Google invents original search gestures

It looks like Google has plans for changing the way we search using our mobile devices. The search engine giant was recently reported to have invented a new gesture for pulling off searches on future Android devices. Instead of users having to waste time selecting words  the traditional way, it will allow them to simply use “continuous gestures” to get the job done. Well how does it work?

In the example given in the patent, users draw the letter “g” on the screen, and continue drawing the tail around (like an “o”) the word they would like to search for. Once they lift their finger from the display, a search is automatically initiated for the circled word. If users want to use another search i.e. Wikipedia or Yahoo!, they can perform the same gesture, but start with the letter “s” instead of “g”. A context menu will pop up instead, giving users the option to select their search engine of choice.

A pretty cool idea if you ask me, and it’s something that will definitely make searching on mobile devices easier and more efficient. No word on when these gestures will be implemented (or if they will even be used) but it’s definitely something to look forward to.

George Wong
Categories: Cellphones, Web
Tags: Google, Patent, search