iPhone recognition
by Mark ~ July 25th, 2008. Filed under: nature photography, software, wonder.
I have been going somewhat crazy trying all of the new applications available now for the iPhone. Even though I still have the older, original iPhone – I still gained the benefit of the free 2.0 software upgrade that allows access to all of these new apps.
One in particular that just amazes me is called “Shazam.” This app is a listening program that will “listen” through your phone to any song playing on the radio, or in a store, in a club, or wherever – and identify it for you – artist and album it is on Now, I realize there are music phones out there that already have this feature – so iPhone isn’t exactly first on the block to have this. But it is new to me – and is just a very cool piece of technology. . It is also quite obvious that the iPhone has just started a completely new computing platform, opening up a world of software in the palm of your hand It can have an amazing number of photographic applications.
Take it another step beyond music, and apply it to nature – how about bird song ID – which I suck at Crickets or other songs of insects – how about frogs?. It would be quite cool to be able to use it in this way. Will and Lang – are you listening?
It also got me thinking, especially regarding Google’s previously announced image recognition software they are working on It isn’t too much of a stretch to think that someday you may be able to apply this audio recognition to visual objects. For a nature, landscape, or wildlife photographer – this could be like having a complete library of field guides in the palm of your hand You take a picture of a mountain peak with your phone – it sends the data to a central database (hmmm.. Google Earth perhaps?) – and reports back to you the name of the mountain. . Need a tree identified – take a picture of the leaf or bark and send it to the sky.
Next thing you know – it will judge your images for you. amazing stuff.
July 25th, 2008 at
There are some applications already out there that do some of that stuff. I jumped off the geek bandwagon long ago, unfortunately, so I couldn’t tell you much more than that about them. *L* Heck, I don’t even have a cell phone & for some strange reason, I pride myself on that. So much for THIS network administrator, eh? *LOL*
Enjoy your iPhone, though. Really. I’m sure it does all kinds of cool things.
July 26th, 2008 at
hey lana, I am not sure how to take that ‘geek’ comment….
I know about the audio – but visual?
July 26th, 2008 at
I hear you, Mark. I got my first one yesterday afternoon and have hardly done anything other than play with it since then.
I’ll be interested in hearing what addons you find most useful.
PS, In our house, “geek” is a title of honor.
July 27th, 2008 at
Follow up comment – I downloaded Shazam and have had a blast playing with it. Thanks for that hint! My smartphone-toting hubby went to see if he could get it for his windows mobile smart phone, and found there’s a monthly subscription fee for it. I hope the iPhone version stays free!
July 28th, 2008 at
Wow, I must be really behind the times as I’ve never heard of any of this stuff. I like the idea of automated ID’g of nature stuff because even with flower and bird guides I’m rarely confident in my labeling. The location aspect though I’d be a little hesistant though for privacy concerns among other things.
July 29th, 2008 at
Hey Mark,
I think the ‘geek’ comment is on target.
I’m half – kidding .. technology’s not really moving us forward like we think it is – it allows us to pretend we’re still connected and simultaneously move further away from the world around us. It’s a pretty easy trap to fall into.
What’s an iPhone?
Cheers
Carl
July 29th, 2008 at
Carl – here, here man. Words of wisdom from you is no surprise.
Hey Richard, I think you can turn all the location features off. I don’t have a use for it personally. I know the struggles in labeling, particularly with plants.
Wren, I hope so as well – I read that they may be putting in some advertising, something that Apple allows, but other services / phone providers make the developers charge monthly fees for.