Google buys U.K. visual search startup Plink

Plink, a U.K. based visual search company, has been acquired — for an undisclosed amount — by international search giant Google. The California based search provider took an interest in the small company last December when they won $100,000 in the Android Developer Challenge for their lone product PlinkArt. PlinkArt is an Android app that, “enables you to identify paintings and artworks with just a snap from your phone’s camera.” Plink’s founders, Mark Cummins and James Philbin, will both be working on the Google Goggles team, integrating Plink’s functionality and their image search expertise into Goggles. The move is part of Google’s new initiative to acquire one company per month in order to improve and expand its line of services. Hopefully this means that Goggles won’t mistake our Sony BRAVIA KDL-52XBR5 TV for a Sony BRAVIA KDL-52XBR4 — idiots.

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