Saturday, November 6, 2010

Google Goggles: The future of Search


A significant factor which made me realise that engineering was the career for me was my fascination with the works of Jules Verne who could arguably be labeled a prophet (hold the fatwa, I said arguably) when one considers how many times the themes/ inventions in his novels have escaped the shackles of Science Fiction to become Science Fact. This occurred most famously with his description of the Nautilus (Captain Nemo's submarine in “20 000 leagues under the Sea”) and then with “From the Earth to the Moon”. It could be argued that he missed the mark with “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, but as an author, his primary intention would have been to entertain and captivate his readers, rather than provide food for thought for retrospective scientific prediction in the future.

I intended to write this with a clear message to potential smartphone buyers in South Africa to seriously consider getting a phone that runs on the Android operating system based on the availability of just one App – Google Goggles. The opening paragraph and the tribute to Jules Verne was to draw an association between the unshackled vision of the author to the realisation of the future, today, by the staff of Google Labs. Google continues to be the primary proponent for the advancement and research of technology in this sector today. What has begun with Google Search, Gmail, Google Docs and Google Maps has now continued it's progression with Google Goggles.

Google Goggles is a visual search application currently available for both Android Phones and the I-phone. It lets you use pictures taken with your mobile phone to search the web with no need to type or speak your query. All that is required is to open the app, take a picture and wait for your search results. As this kind of technology is still in its infancy, it currently works best with certain types of queries e.g. pictures of books and DVD's, landmarks, logos etc and not so well with pictures of animals, plants or cars. Another great feature is the menu translator that may be used when traveling internationally. The video below highlights the functionality of this new innovation better than I ever could with words.



If you are not blown away by what has been accomplished with the development of this app, I suggest that you sit down and ask someone to check for the existence of a pulse. Notwithstanding the functionality already available, the potential for future enhancement is mind boggling. Unlike most apps, Google Goggles, has the potential to significantly enrich one's life and also allow them the opportunity to impress the pants off those people who still believe that cellphones should only be used to make and receive calls and receive SMS's (I omitted send SMS's intentionally).

As stated earlier, my intention was to convince people unsure of which smartphone to purchase, to give the Android phones a try, but then I discovered that like with Itunes, Android Marketplace is not yet available in South Africa. Salespeople would always convince you that availability is imminent but we've heard all that before. Is it our Copyright laws, our former communications Minister, COSATU? Who do we need to talk to to get this to happen? The South African telecommunication market has taught us to never count our chickens before they are hatched but for those Android/ I-phone users who really want the app, I am sure you are already aware of the “work-arounds”.

Unless your social circle is rife with Blackberry's and you are part of the crowd that text a lot, or are a self confessed Apple fanboy (like myself), I would recommend the Android devices to potential buyers in that smartphone market. The staff at Google are encouraged to be innovative and progressive, and have a track record of dominating any market they enter so I expect the Android platform to develop in leaps and bounds in the coming years. Hopefully us, South Africans will be invited to the party.

P.S I have subsequently discovered that Google Googles is available for download in South Africa for both Android and I-Phone users (3GS and I-phone 4 only). Users have commented that there is still some development required as it is not functioning as well as could be expected at times. I still think that it is something to be really excited about and could lead to similar products/ devices in the future. 

13 comments:

  1. I downloaded the google app for free from the app store, but sadly google goggles only works on the 3gs and iphone 4 with ios4. bummer.

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  2. I knew that and meant to include it in the blog. Sorry. I suppose you just have to wait 1 more month until you get your IPhone 4.

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  3. There are tens of thousands of free apps available for android, some of them really really good. This is because its so much easier to develop for android than iPhone.

    Apparently Vodacom initially will only have around 500 iPhone 4s available. Anyway, the only reason anybody would buy an iPhone is because they don't understand what they losing out on by not getting an Android...

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  4. BTW, If you think Google goggles is cool wait till you see some of the augmented reality stuff. One of the oldest examples of this which I think is brilliant its Google Sky.

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  5. I remember you moving over to Android a little while ago. It sounds like you are impressed (or justifying your decision :) )

    I was thinking of getting the IPhone 4 mainly because of easier syncing and thetering with my macbook. You have sparked my curiosity though. I will give some Android phones a view. Which would you recommend?

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  6. btw Not only Vodacom have the IPhone 4. MTN have some good deals too. (Their numbers are limited as well)

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  7. www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg

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  8. The only reason anyone would buy an Android is because they don't understand what they are losing out on by not getting an Iphone.

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  9. Ok. Let's try again while your incense stick is still burning:)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bcryQUuDwM&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-1r-2-HM

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  10. That was hillarious, Yuvaan. Somebody made a web movie on why the HTC is superior, so it must be...
    Mac products just feel awesome but I am extremely biased. based on the cost and waiting period, I am seriously considering an Android phone. Time will tell.

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  11. Yuvaan, you implied that we should not be allowed to choose. I choose the iPhone. You choose an Android.
    There is a guy at work who is one of the biggest Mac detractors I know. His recent phone purchases were influenced by his need to better my iPhone. He now has an Android and the only thing he can show off is the gun noise and the cat noise it makes. And now the cow noise.
    An iPhone or an Android is what you make of it. I make the most of my iPhone, except I only have a fart noise app, not a moo cow app.

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  12. Geez. Look I've just been kidding. If I could afford it, I'd have an iPad, a mac, an iPhone, an alienwarez notebook, a few really powerful pcs, some running ubuntu, some windows 2008. I like my andriod and I like cool stuff, and I don't care about labels, just what is most awesome. Ask anybody who knows me :) I'm not sure where I implied you shouldn't be allowed to choose. if that little comment upset you, I'm sorry!

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  13. This has to be one of the most keenly debated topics currently on the internet. A friend of mine sent me the link to an article comparing the two phones last night. It was very biased but the comic factor contained in the comments thread was hillarious. In short, you should never sign off a comment "the engineer". I have attached the link below.

    http://www.knowyourmobile.com/comparisons/599996/htc_desire_hd_vs_apple_iphone_4.html

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