Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Siri Supposedly Lives in Apple's North Carolina Data Center. But How Southern is She?

Does Siri know what Southerners mean when they say "bless her heart"? Can she tell you the alcohol content of Cheerwine, or where Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show is buried?

These are all essential pieces of information to the Southerner--or to this one, at least. Given that Siri's voice processing power is reportedly being handled at least in part by Apple's data center in Maiden, N.C., I decided to test Siri again to see how she'd answer these and other Southern-fried questions. In the video below, you'll see how Siri responds. (In an earlier post, I cross-examined Siri with some other Southern questions.)

Spoiler alert: Siri doesn't have a clue where Aunt Bee is. A quick Google search on my computer found the answer: Oakwood Cemetery, Siler City, N.C. Bless her heart.

8 comments:

  1. Siri is obviously a Yankee. Bless her heart.

    We laugh around our office. If we call a client and their answering machine says, "Have a blesed day" we know that person is TROUBLE!

    Have a good day TW!!

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  2. That was great! Even I, a transplanted northerner knew most of the answers, although I thought at first that "Bless her heart" was something nice at first!.

    Don't worry about the Mason Dixon line question, my husband was talking to someone born here in Charleston a while back and they thought it was a college.

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  4. Well, Tennessee Williams... lol!

    This is great. I think the most surprising unanswered question was the one about the Mason Dixon line. I thought everybody knew that?? Maybe I'm just too southern to know better. Bless my heart.

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  5. It probably says a lot about my maturity level that within fifteen minutes of getting my iPhone 4S I was asking Siri lude questions and trying to get her to use profanity....She does have some witty pre-programmed comebacks, but her intonation lacks conviction.

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  6. Oh, that's awesome, TW! ;)

    Poor Siri . . . and I like how she throws out the disclaimer "that's what you told me anyway" because it's as if she doesn't quite believe you because she can't find anything you're asking her about!

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  7. Hmmmm...I don't think I'd use Siri for much. May I assume "Bless her heart" actually means "ignorant git"?

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  8. So funny! I love that last answer she gave you, like she really didn't believe you are Tennessee William!

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