Android App of the Week: Dragon Go!

The competition for voice activation technology in mobile products has escalated in the last six months in large part due to the launch of Siri, Apple's "personal assistant", on the iPhone 4S. Several developers have attempted to fill in the gap on Android by offering voice-centric apps that provide access to search and other functions, with mixed success. One such app is Dragon Go! by Nuance Communications.

Though it doesn't integrate into Android the way Siri does on iOS, Dragon Go! does provide easy access to a wide range of functions from a central starting point. Dragon Go! integrates with a number of popular apps such as Google Music, Maps, and Netflix, giving you the ability to quickly navigate into those apps using your voice by saying things like "Mythbusters on Netflix" or "Play Tron Soundtrack". The app also integrates with the search functionality on a huge list of websites like Weather.com or Hulu.com using commands such as "San Francisco on Weather.com" or "Last Man Standing on Hulu.com". Expect more app and website integration in future updates.

Dragon Go! is available as a free download on the Android Market.