While Google Goggles has been around on Android phones for ages, according to Windows Phone developer podcast it looks like Windows Phone 7 will be getting a visual search in the Mango update scheduled for later in the year. I look forward to pointing my phone at various objects around the house and hitting search to learn more about them.
<Begin Usual Rant>
Although it might be a bit of a gimmick - hopefully this is a feature makes it outside the US and to Australian users and doesn’t get added to the long list of features of Microsoft Products are gimped for international users:
- WP7 Clickable addresses
- WP7 Copy & Paste (Still without NoDo here in Australia on Omnia 7)
- Zune Pass
- Kinect Voice control
- etc. etc.
After getting an iPad2 recently I am gradually moving away from Microsoft for my own mobile computing needs, as I have realised they have chosen not to compete in the Australian market – not being able to offer a way for people to legally purchase content for Windows Phone.
Apart from a few music tracks on bandit.fm – it seems iTunes is the only functioning music store for Australian users. For some weird reason Zune, Rhapsody, Spotify, Last.FM, Netflix, RDIO, Netflix, Amazon Music etc. etc. all don’t want to participate in the Australian market…… FINE. I will go where the content is … and unfortunately that's Apple iTunes. I never want to hear complaints from any of those companies wishing they had more market-share, because to have market-share you need Step 1: Participate in the market.
Ahhh…. now I feel better 