Google Mobile App for iPhone has just added Google Goggles support. Goggles is the awesomely named camera-search based service that debuted on Android and lets you find information about something just by taking a picture of it.
In the new version of Google Mobile App just tap on the camera button to search using Goggles. Goggles will analyze the image and highlight the objects it recognizes -- just click on them to find out more.
You can see how it works in the video after the break. It's totally Star Trek, but it's also still a work in progress according to Google:
Computer vision is a hard problem and Google Goggles is still a Labs product. It works well for things such as landmarks, logos and the covers of books, DVDs and games. However, it doesn’t yet work for some things you might want to try like animals, plants or food.
Get it, it's hot.
[iTunes link via Google Mobile Blog]
Reader comments
Google Mobile App for iPhone adds Google Goggles support
And Google is a competitor hmm...
Just messed with a little on some DVDS and it seems to work great. A nice update to an already great app.
Wow, this is amazing. I shot a picture of a photo of a famous castle and it got it.
I haven't been prompted with an update yet, it still doesn't even recognize the mic on my iPod Touch 4G.
I should have known: My 3G is not supported...
I had to manually search for the Google Mobile App and then it let me install over my locally installed app. The App Store didn't notice that the update was available.
@wadebot Yeah that seemed to work for me, thanks. Not sure why that happened but whatever.
Wow that is bull, they don't even support Goggles on the iPod Touch 4G. The thing has been out for a month and they don't support it.
@ww2_honor Bummer, I just got a little camera icon for taking photos on the search page on the iPhone 4.
How about voice activation for google maps!!!
@ww2_honor
If that's true it's probably because the camera doesn't have an auto-focus.
People starting to understand why I was so upset last month with Apple's poor design decision on the rear camera for the 4G iTouch?
YES!!! Been waiting for this for too long. Very happy to finally have it. Surprised a little and glad that they decided to add it in to the app instead of make a separate one.
@Konman I've been wanting Google Maps Navigation since I heard about it. I'm using the Waze App as my crutch. It's actually pretty good, but no where near Google Maps Nav.
@Erik That doesn't matter, I'm able to use bar code apps with no problem. And if that were the case we have tap to focus.
Extremely impressed with the Goggles app. Worked perfectly on brand names in my fridge, pictures of famous people and art on my PC and even pictures of local landmarks from my home town.
Awesome!
I did not get the update on my iPhone 4 either. I had to install the app again - I'm not sure why - Perhaps because the new version is a universal iPad/iPhone app and the old one wasn't? Just speculating.
@ww2_honor
The reviews I read said that the "tap to focus" on the 4G touch only effected white balancing.
Enjoying the Google Goggles, but still won't replace my other apps, for one main reason. They can't take an existing picture you have in your picture albums. I tend to take pics of barcodes (because of another app, StickyBits), and so I have these all saved.
I also have pics of items and such, for when I'm buying something for someone else, to make sure I've got the correct thing for them, and I save these pics as well.
It'd be nice if it could pull out of the photo albums of existing photos I already have.
Once Goggles adds this support, I can drop SnapTell, but until then, it has that one feature that I need.
"... for you Americans!" Hey mate, you're in SF ... not London.
@Erik Well either way it shouldn't effect this because it works flawlessly on bar code apps.
@ww2_honor
Well it could effect their decision on supporting it for those devices without an auto-focus option. It's still basically a Beta service after all so they may not feel ready to support it on fixed-focus devices yet.
Now if only Apple would let Google update the built-in Maps app like any other App Store app...
This is really amazing!
The iPod 4g will always be one step behind the iPhone. It's only a matter of time before they support goggles for us iPod users. It was the same with Justin TV app.
That is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I've joined your feed and sit up for in quest of extra of your excellent post. Also, I've shared your website in my social networks