Google's New App Neat and Terrifying

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/now-you-can-speak-to-google-mobile-app.html' target='_blank'>http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008...mobile-app.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"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."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//at/auto/1226975009.usr18053.png" border="1" /></p><p>Ever heard a claim and just went "Nope, there's no way that works."&nbsp; I felt the same way with this app until I tried it.&nbsp; It's actually pretty good, and considering you don't ever have to train it, it's that much more impressive.&nbsp; To search with your voice, simply hold the phone to your head.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; For the most part it's pretty accurate, too.&nbsp; I never would've expected to be wowed by an app like this, but I think I've been converted to a believer.&nbsp; Try it and report your findings.&nbsp; You'll probably be as surprised as I was!</p>

[Darius Wey]

Try it and report your findings.&nbsp; You'll probably be as surprised as I was!

Well, it hates my Australian accent. On the other hand, it seems to understand my fake American accent okay. :D

[Joe Johaneman]

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.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Well, it hates my Australian accent. On the other hand, it seems to understand my fake American accent okay. :D

Most of us can't understand you Aussies anyway ;-)

[Vincent Ferrari]

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.

[Dyvim]

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.

[Pony99CA]

For the most part it's pretty accurate, too.&nbsp; I never would've expected to be wowed by an app like this, but I think I've been converted to a believer.&nbsp; Try it and report your findings.&nbsp; 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.

[Vincent Ferrari]

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.

[Tim Williamson]

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.

Good point, and who's to say the government hasn't created a system that reads people's thoughts for eavesdropping purposes?

Just made me think, I guess. ;)

BTW, cool app, just updated this morning and it was very accurate and fast (over Wifi). Haven't tried it over EDGE yet though...

[Vincent Ferrari]

Good point, and who's to say the government hasn't created a system that reads people's thoughts for eavesdropping purposes?

Obviously nothing :-)

Hey... I watch Fringe... I know what's possible... :cool:

[Pony99CA]

I was hoping it would be able to parse queries intelligently and not just pass your entire phrase straight into Google Search.
I think the voice recognition engine should just be text to speech; the Google Search parser is where the intelligence should be.

For example, "Where is the nearest McDonald's?" should give you the map you expected. "McDonald's" should give more general results, like the corporate page, restaurant reviews (if any), etc.

What the Google app should do is embellish the query by including GPS coordinates to take advantage of features on the device.

Steve

[Joe Johaneman]

Obviously nothing :-)

Hey... I watch Fringe... I know what's possible... :cool:

My entire life is on broadcast on Twitter anyhow. Let the government read my thoughts. It's cheaper to read my Twitter stream, lol.