Google iPhone app is the gift that keeps on giving

Just when you thought you had the Google Mobile App with voice search all figured out, Google goes and reveals an Easter egg hidden in the settings menu.

To get there, just keep scrolling down below the 'about' button. If you keep at it, the previously hidden 'Bells and Whistles' button will appear, giving you these additional options:

Different theme colors to change the look of the app
Changes to the sounds the app uses, including monkeys and chickens
The addition of a live waveform when you are speaking -- kind of like an oscilloscope
The option to open links in the app itself rather than transferring to Safari

Google is hinting there may be even more hidden functions, but they are going to wait until Macworld to identify them. The Google Mobile App is free for the iPhone and iPod touch.

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Source: http://www.google.com/mobile/apple/app.html

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Just when you thought you had the Google Mobile App with voice search all figured out, Google goes and reveals an Easter egg hidden in the...

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OH MY GOD, why would they keep this hidden?? The "Open links in App" feature is awesome. I often stream mp3's off the internet and hate the fact that I can never use safari while streaming or else it will disrupt the quicktime playback. Now with this, I can stream on Safari and browse the net simultaneously on Google mobile!

January 13 2009 at 3:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tobby

I cant seen to get to the new screen.

Do i keep scrolling down on the actual setting page or do i actually go in to the about page?

Thanks

January 03 2009 at 10:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Tobby's comment

James

Its the "Settings" page, NOT the About page (I was trying the "About" page as well)...

January 04 2009 at 10:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

el manzo

I can't open the external links within the app, it keeps on opening Safari, although I checked the option. Any ideas?

January 03 2009 at 9:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to el manzo's comment

Anthony

Mine is doing that too. Hope it's addressed soon, because I want it to work... Actually, nothing in that menu works for me except the color and the sounds.

January 03 2009 at 12:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Why the hell have they limited the voice search to iPhone only!.

Doh all it takes is headphones with a mike to be able to speak into an iPod Touch.

January 03 2009 at 5:40 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

exnewt

Anyone notice that in the Google "browser", Flash animations appear to work some of the time...?

*gotcha*

January 02 2009 at 5:22 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Grant Buell

Why would someone hide useful features of their app like this? I don't get it.

January 02 2009 at 5:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Graham Miller

could this be that hidden api or whatever that everyone was making a big deal over. THEY ARE GOOGLE

January 02 2009 at 5:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

pux

So, if you stay in the app for your results is this a google browser on the iPhone?

January 02 2009 at 5:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Anthony

I LOL'ed at the chicken sound

January 02 2009 at 5:04 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Andre

This is cool.
I see the wave files and settings in the plist file, but the only other thing I see is something about logging voice commands to disk - it's set to false, so maybe there's another menu hidden for that somewhere.

January 02 2009 at 4:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply