Google has updated its voice search feature with what it calls a "no-interface" approach for Chrome and Chrome OS. With the latest version of Google Search, saying "OK Google" and asking a question will prompt it to respond, with no button presses needed. Like Siri or previous voice searches, users can ask a question with natural language, and Google's Knowledge Graph will parse the question, giving a voice response and showing results. Searches can be personalized (as long as you've turned on the Gmail Search field trial feature) — in a demo, Google showed off commands like "Send an email to Katie" or "Show me my photos from New York last year." Local search results will let you find places nearby and get directions.
Essentially, this is a step forward from Google Now, letting you look for personalized information rather than having it brought to you with Now's cards system. Like any other system, it has to work with what you put into it; to get better results, you'll need to give Google more data. On Android, you'll also apparently still be tapping an icon to start up search, though more conversational personalized answers will be coming in an update; other Now updates are also coming. Chrome, iOS, and Android will all be getting the new features "soon."
Comments
i was impressed with the ‘how do i get to it from here’
By LordTwinkie on 05.15.13 2:18pm
“OK Google, divide zero by zero”
By russlar on 05.15.13 2:22pm
This is learning from conversation context, one of the big goals of AI.
By Zecharixs on 05.15.13 2:22pm
"
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH CHROME!?!?! ITS UNRESPONSIVE!!!
Ok, Google Chrome is getting on my nerves…"
By Aggie_CEO on 05.15.13 2:23pm
WOW! Cool! How can I turn it on???
By alisher.allakov on 05.15.13 3:38pm
Ultra Creepy Man…. hope this is not carried over on by default in the open source Chromium version.
By yareckon on 05.15.13 3:53pm
How the titties is this creepy? In what world have you been living in?
By fatty bunter on 05.15.13 4:33pm
Are you afraid that their datacenter servers are going to laugh at you?
By Password Length Limits Suck on 05.16.13 1:49am
Who of you is sitting in front of your chrome browser and is saying over and over again “OK GOOGLE” and nothing happens?
By gottmar on 05.15.13 4:13pm
Not ready yet…its coming “soon”.
By thejellymon on 05.15.13 4:39pm
Use the canary build!
By sthkr on 05.15.13 5:36pm
Not seeing it in the latest Canary build … maybe tonight.
By QuarterSwede on 05.15.13 9:19pm
I was guilty of doing just that!
By Shedrick Flowers on 05.15.13 10:36pm
So how do you activate this?
By JimboK on 05.15.13 4:36pm
Not ready yet…its coming “soon”.
By thejellymon on 05.15.13 4:39pm
I’m sure a lot of people tried saying “Ok, Google”
By Optimus-Prime on 05.15.13 5:56pm
Rightttttt, like crazy!!!
By Vala :) on 05.15.13 11:51pm
yeah I wierded out my entire family and also the dog just now
By tomhowe on 05.17.13 8:39pm
The fruits of Majel project?
By Jason Diaz on 05.15.13 6:41pm
The “OK, Google” activation phrase doesn’t seem to be working, although clicking the icon launches the new search instantly. Neat!
By qwertykal on 05.15.13 7:29pm
I’m not seeing anything new in my Chrome browser or any update notifications. Is there something I need to manually do in order to activate these new features?
By Russell Tanner on 05.16.13 2:31pm
So does this work already or is this something that’s coming because I can’t figure out how to use it if it does.
By tomhowe on 05.17.13 8:38pm
Does this work only when you have a Google page open or anywhere as long as you’re using Chrome?
By noksucow on 05.18.13 2:57pm
Just like the last few commenters, saying ‘OK Google’ at google.com in Chrome does nothing… :(
By .psd on 05.19.13 12:03pm
That’s because you need a plugin for it to work. Otherwise the tinfoil hat crowd would be saying Google is listening to everything. With the plugin, it allows a dictionary on your computer to hear exactly that phrase to trigger on. So far, this has not been released.
By UndergroundWire on 05.19.13 6:18pm