Google Voice Actions in Android 2.2 (Froyo) Change the Game
With Google's inclusion of Voice Actions in the latest Android OS update (2.2), Froyo goes from good to great. A majority of the device's functions can now be controlled with voice commands. And it works, like most Google software, as advertised.
My daily commute is 50 minutes each way in good and uneventful traffic. My mobile too greatly divides my attention and I gotta kid on the way. With voice actions, I can fire up GPS, text, or call anyone in my contact list or off Google Maps without pushing more than a button or two. Seems like the voice recognition is even faster and more accurate since the 2.2 update.
This video lays it out beautifully.
A little nugget I've already found not mentioned in the video is the directions Voice Action. As a previous iPhone user I like making use of the more familiar directions versus navigation in Android. Navigation takes control of the phone and is a tad bit obtrusive when I'm trying to do more than merely get from point "a" to point "b." Directions is a more standard/common implementation of Google Maps based GPS and easier to mix in with other stuff whilst multitasking.
To make use of directions, give this one a whirl:
"directions to the Canton Akron Airport Ohio"
For those of you who are hip to the QR codes, see below. Here's a direct download link to this most excellent application (for Android powered devices only) in the Android Marketplace.
Evo = Flashlight. LED Light from Picolyl
Boy am I an even happier Evo owner now! Just found the Android app LED Light from Picolyl. I want my smartphone to be as many things as possible and adding the "flashlight" functionality is huge!