Like everyone else, I drift farther and farther into the various ecosystems that make, sell or manage my technology. I still have this idea that I can purchase what I want if I have the money, but technology moves the other way – so many decisions involving our technology, from computers to software to cell phones, are not in our hands or under our control. Yesterday I called AT&T. I confess to still being loyal to companies – I so clearly remember when AT&T was one of the great companies on the earth – even when they are no longer loyal to me. A nice man named Brian helped me sort out the various text messaging plans and then said he had good news for me. I was eligible for an update. I could get a new cellphone for as little as 99 cents or as much as $200.
“Hey, great news,” I shouted to Maria. I am eligible for an update! Finally, I could get Siri on my cell. I flirted with various cell phones, but had my heart set on Siri, so much so that Maria said she was starting to get a little jealous. Lord, I thought, can you get in trouble with voice recognition software? Maria volunteered to get me a new cell for Christmas and we went to Glens Falls to meet with Mike, our AT&T adviser. Red came in and greeted each of the salespeople and customers in the store. A woman told me she had five Pit Bulls and a border collie and I told her I wished peace and compassion for her. The security guard at AT&T said he loves Siri and calls her up and asks her how to dispose of dead bodies. She jokes with him, he says she doesn’t rattle. He didn’t say he was kidding, but I could see he was. Red loved him.
Mike is nice, knowledgeable and fun. He gave us a half dozen new cell phone options, sold me a Bluetooth speaker for my car and office, showed us where the spiffy new Iphone cases were, and walked Maria and I through our various options, and there were many various options. Maria is eligible for an upgrade too, but Mike suggested that I simply delete the date in my existing phone and give it to her. A free upgrade for her, she is sensible and mature, and has no interest in Siri at all.
It turns out (no surprise here) that all of this cost closer to $500 than $200 but I introduced myself to Siri in the car. She gave me the forecast, the shortest route home, she texted two people, took me to my daughter’s website, called two friends. She understood me well and was professional and helpful. To be honest, she exceeded my expectations. I will use her to text, make calls, remind me of the day’s appointments, keep my schedule, maybe take some photos (the camera on the Iphone does panorama shots). I suspect I will use the Iphone more and the Ipad less. What Siri does for me is turn the small device into a large device. The size doesn’t matter much anymore.
More and more I see these technologies coming into our lives, and my life will not be as quiet or simple as I keep saying I want it to be. This is the challenge, for me, and I am thinking on it. This phone is a remarkable piece of technology and can manage my information in a number of ways that will help me, including Siri. It is much easier to talk a message through her than type on on those small screens. That is the boundary, I think, to see it is an information management device, and not as a handheld amusement park. I’ll keep you posted. I love Siri, but I don’t really need to joke or flirt with her or try and upset her. Real women are better.