When you think of Google, you almost certainly think of typing and getting millions of results, so much so that the Google search page has become a cultural icon. But some of Google’s most interesting results come from images, live camera views or sounds around you, making them not only useful, but also a taste of what’s to come in augmented reality and metaverses. Here’s a quick look at the ways to Google without words.
Image search
This is also called reverse image search: instead of searching for the image you are looking for s image. Open Google Images on your desktop. There you can drag and drop any GIF, PNG, JPG or WEBP image file into the search box. The results will include different sized versions of the image, sites where the image was found, and images that are similar but not identical. You can use these results to identify what an image depicts, to find higher-resolution versions of it, or to track where it is used.
A reverse image search on Google will find many examples of an image that you drag and drop on it.
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Search with live camera
Also called Google Lens, it’s similar to the image search above, but uses a live image from your phone’s camera instead of uploading an image file. The easiest way is to tap the Lens button on the Android home screen, then point your phone’s camera at an object or scene. If you do not see the Lens button, you can add it to your phone via the official Lens app.
The lens button should be right next to the search box and voice icon on most Android phones.
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Most of the time, Google will know what you’re aiming for and deliver results that include content and shopping links. It’s an elementary cousin of augmented reality and technology, which is also used in Amazon and Snapchat applications, but Google’s results are usually more agnostic than the two. To be honest, I find Lens a more fragile tool than image search, but when it works, it can give you results you probably won’t find any other way.
You can also use Lens to search for text that you point your camera at, or use the Google Translate app, which uses the same basic technology to translate printed text into another language.
Searching for images on Google Lens is great for finding things you don’t know the name or the right description for. The search for a red screwdriver probably wouldn’t have worked the way he did this lens search.
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Search for background music
Finding the name of a song you’re playing is nothing new – anyone can shout “Hey, Google, what’s this song?” But the most elegant way to identify music is one of the most overlooked tricks in Google’s Pixel phones. .
On Pixel 2 or later Pixel version with Android 10 or later Settings> Sound & Vibration> Now playing and activate Identify songs that are playing nearby slider. While you’re there, turn it on Display the lock screen search button. Now your phone will always try to identify the music around you and display the title on your phone’s lock screen.
The Android phone on the right automatically identifies the song that is played by the speakers on the left.
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If it fails, you will find a fine new button on the lock screen that you can press to identify the music around you. And you will find the history of all the songs that were found around you when you click on the song title on the lock screen.
If you don’t have a Pixel phone, there is at least one other way to transplant it to other Android devices via Ambient Music Mod, developed by Kieron Quinn and Varun Shanbhag. However, installing it is not for the average phone user.