Post by Enter Nations on Apr 2, 2018 12:06:19 GMT
The Google photo recognition tool, now available for Android and iOS, lets you do super-cool things.
Google Lens is ready to surprise us.
The so-called "search future" uses your phone's camera to identify objects and then gives you information about those objects, basically a type of reverse image search in real time or, if you prefer, an augmented reality (AR) to the Google.
Regardless of how you choose to describe it, Google Lens can do some great tricks. Let's look at the best of them, starting with how to actually use the function.
Get acquainted with Google Lens
Google Lens works a little differently depending on the device you have. Both on Android and iOS, it works from inside the Google Photos application: select any photo, then touch the Lens icon.
Of course, because Google Photos can not take photos themselves, you have to take that extra step of first loading the camera application, taking the photo and then switching to Photos. (This is much easier on Android, because that application is only a touch away after taking the picture). Fortunately, Lens has reached Google Assistant on many phones, which gives him an experience more similar to that of AR.
On compatible models, when you invoke Google Assistant, you'll see a Lens icon in the lower right corner; Touch it to bring Lens to life in real-time searches. That is definitely the coolest and most efficient way to use the tool. But even if you have to go the way of taking a photo / launching Google Photos, you can do some interesting things. For example...
Scan business cards to your calendar
Do you remember the business cards? It turns out that they still exist. And if you regularly receive them, you will appreciate the ability of Lens to scan a card and convert that data into a new entry in your address book.
At the moment, this works only on Android; The iOS version can identify the relevant text on a card (email address, phone number, etc.) but can not create a contact from it. (That's a limitation of iOS).
On Android, you will have the possibility to modify the contact information before saving it, in case Lens has omitted or read something wrong.
Judge a book by its cover
I love spending time in bookstores, because that leads to discovery in a way that buying books on the Web simply can not.
Of course, I also like to have instant information about any book I pick up. And Google Lens is up to the task: it offers you a summary, reviews (when available) and a quick link to a full Google search. Making a photo of a book cover is definitely faster than writing the title of the book in a search field.
Take an architectural tour
Do you want to know more about a particular building? Or some point of reference in a city? During a recent visit to Chicago, I found myself curious about many of the architectural wonders of that city. With Google Lens, just take a picture and go! You will have a lot of details. As if that were not enough, you will also be creating a photographic archive of your visit at the same time you are learning about what you are visiting.
Oh, and if you go to a museum, Lens can also provide information about paintings and works of art. (Not all, but certainly the most famous).
Become a botanist
What kind of tree is that? What kind of flower? The curious of botany no longer have to wonder about these things: Google Lens can identify many, if not most, of the flora. It also works on wildlife, so the next time you take your kids to the zoo and want to know more about, say, the lizards, just put Google Lens to work.
Add events to your calendar
So you are walking through the city and suddenly you see a flyer for an upcoming concert, a market on wheels, a 5 km race or something similar. You take a picture to record all the details. And then you forget about that quickly.
With Google Lens, you can automatically add that event to your calendar. After scanning a flyer, you should see a variety of options to act on that data: Chrome (to open a URL), Maps (for the address) and, of course, Calendar if there is a date and time.
Read restaurant reviews
Not sure how good is that new bar in your neighborhood? Take a picture and let Google Lens give you information in a similar way to what it can give you about a building or a plant.
In short: if there is a physical object in the world, Google Lens can help you find more information about it, and maybe even act on that information.
Google Lens is ready to surprise us.
The so-called "search future" uses your phone's camera to identify objects and then gives you information about those objects, basically a type of reverse image search in real time or, if you prefer, an augmented reality (AR) to the Google.
Regardless of how you choose to describe it, Google Lens can do some great tricks. Let's look at the best of them, starting with how to actually use the function.
Get acquainted with Google Lens
Google Lens works a little differently depending on the device you have. Both on Android and iOS, it works from inside the Google Photos application: select any photo, then touch the Lens icon.
Of course, because Google Photos can not take photos themselves, you have to take that extra step of first loading the camera application, taking the photo and then switching to Photos. (This is much easier on Android, because that application is only a touch away after taking the picture). Fortunately, Lens has reached Google Assistant on many phones, which gives him an experience more similar to that of AR.
On compatible models, when you invoke Google Assistant, you'll see a Lens icon in the lower right corner; Touch it to bring Lens to life in real-time searches. That is definitely the coolest and most efficient way to use the tool. But even if you have to go the way of taking a photo / launching Google Photos, you can do some interesting things. For example...
Scan business cards to your calendar
Do you remember the business cards? It turns out that they still exist. And if you regularly receive them, you will appreciate the ability of Lens to scan a card and convert that data into a new entry in your address book.
At the moment, this works only on Android; The iOS version can identify the relevant text on a card (email address, phone number, etc.) but can not create a contact from it. (That's a limitation of iOS).
On Android, you will have the possibility to modify the contact information before saving it, in case Lens has omitted or read something wrong.
Judge a book by its cover
I love spending time in bookstores, because that leads to discovery in a way that buying books on the Web simply can not.
Of course, I also like to have instant information about any book I pick up. And Google Lens is up to the task: it offers you a summary, reviews (when available) and a quick link to a full Google search. Making a photo of a book cover is definitely faster than writing the title of the book in a search field.
Take an architectural tour
Do you want to know more about a particular building? Or some point of reference in a city? During a recent visit to Chicago, I found myself curious about many of the architectural wonders of that city. With Google Lens, just take a picture and go! You will have a lot of details. As if that were not enough, you will also be creating a photographic archive of your visit at the same time you are learning about what you are visiting.
Oh, and if you go to a museum, Lens can also provide information about paintings and works of art. (Not all, but certainly the most famous).
Become a botanist
What kind of tree is that? What kind of flower? The curious of botany no longer have to wonder about these things: Google Lens can identify many, if not most, of the flora. It also works on wildlife, so the next time you take your kids to the zoo and want to know more about, say, the lizards, just put Google Lens to work.
Add events to your calendar
So you are walking through the city and suddenly you see a flyer for an upcoming concert, a market on wheels, a 5 km race or something similar. You take a picture to record all the details. And then you forget about that quickly.
With Google Lens, you can automatically add that event to your calendar. After scanning a flyer, you should see a variety of options to act on that data: Chrome (to open a URL), Maps (for the address) and, of course, Calendar if there is a date and time.
Read restaurant reviews
Not sure how good is that new bar in your neighborhood? Take a picture and let Google Lens give you information in a similar way to what it can give you about a building or a plant.
In short: if there is a physical object in the world, Google Lens can help you find more information about it, and maybe even act on that information.
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