Boring Vision Pro Reviews | Robot Butlers | Omnidirectional Floors

Siri Might Be Less Stupider

Siri is so stupid it has become an in-car game to ask it questions it should know the answer to but doesn’t. We literally use its own ineptness to humiliate it for our own mirth.

But soon, according to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple will bring generative AI to iOS. While part of me hopes this manifests as an AI boost for everything but Siri, just for it to further endure as the laughing stock, it seems very likely that Siri will be the first place Apple’s new ability will exist.

As someone locked into Apple’s walled garden – having thrown away the key myself – I am excited by this. I was thrilled by the prospect of improved autocorrecting last iOS round, and this will probably be even better than that, and especially once Apple have successfully convinced me that this isn’t any old AI, this is Apple AI, and by implication not only better but somehow also first.

Tim Cook’s lot have been meandering around the area for a good few years now but I do wonder if there haven’t been some meetings post-OpenAI’s launch that involved words like “go faster” and “I don’t care” and “laughing stock”.

Create A Podcast (Humans Optional)

Often my least favourite thing about a podcast is the people presenting. Their voice might grate or they can’t quite get their words out goodly or they’re just constantly interrupting their more interesting guest.

I think someone at Wondercraft might have had similar experiences because they have been motivated to build software that enables the creation of podcasts and audiobooks without the need for pesky humans.

Launched this month, and with very reasonable pricing, Wondercraft can create everything from script to voice and even video. The folk behind it, some from Spotify and Palantir no less, managed to win $3m in funding recently, so it seems like people are ready to believe in human-free podcasts.

Truthfully, though, this feels to me like software that will find a home somewhere but I can’t imagine a lot of people are too desperate to listen to robot voices have a chat.

Walking Not Yet Available

Yes, yes, yes. This.

We can do nothing about the weight and size of VR headsets. Time will have to fix that. But now, thanks to Disney’s research labs, we are closer to solving the problem of having to move in VR environments by either using a controller or flailing your arms like an orangutang desperately milking a cow.

Termed the HoloTile Floor, the omnidirectional treadmill is designed to enable users to walk for as long as they want without ever really moving. Proper walking too, not weird on-the-spot walking. (Well, maybe somewhere in between).

The demonstration (about three minutes into the video) does it for me. Yes, it’s cool that it can move heavy things around. And yes, it’s great that more than one person can use it at the same time. But quite obviously this is about a more radical immersion into VR worlds, where space to explore isn’t confined by bad controls and the size of your living room.

Right now my options for a walk are country lanes, town, trails, the odd hill, and maybe a beach if I wanted to drive to one. But I would much rather do 10,000 steps in Tattooine. Or take a stroll through Metropolis. Or Gotham if I’m feeling brave. Oh, or Ancient Egypt! Or Mars!

Want.

Some People Will Do Anything To Avoid Chores

I suppose Roomba was only ever the start. Toyota, and I’m sure others, are teaching robots how to do housework by having them copy humans. There’s a good write up on Wired about it but I mean that is pretty much all there is to know.

I would love a robot servant. I think I have been left severely disappointed by at least three previous robot purchases and it’s almost always because my expectations were too high. My hopes, though, are never going to reduce – technology is simply going to have to figure it out. I want my robot butler to attend my funeral and people to offer it their condolences.

Hurry up, Toyota.

Vision Pro Reviews Are Boring

The green-eyed monster doth mock the meat it feeds on and all that but the Vision Pro reviews have just landed and I am finding it mildly depressing.

The biggest tech company in the world has just entered a new category, invested a ton of money into it, and made something that’s apparently very impressive. So naturally a lot of words are being spent talking about (a) Apple’s business strategy, and (b) the device’s weight.

I couldn't get past the first 500 words of The Verge’s review. I mean, Jesus.

I think sometimes consumer journalism can be so focussed with the Ps of marketing that it forgets to indulge in the wonder. The Vision Pro is a historic moment, where the most famous brand marks are suddenly three-dimensional and across 360 degrees, and where you can take photos you can walk through. It’s the start of something amazing.

All of that said, I like the Tom’s Guide review a lot. Full disclosure: I know the author. He’s lovely.