Google Goggles makes dining in a foreign country an appetizing option
2010-05-27
Smart phones running Android, Google's phone operating system, have outsold Apple's iPhone in the first quarter of 2010, slowly gaining on the market leader. Travelers who have an Android phone have a variety of Google-made apps at their disposal when traveling abroad.
The coolest is probably Google Goggles, which allows travelers to use their phone's camera to take pictures of interesting things, like a menu completely in French. The app can then pick out words and key images and do web searches. It also packs translation services - so that menu won't be in French for long. It has other applications: take a picture of the Eiffel Tower and the app will recognize it and provide relevant information.
Android users also get full support for Google Maps and Google Earth. The mobile versions of these applications have an added feature called Latitude. Using the phone's GPS, those who use Latitude can see other Latitude users around the world, including their friends. If everybody on the trip happens to be packing Android phones, everyone could split up and easily find each other.
There are also a number of third-party apps that supplement these, providing travelers with Android with a wealth of options.