Was anyone else peeved to discover that the new iPhone 4S voice-command personal assistant app’s voice is a robotic-sounding lady named Siri? There should be an option for iPhone 4S users to choose a voice from whatever gender they prefer. But until that day, if we’re going to be stuck with only one voice, it should be Sulu.
Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu (played by actor George Takei) has a gentle nature and well-attuned ear that makes him quite fit for the role of personal assistant. Plus, he’s a real character – er, person – that people have already come to love. His voice isn’t robotic in the least – and in the tradition of new technology releases like the iPhone 4S, which make us feel one step closer to the wonders of the universe, we trust Takei to navigate us through the universe. Just watch him stay calm under pressure while navigating his fellow Trekkies through the universe:
As Sulu says, “The whole universe is ahead of you.”
Now, if we’re going to travel in that universe, ultimately we’re going to need even more options.
Sulu is a good alternative to Siri, but what about a few other options like Sassy Gay Friend, Shane from The L-Word or Wanda Sykes? This would help further a vision for personalization taken to the extreme. Besides, not every iPhone user wants to be caught dead speaking with a robot-like woman. We all need options – and we can’t take commands from just any voice.
Image via StarTrek.com.
