Google is hoping to make it easier to settle bar bets, as the search giant has added the ability for mobile users to get the answers to short questions.
Sure, you could always turn to Google to find information but it’s never been that great at directly answering questions. For example, if you want to know if Kobe Bryant is taller than Pau Gasol, you’d normally enter their names and have to compare links. Now, you can use your iPhone, Android or webOS device to enter the question “Who’s taller? Kobe Bryant or Pau Gasol” and you’ll get a clear answer with a source link. You’ll also be able to ask the question with your voice on Android or via the Google Mobile app on the iPhone.
“If your friends challenge the answer provided in Google Search results, you can corroborate the information with a list of websites by clicking on the “Show sources” link,” Google said on its mobile blog. “The source list includes the relevant text from each page so you can quickly verify whether Google interpreted the context of the answer correctly. You can also click through to the original website to get all the details.”
In a way, this is Google taking on more natural search engines or computational engines like Wolfram Alpha. Wolfram Alpha is still a really cool tool for comparing companies (check out Apple vs. Google) and it has been making strong moves in the mobile space. After starting off at a ridiculous $50 price point, Wolfram Alpha dropped its iPhone app down to $2 and boosted its mobile site.
Google still has a long way to go to really handle natural language search, but this is a great step in the right direction, particularly with the voice searching. Feel free to test it out for yourself and let us know how it handles your queries in the comments.
[Via Google Mobile blog]