The Anti Siri: Which Virtual Assistant is Best for Android Users?
Not everyone has an iPhone. And if you are one of the growing users of Android smartphones, you may be looking for a virtual assistant that rivals Apple's Siri.
Fortunately, there are several Siri alternatives out there. Unfortunately, not all of them are conducive for an attorney.
Think about it, if you're an attorney, you probably have specific needs for your smartphone and virtual assistant that a hipster in her 20s would not have. Three popular Siri alternatives are Ask Ziggy, Evi, and Vlingo, writes Wired. But only one stands out for attorneys.
- Ask Ziggy. If all you want of your smartphone virtual assistant is a calendar, than Ask Ziggy may be the app for you. But we figure most busy attorneys want a bit more. If you type a question into Ask Ziggy, you're likely to receive an answer from Yahoo Answers. Yahoo Answers may be good to answer bar bets, but probably isn't suitable even for the most basic legal research.
- Evi. Where Ask Ziggy fails in search, Evi excels. Too bad search is all Evi can do. You can't dictate with Evi and there's no integrated calendar.
- Vlingo. Saving the best for last, Vlingo may be the best virtual assistant and Siri alternative for you. It has speech-to-text capabilities that rivals Siri, allowing you to dictate emails while on the go. As for search, Vlingo pulls out Google Search and Google Maps results, probably much more reliable than Yahoo Answers.
Choosing the right virtual assistant is a personal decision. Most of these alternatives to Siri are free or cost very little. Play with all three and then decide which one best suits your needs.
Related Resources:
- WestlawNext iPad App Now Even More Powerful, Useful (FindLaw's Technologist)
- Which Smartphone Should Attorneys Choose After Ditching Their BlackBerry? (FindLaw's Technologist)
- Sign-N-Send Makes Electronically Signing Legal Docs a Breeze (FindLaw's Technologist)