"Have you ever been in a hurry and really needed to find an answer to something, but there was no one to ask? Like when you're grocery shopping and looking for the last item on your list, the kids are running around you in circles, you're holding a basket in one hand, and you have no idea what "fennel bulbs" look like. That's why we've added voice search to Google Mobile App for the iPhone - and made it super easy to use. Once the app is running, you don't have to tap any buttons. Just hold the iPhone to your ear, wait for the beep, and say what you're looking for."
Ever heard a claim and just went "Nope, there's no way that works." I felt the same way with this app until I tried it. It's actually pretty good, and considering you don't ever have to train it, it's that much more impressive. To search with your voice, simply hold the phone to your head. When the proximity detector shuts the screen off, the iPhone chirps and after the chirp you just say what you're looking for and voila. For the most part it's pretty accurate, too. I never would've expected to be wowed by an app like this, but I think I've been converted to a believer. Try it and report your findings. You'll probably be as surprised as I was!
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Current Apple Stuff: 24" iMac, iPhone 4, AppleTV (original), 4gb Shuffle, 64gb iPad 2.
Wow, this is really neat. I just tried it for a few minutes and was impressed with how accurate it is without training. Good stuff. As a developer, I'm wondering how they did it.
Wow, this is really neat. I just tried it for a few minutes and was impressed with how accurate it is without training. Good stuff. As a developer, I'm wondering how they did it.
Google Magic :-) I'm really impressed by the exact same thing. With no training whatsoever it's remarkably accurate.
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Current Apple Stuff: 24" iMac, iPhone 4, AppleTV (original), 4gb Shuffle, 64gb iPad 2.
It's so-so. Pretty cool, but not quite as smart as I had been hoping for.
First I tried "Where is the nearest McDonald's?". It searched for "Westernaires McDonalds". Oops!
Next I tried again speaking slowly and enunciating each word in an exaggerated manner (not natural speech at all). It searched for "Where is the nearest McDonalds" which brought up links to McDonald's locator web pages but didn't return what I really wanted: a Google Maps link to the closest McDonald's.
Next I tried simply "McDonald's". That finally brought up the Google Maps link I was hoping for as item #2 (#1 being the main McDonald's web site).
I was hoping it would be able to parse queries intelligently and not just pass your entire phrase straight into Google Search.
I'll leave it installed on my phone for a while and see if I ever use it. I'll be traveling for Thanksgiving next week, so we'll see if it comes in handy or not.
__________________ 64 GB iPad 2 WiFi, Apple TV 2, 32 GB iPhone 4
Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (dual boot with Windows 7), Early 2009 Mac Mini
For the most part it's pretty accurate, too. I never would've expected to be wowed by an app like this, but I think I've been converted to a believer. Try it and report your findings. You'll probably be as surprised as I was!
It does sound neat, but what's terrifying about it? When I saw that title in the forum, I thought it was going to be about Street View maps or something.
Steve
P.S. Windows Live Search for Windows Mobile has had voice input for months. It doesn't have the cool proximity part, though.
It does sound neat, but what's terrifying about it? When I saw that title in the forum, I thought it was going to be about Street View maps or something.
I probably should've explained that better. I actually thought it was terrifying how well a computer that wasn't trained in my voice could interpret what I was saying and deliver a search result. The terrifying part, to me, is in the context of a huge NSA computer eavesdropping on conversations on phone lines flagging words and referring phone calls. Lots of people who said that sort of thing was out there were labelled conspiracy theorist kooks, but honestly I'm not so sure they were too far off. If Google has hit that level of accuracy on a mobile search app, what's to say the government hasn't hit it for eavesdropping purposes?
Just made me think, I guess.
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Current Apple Stuff: 24" iMac, iPhone 4, AppleTV (original), 4gb Shuffle, 64gb iPad 2.
Google's New App Neat and Terrifying
Linear Mode
