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4 Best Siri Alternatives for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch

by Mahesh Kukreja on November 12, 2011

This is a guest post! If you want to write for us, check out the Guest Post section.

As you know, Siri is like an iPhone geek’s best friend. You can talk to it and it replies. It is a really awesome voice-command feature. When I was playing with an iPhone 4S, I just loved to talk to her. I asked her “Is it going to rain?” and even some silly questions such as “Do you have a mom?” Siri was amazing.

The bad news is, this feature is only available for the iPhone 4S. So here I’ve listed some of the best alternatives to Siri. Although these apps aren’t as cool as Siri, they’re still good alternatives. And all of these are free applications; and they run on iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch.

1. Dragon Go

Dragon Go - 1 Dragon Go - 2 Dragon Go - 3

Dragon Go searches the content from best websites. This app uses 180 popular content providers to deliver results, including AccuWeather, Bing, ESPN, Facebook, Pandora, Rotten Tomatoes, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yelp, YouTube, and Yahoo!. The best result is shown in the center while alternatives are shown in form of tabs.

It also makes use of installed apps like Maps to provide the results. Like you can say, “Directions to Hotel Victor Palace” and Dragon Go will open the Maps app on your iDevice and show you the directions. It can also play Music on the native Music app present in iOS 5 (or on the iPod app in pre iOS 5).

2. Vlingo

Vlingo - 1 Vlingo - 2 Vlingo - 3

Vlingo is another alternative to Siri. I’ve found no other app that does a better job. Just speak to Vlingo and it will help you search up something; update your Facebook status, or text your friends. Vlingo uses Google to search your questions. To update Twitter & Facebook status, you must login into the accounts from within the app. The voice recognition done by Vlingo is quite good.

You can say things like “Text Bob, Message buy milk” or “Search how to tie a tie” and Vlingo will do it for you. This app does a good job for doing what Siri does, but it’s not interactive like Siri. But it’s free and you can try it out.

3. Google Search

Google Search - 1 Google Search - 2 Google Search - 3

Search with Google using your voice. You can search the web, images, videos, products, nearby restaurants and any other Google products. Just ask Google to search something and it will search it for you—it saves some time typing in your search query. Google Search also provides Visual search with Goggles feature.

The results provided are instant. But local results are not provided directly. You need to click “Use location” in the app.

4. Dragon Dictation

Dragon Dictation - 1 Deagon Dictation - 2 Dragon Dictation - 3

Dragon Dictation is an easy to use voice to text app. It turns your voice into words. You just speak in it, and it writes down what you say. In fact, it’s a lot faster than typing the words out. If Dragon dictation did not write down what you said, you can edit it with the keyboard. Then you can email, SMS, or Facebook what you said.

It doesn’t help you get local searches or any information. Dragon Dictation just converts the speech to text. But I think the app is really cool, because you can save time when you want to compose email, SMS or anything else. Just speak & the app will type it for you.

If you know any other Siri alternatives, please share below.

Author Bio

Max Wei is the owner of his blog iPod Touch Jailbreaking Info. He launched this blog to help others get information about jailbreaking. If you would like to contact him or request a post, you can email him at max5429 at gmail dot com Visit his blog at http://ipodtouchjailbreakinginfo.blogspot.com

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Along with hidden Panorama mode, Apple has also added Android-like Autocorrect Keyboard bar in iOS 5. But it’s hidden and must be enabled by editing keyboard.plist file. This hack works on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPad 2 & iPod Touch 4G running iOS 5.

The method is discovered by iOS hacker @SonnyDickson. He has posted the original guide on his Posterous. The procedure is easy and it doesn’t require jailbreaking your iDevice.

How To Enable Android-like Autocorrect Keyboard Bar in iOS 5 Without Jailbreaking?

1. Backup your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch in iTunes

2. Download & install iBackupBot on Windows or Mac

3. Run iBackupBot and it’ll show your iDevice backup

4. Locate Library/Preferences/com.apple.keyboard.plist and double click it. The file will open up in a text editor

5. Add the following code: <key>KeyboardAutocorrectionLists</key><string>YES</string>

6. Save the file & restore the backup via iTunes or from iBackupBot itself

Now once the restore is complete, you’ll see an Android-like autocorrect bar above the keyboard

Enable Android-like autocorrect keyboard bar in iOS 5

If you face any questions or difficulties while activating the autocorrect bar, feel free to ask below.

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I love playing games on my iPhone 4. And here I have compiled a list of top 6 games for this month. The games are compatible with iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch.

1. Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots

Price: $0.99 & $1.99 for HD

Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots is a sequel to Fruit Ninja game for iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad. Fruit Ninja was featured in top iPhone games for July 2011. The original game is quite good. Puss in Boots is an app-movie mashup game. This version feature two modes: Desperado & Bandito. The Desperado mode is the classic mode which we’ve already played in the original game. Bandito is the all new version included in the game, which is quite cool. You must play through random challenges in a limited time with just three lives.

Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots’ iPhone & iPod Touch version costs $0.99 whereas the HD version for iPad is available for $1.99.

2. Cover Orange

Price: $0.99 & $1.99 for HD

Cover OrangeCover Orange is the next best addictive game after Angry Birds. It has been downloaded over 5 million times. The goal of Cover Orange is to drag various objects to create barriers for protecting oranges from the acid rain. The gameplay consists of about 260 levels and the graphics are quite good.

Cover Orange for iPhone & iPod Touch is available for $0.99 & the iPad HD version costs $1.99

3. Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation

Price: $6.99

Modern Combat 3: Fallen NationSo you like to play shooting games? Here’s your chance to play one on your Apple iDevice. According to IGN, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is the best First Person Shooter (FPS) game available in Apple’s App Store. The single player mode gives you 13 missions with 4 difficult modes and different types of gameplays including escort, destroy, helicopter, 4×4 chase, etc.

In multiplayer mode, 12 players can play at the same time. 6 maps are available currently for the multi-player mode. Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is available for $6.99 for iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad.

4. Real Racing 2

Price: $4.99 & $6.99 for HD

Real Racing 2The only game, I feel, that stands a competition to Need for Speed’s series is Real Racing. The original Real Racing won Apple Design Award at WWDC last year. Real Racing 2 meets up all the expectations that a sequel must provide. In this new version, 16 cars compete against each other in a single race. The graphics are also quite amazing. And, if you own the new iPhone 4S or an iPad 2, you can play this amazing game on your HD TV via AirPlay mirroring feature of iOS 5. The game also provides multi-player functionality.

The iPhone/iPod Touch version of Real Racing 2 is available for $4.99 & the iPad HD version is for $6.99.

5. Stupidness 3

Price: Free & $0.99

Stupidness 3If you’ve earlier played Stupidness 1 & Stupidness 2, then you’ll surely love this installment of Stupidness, i.e. Stupidness 3. Even if you’ve not played the earlier versions & love tricky & creative questions, then you must try out this game. The game is available in two versions: free & paid. The free version comes with 35 levels & the paid or pro version comes with 100 levels. If you want to just try the game, go for the free version. I’m sure you’ll love the game.

6. Zombie Highway

Price: $0.99

Zombie HighwayZombie Highway is a fun game. The goal of the game is to just keep driving and survive when zombies attack you and want to eat your brains out. You, as a driver, are heavily armored & you can use the weapons to shoot the zombies. The aim of zombies is to tilt your car. And, they won’t let go off your car very easy. That’s the fun in the game. The gameplay consists of 3 cars & 13 games. Zombie Highway is available for $0.99 in the App Store.

Know any other good games? Share with us in comments section.

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The Future of Siri on the iPhone

by Mahesh Kukreja on October 26, 2011

This is a guest post! If you want to write for us, check out the Guest Post section.

The star of the new iPhone 4S is Siri, the all-knowing, all-doing, voice-controlled personal assistant. The first reviews have come in and they say that Siri is nothing short of impressive. What makes this even better is that this is only the first iteration of Siri on iOS, and Apple even labeled Siri as still in beta mode.

As you can imagine, Siri is here to stay in Apple products, and, if Apple hasn’t already proved this in the forward-thinking progression of its other products, Siri will surely be improved upon and be given more functionality in the future.

Siri on iPhone

So, where could Siri be headed and what other improvements could it see?

More information databases

Currently, it seems the most remarkable uses of Siri come from its ability to quickly find information. For example, you can have it check the weather for you, find nearby Italian restaurants, and provide tons of facts. All of this is possible because Siri can connect to Wikipedia, Wolfram Alpha, and Yelp databases.

Integration with other databases to broaden what Siri can find and do for you would be excellent. For example, I can imagine Siri being able to look up movie times, and going so far as to adding two adult and two child tickets, leading you up to a checkout or payment screen. On a similar note, what about asking what show or movie you are watching on TV, or when the next time Jersey Shore is on? I will also bet you’ll be able to look up products in Amazon, Best Buy, and other leading retailers’ databases.

Further app integration

Siri does not work with every native iOS app and I’ve seen grumblings across the web asking for support in modifying settings within the phone, like changing the screen brightness, changing a ringtone, turning off notifications, etc. It’d be neat if you could ask Siri to make your battery last longer and your phone would automatically adjust certain settings to optimize battery life.

Right now, Siri only works with the default apps that come on the iPhone. I hope that third-party apps will gain Siri integration. If anything, I’d want to be able to control major, popular apps, like Facebook and Twitter. “Go to Jason’s profile, “Write ‘what are you doing this weekend?’ on Alex’s wall,” or “Tweet ‘Happy Halloween!’” would only be the beginning. More complicated commands, like “Post this link on Jack’s wall,” or “Share this link on Twitter,” would also be awesome.

Some day, we’ll probably be able to ask Siri to check our bank or credit card balance too. Who knows, maybe, we’ll even be able to ask it to add movies to our Netflix queue, and play Words with Friends with Siri’s help.

Other Apple products

Siri’s functionality is limited to the iPhone 4S right now, but in the future it should be brought to iPads, iPod touches, and Mac laptops and desktops. Some people, especially the physically challenged, would benefit greatly from Siri on traditional laptops and desktop computers. I’m guessing Apple TV support is also probably in the works.

Lastly, it’d be wonderful if you could change Siri’s name to create a more personalized experience. Surely, every iPhone doesn’t need to be called Siri!
Expect updates to Siri sooner, rather than later, so Apple can really push the popularity of its new feature.
Your turn: How do you want Siri to grow? Can you imagine any other uses? Feel free to comment below.

About the author

Paul works in the marketing department at Cliq Studios, the online supplier of kitchen cabinets including shaker cabinets, and is a blogger, social media enthusiast, and Apple aficionado.

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