iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

The free app from RIM I'm most eagerly awaiting to try out is Vlingo Plus, normally $19.99.

The description sounds a lot like the Siri ads, saying in part:
And they post a review snippet from the Wall Street Journal - who generally aren't impressed with "techie cool" stuff, just things that really work:
Has anyone used Vlingo or Siri - or preferably both and can comment on how good or bad Vlingo is and how it compares to Siri?

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

The two are similar in a sense that they accept voice input.
However, they are very different in the way they operate.

Vlingo will accept specific voice commands.

Siri is contextual, and will accept anything you say to it and it will interpret the request on its own. It understands intent, which makes it far more advanced than Vlingo. Basically, You can speak to it naturally, rather than sounding like a robot.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Well, the Vlingo description makes it sound like its contextual and understands intent - a 'la the examples I noted: "Text John; What's up?" or "find italian restaurants" or even "update Facebook; I'm on a boat!" Those three things are very different, and will require three very different apps to be invoked - and don't sound very "robot-ish", to me at least.

(Not arguing, just trying to understand.)

One thing I think will be crucial is how accurate the voice recognition is for each app - I have a bit of a background (years ago) and from what I can tell both are "speaker independent" vs. "speaker dependent" voice recognition, which is much harder to do accurately. I don't know for sure that they're speaker independent though. Speaker dependent would require a significant training exercise for each user before the app could be used though.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Yep. Siri is pretty incredible. I had the app on my iPhone 3GS and 4 and loved it. It worked very, very well and understood just about anything I said no matter how I said it. I can only imagine how much better it is now that it's embedded into the OS.

Tell Vlingo "I'm locked out." and see if it understands what you mean.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

I just downloaded Vlingo and I have to say it is very similar to Siri. I can say just about anything and it works. I need to test a bit more, but Vlingo looks promising.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Ian--I'm thinking about downloading Vlingo and wonder if it works with Bluetooth. Have you tried it use it in your car and if so, are you running your bluetooth through your radio speakers like I am (MBZ 09' E350-blue tooth dependant on radio being on)? Most of the other programs do not work with bluetooth even though they say they do. BTW, I"m using a Torch 9810 OS7.
Thanks!
Semper Fi 5/1968

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

I never tried it on the way home. I will give it a shot in the morning. And Semper Fi.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Hey guys, don't download and pay $19.99, RIM has listed Vlingo Plus as one of the apps they'll be giving away free over the next few weeks. Of course, there is a limited version available for free, could play with that one for now.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Yep. Using the limited version for now. Waiting for the paid freebie.

JCHCIS, Vlingo does work with bluetooth, but not via in-car bluetooth systems, it seems. At least that's what I'm experiencing with mine. Download the free version and give it a shot. Perhaps it will work in your vehicle.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Magic bananas to Vlingo
Why frankly I'm drunk
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

I just told Vlingo "I'm locked out" like in the Siri commercial. While Vlingo understood I wanted a locksmith, it just gave me a Google search for locksmith. That didn't help. Siri, on the other hand, would have given me a list of locksmiths in my area. Much more useful. In my short testing I would say that Siri is more capable and polished.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Hmm, the google mobile search app I use frequently on my BB is location-enabled, so a google search for locksmiths (or italian restaurants, or...) WILL give me a list of those establishments closest to me. Are you sure you got a results list without regard to location? Might depend on whether you have Google Mobile installed and whether Vlingo (or Vlingo Plus) is "aware" of the Google Mobile app - like its obviously from the examples aware of FaceBook, for instance.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Yeah, I'm sure. Not only did I get generic results for locksmiths, I also got results for forums, eHow, etc. Definitely not useful. While this was a Google search page, it was contained within the Vlingo app.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

OK, I went ahead and installed the free Vlingo and started playing with it too. You're right, if you tell it "I'm locked out", that's what you get. On the other hand, if I say "locksmiths in McKinney" (my Dallas suburb) then I get back distance-ordered locksmith results. Except for wow-factor, having to say "locksmiths McKinney" rather than "I'm locked out" for good results, doesn't seem like like it should be a big problem, for anyone smart enough to use the phone in the first place. After all, if I'm sitting at my computer and call up google, I'm not going to type in "I have a flat tire", I'm going to type in "automobile tires" or "auto towing" and let it give me the distance-ordered results from my current location.

Based on Apple's commercial and the "I'm locked out" result it shows, its better at interpreting conversation. So far though, I'm reasonably impressed with Vlingo's capability for fairly sophisticated everyday voice usage.

EDIT: Don't even need the "McKinney" to get back good results - it is "location aware" so simply saying "locksmith" gives very good results.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

True, Vlingo isn't bad. Siri is just on a different level. Siri is much easier to use because you don't have to think about what you want to say. Just say it, and Siri will figure it out. Nevertheless, when RIM finally gets around to releasing Vlingo Plus for free (what in the world is taking so long for RIM to release these apps anyway), I'll definitely be adding it to my collection.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

We're basically in agreement, Siri is on a different level. I'd argue, though, that its not really "much easier to use" because honestly, if I'm locked out, the first thing that would occur to me to say to either app would be "locksmith", not "I'm locked out." If my car quits on the road, the first thing I'll think to say would be "towing service", not "my car quit" (and I'm not sure Siri would handle that correctly anyway - wonder if it would summon towing, auto repair shops, or what?

Siri's on a whole different level with respect to wow factor. But for everyday usability and productivity, Vlingo is awfully close though - for me.

I already have enhancement thoughts/requests - it would be nice to have options to make it aware of other apps.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

I havent used Siri but my wife (brazilian) has a IPhone 4S and she likes it very much, not because its functional but she finds it funny. Something I've noticed is that even thought she has a great English, Siri hardly understands her accent and to get it to work properly she has to talk robotish with it. In the end, I have a laugh, I should try Vlingo and see how it works.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

One thing to be aware with Siri is it works even when the phone is locked. So if you lose your iPhone 4S and it's locked, someone finding it can still use Siri unless you've turned it off.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Only if you allow it to be enabled while the device is locked.

Just for clarity, you don't need to have Siri completely turned off.
You just need to have it disabled while the device is locked. There's a setting for that.

Re: iPhone's new Siri vs. Vlingo Plus for BlackBerry?
 

Having played with Vlingo a bit now, it "learns" and adapts to your voice the longer you use it. For me, seemed to be pretty good even at first install, but if it gets it wrong, then you can make a few clicks (touches) and tell it what you were trying to do, and it learns from that. Technically, it starts out as speaker-independent voice recognition, but becomes more speaker-dependent as it tailors itself to your voice over time.