Sure, Siri is cool. It can make appointments, send emails and knit you sweaters (unverified), but you have to talk into your hand. That’s no fun. And where’s the big, red, evil eye? There’s got to be a better way!
Well now, thanks to the people at ThinkGeek, there is.
Meet the IRIS 9000, not to be confused with HAL 9000… although there is a striking resemblance. The IRIS 9000 is a dock made especially for your iPhone 4S. Using a small, single-button, wireless remote control you can activate Siri from across the room and shout commands at it (I’m refusing to refer to a computer program in a gender-specific fashion). The IRIS 9000 has a built-in speaker and mic, so it will relay what you say to Siri and then amplify Siri’s voice. As it speaks to you the menacing red eye flickers. Seriously? The IRIS 9000 is charming the pants right off me.
Do you need this thing? Of course you don’t. I mean, yeah, it can make and receive calls via speaker phone and do all the other fun stuff that Siri does, but come on, this is a minor convenience at best. So no, it’s not necessary. But do you want this thing? Damn straight you do. It’s the stuff right out of a geeky, sci-fi pulp-novela. I mean, there’s no place for it in my small apartment, and I don’t even have an iPhone and I still want one of these. They’ll be available soon for $US60 at ThinkGeek. In multitudinous sea of fitness monitors, ear buds and other forgettable iPhone accessories, it’s nice to see something creative and memorable. [ThinkGeek]