Google Siri Application For Android: Web Search

Google’s Siri rival for Android detailed, launching within the next two weeks?

Google’s Siri rival for Android detailed, launching within the next two weeks?

While you may view Apple’s Siri as nothing more than a nice gimmick t help with iPhone 4S marketing, there’s no denying that it’s put pressure on other tech companies to roll out their own voice assistants. Now details on Google’s effort have been leaked, and it’s on it’s way fast.

The project, which is currently underway at the Google X labs, is being called Majel, after the actor who provides the voice of the Federation computer in Star Trek. This news comes from an insider, who’s let slip to AndroidAndMe that it could launch this year.

The best Siri alternatives for each platform

The principle is slightly different from Siri, or it will be at launch at any rate. All Google’s currently looking to do initially is to expand on the Google Actions set of voice-activated commands that are already baked into Android, to allow it to understand a more natural flow of speech a la Siri.

While rumour has it Google X lab workers are storming through code day and night to get this update rolled out, we’d be more inclined to believe in a launch in January – just to allow extra polishing time.

With this and Amazon’s acquisition of the Yap voice recognition software company earlier in the year, it seems the race is properly on to provide a service to match Apple’s humble voice assistant.

Via AndroidAndMe

View the original article here

Will Majel voice Google's Siri rebuttal?

Google may soon launch a new, more sophisaticated voice assistant for Android devices that can respond to natural language commands, claims tech enthusiast site Android and Me.

Codenamed Majel after the late Star Trek actress Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, who provided the voice of the computer for all of the later versions of the popular science fiction TV series, the new voice assistant could launch as early as January or February.

If the report holds true, Majel would be an upgrade to Android's current Voice Actions app, which lets you make calls, send emails, search the web, get directions and perform other actions via your voice. But in its current incarnation, Voice Actions relies on preset voice commands in contrast to Siri, which lets you converse more naturally.

View the original article here

Google's Snowy Easter Egg

If you search for [let it snow] using Google, you'll have a hard time checking the search results. Google uses a JavaScript animation that adds some snowflakes and covers the entire page with snow.

Fortunately, Google added a "defrost" button that makes the search results reappear. You can also click anywhere on the page and move your mouse to "defrost" the page or draw something. Click the "+" button and you can share the Easter egg with other Google+ users.