Google released a couple of new UI features with the latest Chrome update for Android yesterday and announced that voice search will be coming to Chrome for iOS "soon". Android Updates With the Android update, the long search URL box is gone and search queries in Chrome display in the omnibox. And now, while browsing, webpages show in full screen; the top toolbar disappears when you scroll down to give more real estate to the webpage itself. Scroll back up to the top of the page, and the toolbar will reappear. Voice Search Coming To Chrome iOS Voice search made a big splash at Googl [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google | Google: Chrome | Google: Chrome OS | Google: Conversational Search | Google: Google Search App

The "conversational search" that Google demonstrated at last week's Google I/O conference is now available to users of its Chrome browser, and it's a significant leap in how we use search engines. I'm 17 years now into writing about search, and I've seen all types of things that have promised to revolutionize the space, especially products that trot out words like "natural language" and "semantic search" but fail to deliver. Conversational search has natural language, semantic search and more built into it, and while it's far from perfect, this really is one of those significant change [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Features: Analysis | Google: Conversational Search | Google: Gmail Search Field Trial | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: Voice Search | Google: Web Search | Top News

Six shiny new cards are coming for Google Now, the assistive app for Android and recently, iOS devices, that offers predictive information tailored to your needs.  The new cards, announced at Google I/O today, are for reminders, music, TV shows, public transit, books and video games. Photo credit: Danny Sullivan Reminders is an interactive feature that can be set using voice commands.  Johanna Wright, VP of Search and Assist, gave a live demonstration of a Google Now "Voice Action Reminder". Using simple voice commands, users can set reminders that then show up and activate in the [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: I/O

When Google first released its updated Google Search app last October, it never made the iTunes top ten and, last week, wasn't even in the top 100. But the addition of Google Now helped the app make the top ten in less than a week. Google relaunched its app last October with Siri-like voice recognition and readback, but after peaking at number 16, it started dropping down to around the 150 mark last Sunday. With Google Now being added, the app has risen up to number 10 in the most recently downloaded free apps list. Coincidentally, it also just got named the 10th most downlaoded free app [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Google | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News

Previously Android-only, Google's "predictive search" tool Google Now is now available for the iPhone and iPad. It's part of an updated Google Search App for iOS. Google Now for iOS had been anticipated since March, when Engadget discovered a promotional video suggesting it would make the leap. Until its release this morning, Google Now had been available exclusively on devices running Android 4.1 ("Jelly Bean") or higher. We've written multiple times about Google Now in the past. But, if for some reason you're unfamiliar with it, Google Now is the company's "search assistant," of [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: Mobile | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News

With Google Now coming to iOS, a whole new audience using iPhones and iPads are about to meet Google's predictive search service. It's a feature that's gone from interesting novelty to being downright amazing, in less than a year. Here's a look at how the "predictive search" service has evolved and where it may head next, including perhaps to desktop computers. Wow, It Really Does Work [caption id="attachment_157254" align="alignright" width="300"] Google Now, showing time to airport and navigation option[/caption] [caption id="attachment_157256" align="alignright" width="300"] Google Now [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Top News

Engadget spotted and has archived a promotional video that suggests the Google Search App for iOS may be gaining Google Now support. That support might help boost usage of the Google Search App, which barely makes the iTunes Top 100. Google Now No Longer Android-Only? Google Now is Google's predictive search assistant, which tries to anticipate answers to things before you ask, such as travel times to destinations you frequent. Google Now is available for newer Android devices but not for the iPhone. Late last year, after two months of delay, an upgraded Google Search App was approve [...]

Related Topics: Apple: Siri | Channel: Mobile | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Top News

Got the new Google Search app on your iPhone or iPad? Here's a trick. Ask it, "What's the best smartphone?" The app will politely decline to say. The app will reply in one of two ways that I've found: "No one phone is right for everyone." "You'll have to decide for yourself." Don't have the app? Here's a video I made with both answers: [youtube width="560" height="420"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYH18JUFy04[/youtube] I'm guessing that Google decided to avoid an embarrassment Apple had earlier this year, when Siri was found to be suggesting phones other than the iPhone as the [...]

Related Topics: Apple: Siri | Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News

Announced in August, Google's new Google Search app for iOS has been apparently stuck in Apple's app approval process for over two months. No longer. Google's just announced that the new app is out. The news came on Google's official blog today. The company has also posted a video of how it works: [youtube width="560" height="315"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ZUSPecPRk[/youtube] The new app provides direct answers and uses a "card" format familiar to Android 4.1 (and now some Android 4.2) users who have the Google Now service: It was never clear exactly why it took the app so lon [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: Mobile | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News