Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Just where does Siri get that information? By tapping into Location Services and seeking answers
from the web using sources such as Bing, Wikipedia, Yelp, Yahoo!, Open Table, Twitter, and Wol-
framAlpha, which you can learn more about in the nearby sidebar.
And Siri on the iPad mini can open apps — Apple's own as well as third-party apps. Indeed, from
your contacts, Siri might be able to identify your spouse, co-workers, and friends, as well as know-
ing where you live. You might ask, “How do I get home from here?”, and Siri will fire up Maps to
help you on your way. Or you can ask, “Find a good Italian restaurant near Barbara's house,” and
Siri will serve up a list, sorted by Yelp rating. Using Open Table, Siri can even make a restaurant re-
servation.
Siri requires Internet access. A lot of factors go into accuracy, including surrounding
noises and unfamiliar accents. And you also need to be comfortable with the fact that Apple
is recording what you say.
Making your iPad mini (and other computers) really
smart
Chances are you haven't heard of WolframAlpha. But if you want to know the gross domestic product
of France or find events that happened on the day you were born, WolframAlpha can deliver such
facts. You don't search the web per se on WolframAlpha as you would using a service such as
Google. WolframAlpha describes itself as a “new way to get knowledge . . . by doing dynamic compu-
tations based on a vast collection of built-in data, algorithms, and methods.” It taps into knowledge
curated by human “experts.” So you can get nutritional information for peanut M&Ms or compute a
growth chart for your 4-foot 7-inch 10 year-old daughter.
There's a reason that Siri relies on this “computational knowledge engine,” which was developed over
a period of nearly 30 years by really smart guy Stephen Wolfram. We also recommend checking out
the $2.99 WolframAlpha app for your iPad mini, which gives you broader access to the knowledge en-
gine, beyond where Siri goes.
Figuring Out What to Ask
The beauty of Siri is that there's no designated protocol you must follow when talking to her. Ask-
ing, “Will I need an umbrella tomorrow?” produces the same result as “What is tomorrow's weather
forecast around here?”
