Google Now for iOS? Promo video appears, removed

Users of Android's recent editions have been exposed to Google Now, the "before you know you need it" search tool.

Google Now tries to look ahead at your schedule and physical location to let you quickly access the most relevant results -- traffic for your commute, flight schedules for your trips, local restaurant recommendations and the like. G-Now uses a card metaphor to pop the necessary info right onto your device screen with minimal intervention.

While Siri can handle quite a few of those search chores on iOS, she's not exactly the anticipatory type. SRI's recent Tempo calendar app gives you some of the same halo of savvy around your schedule, but you have to get cleared first (Tempo still has a waiting list several thousand users long).Google's own Field Trip app delivers location-based tidbits (local art, attractions, restaurants and more) as you move around, but it's not integrated into the main search tool.

There may be changes afoot. Engadget unearthed a promotional animated clip that seems to preview a version of Google Now for iOS; the original video appeared on YouTube and has since been removed. In style, content and narration the clip is entirely in line with Google's original promo for the Android launch of Google Now, which lends quite a bit of weight on the authentic side of the scale.

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

Google Now updated with more travel-minded features, expanded voice search

It's already been a fairly big year for Google Now, but the folks in Mountain View have at least one more update in store before we roll into 2013. The company's today released an updated version of its Google Search app for Android that adds a number of new features designed largely with travellers in mind. That includes the ability to tell you the weather at your destination, automatically pull up your boarding pass at the airport (albeit only for United flights at the moment), inform you about nearby events, and offer more information about things like artwork at museums using Google Goggles. Alongside those updates are a number of additions to the voice search component, including the ability to search for the name of a track that's playing by saying "what's this song?" or look up additional information on a product by saying "scan this barcode."

[Source: Engadget]

Google Now awarded Popular Science's Innovation of the Year

Popular Science has given Google Now its "Innovation of the Year" award, putting it alongside past winners like the Large Hadron Collider, the Toyota Prius and the Mars Curiosity Rover. It's august company to be sure, and the reasoning behind the decision is that it's "the first virtual assistant that truly anticipates your needs." The service has grown quite a bit since its initial launch -- from personalized recommendations to public safety alerts and the addition of a pedometer, it seems that these are early days yet for the context- and location-aware app. Hit the Android G+ source link to read a Q&A between PopSci and part of the Google Now team to get some behind-the-scenes insight of the award-winning service.

[Source: Engadget]