Google Late To Game With Voice-Activated Search On Mobile
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is planning to launch a new version of search on the iPhone that will allow users to conduct searches by using their voice, and asking questions, such as “Where’s the nearest Starbucks?” or “How tall is Mount Everest?” The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Google’s servers, which will translate the words spoken. Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) may start offering the new feature as soon as today, reports The New York Times. With this announcement, it makes Google one of the last major search companies to offer voice recognition. Earlier this year at CTIA, a number of companies were there to tout their voice recognition software. Of course, the driving force behind this is that speech is easier than typing on the phone. At the show, the most high-profile deal came from Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), which unveiled OneSearch with voice recognition powered by vlingo. Other companies that were present, were Microsoft’s Tellme division, Jott Networks, Nuance Communications and the well-funded SpinVox.
What makes Google’s voice recognition different is accuracy and breadth, argues The New York Times (NYSE: NYT). Microsoft’s Tellme technology focuses on searching for things like business listings, and Yahoo’s oneSearch is broader, but not as accurate. Of course, Google’s voice recognition isn’t perfect either, but apparently the company thinks it’s better than having to tap out queries on the iPhone’s touch-screen keyboard.
I found using Yahoo’s oneSearch adequate. If it misunderstands you, you can easily scroll over the incorrect words, and pick from a drop-down menu of options. Over time, the software learns and becomes better. In a Cnet review that ran on Monday, it found that the service is not great. I’d argue that it’s not the voice recognition that needs to get better, but it’s the search results that need to be more accurate. Today, I typed “Where’s the nearest Starbucks?” into the Google search engine on the iPhone. The first response linked me to the Starbuck’s store locator page….That’s a good start, but when will the results just appear on a map, or better yet offer me turn-by-turn directions to the nearest store?
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Comments (2)
Nov 17, 2008 10:03 AM
Try using the great google maps application on your phone (i use the Nokia e71, but also available in iPhone I think), - just typing “Starbucks” immediately highlights the nearest Starbucks to your position with directions and phoen numbers if you want them.
Nov 17, 2008 5:14 PM
The WHERE iPhone application has a built in Starbucks widget which performs all the functions you mentioned including finding the closest Starbucks locations, directions, phone number and whether or not the Starbucks has wi-fi. The best part? It’s free and available in the app store.