Search

Today Google announced that they've added location-aware search suggestions to Google.com on iPhone and Android devices. This means that if you're searching for a local restaurant called "Octane" in the Rockford area, Google will suggest "Octane Rockford IL" as a search suggestion instead of "octane fitness" as it would if it didn't know your location.

To use the new feature, you'll have to go to Google.com on your iPhone instead of using the Google search field built into Safari. You'll also have to turn on "Allow use of device location" for it to know your location in the first place. Once that's all squared away, suggestions appear as you type in the search field on Google.com.

It looks like Google's search app might be getting a little competition. Vlingo, a new voice-powered search application was just released into the App Store. The app has been available for RIM phones for some time, but has now been ported to the iPhone. Like the Google app, it can recognize spoken English words (and works best with an American accent ). Unlike Google's app, however, it can search both Google and Yahoo engines.

Microsoft said a while back that they were looking into adding their voice search software to the iPhone, but the NY TImes says Google might be beating them to it. Rumors are circulating the net that Google is planning to release a free voice search app for the iPhone, possibly some time later today.

Dial Directions Software has just announced their new app, Say Where for the iPhone. The app uses voice recognition to allow users to search for things like directions, businesses, reviews, and more just by tapping the screen and speaking the location. Users can chose which mobile site to search, including Traffic.com, MapQuest, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Google Local, Ask.com and more.

Yahoo, finally taking cue from Googles very popular mobile search offerings, is launching its own mobile search solution for the iPhone and iPod touch. Point your MobileSafari browser over to http://search.yahoo.com/i and you will be treated to a search experience that integrates many Yahoo products.