Android App of the Day: Google Voice Search

Posted by Amy Eichelberg

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

Whether it’s driving your car, walking down the street, or jumping on the subway for your morning commute, searching the web on your smartphone can sometimes present a few challenges. More often than not the smaller screen and keypad of a smartphone can also offer its own set of obstacles when sending an email, or making a phone call while trying to multitask. Thankfully the Google Voice Search app for Android in the Android Market allows its users to search the web and phone by speaking instead of typing. This free app lets you call your friends, pull up directions, and even control the functions of your smartphone directly from the Voice Search app.

Pros:

Any spoken text will trigger a Google query input on Google search
Send a SMS text to a contact
Send an email to a contact
Start a phone to selected contact
Obtain direction and navigate to desired location
Go to a website address
Open Google Maps
Create a note to yourself
Saves time
Ideal for situations when typing is not comfortable
Free

Cons:

Can drain battery life
Not optimal for long texts or lengthy emails
Low accuracy with voice-to-text conversations
Voice Actions feature is only supported in English language
If you don’t use Wi-Fi data charges can get expensive

How it works:

Most Android phones now have voice recognition features enabled by default. This means that Google Voice Search is already included on your phone in the form of a little microphone icon next to your main search bar. However, if you have an Android device that didn’t come preset with Google Voice Search on it already, you can download the free app from the Play Store.

Essentially the app allows you to perform any search by speaking instead of typing. The app translates your voice into a Google search and allows you to keep your hands free to do other things. Simply click on the microphone icon, speak clearly into the microphone and wait for the answer, action, or response. As long as you are sporting Android 2.2 (Froyo) or higher, the app will also give you Google Voice Actions as an added feature. This feature allows you to actually control your smartphone with your voice. Note: Google Voice Actions will only work if your phone’s language setting is set to English.

Conclusion: The Google Voice Search app with its Google Voice Action features was mostly successful when I wanted to perform short searches or small tasks in situations when I was unable to type. I found myself using this app whenever I was driving or on the treadmill at the gym. Sending a quick text or initiating a call to a contact was a breeze, and the app really stood up in noisy places. I loved how smooth the interface is and how quick the app provided search queries back. I did run into some accuracy issues when I attempted to write longer texts, emails, or lengthy notes. If I needed to compose a long email or text, I had to rely on the old fashion way and bust out the old texting fingers for that. Overall, this app works best for when you want to save time either obtaining directions, running a short Google search, or sending a quick text.