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Search giant Google has introduced a new voice search feature to its Chrome browser.
The change will allow users to click a button and speak directly into a microphone in their PC, rather than manually type in search terms.
The technology was previously only available to mobile phone users.
The feature is currently only available on Chrome, and users will need a microphone built-into their computer, or a headset with microphone function, to make it work.
The voice search query works much like a normal Google search – but has some interesting features, such as being able to ask mathematics questions, with Google immediately providing the correct answer.
Whilst the speak-out-loud feature is unlikely to catch on in busy offices, it does represent a step towards the periphery-free computer interface – along with touch-screen technology – which could eventually remove the need for a keyboard or mouse.
The change could also affect search engine optimisation techniques, as users could streamline their search terms in the spoken rather than written word.
Google is expected to release extensions to allow voice search on other browsers soon.
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Is your site mobile friendly? It is going to need to be now! Google have added voice search to their app for the iPhone, and let’s face it, this is one app that is likely to be heavily used by consumers. Particularly as it uses the iPhone GPS to track down local restaurants, bars, garages, businesses etc etc etc using MyLocation.
You can download it from iTunes and judging by the comments today from those trying it out, it seems to be pretty efficient at recognising even complex questions or search terms. We’ve said it before but if your website isn’t mobile search friendly, you are really going to start missing out on custom now this has been launched. Others will no doubt follow suit, and if it really is faster than the keyboard for conducting searches, as intimated, this could well become the mobile search tool of choice for iphone users.
