Google Goggles Now Recognizes More Languages And Images

Google today rolled out an update to its Goggles product for Android devices. The new software includes a number of improvements, including support for more languages and a revised user interface.Google's Goggles product is a neat concept, but still faces some limitations. Google helped remove some of those limitations with the most recent update to the software.

When it first launched in February, Goggles could translate text (from a photo) from German to English. Why German? Well, Google CEO Eric Schmidt is German. Goggles now supports the main three romance languages of French, Italian and Spanish as well. It's perfect timing, really, for this software update as travelers prepare to vacation their way across Europe with the approach of the summer months. This means that travelers can snap a picture of the menu in an Italian restaurant, and Google will be able to translate a portion of the text to English (or any of the other supported languages). Google said it is working to support more languages, especially all of those that are based in Latin.

Goggles version 1.1 received some other new features. Google says it has refreshed the user interface, streamlining the search tool and making it easier to select text. Users can now also initiate searches from the photo gallery rather than from the Goggles app. That's a big help.

Goggles can also now recognize more pieces of artwork, meaning it might be able to give you more information about that obscure portrait you snapped a picture of at The Louvre.

Goggles performs better with barcodes, and it also recognizes more corporate logos and products.

Goggles version 1.1 is a free download from the Android Market for all devices running Android 1.6 and up.