Voice Search for Android
Posted by Sam Churchill on February 4th, 2009C/Net’s Crave reports that the upcoming firmware update for T-Mobile’s G1, will include voice-powered search. Users can simply talk into the application to have their queries transcribed into text. Google’s voice search application is currently available for the iPhone.
The big difference, however, is that users will need to begin a voice search by tapping the microphone icon instead of simply holding their phone up to their face.
Why is that?
The G1 is missing the oh-so-important proximity sensor, which on the iPhone tells the application you’re holding it up to your face. Also, the app doesn’t make use of the G1’s accelerometer, which means it can’t fake knowing you’re lifting it from palm to head.
In the iPhone iteration, the application uses both of these sensors in tandem to do its voice searching magic.
No doubt future Android devices that have either sensor will fall in line with the iPhone’s offering, such as the long-rumored G2. Until then G1 users will need to tap first.
Both Yahoo and Microsoft already offer voice services for cellphones. Microsoft’s Tellme service returns information in specific categories like directions, maps and movies. Yahoo’s oneSearch with Voice is more flexible but does not appear to be as accurate as Google’s offering, says the NY Times.
Android is the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. The Open Handset Alliance, a group of more than 30 technology and mobile companies, developed the standard.
source : dailywireless.org
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