When you search for "Google" on the web page of the application market for Google Play, numerous results appear relating to the different apps that Google provides for free for all Android mobile models. Almost all apps are used to access Google's online services from your smartphone, accessible via the web also from a computer: Gmail, Gtalk, Maps, Latitude and many others.
One of these, however, exists only as an application on Android and iPhone and is truly special and unique: Google Goggles .
Goggles was introduced way back in 2009, but, although in recent years it has been regularly updated with new functions, it has always remained a bit obscure and little considered by users.
On the other hand, it is extremely interesting to find out what Google Goggles is for, what it can do and how much potential this application has, which remains among the most innovative on the market.
READ ALSO: Identify objects in images (Android)
UPDATE: Google Goggles no longer exists
Its evolution is Google Lens, to recognize objects and things from the camera in real time .
Google Goggles is an application for the visual recognition of images with OCR technology, which uses the camera of the mobile phone to scan a photo to recognize it and then take different actions depending on the type of search performed.
For example, by photographing a brand or an inscription, you can start a search to find out what it means or you can photograph a monument to know what it is and all the information about it.
You can also search for the origin and origin of any image and find out where it was taken from.
Googles is therefore the application for visual search on Google, where instead of writing words, you are asked to search through an image.
This technology, in reality, has also become an online service on the internet that can be used by any computer, with the Google image search to find similar photos .
In addition to this, you can do some really interesting and useful things with an Android mobile phone or with an iPhone and Google Goggles (with a smartphone that can be connected to the internet).
1) Translating Foreign Languages
Assuming to travel abroad, maybe in a place where you really can't even understand the meaning of any word, you can open Goggles, take a photo of a road folder or insert it in a museum written in a foreign language and get the translation of the text immediately.
This avoids having to rewrite the phrase on Google Translate and quickly translate it only with a photo.
After scanning a foreign language text, Goggles automatically scans the image and extracts the text with OCR technology.
After analyzing the text, it will give you the opportunity to translate it.
2) Save phone numbers and contact details from a business card
Goggles allows you to read business cards, extract data and save a person's contact information in the phone book.
The same thing is also possible with the Evernote application which however does not save the name and number in the phone book automatically.
When scanning contact data from a business card, best results are obtained by taking the photo only of the part of the card that contains the contact data.
3) Scanning bar codes and QR codes
With Google Goggles you can easily scan barcodes and QR codes from your phone's camera.
You can then search the internet on a supermarket product or save the information stored behind the QR code on your mobile phone.
However, it should be noted that for Android, the Barcode Scanner application is faster.
In another post, the guide to QR codes, how to create and read them.
4) Solve the Sudoku
With Google Goggles you can solve Sudoku puzzles in seconds!
When you take a picture of a Sudoku puzzle, the application will automatically recognize it and give you the opportunity to find the solution, whatever the level of difficulty.
To use Google Goggles appropriately and get better results, you need to follow some tips:
- Take photos in environments with good lighting;
- Zoom in on what you want to photograph;
- Use the crop button to focus on the area of interest;
- Use the phone in the "landscape" orientation;
- Keep your hands still and use the shutter button on the screen.
You can try Google Goggles on book covers, works of art, company logos, signs, etc. to get detailed information.
Sometimes there may be little or no results, but it's always worth a try.
Google Goggles can be downloaded as an Android application while on the iPhone it is included in the Google application.
Below, the presentation video
