Are you still tracking your own packages , flying , and deliveries while tapping on your fluid machine ’s screen like a troglodyte ? Not when we ’re done , you wo n’t be . Here are seven dewy-eyed gradation you may take to turn Google Now into your personal digital secretary .
Android users may already be well - familiar with Google Now ’s powers , but if you ’re not — or if you ’re stuck with Siri or Cortana as your personal assistant — it ’s worth a refresher . It mines data scraped from a combining of drug user - share selective information , browsing history , location , and time to deliver relevant information , reminders , and content exactly when its algorithms think you require it . This is n’t a mobile Big Brother in your scoop , though ; the entropy it uses is mostly just tie in data from your Google account , like it pull information from your calendar to remind you that you ’re about to be belated for an assignment .
you could finda full list of available cardshere . But below are some of the ace we use the most .
Set Some Ground Rules
Before you could pop having your phone conclusion sentence for you , you ’ll involve to do a chip of canonical frame-up .
If you ’re on iOS , download theGoogle appfrom the App Store on your telephone set or tablet . Your Android gadget will have it pre - install .
Once you ’ve opened the app , scroll to the bottom of the screen , past all the cards , and tap the magic sceptre ikon in the inwardness of that bottom row to pop the Customize Google Now bill of fare . In iOS , tap on the three point in the lower righthand corner , and select configurations .
In Customize Google Now / configurations , you may take your favored sports , team , and issue ; any stocks that you follow , designate your home and study address ; choose your overseas telegram and VOD provider , and even your preferred method of transit — drive , public transportation , walking , or biking . fulfil in everything that you want to , what you share is of class up to you but the scheme works intimately the more you distinguish it about yourself .
relieve out of that menu and go back to the main Google Now screen . That ’s about as far as you’re able to go on iOS , but on Android , you’re able to now head back to the bottom of the varlet and now rap on the three loony toons in the lower righthand box . Select options .
In preferences , you may turn the Google Now boast on and off entirely from that top toggle - box . Tablet Search allow you to select which apps can return consequence for your on - gimmick searches , such as Google Music , Chrome , and Crunchyroll . Voice allow for you to turn your pill into a custody - devoid machine : with all right Google Detection , you’re able to ferment on voice commands from any home or ignition lock screenland ( not just the google search page ) , groom the machine to hear for your spokesperson , block offensive password , and even assign a bluetooth headset . The Accounts and Privacy menu ( as well as Notifications ) is fairly self explanatory , though wrick off Commute Sharing if you do n’t want to broadcast your physical whereabouts to your Google+ circles .
Note that while Google Now exists on iOS , the feature ready varies slimly compare to what you get in Android , but most of the below should be useable on both — and whatever ’s not likely will be soon .
It’s OK to Talk to Your Computer
eld of entering keywords and search term has trained us to ask for information in a staccato fashion , spitting out the five most relevant word . Well , no more . Once you have interpreter command activated , you ’ll be capable to once again require questions like a regular human except , you know , to a tab . or else of typing in “ obama number of presidency ” you’re able to simply say “ OK Google ( to activate the function ) , Barack Obama is which numeral chairperson ? ” for it to secern you “ 44 . ” What ’s really nerveless is that Google can also understand colloquial context so after it tell you 44 , you may immediately abide by up with “ And who was president before him ? ” and Google will wholly sympathise that you ’re asking about George W Bush .
Google Now also empathize family relationship . In Android , discharge up the app , and say “ call Mom . ” The app will require you who that is and allow you to select them from your contact lean and launch a “ relationship ” within Google Now . They can also be summate manually to single Contacts on your list .
From now on , you could depute relationships to specific contacts so you ’ll only call for to say “ call mom ” or “ text buddy ” not their full name . This relationship shred also admit option for the rest of your mob member , acquaintance , carbon monoxide gas - proletarian , supervisory program , and pregnant others .
Watch TV With Your Phone, Not Just On Your Phone
A modern equivalent of VH1 ’s old Pop Up Video , Google Now can execute some pretty sweet tricks while you ’re meddling melting into the couch . If your machine is on the same connection as the smart TV , just tell Google Now “ Listen to goggle box ” to incur trivia and programing information about what you ’re watching . likewise , you could shove your sound in front of a loudspeaker after saying ” What am I listening to ? ” and Google will both ID the song , and supply a connexion to buy it . If only you could trail it to get you a beer as well .
Show Me The Pictures
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPqliPzHYyc
Do masses really eff look at painting of your vacation as much as you think they do ? Of course , do n’t be goofy . And with Google Now , you may pull your pictures up and deal them out faster than ever before .
So long as you have your Google+ story join up , you could expect Now to display them base on the photos ’ fix and time . Commands like “ Show me all of my photograph from Kalamazoo ” or “ Show me all of my photos from last Thursday ” will draw any pic from Google+ that meet that criterion .
Also cool , the “ take a photo ” and “ record video ” commands can also save valuable seconds when overstretch your phone out to trance a glide by scene .
Local Reminders
Google Now also does well to leverage the functionality of its baby apps , such as Google Keep ’s location - based reminder feature . As we discussed last week , all you need to do is set a reminder using the “ Okay , Google … set up a reminder for ” command and saying where you want the job to be completed . “ Set a reminder to grease one’s palms milk ” becomes “ Set a admonisher to buy milk the next sentence I ’m at Safeway ” and the arrangement will automatically pop a monitor the next time the gimmick ’s GPS determines your near one .
So not only do you no longer demand to remember just what you need to bribe , you do n’t even really need to know where to buy it . Just wander around your neighborhood until you get a notification .
Find Your Car
And if you have trouble even remembering where you put that confounded fomite , do n’t worry — Now lie with . If you ’ve take “ driving ” as your preferred method of travel in the Magic Wand section above , Google Now will issue you a parking card noting where you car is every clock time you get out of it . Now bank on your earphone ’s accelerometer to guesstimate when you exit a vehicle and is n’t perfect , so do n’t be surprised if it pop a parking menu the next time you get off a bus or out of your buddy ’s ride . Sometimes that find the moment your heel hits the curbing , sometimes it ’s as much as 15 minutes after you ballpark ; it depends on the GPS readings and Google ’s own algorithms . Still it ’s well than hunting a parking garage degree by grade for your lost car .
Let Your Location Be Known
It ’s not just your car ’s location that you’re able to keep tab on ; you yourself can just as easy track and be tracked by your friends and family using Google Now ’s Location Sharing feature . You know , it you ’re into that kind of thing .
This service can be toggle on and offthrough the Google+ App ’s preferences carte du jour and allows the user to distribute their current location to specific multitude and Google+ circles . Handy if you want to quietly keep tab key on your kid during their bus topology drive home from schoolhouse . It also works the other way round with a Now feature known as Commute Sharing . It lets booster and family track where you are on your morning and eventide commute ( or really just wherever you are at the moment ) . They will receive Now notifications if you happen to be stuck in traffic , caught on a handicapped street automobile , or stranded on an elevated monorail — whatever the transit number , Google Now will let your and your ’s know about it . Simply select “ Let them see your commute updates ” from the Now preferences menu .
These are just a few of the many commands , cards , tips , and tricks that can help Google Now make you life easier . If you have any proficiency that you do n’t see list here , allow us know in the discourse below !
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