In case you are wondering about the strange reference in my title, it has to do with Weebles. Don’t know what one is? Google it. Or maybe you have an old one and want to know when it was first introduced to the market but you’re just too tired to type that into the search box. Well then Google has a new feature for you!
Google Goggles is a new tool that allows you to point your Android SmartPhone’s camera at something, say a landmark like the Eiffel tower, take a picture and receive search results that link to information about it. It is still in Labs so maybe it won’t understand your Weeble picture just yet, but basically it allows you to search by taking a picture or video instead of having to type your query in the search box. You can even point your phone at a store and find what businesses are nearby! Terrific help if you’re conducting business out of town and you want to find a good place to eat or some fun entertainment.
It is available on phones that use Android 1.6+ (i.e. Donut or Eclair). Here’s a list of some of the ways Google suggests you can use the tool:
- Landmark: Travelling and you don’t know what you’re looking at? No need for a guide book just take a picture and Google will deliver search results where you can learn more about it.
- Book: Take a picture of the jacket and Google will let you know where you can buy it or access it online.
- Contact Information: take a picture of the contact information and Goggle will organize it and present on your screen.
- Artwork (although many museums and galleries around the world do not permit you to take pictures with a flash or at all): Love art but don’t know what the heck you’re looking at? Take a picture and Google will deliver search results with links to information about it.
- Places: Take a picture or video and Goggle will identify what the place is (restaurant, hotel, store, the name, etc.).
- Wine: Take a picture of the label and Google will deliver search results that inform you of the available vintages, the particulars about the winery, and other such information.
What a fun tool. I am curious to learn how sophisticated Google’s Goggles will become. Will it be able to identify people such as celebrities, politicians, criminals, or anyone in the news? Will it be able to identify parts of a machine allowing for quick and easy industrial searches without typing? Hmmm….gets me thinking….and looking forward to testing!
I have recently entered the Google world by purchasing a Motorola Droid phone. As I continue to find more applications and services available for the phone I am amazed at the capabilities as well as the possibilities. After having this phone for about 2 weeks now and seamlessly integrating my database within the first day, this phone has become a work horse. I wonder how I survived with my previous smart phone. I have downloaded the Google Goggles application and have tried a few different objects. As this a new release and I am sure they will continue to make improvements, you need to consider what they have done and its current limitations. You cannot just take a picture of the anything and expect to get a favorable result. The picture does need to be somewhat of a recognized item.
I have tried several off the shelf products and it does well. If you snap a picture of your best friend for instance it will not find anything. The other detail I have noticed is that the application does not allow the phone to utilize its flash capability when grabbing the image, and if there is not enough light it effects the image quality and results in a poor identification of the object.
Hats off to Google for both the Android OS and the Goggles application. I look forward to updates and better results in the future.