Need a Personal Assistant? Try These 4 Apps

4 voice-activated smart-phone assistants from the next generation of app creators.

Need a personal assistant? Try these 4 Apps

Donna

Think of Donna like the Mad Men-era secretary of your dreams; link her to your calendar, contact list and email accound and she can send you pusn notifications about your schedule, the weather, directions–even images of that coffee shop at the corner of 7th and Folsom. She also knows when to discreetly insert herself into your day with updates. It’s going to be rainy by the time you leave the office? Donna sends you an alert to bring an umbrella. Looks like you’re running late for a meeting? She’s ready to notify your contacts. The app can also schedule a car to pick you up, too. Cost: Free. Operating system: iOS.

Sherpa

Sherpa is the personal assistant for Android users. Sherpa bears a striking resemblence to Apple’s AI assistant–but with a few added capabilities. Sherpa’s dedicated to keeping you informed, for example; ask “Who is Obama?” and the app will pull up a wiki on the 44th President of the United States. It also aims to make business expenses simpler by orchestrating hands-free Paypal payments. Also like Siri, Sherpa operates on a consultant basis–offering help only when you ask for it. Cost: Free. Operating system: Android.

Osito

From the creators of Sherpa, Osito is an automated intelligence app with foresight. Like Donna, Osito references everything from your location to the local traffic and sends you push notifications about what to expect on the way. Osito compares your calendar appointments with commuter traffic and let’s you know what time to leave for important meeting. The app also keeps you informed about everything from traffic jams to natural disasters that may throw a wrench in your expertly-scheduled plans. Cost: Free. Operating system: iOS.

Siri

It’s hard to beat the classic: Siri. In her latest incarnation, iOS 7, Apple’s leading lady has developed the skills to pronounce your impronouncable name–may the Kawamura’s of the world rejoice–and those of your impronouncable contacts. Cost: Free. Operating system: iOS.

 

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• Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s Siri Voice Assistant Has Been Revealed (efinancehub.com)
• iOS7: Slick, Feature Rich But Inspired By Android and Windows Phone (chrisidakwo.wordpress.com)
• Why Did Apple Buy Cue? Because Google Now Eats Siri’s Lunch (techcrunch.com)