November 14, 2008
Google Adds Searching by Voice to iPhone Software
By JOHN MARKOFF
SAN FRANCISCO Pushing ahead in the decades-long effort to get computers to understand human speech, Google researchers have added sophisticated voice recognition technology to the companys search software for the Apple iPhone.
Users of the free application, which Apple is expected to make available as soon as Friday through its iTunes store, can place the phone to their ear and ask virtually any question, like Wheres the nearest Starbucks? or How tall is Mount Everest? The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Googles servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location.
Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/technology/internet/14voice.html?pagewanted=print
Google Adds Searching by Voice to iPhone Software
By JOHN MARKOFF
SAN FRANCISCO Pushing ahead in the decades-long effort to get computers to understand human speech, Google researchers have added sophisticated voice recognition technology to the companys search software for the Apple iPhone.
Users of the free application, which Apple is expected to make available as soon as Friday through its iTunes store, can place the phone to their ear and ask virtually any question, like Wheres the nearest Starbucks? or How tall is Mount Everest? The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Googles servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location.
Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/technology/internet/14voice.html?pagewanted=print
