While Google’s image recognition technology, Google Lens, is mostly lacklustre, it still offers some interesting features for the lazy internet browsers out there. One simple feature, however, has not been available for Australian users until now.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/07/psa-google-lens-is-actually-useful-now/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/07/googlelens-410×231.jpg” title=”Wow, Google Lens Is Actually Useful Now” excerpt=”The Google Lens has been out for nearly two years now but its impact was not quite as revolutionising as we’d all hoped. Apart from a few nifty tricks like trying to analyse what’s in your camera, its lacklustre release has been, well… lacking. Thankfully, following a new update, Google Lens will introduce some fun, and more importantly, useful new features.”]
Australians will now be able to use Google Lens Image Search features after we were neglected for nearly a year. Users can search for images and isolate areas of an image to search for similar things to it.
“Lens in Google Images also helps website owners by giving them a new way to be discovered through a visual search, similar to a traditional Google Search,” Google Images product manager Assaf Broitman said in a press release.
How do I use it?
It’s a pretty simple process. Go to Google Images and then search for what you’d like. Once the results show, choose the image you want and then select the Google Lens symbol. It will then allow you to select from a number of dots where you can investigate further. You’ll be able to touch these dots to reveal similar results but you’ll also be able to draw around other areas of the image to search for those too. I tested it with an image of a bike and while only the body and wheel had the magic dot, I was able to circle the seat and handlebars to reveal more.
Earlier this month, Google Lens introduced a bunch of other handy features too. If you’re trying to find out information about an object in front of you, you simply open your camera, tap the Google Lens symbol and select what you’d like to do with it. You can search for similar images, translate text, copy text, shop for items and look up dishes on a menu.
Google Lens is facing a serious glow up and we’re all better for it.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/06/can-google-lens-tell-whos-a-good-doggo/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/06/google-lens-dog-test-410×231.jpg” title=”AI Test: Can Google Lens Actually Recognise Stuff?” excerpt=”My dog, Alice, is an RSPCA special. She’s a nearly 40kg mix of every medium-to-large working breed without any distinguishing traits. Alice is such a mongrel that she’s registered as a ‘mixed cross’. Maybe Google Lens would be able to work out what breed she is. Its first guess was Dachshund/Corgi cross. That’s not right. We took Google Lens to the local dog park for further testing.”]
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