Google adds voice commands to Android smartphones

(Motorola)

Google on Thursday rolled out an application that lets people use voice commands to have Android-based smartphones do tasks such as send email or fetch driving directions.

The Voice Actions program will only work on handsets running on the latest Android 2.2 software, referred to as Froyo.

"Voice Actions are a series of spoken commands that let you control your phone using your voice," Google product manager Hugo Barra and engineering manager Dave Burke said in a blog post.

"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."

Commands included being able to tell Android smartphones to play requested songs, call specified contacts, find websites, map directions, and send email or text messages.

Voice control was triggered by tapping a microphone icon on the touch-screen of an Android smartphone.

Voice Actions were only available for English speakers. The program will be pre-installed on Droid 2 smartphones being brought to market by Motorola and Verizon.

Other smartphones running on updated Froyo software can get the feature by downloading an application from the Android Market online shop, according to Google.