Monday, January 10, 2011

Google Goggles gets faster, smarter and solves Sudoku

Today we’re launching a new version of Google Goggles that’s faster and smarter than ever before. The new Goggles 1.3 client for Android can scan barcodes almost instantly. All versions of Goggles can now recognize print ads in popular magazines and newspapers. Finally, Goggles has also learned a fun new trick for Sudoku fans.

Barcodes
When shopping offline, it’s helpful to be able to learn more about a product by scanning its barcode. With the new Android version of Google Goggles, scanning barcodes is much faster. Open Goggles and hover over the barcode or QR code. Within a second the phone gently vibrates and presents results, without requiring a button press. Simply tap on the result to read product reviews, check in-store availability and compare prices.




Print ads in magazines and newspapers
We’re excited to take another step in our vision of connecting offline media to online media. The next time you're flipping through the pages of your favorite magazine, try taking a picture of an ad with Goggles. Goggles will recognize print ad and return web search results about the product or brand. This new feature of Goggles is enabled for print ads appearing in major U.S. magazines and newspapers from August 2010 onwards.



This feature is different from the marketing experiment that we announced in November. We're now recognizing a much broader range of ads than we initially included in our marketing experiment. And when we recognize a print ad, we return web search results. While in the experiment, we return a specific link to an external website.

Sudoku
Our favorite weekend distraction is a quiet 15 minutes spent solving a Sudoku puzzle. But even that can be an frustrating experience if (like us) you make a mistake and are unable to solve the puzzle. Now, Goggles on Android and iPhone can recognize puzzles and provide answers to help make you faster than a Sudoku champ. So if you ever get stuck, take a clear picture of the entire puzzle with Goggles and we’ll tell you the correct solution. Check out this video to see how it works.


Google Goggles 1.3 with improved barcode scanning is available for download in Android Market. Recognition of print ads and Sudoku solver is now enabled for the Google Goggles app on Android, as well as the Goggles component of the Google Mobile App on iPhone.

Posted by Leon Palm and Jiayong Zhang, Software Engineers
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63 comments:

  1. carlish09January 10, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. carlish09January 10, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    if only this was available during the nexus s challenges

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  3. RShemeshJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:14 AM

    error 502..

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  4. dilorenzo1987January 10, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Same here. Error 502!

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  5. WillyJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    yea error 502

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  6. FoolproofJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    502 here as well...was just about to show off this Sudoku feature! :)

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  7. RicoJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    Great, works like a charm ;)

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  8. shaneJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:31 AM

    I am also getting error 502 on google goggles, with my nexus S.........cool video though

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  9. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:31 AM

    Getting error code 502 all the time since upgrade on htc wildfire and desire

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  10. Stellar DriftJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    While its funny on phone, it would be very nice if you made a companion website where we could upload pictures and have you do your magic. Go on, make it.

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  11. Jarrod DellaChiesaJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    Apps2sd stillllll doesn't work on N1. COME ON GOOGLE. THIS IS ONE OF YOUR FLAGSHIP DEVICES - and you're providing no support.

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  12. Curtis CooleyJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Also getting error code 502

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  13. theskujJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:37 AM

    All error 502.

    Update fail!

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  14. MicheleJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    After this update, Goggles doesn't work anymore on my HTC Desire...

    Everytime i take a photo it says "error 502".

    Dear Google, can you fix this problem? :-)

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  15. MCDJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    Error 502 on T-Mobile G2 with Android 2.3.1.

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  16. DimJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    also error 502... 'just wanna try the sudoku feature... then I tried a simple barecode scan... also 502 ...

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  17. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    it's not a "PROBLEM", you guys are just destroying the server that processes products/Sudoku.

    QR/Barcodes work just fine ... but products and Sudoku aren't.

    Things will be back to normal soon enough. Remember, there are 200,000 new Android users everyday soooo yeah that's a lot of people getting "GOOGLE GOGGLES HAS AN UPDATE" on their phones (most phones have Goggles on "auto update")

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  18. MarvinJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    error 502 :(

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  19. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    Error 502, htc desire, froyo 2.2

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  20. Dorian BenkoilJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    How about a solver for KenKen too?

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  21. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    I was disappointed that the Sudoku puzzle in the video was so easy.

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  22. JuusoJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    error 400 D: on my desire HD

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  23. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    Just tried the sudoku solver, doesn't work at all. I'm not getting the error anymore, but I'm not getting any results...tried taking pictures of puzzles on my screen and on paper, and the only thing that Goggles tells me is no match found.

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  24. Esse.Ti.January 10, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    No way to have the apk file? using my huawei ideos i cannot find the app in the market.

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  25. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    sudoku solver doesnt work. If puzzle is black and white then I get the link to the image on the internet it was printed from, if the puzzle is in color it says it cannot find any matching images. Nice video but you guys forgot to publish the working software!

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  26. MattJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    Will Goggles do any other games, like mazes?

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  27. GiovanniJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    iPhone version please?

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  28. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    The new torch button times out and there is no longer a bright flash when taking pictures in the dark.

    Still an incredible program but these bits should get a quick fix, please!

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  29. HaydenJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    You should get this app out for Windows Phones.

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  30. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:21 PM

    SUGOI ! ^^ Google is AWESOME

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  31. SimonJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:24 PM

    How about having Google Goggles cracking passwords by translating a md5 hash to a known collision? It would be fun :-D

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  32. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 1:50 PM

    I'm just wondering about the fact, that the sudoku solver always calculates other numbers than the ones in the answer's section of my sudoku book :)

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  33. Patrick HawighorstJanuary 10, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    Works perfectly on Desire HD. The new Sudoko feature ja really amazing. Tried it on two Sudoku games from todays newspaper and it took just 3 sec to solve it. Nice work Google!

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  34. appdroid.nlJanuary 10, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Totally awsome, much droid love is spread this way :)Keep up the good work!

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  35. TomášJanuary 10, 2011 at 3:22 PM

    What about an API?

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  36. PsyrinxJanuary 10, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    Sounds cool, but make it on more devices besides android, will you?

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  37. UnknownJanuary 10, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    Do you think is a good thing or bad for businesses? May be great for finding the lowest price on items.

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  38. Ultimate PrivacyJanuary 10, 2011 at 5:04 PM

    Dude no way man that is like the coolest thing ever.

    www.anon-tools.it.tc

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  39. RickJanuary 10, 2011 at 5:35 PM

    Those getting a 502 - I was getting this too until I turned the phone sideways and no 502 this way - at least my experience.

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  40. JPJanuary 10, 2011 at 6:10 PM

    My Boston doesn't find Google Goggles on the Market...

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  41. ParkerJanuary 10, 2011 at 10:11 PM

    I know the iPod Touch 4g's camera doesn't auto-focus, but it is still not so bad that it doesn't recognize anything. Noogle Noggles which is in the AppStore works on the iPod Touch 4g. It picks up about 85 - 90% of what I take a picture of. It is using your service. On the results page it says "Support for this version of Google Goggles will be discontinued soon." Don't tell me that you won't support it because it won't pick up landmarks as great as the iPhone 4. There is a sudoku solver in the store that can do a live picture and solve it. Google Goggle would be great on it. Just because the camera is not as good as the iPhone 4's doesn't mean that it has to be left out of the reindeer games. Please add support for the fourth generation iPod Touch.

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  42. WJanuary 11, 2011 at 12:36 AM

    Thank goodness for Google.

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  43. RuiJanuary 11, 2011 at 1:55 AM

    When will goggles have a portuguese translation, and available in android market?

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  44. eloiJanuary 11, 2011 at 4:17 AM

    Why Goggles is not supported on the iPod Touch 4G?
    will it be supported on the future in this device?
    Thanks!

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  45. Alfonso TroyanoJanuary 11, 2011 at 4:36 AM

    Is this going to be delivered for Bada OS?

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  46. PaleJanuary 11, 2011 at 5:19 AM

    Works like a charm on iPhone 4. Somehow I love the irony that the error only seems to occur on Android phones. :D

    Otherwise nice idea, showing off the future potential of image recognition. But please Google guys: Take the idea of face recognition before it happens, put it in a safe, sink this in the deepest parts of the ocean and melt the key. It's creepy ...

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  47. Gregory BloomJanuary 11, 2011 at 6:33 AM

    Cool! On the puzzle I tried, the OCR didn't get one of the free numbers in the puzzle, but the solver still got it.

    Now Google just needs to aply something like IBM's Watson AI to solve crossword puzzles.

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  48. RobertJanuary 11, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    It works beautifully on my iPhone 4! That's funny that Android phones are having problems with it. Well, I'm off using Google Goggles on my iPhone to solve today's Sudoku.

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  49. Rick RichardsonJanuary 11, 2011 at 2:12 PM

    What about: Consecutive Sudoku OR
    "1-away Disallowed Number Place"???

    ReplyDelete
  50. MattJanuary 11, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    It would be great if goggles could also solve boggle. My wife destroys me at that game.

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  51. MattJanuary 11, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    It would be great if goggles could also solve boggle. My wife destroys me at that game.

    ReplyDelete
  52. UnknownJanuary 11, 2011 at 5:25 PM

    Be warned, the application known as Google Goggles has been deemed highly malicious by countless downloaders. The application hardly functions as it should, and as is evident by my own expeirence and tons of the comments, this application cannot be uninstalled. If anyone knows a way to remove an app that is acting this way please respond to this, and to all users, don't think that just because an app is made by google that its safe, it still amazes me that they put their name on this trash

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  53. BriCarst of SaginawJanuary 12, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    I have UNINSTALLED...It sounded like a great App, however, v 1.3 did not function the way it was described to function. ie: the hover over UPC. Also the other major flaw I had was that it was ALWAYS running in the background, draining the battery quickly...1 hour after unplugging my EVO this morning, without using Goggles it showed that the app had been the cause of 92% of my battery usage.

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  54. trial and errorJanuary 12, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    When will goggles be available in the uk? I downloaded a version online but it wont update?

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  55. John GassJanuary 13, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    A suggestion for a future version of Goggles... it would be really useful to be able to grab an image of some text and for Goggles to identify the font.

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  56. UnknownJanuary 13, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    Hey it works flawlessly on iPhone 4. The idea of font recognition it's fantastic. Well done Google!

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  57. AdminJanuary 14, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    FC on my Samsung Captivate... Not very often do I see a poor app like this come from Google. Disappointing.

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  58. smallJanuary 15, 2011 at 5:16 AM

    if only it could also solve chess puzzle ;)

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  59. Vinod RamJanuary 15, 2011 at 10:44 AM

    Can google Googles be used on Nokia 6300

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  60. UnknownJanuary 18, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    www.lmaobook.com

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  61. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2011 at 10:01 PM

    Market site is 404. Whats happening? Can't get a download from any of the apps sits. Cheers Kevin

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  62. UnknownJanuary 19, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Works like a charm in N1

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  63. laowaiJanuary 20, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    very impressive. NOt very useful however (unles syou understqnd how to solve the sudoku). could this be qpplied to chess problems ?

    ReplyDelete

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