Google "Voice Actions" Now Available For Android, What About Similar Voice Recognition Services For Other Platforms?
One of the big stories today was the launch of Google Voices for Android, you must have an Android running 2.2 (or higher), other Android phones will require a couple more apps listed at the bottom of the page to get Google Voices working. At this time it only works with U.S. English.
What are Google "Voice Actions" all about? We can turn that coverage to Danny and Matt at Search Engine Land.
+ So, speak the correct syntax into Android Smartphone and the accomplish the following tasks done with your voice:
+ send text to [contact] [message]
+ listen to [artist/song/album]
+ call [business]
+ call [contact]
+ send email to [contact] [message]
+ go to [website]
+ note to self [note]
+ navigate to [location/business name]
+ directions to [location/business name]
+ map of [location]
+ speak your search terms and receive Google results
This page lists all of the feature and provides the syntax you'll need.
Cool indeed! Matt McGee has more including an embedded video
However, what about those people who don't have an Android phone? iPhone users are one group but there are other platforms out there and what about telephone users who don't have a Smartphone but a basic feature phone?
Here are three services, all of them are free (with one optional exception).
App is free for iPhone, Android (now free) and Blackberry or for a small fee for Nokia. Basic voice recognition services are also free.
Basic services include:
+ Access Maps and a Business Directory by Speaking a Name or Address
For example: Sushi in Bellevue, Washington. Listings are provided by Google.
+ Social Updates
Post to Twitter and/or Update your Facebook status. You can update one service at a time or update both with one call.
+ Web Search
Default search is Google but can be easily switched to Yahoo or Bing.
+ Voice Dial
Based on Your Contact Directory
Vlingo also provides two fee-based services. They cost $6.99 each or 9.99 if by both at the same time. Now that Google’s in the space we'll watch to see if Vlingo ends charging for them even though they're not that expensive.
Vlingo's Fee-Based Services
A) Speak and send a text (SMS) message
B) Speak and send an email
These services cost $3.99 each or you can purchase both at the same time for $9.99. It will be interesting to see if Vlingo drops the fee since Google offers these same services for free.
We spent just a brief amount of time using Vlingo today, it worked well but we need to do more testing.
Note: Vlingo is available in languages other than English. The following versions are only available for the Nokia platform.
This page has more info including a list of the categories of info that Siri can provide at the present time:
+ Restaurants (Best Steak Near Here)
+ Events (When is the next LA Dodgers game?)
+ Taxis (Your transportation is on its way)
+ G Rated Movies (Near 72nd and Lexington)
+ Gas Stations Near Here
+ What's the Current Temperature in Nome
Siri is a U.S. only product at this time.
We would be the least bit surprised to see Siri and Vlingo add a bunch of new features.
3) Finally another voice recognition service (technically this is an IVR (interactive voice response) service that has been around since late 1999 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2007 for “close to $800 million."
We’re talking about Tellme Networks.
Their consumer service now includes the Bing name. The name is now, “Tellme Powered by Bing” or "Bing 411."
We’ve used it for years and it works well.
Access: 1-800-555-TELL or 1-800-Bing-411 and you’re ready to go.
The services are free and works with all phones that can dial a toll-free number. There is NO app to download.
When we checked today and the services available at both numbers were identical.
Tellme/Bing411 focuses entirely on info vs. also offering dictation/voice recog services.
What categories of info are available?
+ Business Search
+ Driving Directions
+ Traffic
+ Weather
+ Movies
+ Sports
+ Cheap Gas (Beta and it does need work)
+ Stock Quotes
+ News
+ Time
+ Travel (Examples: Say an Airline name and you’ll be be connected to the reservation center) or say “taxi” and you’ll be connected to a Bing preferred taxi provider for the area where you need a cab.
In services where you're given a telephone number, Bing 411 will dial the number for you. In other cases you can share the info with others or text the info to yourself.
So, no matter what type of phone your using (Smartphone or Feature Phone), you have access to info by voice (Bing 411) and if you use a Smartphone (for the most popular platforms) you also have access to at least one app (Vlingo). Both are free and more than worth a look.
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