What Is Google Scribe?
By Aaron Charles
You might be familiar with the "auto-complete" text-messaging feature on your cell phone that people seem to either love or hate. That's essentially what Google Scribe is, though it's designed for your Web browser instead of your phone. Essentially, it notes whatever you've already typed in your documents, and suggests related words or phrases to complete your typing. Created by Google Labs in 2010, it has since gone through several iterations.
Download
Google Scribe is available as a free download in the Chrome Web Store (link in Resources). Initially, you had to download, install and use Chrome as your browser in order to operate Google Scribe. However, after Google Labs shut down in 2011, Google Scribe was integrated into Google's Blogger in Draft blogging platform. For Google Scribe to work for you, you must either use both Google Chrome and Blogger in Draft, or use Blogger in Draft in another browser.
Features
In addition to its text auto-complete feature, Google Scribe also gives you suggestions for words to use as you type. For example, if you begin a sentence with the words "Would you rather have a bottle of...", a list of word suggestions appears, including the words "wine," "water," "beer" and "whiskey," that you can simply click if you want to use a particular suggestion. Google Scribe also offers an auto-correct feature for spelling and grammar. The program supports at least 11 languages in addition to English, including Arabic, French, German, Russian and Spanish.
Application
Given Google Scribe's nature and limitations, it has the most practical application for bloggers who use Google's Blogger in Draft platform. Google notes that the program should be particularly useful when a writer finds himself writing slowly, staring at a blank cursor and grasping for words. It's a bit like having a digital thesaurus that's following your writing, word for word. To enable Google Scribe in Blogger in Draft, click the pencil icon in the text editor.
Considerations
The last update made to Google Scribe was made in August 2011, when Google Scribe was integrated into the Blogger in Draft platform. As of February 2013, there has been no word about any future updates. Finally, note that while this service can help some writers write faster, if you're already a fast typist, Google Scribe could actually end up slowing you down.
References
Writer Bio
Aaron Charles began writing about "pragmatic art" in 2006 for an online arts journal based in Minneapolis, Minn. After working for telecom giant Comcast and traveling to Oregon, he's written business and technology articles for both online and print publications, including Salon.com and "The Portland Upside."