First came search engine technology. Then search engines wandered over onto mobile phones, so you could search for info while you were out and about (hint: good for cheating at pub quizzes). Then we got voice search, with Google launching a voice search app for the iPhone (that only worked properly if you were American).
And now, we’ve got something new…
Yes, folks, it’s time to say hello to Google Goggles, a visual search solution, that’s just gone live for Android phones. No longer will you have to will you have to say what you want to search for, or do any more of that tedious ‘typing’ thing with your fingers.
With Google Goggles, you just point your phone’s camera at what you want to know about, and it does the rest. Well, assuming it recognises what you’re taking a photo of. And assuming it’s not something really generic, like your cat. Or ice-cream. Or a tree. Or some water. Or your auntie. Or her houseplants. Or your knees. However, point it at something that’s vaguely recognisable or halfway interesting, and you will actually get relevant search results back. Try it on the cover of a book, for example, and you’ll get a link to that book on Amazon, amongst other things. Or point it at a landmark to get all the info on that, and save yourself having to buy a guidebook.
Ah, but it’s not just about web searches. Google Goggles also uses that fancy new augmented reality type stuff, combining the camera with the GPS and compass, to show you live search info about things around you, like local shops, or pubs, or whatever (and no, when I say whatever, I don’t mean your knees, we’ve already established they’re not going to appear on a Google search, unless you have really freakish knees)…
But enough blabbering from me, here, have a look at Google’s own promo video for it:
Once you get over the initial shock of the Scary German Geezer™ who sounds just like Roland Emmerich, and the fact that Google Goggles sounds hilarious when said with a German accent, that’s actually pretty clever. Considering this is, basically, a brand new way of searching, it’s impressive it manages to bring back as many accurate results as it does. And hey, it’s going to get better, and more and more things will become searchable by photo, since we all know that Google is on a quest to everything about everything and everyone, ever. Presumably, then, you will be able to do a visual search on more generic things. Like your cat. Or ice-cream. Or egg-nog. Or some bacon. Or your mum. Or her hair-removal cream (actually, Immac might work, as long as you take a piccie of the logo). Or your knees…
If you’ve got an Android phone, like the HTC Hero, then get yourself on the Android Market, and try it out. As for those of us without, we’ll have to wait, since there’s no dates for when we’ll get the same app.
Finally, I would like it to be known that I am not obsessed with knees. But I do find them whimsically humorous…
Have you tried Google Goggles? Did you try doing a search for your knees? Leave us a comment and have your say (especially if you DO have freakish knees)!