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Google’s makin’ big moves lately, doing what they can to stay on top of the patent war. Their newest patent? A gesture system that could soon be making its way to Chrome for Android. Filed back in Q3 of last year, the gesture system works as a sort of easy search function, giving the user to search for content online, without lifting a finger. Simply draw a “g” on the screen and continue to lasso the content you want to search. Want to look-up multiple items? Just move from item to item, circling the content and when you lift, it will all be entered into a search ready for you to do some learning.
Gestures aren’t unfamiliar territory for Android users. Browsers like Dolphin for Android have incorporated them into their apps, and even the popular homescreen replacement Nova Launcher has made use of gestures like 2-finger swipes. Bing for the iPad also shares an eerily similar lasso/search function as the one Google is attempting to patent. As usual, we just have to wait around for the USTPO to approve or deny the patent sometime in 2037.
What do you guys think? Any gesture fiends out there? Think this would make a solid addition to Chrome Beta for Android?
[PatentlyApple | Via Engadget]
I got a gesture for you…
Never used gestures. They always felt needless and awkward.
Gestures aren’t really absolutely necessary, but if you get used to using them a lot, I can see how they can be really powerful and useful.
This is the coolest feature no one will use.
Interesting that they could patent what has been included within Dolphin browser. And it was a feature in a Palm Pilot.
Ya I see “Prior Art” all over this.
What I want is to be able to click on something and be able to use a drop down menu in the browser.
@Charley, the same way Apple can patent “slide to unlock”.