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August 29th, 2007 by Spud Oregon
If you haven’t already tried Google Image Labeler, don’t. Stay away! Run for your life!
It may not sound like a game, but Google Image Labeler is one of the most addictive games on the net. Basically, Google have decided to ask us, the general public, to label all their images to help improve the accuracy of Google Image Search. While labeling millions of images may not be eveyone’s cup of tea, the guys at the Big G are pitting us against each other to see who can get the most points for labeling their hard-to-make-out pictures.
Even without a Google account, you can play as a guest. When you click to start, you are matched with a mystery partner. You then have 90 seconds to type in words which spring to mind when presented with some tiny little images. If you both guess the same word then you get points (which unfortunatley can’t be exchanged for big prizes).
It’s all a bit frantic as you scratch yor head in confusion while your partner bangs out 10 guesses, but there’s a great sense of satisfaction when you both hit on the same word.
The problem with all this is that in your rush to guess the picture, you and your partner end up typing in the obvious. For example, if you see a picture of a female undregraduate studying economics in a lecture theater, you’re more likely to type “girl” than “female economics student”.
To counter this, Google have made some words off-limits, and also give more points for better detailed entries. The thing is, even if you are smart enough to type in something intelligent, you won’t get any points unless your partner does the same thing, so you both end up typing “girl” anyway.
The bottom line is, whether it really improves Google Image Search or not, the whole experience is so damn addictive that I urge you not to try Google Image Labeler. Okay? Don’t even think about clicking through to GOOGLE IMAGE LABELER! 
Rice: 
Posted on August 29th, 2007 in Random Observations.
Comments: 11
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Now if google could just tweak that so competative types are busting a gut to fill the missing id tags from people’s mp3 collections, they’d win my heart forever!
Nice try. You ALMOST got me. I was paired with someone and after about 15 seconds I bailed out and came back here. I don’t have time to get addicted to anything else. Already addicted to my blog!
Hmm … this sounds like as much fun as that TV game show, Hexagon
Shame I don’t have time to get addicted to games, though.
I did this long time ago…it was pretty entertaining but also frustrating when you can’t match words with your partner. Great idea, really.
Sounds like addictive fun.
Might try it when I’m free, right now I’m not.
I can’t even give RICE anymore…
Hey CS, glad to see you’ve joined Blog Action Day. Unlike Google Image Labeler, the more people that get on B.A.D the better. I also see a little bowl of rice from you on this post so it looks like you can give rice after all!
Maybe I shouldn’t have read this right before I have to head to work… hehe
Smart idea from the Big G..Instead of doing all the work they gave it to millions of internet users..Very clever indeed.
The game sounds interesting but I guess I have to take your advice. I have to stay away from the game. Can’t afford to be an addict…LOL
I think it is extremely addictive game! It is very interesting and is featured by a lot of people. It will take loads of time to label all the images of Google!
That’s an excellent idea! So I guess Google still has some good ideas coming out of them…