Search Without Words at Yelp

April 28, 2014

This is an interesting option that perhaps only the Millennials and younger are equipped to take full advantage of. Fast Company reports, “Now You Can Use Emoji to Search Yelp.” For those unfamiliar with the term, emoji are like the more familiar emoticons, but provide a much larger vocabulary. The icons originate in Japan, and are built right into many Japanese devices. Reporter Chris Gayomali writes:

“Emoji are great stand-ins when words aren’t cutting it. Which is perfect for a service like Yelp, since sifting through meal options can often lead to paralyzing indecision, leaving you dinner-less and hangry.

“Now, in an update to its mobile app, Yelp allows users to search local businesses using those puzzling, beaming little character faces. That means pizza, beers, ramen, and yes, apparently even the happy-faced turd are fair game for search results.”

The write-up shares a couple of screenshots from emoji-powered searches. One using a cute, smiling pig’s head emoji produces a list of nearby restaurants that feature pork, while one using a bowl of ramen pulls up a list of Japanese dining venues. I suppose this is a sign of the times, though just what it portends is beyond this Gen X goose.

Cynthia Murrell, April 28, 2014

Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext

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