Merging of online tools and the 'Real World'

So Google Goggles was released for the iPhone yesterday, opening creative new methods for us all to search using our mobile phones. Granted, it's been built into their own mobile phones for the past year or so, but considering how prevalent the iPhone is amongst users, I'm sure it's potentially opening it's userbase massively.

For more of an idea on this, check out the Youtube promotional video below that Google released. Note that he is doing a voice search in the middle as well, it doesn't really make it obvious.

This seems to be a more natural extension of integrating Internet resources into day-to-day activities than my first experience of these merging technologies. Layar, the Augmented Reality (as the field is called) browser, was my first introduction to it, and while a fascinating demonstration of the technology, I was never really sure of what actual use I could do with it (although perhaps if I was in the market for buying a home, my opinion would be different).

See their original demo below (and their newer video here which I don't think shows the real use of the technology as well):

 

I'm of the opinion that anything that starts to remove the divide between what we do in our daily lives, and what we do online in our daily lives, is a huge benefit and bonus. I've already tried out the Goggles feature and to my huge shock it recognized the Crooked Spire in Chestefield! - I probably learnt more about the Spire in this search than in the past year spent around the area so perhaps there is a huge for it after all :)

 

What do you think are the actual practical uses of this sort of technology? is this more of a demonstration of the capabilities of a modern mobile phone, or would you actually start using such concepts straight away? If so, here's the link to the iphone app store (it's a free download).