Google Goggles
Text-based search is the most prominent search available on the Internet these days. Except for a few specialized ones, most search engines require text input to be able to crawl their databases for hits on the topic.
Google Goggles is a new application for the Android operating system that allows the user to perform searches by submitting photos or images. That’s an interesting concept in a handful of situations. Say you are a tourist and want to know more about a building that you spotted. Maybe you even know the name of the building but not in your own language.
Other applications include identifying artwork, looking up items like books or wine and scanning contact information on business cards to find out more about the contact.
A picture is worth a thousand words. No need to type your search anymore. Just take a picture. Find out what businesses are nearby. Just point your phone at a store. This is just the beginning – it’s not quite perfect yet. Works well for some things, but not for all. Your pictures, your control.
Turn on ‘visual search history’ to view or share your pictures at any time. Turn it off to discard them once the search is done.
