Once in a while, a technology company introduces a product or feature that not only makes using technology easier, it may actually improve your quality of life. Yes, I admit that's a very lofty setup for what was announced yesterday by Apple, but I sincerely believe that some of these new features will, indeed, make life just a little easier.
iOS 5
I originally wrote about many of the new features in iOS 5 in June (click here to read that recap) such as the new notification system, iMessage, location-aware reminders, and the new camera (if none of those things made sense, go back and read the recap :)). iOS 5 will be available on October 12 on nearly all iOS devices (both iPads, iPod touch 3 & 4, iPhone 3GS, 4 & upcoming 4S). So far, while most of the announced features make using iOS devices easier, they won't necessarily make your life better. Two new features, though, will make iOS 5 an incredibly useful tool.
Cards
Cards is a new app (although it won't be limited to iOS 5) where you can print and mail your very own, custom made and personalized greeting cards. For $2.99, Apple will print and mail your card to whomever you like, to anywhere in the US ($4.99 to anywhere in the world). Further, when the card is delivered, the sender will receive a notification. While this concept isn't new, I think its streamlined process will make sending physical cards really easy. Imagine: a family member's birthday or anniversary is coming up in a week. You get a reminder, and send a card, right from your iOS device. Cool.
Find My Friends
Raise your hand if you've ever been in this scenario: you're at a large event with a lot of people and your friend gets lost and needs to find you. Or, maybe, on the way to visit you, your friend calls and says "we're lost, and we have no idea where we are." With "Find My Friends," you use the GPS built into the phone to see exactly where your friends are. You can set it up so you're always sharing your location with your friends or you can share it for a limited amount of time. To apply it to the first example, you can set it up so that your friends will be able to see your location for as long as you're at the event. To apply the feature to the second example, you can request that your friend temporarily share their location so you can give them directions to your place. Or, alternatively, you can just get some new friends that won't get lost all the time! But seriously, I believe this feature will significantly improve the quality of life for many people.
iPhone 4S
A lot of people thought this would be the iPhone 5. It's not. This new phone is to the iPhone 4 what the iPhone 3GS was to the iPhone 3G: mostly a speed increase. It includes the same new processor as the iPad 2, it's a CDMA/GSM phone, meaning that it is a truly global phone, its antenna allows for super fast data speeds, its got a new 8 megapixel camera, but what I've mentioned so far only helps you interact with technology. So far, this would seem like an evolutionary, not revolutionary update. And then they introduced us to Siri.
Siri
Siri is so awesome, it must come with a disclaimer: it will only be available on iPhone 4S. If you currently own an iPhone (i.e., something other than an iPhone 4S), it looks like this feature will not be available to you. I give this disclaimer because when I told Sarah about Siri, she got really excited and then really mad at me that I didn't start by saying that it wouldn't be available for her current iPhone. Love you, Sarah!
Siri is a voice-activated assistant that uses natural language to give you incredibly smart answers to your questions or complete complex tasks. For example, when people ask about the weather, they really want to know how it will affect their day. So, you can ask Siri, "Do I need an umbrella?" and it will answer, "Looks like it will rain today." Or ask, "What time is it in Paris?" and it will answer, "The time in Paris, France is 6:45 PM." You can also use Siri for accomplishing tasks, such as "Wake me up at 6 AM tomorrow." And it will set your alarm. Ask, "Find a great greek restaurant in La Jolla," and it will come up with the top 25 Yelp rated greek restaurants in La Jolla. You can use it to check, set, and move calendar appointments (For example, "Do I have a meeting at 4?" "Yes, you are meeting with Sarah about Talmud at 4." "Move it to 5." "Your meeting with Sarah about Talmud has been changed to 5." IT EVEN UNDERSTANDS THE CONTEXT OF THE CONVERSATION!). You can use it to create geolocation aware reminders, such as "Remind me to call my mother when I leave school." And when I leave school, I will get a reminder that I need to call my mother. You can use Siri to search Wikipedia. You can use Siri to get directions (i.e.: "Get me home"). You can use Siri to play music. Use it to read you your text messages or emails, and then use it to respond (which will be great for hands-free texting in the car). Use it to check stock prices. Or, you can use it to make calls. But seriously, who uses a smartphone to make and take calls anymore?! Also, you can use Siri's technology to dictate text anywhere in the iPhone's system where you would normally use a keyboard. This is similar to the Android system, but knowing Apple, they really made it work really well.
The iPhone 4S will be available on October 14.
Thoughts
The combination of Siri and Find My Friends alone make the iPhone 4S an incredible tool. These features embody what good technology does: it will improve your quality of life. Am I excited for this release? Absolutely. Will I get it when I get back to the States? Maybe. It will really depend on the rumors regarding when the iPhone 5 will be announced. The latest rumors are saying third quarter of next year, so basically a year from now. If you're ready for an iPhone upgrade, though, this is an incredible machine.
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