"OK Google" lets you Shazam or TuneIn using only your voice

Google is really it's Google Search muscles on mobile of late. The tech giant has endowed its Android app with new powers, like showing apps related to your searches even if they aren't installed yet, or sending directions from your desktop browser to your phone, and even adding 70 new Google Now cards for your use and enjoyment. Now for even more fun, Google's voice actions have also been powered up to let you jump right into apps without having to open them up first and navigate through the functions.

Granted, you have always been able to launch Android apps using only the power of your voice. Simply say "OK, Google, open Foo" and it will take you to Foo. But that just opens up the app and doesn't really take you to where you might want to go, which is to access the main feature of said app.

Now Google Search on Android simply lets you say something like "OK, Google, Shazam this song" and it will open up Shazam and jump right into Shazam's listening mode. Or tell it to open TuneIn in car mode and it will do exactly that. It may simply be cutting out the middle man, or in this case middle steps, but the convenience and speed it affords is something no user will probably refuse.

As with any of Google Search's new features, availability of this feature is limited to a few number of apps like Shazam, TuneIn, NPR, TripAdvisor, and Flixster, just to name a few. Google has a help page that shows some of the wonders you can accomplish just by asking Google. Of course, you will need to have the latest version of the Google Search Android app for this to work.