Google takes on Apple in verbal fight

Google, hot on the heels of Apple, plans to release its own version of Siri currently code-named 'project Majel'. The news comes right after we reported Apple’s plans to release the Siri code for developers - further evidence that Siri has started a vocal revolution in gadget interactions.

The Majel voice assistant, in a splendidly geeky reference, is named after Majel Barrett-Roddenberry - wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and voice of the Starship Enterprise's computer. It will extend the current Voice Actions to include natural language processing like Siri, so you can abuse it all you want.

Initially Majel will only control Google search actions, with phone controls to come later. But as a senior product management CEO has pointed out, Google already has the questions and answers laid out in its vast search directory and simply needs to add the voice interactive technology. It could, with the right software, see Android streaking ahead of Apple's lead in the world of voice controls.

[Source: Androidandme]