Google’s updated search app for iOS poses serious challenge to Siri

When the iPhone 4S was launched last year, one of the most well-marketed features was Siri. The speech-powered interface brought about a change in how users interacted with devices. Sure, voice-control was not entirely new. But Apple wanted to marry interface with content and control. Siri accepted natural speech instead of memorized commands, and users could directly command their iPhones to do their biding.
Android users may actually have a better speech-powered interface than Siri, although with Google being the central platform, the focus here is on search rather than spoken commands. Google Now on Android Jelly Bean uses the company’s Knowledge Graph to put better context to a user’s information, connections and actions through the various Google online services.
With Google’s latest update to its iOS Search application, it might pose a more serious challenge to Siri on its iOS home turf. An iOS Search app review by The Verge reveals that Google’s latest Search app may not be Google Now, but is “still a big step forward.”
Some highlights:

• Fast and accurate voice recognition. The review resulted in a fast and fairly accurate recognition of spoken commands both through a WiFi and cellular network. Search doesn’t try to answer questions in natural speech like Siri, but it offers relevant search results within context faster than Siri.
• Google Now style functionality.  Search does not offer phone-level control, which means you cannot ask it to set appointments for you or accept SMS dictations. But it offers search results in an interface similar to Google Now, particularly the card-style items. The app can read back certain items, such as weather updates, sports scores, flight info, stock prices, and translations.
• Google app integration. The new Search app is well-integrated with Google apps and services like YouTube and Maps. Asking for directions will open Google Maps — within mobile Safari — complete with the route you asked for. You can directly speak to Search when looking for YouTube videos.
• Support for iPad and iPhone 5. The search app supports different displays and formats, particularly the latest iPhone and on the iPad.

What makes Google’s latest Search app attractive is its great combination of interface and content. It’s a polished app that combines speed, good voice recognition, and Google’s vast stores of information, the review says.

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Google Search, Maps, and Now will be providing preparedness info about Hurricane Sandy for the duration

Hurricane Sandy made landfall last night in the Northeastern United States and the damage has been dreadful. Currently, there are millions without power, millions upon millions of dollars in damages, and the worst part, the death toll is at 33 in the United States alone. Unfortunately, the storm is far from over.
Google is trying to help those still in the path of the storm. Yesterday, they released a brand new feature called the Crisis Response Map. It shows Hurricane Sandy and the path it’s cutting into the United States. It helps give people a visual representation of the storm and where it’s going much like a weather map.
That isn’t all that Google is currently doing. They have added public alerts on many of their services to help warn more people. As of now, Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Now are all sending out alerts for Hurricane Sandy. In addition, you can use the alerts posted to see things like power outage maps. They have also added blips on Maps to show evacuation centers.

Isn’t Hurricane Sandy over?

Not by a long shot. While the coastal cities will be seeing some relief from Hurricane Sandy, it still rages on inland. Winds on the coast are still hurricane force in some areas. In addition, there is a huge blizzard in the Appalachian Mountains region. According to weather authorities, the storm will affect people as far West as Chicago and as far South as Georgia over the course of the next few days.
So if you’re in the path of Hurricane Sandy, check out virtually any Google service. It’ll show you where the storm is right now, what parts will be affected, and can even show you the locations of emergency shelters. It could be an invaluable resource for those that need it. To everyone dealing with the storm, stay safe, warm, and dry.

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