JANUARY 2013: Did you know you can search Google without typing in what you’re looking for? Just speak your search queries, whichever device you happen to be using — smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop. It’s frogtastically fast and convenient … and it could be the most useful tool for bad spellers since spell check.
All you need to get started is Google Chrome and a microphone — either one that’s built in (most computers have one) or use an external microphone that’s part of a USB headset. Here’s how you can hop on this easy way to find what you’re looking for on the web:
- Download Chrome. Chrome is Google’s browser.
- Go to Google and click the little microphone icon on the right in the search field.
- Speak what you want to search for. We recommend you start with something that would be a pain in the throat to spell, even for the smartest frog … like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
- Ta da There are your search results. And the correct spelling.
If you don’t see the bars above the “Speak now” dialogue box responding to the sound of your voice, check your microphone settings.
Google made the technology available in 2011. Recently Bing added voice to its X-Box Internet search (previously you could only search Xbox files by voice) but voice search is not yet available with Internet Explorer or Safari. However it is available for your smartphone.
