your diet. Say, "How many calories in a small apple?" Wolfram will tell you that there are 75.
- Ask out about time zones. Say, "Wolfram, what is the local time in Jakarta?"
- Query about your chances. Say, "Wolfram, what is the probability of a full house?" For a random five-card hand, it's apparently 1 in 694.
- Have fun with pop culture. Say, "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?" or "Wolfram, who shot the sheriff?"
- Visualize colors. Okay, I've saved the best for last. If you work with colors, this can save you a lot of time. Say, “Wolfram pound sign E 9 7 4 5 1″ (for Burnt Sienna / Tangerine) or “Wolfram pound sign 2 9 AB 8 7″ (for Jungle Green). This will also convert the colors to RGB values and look up closely-matching brand colors from Benjamin Moore. Make sure to scroll down to catch all the helpful information.
