Google Mobile iPhone app with voice search now available

[AppleInsider]

The new version of Google's Mobile iPhone application that includes voice search recognition was made available as a free download on the App Store last night.

"The new Google Mobile App for iPhone makes it possible for you to do a Google web search using only your voice," said Dave Burke, Engineering Manager for Google's mobile team. "Just hold the phone to your ear, wait for the beep, and say what you're looking for."

In addition to allowing users to speak their search queries instead of typing them, the updated app (Free, App Store) includes an Apps Tab that allows you to reorder Google Apps to make it easier to access your favorites.

Google also said there's no longer a need to specify where you are because Google Mobile App now has Search with My Location.

"Search for 'movie showtimes' or 'Mediterranean restaurant' and you'll automatically see results based on your current location," Burke added. "For this to work, Location Services must be enabled on your iPhone and you have to opt-in to let Google Mobile App use your location."

For a bit of the history behind Google's new speak-to-search capabilities, see AppleInsider's report from last Friday.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[EyeNsteinNo]

Where am I?

[MacBookBoy]

Sadly the voice recognition is awful.

[nutts]

Originally Posted by MacBookBoy

Sadly the voice recognition is awful.

It works well for me, if I put on a "North American English accent" as the settings suggest. I tried with 'whats the capital of Japan', '4 times 2' and 'Japanese yen exchange rate' and it got them all. Oh and of course 'pizza' too.

But if I use my natural (Southern British English) accent it gets nothing. Well, it guesses at *something* but it's nowhere near correct.

Still, for the North Americans out there, it looks like it could be ok (if you assume my take on the accent was passable).

[potterhead4]

Worked extremely well for this American. Will have to try in my faux British accent though.

[BigSkyJeff]

It seems when I'm real drunk it has a harder time figuring out what I'm saying. Please Google... fix this!

[adds]

I was blown away by how accurate it is--it got 100% of whatever I've thrown at it. I'm beginning to see just useful this is going to be.

[yetsirah]

If you hold it to your ear while it is "calculating", "parsing", or whatever you call it there is a voice saying putybutybutybutyputy or something similar to that. thought it was humorous. Thing works okay but I have yet to get the screen where I can select from various elements like contact/web—as it shows in the video—it always goes to web.

[S27]

Total Information Awareness never had anything on google. Now they even know and will store your signature voice patterns. This is an attempt to sneak in voice biometrics.

[alienzed]

lol, unicorn pictures

[vagvoba]

It works great for me. I'm mightily impressed. And I'm not even a native English speaker.
Unit conversions, full address look-ups, image searches, location awareness ... couldn't be easier than this.

[mstone]

Works great for me.

[Shipston Foxile]

Nope, my Southern British with a lisp doesn't work. Except for Pizza, so that's ok! :-)

[auxio]

Too bad location-based search results don't seem to work all that well for Canada. Other than that, the voice recognition works ok for me.

[Hoss]

All you have to do is look at the version and you realize that Google is gonna pimp this app before they're finished. It's sweet!!!

[mstone]

It seems to do location searches only for certain words like weather and movie times, but I think it should do location searches for police, fire department, medical emergency, etc.

[jcw5002]

Epic fail when speaking my contact names, but does a good job with everything else. Going to take some getting used to I think.

[robb01]

Originally Posted by Hoss

All you have to do is look at the version and you realize that Google is gonna pimp this app before they're finished. It's sweet!!!

It really is nice

______________

[Captainobvvious]

I am having trouble with the location services and I live in New England.

It never prompted me asking permission to use my current location and when I search for movie showtimes it doesn't give me anything except links to moviephone and fandingo.

When I do manage to get something location based it asks me to enter my ZIP code... Where do I check to see if I allowed them to use my current location because there is no such option in the options menu.

[Plasmali]

ipod touch G2 has mic support, bring us voice support too.

[lizardhowson]

Pretty much worthless as it doesn't seem to try a local search

Takes me to websites instead of local addresses and phone numbers !

[SS3 GokouX]

Recent searches: Unicorns.

Nothing suspicious about that. Not in the slightest.

[eAi]

Originally Posted by S27

Total Information Awareness never had anything on google. Now they even know and will store your signature voice patterns. This is an attempt to sneak in voice biometrics.

More to the point, it must be sending a list of contact names to Google's server for it to be able to do a search of them...

Hardly works for me here, in the UK... Maybe 1 in 10 work, the more complex ones seem better. It'd be nice if you could train it, or it at least would work with a variety of accents...

[mstone]

I appears that the location search has some odd behavior. For example if I ask for Taco Bell is finds the ones close to me but if I hit the map link and route one of them it some how erases the location preference when I return to Google mobile app, In the search history you can choose Taco Bell from the list but this time it just does a plain search without the location preference.

[nitro]

Originally Posted by BigSkyJeff

It seems when I'm real drunk it has a harder time figuring out what I'm saying. Please Google... fix this!

haha well said otherwise what is the use of the devise..?? Please google hear our drunken call...

[Bergermeister]

Originally Posted by MacBookBoy

Sadly the voice recognition is awful.

Downloaded today and tested 30 different searches; it was bang on each time, even the first one.

For a free app, I am impressed. I've used voice to text for years (am typing this while lounging back with my hands behind my head) and am impressed. Sure, there is a slight delay, but it is cool.

The iPhone is really turning out to be an amazing platform after the start of the App Store. The possibilities are almost limitless as to what the developers will create.

[BlackSummerNight]

I can't find the App in the store. What's the exact name?

[Bergermeister]

Did you read the first post?

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/M...284815942&mt=8

[BlackSummerNight]

Links don't work on my iPhone, but I found it. tks.

[Ste]

Originally Posted by mstone

I appears that the location search has some odd behavior. For example if I ask for Taco Bell is finds the ones close to me but if I hit the map link and route one of them it some how erases the location preference when I return to Google mobile app, In the search history you can choose Taco Bell from the list but this time it just does a plain search without the location preference.

Google is doing you a favour. Taco Bell blows.

[mstone]

Originally Posted by Ste

Google is doing you a favour. Taco Bell blows.

I don't eat there very often but they are a huge client ours so I would have to disagree.

[NOFEER]

works ok,
BUT
it won't include my contacts and i checked the settings, only web search given

won't replace voice dialing too much fumbling with the phone