Google has launched a Canadian version of its voice-recognition local search phone service, whereby users dial a hotline — 1-800-GOOG-411 — and respond to the questions posed by the voice-recognizing computer on the other end. This is a way to find a pizza place, for example.
According to Google engineers, the service has been tweaked to offer “Canadian English.”
“We incorporated some Canadianisms such as ‘eh,’ ‘Traw-na,’ ‘Cal-gry,’ and, of course, ‘aboot,'” a blog post said.
Well, it’s aboot time! We here in Traw-na wouldn’t know how to get to local businesses without the help of Google, eh? Perhaps Google will promote the service online and on TV with videos featuring animated beavers! Whoops, scratch that. Bell owns those cliches. Maybe something to do with maple syrup? (After all, Google is one of the stickiest sites out there.) Oh well. If it’s pandering and banal, we’re sure a search engine like Google will be able to find it.
Elsewhere on IT World Canada Blogs:
Google shouldn’t corner the market as an agent of organization
