Google Goggles on Android gets non-stop scan, text search
updated 06:20 pm EST, Wed December 7, 2011
Improvements eliminate need for shutter button
Google has released an update to its image recognition application, Google Goggles, for Android devices. Version 1.7 adds several significant improvements, including continuous scanning option that eliminates the need for users to manually press the shutter button. The search giant suggests the continuous mode works best with books, products, artwork and landmarks.
The app still provides a snapshot mode, which is required to access several specific capabilities such as text translation and adding information to contacts. The continuous setting also prevents image information from being added to search history.
The update also brings automatic text recognition that attempts to find Google search results based on scanned text. The system is said to enable users to scan a small portion of text in a magazine article, for example, and pull up the relevant link to share with others.
Google Goggles 1.7 is available as a free download from the Android Market.
