Voice Recognition: Google Dives Into Voice Activation Control
With all the latest news on voice recognition in smart phones and security systems, Google has added to the din with news of a new application that runs on voice control for the Android phone. “Voice Actions” is the name of the new application, and Google says it’s controlled with a series of spoken commands, allowing you to make calls, send texts, and queue music with the sound of your voice.
As a post at the Los Angeles Times’ blog states, speaking is the most natural way of interacting with your phone. Google’s foray into the voice activation world should serve it well when it comes to the competitive market. That said, Google’s Android has done pretty well for itself this year, rising to the number 3 position just behind Nokia and Research in Motion phones. It made its way past Apple’s iPhone in the second quarter earlier this year, and the spreading popularity of the Android has had a strong effect on Google’s other applications – search, maps, and email – as well.
Voice Actions is truly hands free, and an owner can order a phone to send email, make a call, play a song, get directions, and a list of other commands he or she may need at any one time. Start by tapping the microphone button on the Google search box on the Android’s home screen, hold it down until the Speak Now screen pops up. After that, choose from a list of voice commands to operate the system. Google lists some of those commands in its recent post announcing the new application.
To make a call, simply say “call contact” or “call business.” To send an email, say “send email to” and then the contact or message. To navigate to a website or a location using the maps application, say “go to” and the website or “navigate to” and then the location of the place you desire. You get the point.
At the moment, Voice Actions is only available for English speakers and comes with Android 2.2 software or preloaded on Motorola and Verizon’s Droid 2 phones.
Just speak it: introducing Voice Actions for Android
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- The Rising Importance of Voice Recognition in Biometric Devices
- Voice Recognition: Universal Translation for Smartphones
- Rave Reviews for Microsoft Kinect’s Face and Voice Recognition
- Is Apple Getting Into Face Recognition Too?