Although Google may have got more of the headlines this week for its mobile search with GOOG-411 coming out of the labs, if anything Microsoft has been doing more. It’s not just CALL-411 announced this week. The Microsoft live search blog gives details of the latest innovations. They now have Voice Input and Gas Prices in Live Search for Windows Mobile. They’ve also introduced a Beta version of Live Search for BlackBerry? devices. In addition they have improved mapping and directions in Live Search via a mobile browser.
Perhaps it’s not surprising to see this flurry of activity. In a recent interview, Bill Gates confirmed that he will be involved in only a handful of priority projects from now on. However voice technology is one he puts particular emphasis on. That’s good news. The mobile web is to an extent held back by the poor usability of mobile devices. Most mobile devices have good voice technology. It’s clear that voice recognition technology is a strong contender for delivering better user experiences.
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