Although spell checkers have been around for about 30 years, they still miss or incorrectly flag a whole lot of stuff (try “eye wonder weather this is write” and “monetize”). Google wants its transcription software to become better more quickly, and so is asking for users for a hand.
On the Google Voice Blog, Vincent Paquet, a senior product manager, recently wrote, “Until now, the only feedback you could give was to let us know if the quality of the transcript was good enough to be useful or not, by checking the corresponding box next to the message. You can now go one step further by letting us figure out why it was good or bad. When you rate a transcript, you will be asked whether you would like to donate the message.”
Paquet then explained the meaning behind that phrase by continuing, “The messages you donate may be listened to, manually transcribed by us and/or used to gauge transcription improvements over time, but they will never be made public or used for any other purpose than improving the transcription quality.”
For every Margaret who’s tired of being called “maggot rot” and Taylor who doesn’t make clothes for a living, this is a nice option. Even people who don’t opt to donate messages may appreciate it, since it reinforces the idea that Google doesn’t eavesdrop on conversations by default.
One other important note: this may represent a step towards launching Google Voice in the U.K. and Australia.
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