Google Brings Voice Actions to Android Phones

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Tired of pressing buttons to get your phone to do what you want? Well, wouldn't you know it, Google has the answer to your plight.

Google today announced voice actions for Android. An add on for the existing Voice Search application, the update lets you control other aspects of phone using your voice. Whether you're sending texts, listening to music making phone calls or navigating to your favourite restaurant, you no longer have to worry about that pesky touchscreen.

  • 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]
  • search

If you've used Voice Search before, you likely know that it can sometimes be way off the mark. The same can be said for these new features. I downloaded the application for my Nexus One to give it a shot. I don't know if it was my accent (because Google says it only works for US English speakers), but all of my attempts to send emails returned either a server error or some very weird 'Did you mean … ' options. I didn't have much success sending texts, either – it thought I was trying to use the search function every single time. The same thing happened when I tried to create a note. The only things that did work were voice dialing and, after a few attempts, navigation.

Check out the video below to see how it should work.

You'll need Android 2.2 to download the app (search for "voice search" in the market place). Let me know if you have more luck than I did!

Jane McEntegart

Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.

25 Comments Comment from the forums
  • So were all going to need to sound like him... that's innovative
    Reply
  • So were all going to need to sound like him... interesting
    Reply
  • abswindows7
    How to look more retarded ...
    Reply
  • I downloaded it today and it works pretty good for me. I was able to send text, e-mails, work navigation, call contacts, and even request to listen to Led Zeppelin! A few times it said "connection error" and I had to do it again, but I found it pretty accurate. Maybe it's just my accent. And you can't have to much noise in the background. I'm impressed! I have the original Motorola Droid with 2.2. Not rooted.
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    Is there a reason why this wasn't included at launch?
    Reply
  • DjEaZy
    ... google zombified guy...
    Reply
  • jeraldjunkmail
    Hay Jane, can you find out more about this for your readers? Is it cloud based or does the processing happen in the phone? Does it have the capacity to learn your voice? Dragon naturally speaking can run on very low spec machines, (1ghz intel, 1gb ram for the full PC app, a phone version would be less) so these are both possible. It is open source, so perhaps in the future... Any more technical details you can let us know about?
    Reply
  • jojesa
    Ins't that the guy that jump from a Jetblue plane?
    Reply
  • sheepherd
    then release that fking froyo for milestone already -.-
    Reply
  • Camikazi
    JOSHSKORNIs there a reason why this wasn't included at launch?Wasn't ready maybe?
    Reply