SIRI, a voice recognition and natural language processing software that is integrated with iOS, has become part of Steve Jobs’ final legacy. SIRI was a brainchild of SRI International. Menlo Ventures, Morgenthaler, and Hong Kong financier Lee Ka-Shing’s family money bankrolled until Apple bought it in April 2010. We could have seen Android or BlackBerry version of SIRI, but Apple didn’t continue after acquisition. Alternatively, there are fairly well-functioning voice recognition tools that I occasionally use when I drive or just for fun on my Android device. Though, SIRI’s self-learning capability and Jobs’ magic touch make all difference.
I travel a lot and often work on a remote site. With widely available free WIFI and LTE connectivity, I don’t have to run around to get a wireless signal. However, I have to plug in somewhere to recharge. Battery capacity and power efficiency often rank up top buying factors for me. My ASUS net book can run for 11 hours in theory. My HTC and BlackBerry devices are separately carried for my data and voice communication usage along with extra batteries. I do everything wirelessly except for power recharge. Biggest reason for me being temped for old Kindle was fairly generous battery scheme. Though, Kindle Fire gave it up in order to obtain better user interface and more versatile functionality.
So, what do we hope to see after SIRI as a major shift in portable smart device? One of my top wish list is changes in power consumption and recharge scheme. Computing power, wide LCD screen, fantastic user interface, bolstering wireless communication, and varieties of Apps are all great. Though, I would like to see more innovative change in power. There are 4 major trends to hit this:
• Higher capacity battery (but smaller in size)
• Low energy consumption design
• Alternative energy source (other than traditional lithium-ion or polymer)
• Wireless energy recharge
Short distance wireless charging like PowerMat is a great stepping stone. However, we’d like to see more distant recharge innovation like Mr. Nikola Tesla envisioned 100 years ago. Better yet, how about portable device that runs for a week or a month on moderate use without charging it. It can make our smart “portable” life more exciting but less burdensome.
Noble Ambition 