Android: Vlingo is still our favorite virtual assistant for Android, but even it doesn’t offer all of the features and tight integration that Apple’s Siri does in iOS. Well, with Vlingo Labs, the service’s new beta app where they test new features, you can get some of that integration, like the ability to speak to wake up Vlingo at any time and the ability to dictate SMS messages, web searches and voice dialing, all without ever touching your phone.
Vlingo doesn’t hide the fact that their Labs app is the place they test new features before they go live in the full version of Vlingo, but if you don’t mind being on the cutting edge, Vlingo Labs has a lot to offer. The app’s design has been revamped to look a little more like Siri, with a single-touch activation button at the bottom of your screen that can be pulled up over other apps, and Vlingo will now completely dictate text messages for you instead of handing you off to Google’s built-in voice actions for the same task. Voice dialing and web search are holdovers from the main app, but they’re faster and more conversational in the beta.
Unfortunately, Vlingo Labs has its limitations. First of all, it only supports Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices right now, and even then only devices in the United States and Canada.
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