Google Plots Cloud-Based Android Invasion With New Apps

At a small press event in San Francisco on Thursday, Google unveiled two new Android apps, Chrome to Phone and Voice Actions, both of which utilize Google's back-end infrastructure to deliver data and content to Android devices.

Chrome to Phone is an extension that syncs a desktop or laptop browser to a device running Android 2.2, aka Froyo. The extension adds a button to the Google Chrome browser that instantly sends the current Web page, map, YouTube video, or selected phone number or text from the computer the Android device.

"Suppose you're reading an interesting article on your favorite news web site and need to leave for an urgent appointment," wrote Dave Burke, Google engineering manager, on the Google Mobile Blog. "Simply click the extension icon in your browser to send the link to your phone and the device's browser will automatically open the links, ready for you to view on the go."

Chrome to Phone works with Google Maps by pushing directions from the browser to the Google Maps app on an Android device. Same goes for YouTube. Burke added that users can also select a phone number on a Web page and send it to the dialer on their Android phone and selected text can be copied from the browser and sent to the Android clipboard for later viewing.

Currently, Chrome 2 Phone is only available in English. The extension can be added into the Google Chrome browser now and the Android app is available from the device in the Android Market.

Voice Actions for Android is an app that enables voice-to-mobile commands for searching and other actions.

"Even though our phones do all these new things, the most natural way of interacting with a phone remains what it always has been: speaking ... Voice Actions are a series of spoken commands that let you control your phone using your voice," wrote Burke and Hugo Barra, Google product management director, in a second blog post on the Google Mobile Blog.

Those voice commands include making calls to business and contacts; sending texts and e-mails; listening to music; finding locations; browsing the Web; and completing other common tasks by speaking into the phone.

Google is also releasing an updated version of the Google search widget for Android that adds addresses and ratings to search queries and searches can be refined further by tapping a pencil icon that appears next to suggestions.

Voice Actions is also exclusive to Android 2.2, which is currently only available on a handful of Android smartphones including the Nexus One, the HTC EVO 4G and the original Motorola Droid. Common commands to perform a Voice Action include send text to (contact name); listen to (album, song artist); map of (location); and go to (Website).

Voice Actions leverages Android apps like Voice Search, Google Search widget and music apps like Pandora, Last.fm, Rdio and mSpot.

Google added that Voice Actions and the new search widget will come preinstalled in the Motorola Droid 2.