4 ms·

Not sure that a business based on taking a photo of something and asking people "what is this?" is destined for success. Isn't that something that Google Now/S

Not sure that a business based on taking a photo of something and asking people "what is this?" is destined for success. Isn't that something that Google Now/Siri will probably automatically answer in the near future? "It's a left-handed lug nut for a 1975 Vespa scooter. Click here to buy it now on Ebay!" "It's a powdered doughnut, and judging from your location, you're at Acme Doughnuts on Main St. They have a 2-for-1 special after 5pm every day!" "It's your friend Dave, shot through a red filter and wearing a hockey goalie's mask. He has an Android phone in his pocket, so I was able to check my geolocation records to identify him. Good one! You almost got me!"

tomswartz07 13y ago
Although farfetched, the idea of this gives me tingles.
- jellicle 13y ago
  "That's your girlfriend Ally, wearing a ghost costume. You almost got it past me, but the guy across the street watched her put on her costume with his Google Glasses and a pair of binoculars. Buy binoculars at Amazon, click here. Buy window curtains at Walmart, click here."
  - pavel_lishin 13y ago
    "To schedule an appointment with a dermatologist about her potentially pre-cancerous mole, click here."
rhizome 13y ago
Not sure that a business based on taking a photo of something and asking people "what is this?" is destined for success. Isn't that something that Google Now/Siri will probably automatically answer in the near future? These services require data-entry on the part of their users in order to seed these identification engines. I see this data-entry as a hidden value of the user, and part of why network effects are so valued by VCs/the market.
- jellicle 13y ago
  Doesn't Google have a sort of "index" and "search engine" of billions of photos with captions, link headings, title text, alternate text, and so on? https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=lug+nut https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=lug+nut You're telling me it only works one way, from text to images, and doesn't work the other way? But Google already lets you upload an image to search... http://www.google.com/imghp http://www.google.com/imghp In any case, Google can simply say "I think it's a lug nut. Do you agree Y/N?" And in effect, play 20 questions with its entire userbase. In very short order it would be capable of identifying anything.
  - rhizome 13y ago
    The lug nut question is an important verification step and indeed data-entry on the part of the user.

tomswartz07 13y ago

Although farfetched, the idea of this gives me tingles.

jellicle 13y ago
"That's your girlfriend Ally, wearing a ghost costume. You almost got it past me, but the guy across the street watched her put on her costume with his Google Glasses and a pair of binoculars. Buy binoculars at Amazon, click here. Buy window curtains at Walmart, click here."
- pavel_lishin 13y ago
  "To schedule an appointment with a dermatologist about her potentially pre-cancerous mole, click here."

rhizome 13y ago

Not sure that a business based on taking a photo of something and asking people "what is this?" is destined for success. Isn't that something that Google Now/Siri will probably automatically answer in the near future? These services require data-entry on the part of their users in order to seed these identification engines. I see this data-entry as a hidden value of the user, and part of why network effects are so valued by VCs/the market.

jellicle 13y ago
Doesn't Google have a sort of "index" and "search engine" of billions of photos with captions, link headings, title text, alternate text, and so on? https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=lug+nut https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=lug+nut You're telling me it only works one way, from text to images, and doesn't work the other way? But Google already lets you upload an image to search... http://www.google.com/imghp http://www.google.com/imghp In any case, Google can simply say "I think it's a lug nut. Do you agree Y/N?" And in effect, play 20 questions with its entire userbase. In very short order it would be capable of identifying anything.
- rhizome 13y ago
  The lug nut question is an important verification step and indeed data-entry on the part of the user.