Google Bringing Voice Search To iPhone

[MacRumors]

Google will be bringing a voice-enabled search application to the iPhone, which the New York Times reports may be available sometime today.

Users [...] can place the phone to their ear and ask virtually any question, like “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 try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.

The application uses the iPhone's on-board sensors to detect when the phone has been raised to the user's ear so it can go into "listen" mode.

The free application is making its first appearance on the iPhone, though versions for other phones are said to be in the pipeline.

Article Link: Google Brining Voice Search To iPhone

[longofest]

I love how everyone's question is always Where's the nearest starbucks.

Gotta have that coffee...

[razorianfly]

Sounds pretty hot. I just hope the delay between the server translating the speech file,
and displaying the results, isn't large, otherwise it won't be as useful as I'd like it to be.

R-Fly

[Luke1robb]

I think I just pooped my pants

[davidwarren]

Originally Posted by Luke1robb

I think I just pooped my pants

"find nearest dry cleaners."

hopefully the new version of the app can help with that.

[broncopde]

Certainly hope the interpreter works well. Otherwise, it will just be like when you call an 800 number and the automated operator says "please answer 'yes' or 'no'" you scream no and it takes it as a yes.

[Jeezeypeeps]

Originally Posted by razorianfly

Sounds pretty hot. I just hope the delay between the server translating the speech file,
and displaying the results, isn't large, otherwise it won't be as useful as I'd like it to be.

R-Fly

I hope it isn't blue or it won't be as green as I'd like it to be.......

Truly bizarre.

[batchtaster]

Originally Posted by Jeezeypeeps

I hope it isn't blue or it won't be as green as I'd like it to be.......

Uh...







What?!

[razorianfly]

Originally Posted by Jeezeypeeps

I hope it isn't blue or it won't be as green as I'd like it to be.......

Truly bizarre.

I like what you did there.

R-Fly

[jayducharme]

Originally Posted by longofest

I love how everyone's question is always Where's the nearest starbucks.

And there are many other iPhone applications that can do that and then map it for you. The success of this will depend on the quality of the Google interpreter and the speed. I have yet to have much success with Midomi or Shazam, so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Now if there was an iPhone app that let me speak the name of one of my contacts and then dial it automatically, that would be useful.

[vtmikevt]

Originally Posted by jayducharme

Now if there was an iPhone app that let me speak the name of one of my contacts and then dial it automatically, that would be useful.

"Say who" dialer. works well.

[penguy]

Originally Posted by vtmikevt

"Say who" dialer. works well.

I agree. Say Who has been virtually flawless for me. My only complaint might be that it is a bit slow to load.

as for Shazam, I'm shocked anyone has troubles with it, as it has worked for me in many noisy environments such as my car with everyone else talking!

[happydude]

awesome. maybe google can make a copy and paste feature . . .

[DukeofAnkh]

And assuming that google can distinguish accents. The DS Braintraining game is rather annoying when it doesn't recognise that you said "paper" just because you didn't say it Americanly.

Originally Posted by jayducharme

And there are many other iPhone applications that can do that and then map it for you. The success of this will depend on the quality of the Google interpreter and the speed. I have yet to have much success with Midomi or Shazam, so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Now if there was an iPhone app that let me speak the name of one of my contacts and then dial it automatically, that would be useful.

There are a few... Just search for "voice dial" or similar. "Say Who - Dialer" is a free one that pops up in a search. Haven't tried any of them, but they do exist.

[DavidLeblond]

Originally Posted by DukeofAnkh

And assuming that google can distinguish accents. The DS Braintraining game is rather annoying when it doesn't recognise that you said "paper" just because you didn't say it Americanly.

Yeah, I AM American and I couldn't get Brain Age to work right. It thought I was a numbskull because it could never understand me when I said the names of colors on one of its games. "Red. Yellow. Red. Blue. Blue. BLUE. BLUE #@%@$%@#%!!!!!!!!! *throw DS*"

[bretm]

Originally Posted by jayducharme

And there are many other iPhone applications that can do that and then map it for you. The success of this will depend on the quality of the Google interpreter and the speed. I have yet to have much success with Midomi or Shazam, so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Now if there was an iPhone app that let me speak the name of one of my contacts and then dial it automatically, that would be useful.

I can get shazam to work in a noisy restaurant. Truly one of the most magical things I've seen EVER.

[bytethese]

Originally Posted by longofest

I love how everyone's question is always Where's the nearest starbucks.

Gotta have that coffee...

That really doesn't apply here in NYC. Just walk 1-2 blocks, you'll hit one no matter where you are.

[rstansby]

Originally Posted by bytethese

That really doesn't apply here in NYC. Just walk 1-2 blocks, you'll hit one no matter where you are.

You could probably just speak your Starbucks order and hold out money most of the time. :-) No iPhone required.

[Earendil]

Originally Posted by bytethese

That really doesn't apply here in NYC. Just walk 1-2 blocks, you'll hit one no matter where you are.

Yeah, well in Seattle if you're not standing next to one, just cross the street

[Rybold]

If they can couple this to the GPS, it will be awesome. "WHERE AM I ??? !!!!"

"Where's the nearest Apple Store?"

A WIKIPEDIA Search would be awesome, if it could read the article to you!!!!!!!!!!!

User: "Engine"
Phone: "An engine is a mechanical device that produces some form of output from a given input. An
engine whose purpose is to produce kinetic energy output from a fuel source is called..."

That would be Awesome!

[Pennine]

Any idea when its out?

[ckinyc]

Originally Posted by Rybold

If they can couple this to the GPS, it will be awesome. "WHERE AM I ??? !!!!"

"Where's the nearest Apple Store?"

A WIKIPEDIA Search would be awesome, if it could read the article to you!!!!!!!!!!!

User: "Engine"
Phone: "An engine is a mechanical device that produces some form of output from a given input. An
engine whose purpose is to produce kinetic energy output from a fuel source is called..."

That would be Awesome!

Captain Picard: "Computer. Starbucks. Hot!"
Computer: "Piss off."

[thedommer]

in vancouver you are always standing next to one but if you want you can go to the one across the street

[Rybold]

Here's A Youtube Video for Google Voice Search:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZapF...eature=channel

As soon as they make it available, you open the Google Mobile App, and instead of typing in your search, hold the phone to your ear (like a phone call) and say what you want to search for. Then look at the phone and see your search results. Why would you want to do this? Because you don't have to deal with a keyboard.

[kdarling]

WinMo phones have had voice search for a long time with Microsoft Mobile Live Search.

It's a lot easier (especially one-handed) to say "seafood restaurant" and get a list of close by places, than to type it in.

What I'd like to see from Google or Apple, is for them to make their search interface work better on mobiles when you want images or news instead. I really hate clicking those tiny links at the top.