Google has added some new tricks to its Lens visual identification tool, including an option which will enable users to scan in hand-written text, then share it for use across various applications in one-tap.
Google originally added the capacity to scan hand-written notes within Lens back in 2017, but this new addition enables users to share that digital text translation across their connected Google surfaces – so you can immediately access your handwritten reminder within Gmail for example.
As you can see here, the option is available as ‘Copy to my Computer’ within your Lens sharing options. You can then save your text to another signed-in device with Chrome (both devices need to have the latest version of Chrome installed).
It could be a big time saver for those who still take hand-written notes. That is, of course, if it’s able to translate your handwriting – I’m guessing it’d have some trouble understanding my scribbled mess.
In addition to this, Google has also added a new option to look up terms within text via Lens – so if you come across something in a book that you don’t understand, you can scan it in and do a quick Google search.
Google’s also added a new ‘Listen’ option within its translate tools to help you understand what a term sounds like when spoken.
It’s interesting to note the evolving usage of visual identification and AR tools, and how they could eventually become more significant elements in our day to day process. Really, that’s what they need to take them to the next level – right now, tools like this are interesting to have, but at some stage, one of these applications will crossover to become a key utility, which could rapidly speed up the adoption of such technology.
These new options from Google hint at that next stage. At present, they remain interesting, and handy to have. But more use cases will mean such tools will become more critical elements of how people interact with their devices moving forward.
The new Lens features are rolling out from today, though Listen is only available on Android at this stage. You can download Google Lens on both Android and iOS.
