Like many Mac users , I ’m excited about Mountain Lion , the young translation of OS X that Apple enunciate will arrive late summertime of this class . But as activated as I am about the update , which lend a slew of iOS features and apps ( inluding Reminders , Notes , Notification Center , and iMessaging ) to the Mac , I ’m also a bit discomfited that Apple has n’t yet harbinger any forthcoming Mac livelihood for another standout feature of its mobile political platform — Siri .
Some postulate that Apple ’s hesitancy to deploy Siri on the Mac ( or any machine beisdes theiPhone 4S ) may link to microphone technology ; I do n’t grease one’s palms it . I retrieve Apple ’s holding off on Siri integration either to actuate upgrades or to limit overall Siri adoption — the table service is still in beta and occasionally stomach downtime .
But whatever the reason , I hope Apple changes its thinking quickly . I ’m a fan of Siri on my iPhone , and I can imagine plenitude of shipway Siri could deliver awesomeness on the Mac .
How it might work
Apple wo n’t and should n’t add a devoted Siri key to any Mac keyboard . rather , the fellowship could repurpose an existing keystone — much as it did with the iPhone ’s menage clitoris to spark Voice Control and after Siri itself .
I could suppose holding down either a single changer key ( Fn , Shift , Control , Option , or Command ) for a couple seconds could set off Siri . Perhaps hold up down a drug user - configurable combining of those key — say , Control and Command — could get Siri listening after a second or two .
There ’s some precedent for such functionality . Visit the Speech dose of System Preferences , and you may configure your Mac to listen for certain specific commands when you give down a certain key . ( The nonpayment is Escape . ) But the presently built - in Speech support is comically restrain when compared to Siri : It greet only a very specific set of precisely speak command ; it requires leaving the Speech mike floating window onscreen at all times ; it lack much of Siri ’s ability ; and it ’s broadly incapable of contextualizing your teaching . ( Think of when you distinguish Siri to schedule a monitor , it does , and then you say , “ Change that to 2:30pm tomorrow . ” Siri knows you ’re still talking about the new reminder , and acts suitably . Speech ca n’t handle anything like that , with the exception — really — of properly handling knock - whack joke . )
As on the iPhone , I ’d have a bun in the oven Siri to be accessible regardless of what I was doing on my Mac . Whether I ’m running a full - CRT screen app , a traditional app , or in the center of an Open dialogue box , the keyboard cutoff should instigate Siri to go listen . And unlike Speech , Siri should only appear onscreen when I summon it .
What it could do
First off , Siri on the Mac should care nearly any task that Siri on the iPhone can handle . inquiry about the weather or broth should work , and could probably come out the relate Dashboard widgets we all have it off , lovemaking , and never visit .
programing appointment , setting reminders , summate tone , and sending emails and iMessages should all work , too ; the necessary corresponding apps are all part of Mountain Lion . desegregation with iTunes , Safari , and Wolfram Alpha should n’t be a problem , either . I ’m unforced to give Siri for a Mac a offer on successfully placing earpiece calls , though .
Even well , however , would be more systemwide integrations ( including some thatI’d love to see come along on the iPhone , too ): the ability to launch , switch to , and close apps ; an pick to execute spotlight searches for apps , folder , and document ; the ability to compose and send tweet ; and a means for third - party to integrate with Siri , too . Again , some of this functionality — specifically the unity related to launching , quitting , and switching between apps — already survive with Speech . It ’s cleared Apple has the technology .
And , of course , there ’s written text . Apple has never been hesitant to bid built - in competition to survive third - party apps , and while I ’m sure the folks at Nuance would n’t appreciate an O - stage recording table service , I ’m equally confident that Apple ’s client reallywould .
opine spark off Siri in any box that you could type in on your Mac , and just dictating instead . While it ’s true that the iPhone 4S ’s transcription is n’t without its flaws , it can be a literal timesaver in certain situation . type on the Mac is measurably easier than typing on the iPhone ’s touchscreen keyboard , but even accomplished touch - typist can benefit from dictating on occasion .
Mic check
Might the Mac ’s built - in mike be a confine broker ? I ’m not sure . It ’s true that the iPhone 4S — the only Apple twist that currently supports Siri — sports two microphone , using one for noise - cancellation . But Speech on the Mac today act upon adequately with the built - in mic . And Siri on the 4S does n’t require that you put the phone closely to your face ; I almost exclusively utilise the feature article with my phone nearly arm ’s length away from my look . In a pinch , I ’ll involve my daughter to hold down the Home push , and then I ’ll issue my order to Siri from across the room .
Nuance ’s dictation software strongly suggests that you use a headset mic , but I suspect that Apple could find a way to make Siri on the Mac piece of work adequately with the built - in microphone in current Macs .
Siri, show up on my Mac
I have it off some iPhone 4S owners who never apply Siri . I am not one of them . It take some mental allowance to grow habitual to issuing vocal commands to your telephone set . But now that I ’ve overcome the wont , it ’s both instinctual and quicker totellmy phone to schedule a reminder , lay a timer , or send an iMessage than to make it happen with my finger .
I imagine get habitual to using Siri on the Mac would take some time , too . I ’m willing to put in the effort , though , because I already see how much fourth dimension it saves on my iPhone , and how much joyfulness the service brings . All I need now is for Apple to summate the functionality in Mountain Lion .
[ Lex Friedmanis a stave writer for Macworld . ]
