While several iPhone loyalists were gleaming with joy at the launch of Siri, Android fans can gear up to enjoy their own personalized version of the feature, currently known as Iris. Just like the recently released iPhone software, Iris is a virtual personal assistant, with audio support enabled.
The developers at Dexetra admit that the name is spelt out as the reverse of the iPhone 4S software, and is also inspired from it. This will now enable Android fans to talk to their handsets, ask questions, and even carry on bits of conversation with it.
Unlike Siri, which is an exclusive service only for the newly released iPhone 4S, Iris is developed as an app for all Android handsets with access to the Android Market. Although, the app requires Voice Search and TTS library installed on the user handset. Following the introduction of Siri, the app is claimed to have been developed in eight hours and its name expands as ‘Intelligent Rival Imitator of Siri’.
Since release, Iris also got certain updates like conversation, Images, links, and more. With conversation, Iris now has the ability to respond to wacky questions with sarcastic answers. Also, it can now reply by displaying pictures and related links along with it. Also, with this update, it is can apparently react to users’ questions within eight seconds.
The alpha version of the Iris app for Android is now available for download from the Android Market as a free of cost application.