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Google's Lens AI Camera Is Now a Standalone App (androidpolice.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the come-and-get-it dept.

Google Lens is now available as an app in the Play Store for devices with Android Marshmallow and above. The app is designed to bring up relevant information using visual analysis. Android Police reports: When you open the app, it goes right into a live viewfinder with Lens looking for things it can ID. Like the Assistant version of Lens, you can tap on items to get more information (assuming Google can figure out what they are) and copy text from documents. However, I've noticed that copying text doesn't work on the OnePlus 6 right now. It works fine with the built-in Lens version. Some users are reporting that it's not working properly on some devices, so keep that mind if you decide to give it a whirl.

18 comments

  1. Re: Al Camera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or it could keep you from going online...

  2. Can't install.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google Play store says needs Android 6.0 or up. I'm on 6.0.1. Says my device isn't compatible (Droid Turbo) :/

    1. Re:Can't install.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just got the same thing with an S6 running 7.0...

    2. Re:Can't install.. by short · · Score: 1

      Also incompatible, LG G4 6.0 here.

  3. Of course they have... by thesupraman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Google wants more and more of the users data to feed the Machine Learning.

    Why would they not want all photos submitted to their machine learning platform, almost certainly with geolocation tagging, etc followed by people teaching it who and what the subjects are.

    Not sure if I would consider it 'free' though... Is giving up more and more privacy really free?

    1. Re:Of course they have... by bmimatt · · Score: 1

      My thoughts exactly. They figured out a clever way to make all of these devices and their owners work for them, feed even more data into their ML. Seems like people will still gladly trade more of their privacy and glimpses into life for novelty, "features" and convenience. FTW

  4. Democratic Freedom. by thesupraman · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Ah yes, what a nicely democratic view, wanting an AI monitoring people to make sure they vote the 'correct' way.

    I applaud your love of freedom.
    Perhaps we should have drones with guns to enforce the belief?

    1. Re:Democratic Freedom. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No need. BeauHD has hordes of poorly educated lesbian co-instigators who think they know better than everyone else by virtue of being a college student in some learn-about-snowflake-"rights"-that-trample-on-real-rights bullshit mental-masturbation course. You know: the people who would be more suited to serving fast food, but their jobs have been replaced by machines.

  5. Canada by darkain · · Score: 1

    The very first thing I pointed it at was a sports ice pack in the shape of a tennis ball. This "AI" thought it was Canada.

    Beyond that, it is actually quite good. It has done some guessing that is semi-generic yet accurate. I got proper hits for things like "art" and "stuffed toy". It also recognizes various media properties. I ported it at movie posters (without any text on them) and it was able to correctly identify the source of all of them.

    1. Re:Canada by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      Blame Canada.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  6. Anatomy by coderpete · · Score: 1

    I fear that this AI will very quickly become an expert on human male reproductive anatomy.

  7. So.... by Luthair · · Score: 1

    Instead of just updating Google Goggles which has been broken for years yet is still available in the store they've add a second application which does the exact same thing. Internal politics at work.

    1. Re:So.... by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 1

      Maybe they are worried about diluting the Google Glass brand.
      The warning at the top of the Wikipedia page may not be getting the job done...
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Glass

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  8. fuck you, too, Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Error: Google Lens is not available on this device yet". My phone is 3 months old, running the latest version on Android, and otherwise unremarkable.

    Typical Google, saying "fuck you" to their users.

  9. Get it while you can! by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Get it while you can - they'll probably discontinue it next week.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  10. Big brother is watching you by Nicole+Evans · · Score: 1

    It was dangerous to take loans. All information about us on the Internet - when will the relevant legislation on the protection of personal data? Were horrible stories about a chase by Interpol, now Google too ...