Adding voice recognition to search sure takes a giant like Google to invent. But for Google to release the technology to the iPhone in the way of a free app is simply amazing--one that will change the way we use our mobiles.
For some, the novelty might wear off shortly, and away they go back to the old ways of searching. But for others who stick with it, and continue to explore the vast use of this app, it will become a way of doing things, a way of life.
Here are some phrases I used to get results right in the app without having to open Safari:
Weather: "Hong Kong weather" shows the current weather, and the forecast for next three days. Unfortunately, the weather defaults to Fahrenheit, not Celsius as used in Hong Kong.
Currency: "100 Hong Kong dollars to U.S. dollars" shows the exchange rate between the two currencies. Spelling out "R.M.B." for Reminbi works, too.
Definitions and spellings: "Define subjunctive" shows the definition of the word. And when I didn't know how to spell "Fahrenheit" above, I only had to say the word to get the correct spelling on the screen. Some words are just easier said than spell.
Stock quotes and indexes: "Apple stock price" shows the current stock price and chart for AAPL. "Dow Jones Index" also shows the current index and chart. Alas, "NASDAQ Index" or "Hang Seng Index" only shows links I have to click on. But the fact that it understands the Chinese words "Hang Seng" is pretty cool.
Conversions: "Convert 1.75 meters to inches" shows my correct height in inches. "How many liters to a gallon" shows the correct conversion as well.
World facts: "Population of Hong Kong" shows 6,980,412 people as of July 2007. "GDP of Hong Kong" shows $258.8 billion (2006 est.), and "Map of Hong Kong" shows a clickable Google map.
Remember, these are phrases that will display results directly in the Google app, and even that I haven't scratched the surface. I would love to hear what phrases you have discovered that can do the same.
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