This week Google launched an enhanced Google search App for the iPhone which includes a speech to text search. According to the New York Times in this article, “Users of the free application, which Apple is expected to make available as soon as Friday through its iTunes store, can place the phone to their ear and ask virtually any question, like “Where’s the nearest Starbucks?” or “How tall is Mount Everest?” The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Google’s servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location. ”

I’ve just tested it and asked it “How far is it to JFK airport”, and it came back with a reply about some airport in Michigan!. That is once problem the speech to text search application has run into – English spoken with an accent which is not American – see “Google launches voice activated search for iPhone - can’t understand British accents“. I’ve always maintained that I don’t have an accent, but everyone else around me does!