It’s easy to have a love-hate relationship with Apple’s built-in digital assistant named Siri. She can be useful at times, but she can also make you want to pull your hair out, right?
While Siri may not be great at pronouncing your best friend’s complicated last name, she does a few things really well, including reading aloud. When you’re driving, preparing supper or have your hands tied up with the kids, it’s incredibly helpful to have Siri do the legwork (and eye work) for you.
Here are three things Siri can read to you on command.
Read your text messages to you
The last time I tried to read a text message while cooking I ended up with marinara sauce all over the power button on my new iPhone. Not cool. Thankfully, Siri can read text messages to you.
To get Siri to do this, press and hold the Home button—the large round button at the bottom of your screen—until Siri asks what she can help you with, then ask Siri to read your unread text messages. Once Siri has finished dictating a message, she’ll ask if you want to respond. You can do that with her help, too.
Get directions home
When you’ve dropped off your son’s best friend after soccer practice and find yourself in a strange neighborhood with no idea how to get back home, call up Siri to the rescue!
Press and hold the Home key and say, “Take me home, Siri,” and you’ll get instant directions back to your house.
Check your calendar
Siri can find specific events on your calendar or tell you what you have scheduled on any day of the year. Use common language to ask things like “What’s on my calendar March 14th?” You can also schedule events using Siri by giving her a time, date and activity. “Add soccer practice to my calendar March 15th at 3pm” will automatically add an entry to your default calendar on your iPhone.
See, she’s not all bad!