I don't use many Siri commands but a few come in handy:

- "add milk to grocery list" — I have a reminder list called "Grocery" to make that happen. Makes it easy to add stuff as I realize I'm running low, then I can check it off in the Reminders app.

- "create appointment next {day} at {time} {title}" — I never use that one when I'm next to my computer, but when I'm around the house or after a doctor visit, it's usually accurate.

- "what time is it" — no I don't wear a watch. But when I'm hiking and I'm too lazy to pull my phone out, this comes in handy as it works though most pockets.

- "send text message to {person}", "call {person}" — when driving, that's a pretty seamless way to convey quick messages without touching the phone.

- "get directions to {place}" — I only use that for locations I know the phone will understand, like favorites or business names that are not ambiguous.

I actually used Cortana on my Android phone. (Disclaimer - I work for MSFT). The main reason why I don't use Google assistant instead is the total unease with having Google listen to me 24/7.

Cortana's not too bad for the simple stuff like getting the outlook of the day or setting up geofenced reminders (remind me to unload the washing machine when I come back home).

Anything more complex absolutely fails 100% of the time, with this ridiculous behavior most assistants have to default to "here is what I found on the web". Why on earth would I want you to search for what I asked you to do? Wouldn't I ask you to search on the web if I wanted you to search on the web?

I think that's the downfall of most voice assistants I've tried. Discoverability is poor, which wouldn't be a problem if the feature set was not limited to the basics.

That being said it also loses a lot of its appeal by requiring a physical activation (either clicking on the app or on my headsets button), since Google removed the possibility for alternative voice assistants to do that. Compared to "hey siri", that schnucks.

I use GA all of the time. I usually have bluetooth headphones around my neck and use them constantly to set timers for reminders, directions in the car, and most usefully whenever I want a quick answer to something. It's really nice to be occupied cooking dinner still be able to get a quick answer to "what's backscatter radiation" or some other random thing when listening to an audio book, or thinking about, well, anything. In this respect GA is far superior to Alexa, which returns "I don't know that yet" 3 out of 5 times.

I regularly use Google assessment on android to add stuff to my shopping list. It's very convenient especially while cooking when my hands are occupied, as soon as I notice something running out I just ask Google to add it.

I use Alexa to get the echo dot to play random toddler songs and songs like them. It’s actually really useful for that in the living room. Unfortunately, my toddler’s first complete sentences were “Alexa, play baby shark/space unicorn/cat flushing toilet”.

I use Siri for timers and alarms; ask for the weather, and for, sending text messages and calling when I'm on the go. My GF has been a heavy user of voice transcription on her phone, but when she got an Apple Watch she really ramped it up. It is a pretty good way to use the watch, especially if your AirPods are connected to it.

I use Google assistant to set reminders. It's so much more convenient than clicking through and typing the same thing on my phone especially or even my laptop. Literally works in 3 seconds. It's great!

I use a voice assistant in my home occasionally, to control lights and music.

- I only do it from the privacy of my home - The problem scope is relatively small, given that the lights have a limited set of names/scenes

The only time I ever use it is when I'm cooking and my hands are dirty (and usually just to get some measurement conversion), or when I'm wanting to start navigating somewhere quickly before driving. I've found it wholly useless, frustrating, and slower in all other circumstances.

Now, I will establish my HN cred by saying I prefer CLI and Unix, would read my mail in PINE if I could, and run everything from Linux to Windows to MacOS in the house.

But I use Siri all the time. Perhaps because I desperately miss a keyboard? But asking Siri to play a particular song, call a particular person, give me directions, and turn on the flashlight? All are way faster than navigating the touch interface.

And dictation is the best way for me to message while on the move; I’m old so typing a flat keyboard while walking is a foolish idea.

That said, accuracy is terrible. So many times I have wrong song. I don’t understand why Alexa doesn’t learn that the song I have asked for dozens of times is the right one, not the weird house version that sneaks in.

I probably should investigate iOS shortcuts, that may tip me back to the touch screen.

I often tell my voice assistant to STFU and how useless they are... funnily enough Google responds and accepts it has not ironed out all of the bugs.

I use Siri extensively with HomeKit, and have an Echo in my office for development.

Siri talks to a dozen lights, sockets and sensors about the house, but I don't trust Alexa with access to more than a couple (essentially my office lights) since their security model sucks compared to Apple's (Google's isn't much better, IMHO).

For instance, I was forced to open my Plex server to the outside to get Alexa to play music on my office speakers, which is borderline insane (I set up another Plex server on a VM with my "work" music).

I use Siri to set alarms and timers since that's far and away more convenient than opening the app and switching to the right tab and futzing with the time dial.

If I've got my phone in my pocket and my hands full it's helpful to be able to tell Siri to turn the flashlight on.

Aside from that I don't think I've used it for much. I get the weather from the radio already, and don't care to search the web with a voice assistant. It'd be nice if she'd read me my text messages but she flatly refuses to do that.

I use Alexa to add to my grocery list over the course of the week. If I run out of an item (e.g. Use the last of the milk, run out of butter, notice I'm getting low on bread, etc.), I just tell Alexa to add it to the grocery list. It's faster than whipping out my phone to do it and it has made building out my grocery list more reliable. (Inevitably I would struggle to remember everything that I needed to get when I would wait to do it at the end of the week)

I don't think we've touched a light switch in our house in eight months due to voice assistant. Kitchen timers, asking spelling of words, doing imperial to metric conversion, getting weather. Sometimes if I'm in an argument with my wife I will have google define the term we're arguing over for dramatic effect, or we'll consult google via voice to clarify something, like the population of the Philippines, for example.

I've seen a friend use it while driving. Seems painfully obvious and yet I still refuse to use it while driving. Instead I just don't phone for that time.

I use Siri mostly for more complicated reminders I don’t want to do manually like “remind me to do $x when I get in my car” (based on Bluetooth connecting to my car) or “remind me to do $y when I get home/work”.

I work out with only my cellular Apple Watch. If I need to send any long text, I’ll use voice dictation”.

Absolutely! I use Google Assistant to control my home automation (mostly lights and TV), check commute times when leaving for work, play NPR, and occasional Wikipedia lookups that don't warrant pulling a phone out.

I also use the Leidos Flight Service skill (voice app) to get a quick preview of the weather before driving to the airport to fly a plane, if I'm not in front of a computer. Of course, I'll pull out a tablet and do a more in-depth briefing at the airport before actually flying... but it's a great way to check nearby METARs and TAFs while on a commute.

Not sure if you consider this "use": I reconfigure my friend's alexa occasionally to make it do unhelpful things.

I use Alexa at home pretty frequently and Siri on my iOS devices pretty frequently. Examples include "add <item> to my shopping list", "turn my bedroom lights off/on", "what is the weather today/tomorrow" and "set a 4 minute 15 second egg timer" (for my poached eggs every morning)

I played with it when you could replace the godawful "OK Google" phrase with your own. It was pretty useless.

I'm never saying "OK Google". Siri, Cortana, etc are a bit better but why not let people personalize that? Gotta remind people who owns them?

I've heard some of my colleagues use the "remind me when I get home to..." feature.

I also sometimes use the voice input to google search on mobile, though I guess that doesn't count as a full-blown assistant.

I use Google Assistant all the time in Android Auto. It's actually remarkably brilliant... Until it isn't and becomes either humorous or frustrating depending on the situation.

On my bicycle where my phone is in my pocket I'm relying 100% on voice commands via a Bluetooth headset.

Also, I find appointments much faster to create in voice than in the app. So tedious and clicky.

I use it all the time, especially on HomePod. I also use it with Watch to send messages. In the car, I use it for directions. Don’t use it on my Mac though, spotlight is just too fast.

Almost everyone I know owns either a Google Home or an Echo. Mostly for checking the weather, playing music and turning on/off lights

This is clearly the worst crowd possible, except maybe people with speech disabilities, to ask this question. Just look at how many people don't like it.

I really can't make myself talk to a machine. I even abhor the phone answering services that insist that I speak instead of punching numbers. I my household the only person that interacts with the Echo/Alexa is our 3 year-old daughter. She finds it funny.

On the other hand, the voice assistant devices are selling like crazy, so people are interested in them.

Driving is the only time I use voice control.

Just my youngest who doesn't like typing yet.

Some outliers do.

I use Google assistant daily for adding things to shopping list, simple trivia, weather, etc.

Your friend circle is clearly not diverse. Most people use these to play music, lights on / off and alarms.