So how great would it be if you would just talk about what you need to know and immediately your hand-held device would interpret what you say and send you relevant information about places, subjects and facts that you’re talking about. Forget typing in Google – this would be virtual, immediate search. Almost like mind-reading.
Forget the imagining, it’s here.
I heard about MindMeld from tech guru Amy Webb at a conference last fall. It finally came out a few months ago and I have given it a try. It is pretty amazing. Not perfect yet, but I’m sure, like all tech, it’s only going to get better.
I clicked the button on the IPad app and said key words, “Syracuse, “homicides” “2014.” Immediately I got news articles about homicides in my city. Not all were 2014 but I did find some helpful information.
Then I tried a more personal search, “what to do in Banff and Lake Louise,” since I’m headed there next month. However it thought I was saying “Dan in Canada” and “Dampg Bmm FF” and advised me to use a microphone! But one of the 10 keywords that popped up is Lake Louise, Canada, and when I clicked on it I got the local tourism site, 2 hotel sites and information on the national park there:
Screenshot from my search on MindMeld
MindMeld is available for Iphone, Droid and IPad. It’s from Expect Labs.
This is going to be the new way we search. It’s called “anticipatory computing” and is a type of new genre of virtual personal assistants. Check it out and let me know what you think.