In a blog post Thursday, Google said the new hands-on search technique is intended to provide an option when typing might take too long or when voice search isn't possible in a quiet environment. Don't worry about neat handwriting. "If the "A" you draw looks a bit like an "H", as seen in the bottom left corner of the screenshot, "H" results will be brought up as well," says Google. A query can also be erased entirely by crossing it horizontally, from left to right.
Google Gesture is also a quick study, improving search results by learning from a user's search history. The new search app is available through the Android Market, but only in the U.S. and only for phones running Android 2.0 or higher. --Mark Walsh