[jyl]

Siri is revolutionary because it takes the computer to the next level of intelligence.

At one time, to do stuff (find information, send email, make calendar, calculate something, etc) you went to the individual website or application.

Then search engines came and put a layer of intelligence over the "find information" part. Google aggregates all the world's websites and intelligently brings you the information you want. I know, Google wasn't the first search engine and not all web content is available to it. But it is so dominant that its name is a verb, and over time more and more web content will be accessible.

Now Siri is starting to put a layer of intelligence over not just "find information", but everything else. Siri aggregates all the iPhone and iOS's apps - of which Google is just one - and intelligently does whatever you want it to do.

Think of it like layers of abstraction, if you wish. You can see, by the way, how dangerous this is to Google.

Plus the voice interface, which is cool too, but not new or revolutionary.

Of course, Siri is just v.1 (maybe v.2 if you count the previous standalone app) and has a long way to go. Just as Google has progressed hugely since v.1. And because Siri is proprietary to Apple, it probably won't be as universal as Google is in search. There will be room for Android's competing intelligent assistant, and Microsoft's; I'd bet Blackberry doesn't have one, maybe ever.