Wrong way to write

(image via android authority)

Google just launched a feature called Handwrite that enables mobile search from handwriting recognition. (Here’s more info.) Change a setting on  your smartphone or tablet and Google search can work from your finger-scribbled handwriting.

Theoretically.

I say that because as bad as your handwriting is — and I’m pretty sure it’s not good, given how infrequently you’re deploying it — mine is worse. But even writing as carefully as I could, in block letters, here are the results Google Handwrite gave me:

• For my name, “Lee Wochner,” I got “lee w0dhto.” (Note that that’s a zero, not a letter “o” in the result. And also:  You would’ve tried your name first too.)
• For “association,” I got “tion.”
• “LAX,” the airport I’m sitting in writing this, gave me “yxl.”
• And, astoundingly, Handwrite couldn’t even recognize the word “Google,” turning up a link to an organization with the acronym “CAATE.”

Let’s just say I don’t think Siri is worried.

Even if this worked (which, so far, it doesn’t), what’s the need? In what way is trying to write by hand on your iPhone more efficient than pecking the letters in from the popup QWERTY keyboard?

Innovation does not always equal improvement.