Google adds Voice Actions and Chrome sync to Android

Google has released new voice commands for Android and a tool to allow easy data delivery

Google has unveiled improvements to the voice control systems in Android, and launched an application for synchronising a smartphone with the Chrome browser.

Hugo Barra, director of mobile product management at Google, said that 25 per cent of search requests for Android handsets are by voice alone.

The company expects this to grow sharply, and has released Voice Actions for Android, a series of applications that cuts the need to manually input data. Google has produced a video showcasing the functions.

"The most natural way of interacting with a phone remains what it always has been: speaking," said Barra.

Voice Actions allows Android Froyo users to dictate 12 commands, such as sending a text, calling a contact, going to web sites and getting directions. The tool is linked into Google Maps and email, as well as third-party applications such as Pandora and Last.fm.

Barra acknowledged that the text-to-speech system is only about 70 per cent accurate, but claimed that Google had improved on the algorithm and is adding more contextual intelligence to the system.

The company is also working with handset manufacturers to ensure that hardware microphones are able to handle voice control.

The Chrome to Phone extension, meanwhile, allows people to synchronise and call contacts and open media files on Android handsets with a simple mouse click.

The application was developed by Google engineer Dave Burke under Google's policy of allowing staff to allocate 20 per cent of work time to private projects.

The source code is open, and Google expects similar synchronisation functions to be built into Firefox and other browsers.

Both applications are available from the Android Market and will be preloaded on the Motorola Droid 2 smartphone.