"Ok Google, take a picture." Snap.

You can now say a couple of quick lines and get the camera on your Android device to open without you having to press one button. Say "Ok Google. Take a picture," and your camera app is ready to go. Or you can say, "Ok Google. Take a video," and you're ready to capture video. Let's be clear, you still have to press the shutter to take the picture, or click on the video camera icon to record video.

If all of this newfangled modern technology is making you feel a little uncomfortable, you can always simply press the camera icon on your phone to open it. And of course, you can open the camera and switch to video capture mode. But after all of those complaints from upset Android owners dating back a few years, complaining that the camera app takes too long to open (especially Motorola models like the Motorola DROID 3), this might even be more useful than swinging your wrist to open your camera app when that once in a lifetime shot appears right in front of your eyes.

Say Ok Google, take a video (L) or take a picture (R)

source: Google via Engadget

13 Comments

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posted on 19 Mar 2014, 20:15 1

1. fistigons (Posts: 353; Member since: 11 Feb 2012)

Just tried it. It opened the camera but doesn't actually take a picture.

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 20:33 1

3. fistigons (Posts: 353; Member since: 11 Feb 2012)

Nevermind you guys updated the post right after I made my comment.

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 20:33 2

4. PapaSmurf (Posts: 10457; Member since: 14 May 2012)

Reading the article is key.

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 20:16

2. marbovo (Posts: 658; Member since: 16 May 2013)

not in portuguese :(

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 21:22

5. RuiBacelar (Posts: 153; Member since: 25 Feb 2014)

yup, unfortunatly....

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 21:52

6. janis (Posts: 372; Member since: 10 Mar 2014)

i would love to see how it will work on all new htc, plus i am not american or british, how google will understand me or others who have some accent,
but i am so proud about HTC releasing phone after week and selling phones same day not like samesung.

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 22:42

7. AustinPaul (Posts: 71; Member since: 13 Dec 2011)

Confused. I can take a picture on my note 3 I just saying something like cheese or snap.

posted on 19 Mar 2014, 23:26 3

8. JocularJ (Posts: 158; Member since: 27 Apr 2011)

A nice feature to have but takes longer to take a picture. Personally, I have the camera app as one of my hot keys on my note2 so it's a breeze to just press and go on with the picture. If I could say "ok, Google" and then my action or search of choice then I truly wouldn't need to press a button. But having to go into Google now first it's just an extra step which, yes, is cool, but it's a waste. C'mon Google, give us what Motorola already has ... the ability for Google now to always listen.

posted on 20 Mar 2014, 03:09

11. reckless562 (banned) (Posts: 1153; Member since: 09 Sep 2013)

yup........ i mean you CAN get always on listening via certian apps, but the Moto X as a low power chip that handles Specific low power tasks, such as always on listening. most phones, always on listening will drain batterry life. buuuttt u can Get it!!!!

posted on 20 Mar 2014, 01:30

9. SPASE (Posts: 228; Member since: 03 May 2013)

I can command my phone to open camera and say cheese, and it takes a photo.
I've tried it 3 meters away from phone, doesn't work all the time though. ..
Samsung galaxy s4 active.

posted on 20 Mar 2014, 02:00 1

10. hassoups (Posts: 473; Member since: 06 Jun 2013)

Because this makes it a lot easier lol

posted on 20 Mar 2014, 04:34

12. _Bone_ (Posts: 2155; Member since: 29 Oct 2012)

It is cool, but
a) it should instantly take the picture not just open the app (cause why is this any better than "open camera app"? I want to take a picture when I say take a picture)
b) same for video
c) doesn't understand "take a selfie" nor "take a picture using the front facing camera"

posted on 20 Mar 2014, 10:17

13. Augustine (Posts: 1043; Member since: 28 Sep 2013)

This is slower than the lock-screen shortcut found in Android 4.x. And, for good measure, I added a shortcut to the camera from the notification bar too.