Tag Archives: GoogleNow

Google Search app for Android updated (update)

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Google Search app for Android updated with locationbased related websites and more

Today's the day for updates to Google's Android apps. The latest to get a revision is the company's main Search app, which sees a slew of new features and minor tweaks. That includes the ability to display a related website based on your current location, as well as offer sports and flight updates in realtime instead of on a 15-minute delay. Beyond that, you'll now be able to set reminders based on things like album or book releases, view event tickets from select websites, and see additional Smart TV cards (which require an actual smart TV) for news and music that's currently on your TV. Another feature that's said to be "rolling out gradually" is the ability to automatically tell others when you've left work. You can find the full rundown of all the new features (and the app itself) in the Google Play store.

Update: We'll have to cool our jets for now -- while there is a fresh APK for Google Search in the Play Store, it appears the features in the changelog are just hanging around from the last update. We'll let you know if anything new and interesting surfaces (with the pace of updates rolling out today, a Google change-tracker dashboard would be nice).

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Via: Droid Life

Source: Google Play

Google Now updated with car rentals, concert tickets and more

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Traffic and weather updates are great, but Google Now never shines better than when you're on vacation. To that end, Mountain View has taught the feature a few new tricks, equipping it with cards for keeping track of car rental and concert tickets. Not traveling? No problem, Google also updated Now's public transit cards to notify users when the last train home leaves -- a feature that was announced for Japan at Google I/O. While waiting, users will also be able to check the latest NCAA scores with a new football card.

New cards are always good, but more interesting are the reminder features the latest update tacks on. Thumbing a new "remind me" button while searching for media will prompt Google Now to notify you when your favorite band, TV show or author releases something new. A tweaked TV card will offer real time data as well, sussing out what program you are watching using your smartphone's mic and digging up program information. Itching to try it out? Skip on over to the Google Play store and update your search app. You'll find that link below.

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Source: Google Play, Android (G+)

Google Now’s voice query support gets ported to Google Search: ask, and you shall receive

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Google Now's voice query support gets ported to Google Search ask, and you shall receive

Google Now's a solid product, but it's reach is also fairly limited... compared to Google Search, anyway. Now, the company's voice element in Search -- which was updated in a major way back at I/O in May -- is gaining some of that Now flair. In the coming days, Google will be rolling out a smarter Search to all US, English-speaking users on desktop, tablet and smartphone, regardless of platform. You'll need only to tap the microphone icon instead of typing in a search query, and then ask humanistic questions about your upcoming flight(s), reservations, purchases, plans and photos.

Naturally, you'll need your flight confirmations sent to Gmail and your photos stored in Google+, but if you're already neck-deep in Google's ecosystem, the newfangled functionality ought to serve you well. For a few suggestions on questions to try, check out the company's official blog post. (Hint: don't ask what your Facebook friends are doing tomorrow.)

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Source: Official Google Blog

Google updates Glass with video player, improved voice commands, additional Now cards

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Google updates Glass with video player, improved voice commands, additional Now cards

It's a big day for Glass. Google's pre-production wearable just scored a variety of additional features, including a video player, improved voice control, voice-activated Path and Evernote updates, #hashtags, boosted SMS support and additional Google Now cards. Let's break them down.

With the new video player, you can tap a video to play it, tap again to pause, and swipe backward or forward to rewind or skip. Path and Evernote users can update those apps by saying "okay glass, post an update" for Path or "okay glass, take a note" for Evernote. Speaking of which, voice controls are improved across the board, so you can now chat with Glass a bit more naturally. Instead of saying "okay glass" and waiting for a cue, you can speak in complete sentences, without pausing.

On the cards front, there's a new method for adjusting volume controls, even while you're on a phone or video call. There are also Google Now cards to remind you of upcoming hotel or restaurant reservations, identify movie showtimes, or catch an emergency alert. Today's release, XE8, is expected to roll out to users over the next few days. Catch the full release notes at the source link below.

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Source: Google

Google reportedly testing ‘hyper-local’ news card for Now

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Google reportedly testing local news card for Now

According to a report from Quartz, Google is preparing to launch an improved local news card in Now. The card would be an extension of its existing local news offerings, but would bring those stories directly to your handset based on your location. Quartz confirmed the card's existence through Johanna Wright, the vice president of search and assist at Google. She described the card as be "hyper-local," with granularity down to individual neighborhoods. According to Wright, the card is only being tested internally right now, and there's no guarantee of when, or even if, Google will actually bring it to the public.

In many ways Now is meant to be a filter for the absurd amount of information constantly at your fingertips. It's supposed to deliver only the information you need, when you need it. Problem is, Google still seems to be figuring out just what information you need at any given moment. Bus schedules, boarding passes, traffic reports, tourist attractions, calendar appointments, sports scores... the depth of data served up is growing more intimidating with every day. Now already delivers links to news stories that you're following on your desktop. The logical next step (we suppose) is to serve up articles you didn't know you were interested in, based on your location. We've reached out to Google for comment and confirmation, and we'll update this story if we hear back.

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Source: Quartz

‘OK Google Now’ comes to Verizon’s 2013 Droid trio

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'OK Google Now' comes to Verizon's 2013 Droid trio

If you're anything like us, you've been wringing your hands jealously at the few thousand Google Glass-enabled humans wandering around commanding "OK Glass" as their bidding is done. We'd like to say that the solution we've found is to give everyone a free set of Google's latest indulgence, Oprah-style, but that's not the case -- instead, Verizon's new trio of Droid phones enables very similar voice-powered functionality on its Droid Mini, Ultra and Maxx handsets.

Employing Google's popular (and delightful) Now app, Droid owners can enact a variety of (unnamed) operations, including waking up the Droid by saying "OK Google Now." It's also targeted at folks who are prone to losing their mobiles, as the command, "OK Google Now, call my Droid" will do just that. It's also possible that people nearby will think you're a crazy person, but perhaps they already did considering you're prone to losing such an expensive and important device to your life, eh?

The Verizon-created software enhancements don't stop there, with the trio also getting "Touchless Controls" and "Active Display"; the duo apparently work together to "let users make calls, send texts, get directions, play music, set a reminder and preview notifications hands-free without having to unlock the phone, giving Droid users a whole new way of interacting with their phones." All three phones are available for pre-order starting today and arrive at Verizon starting on August 20th (the Mini lands August 29th).

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Source: Verizon Wireless

Google Now just a swipe away on HTC One with Android 4.2.2 update

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Google Now just a swipe away on HTC One with Android 422 update

It's not the rumored Jelly Bean 4.3 update for the One, but these latest software tweaks should make current owners happy nonetheless. HTC's begun rolling out an Android 4.2.2 OTA update to unlocked handsets that lops off the legacy menu button in favor of extending the Home button's functionality. Similar to stock builds of Jelly Bean, One users can now choose to access Google Now with a quick swipe up from Home, while relegating a longpress for options. There's also a quick settings panel built into the dropdown notification pane, so toggles for WiFi, airplane mode, Bluetooth, etc are just a few less clicks away. HTC's tossed in other minor tweaks, like a battery level indicator and a file format change for Zoe that streamlines your gallery, plus the requisite bug fixes. It's already hitting handsets across the pond, so if you haven't seen the update prompt yet, hold tight.

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Source: Gizmodo

Google Search Android app updated with location-based offers, voice-activated music playback

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Google Search Android app updated with locationbased offers, voiceactivated music playback

Jelly Bean users running Android 4.1 or later can now snag a few more features with Google's Search app. The update (version number varies depending on your device) delivers three notable additions. The first tool pushes saved offers as you approach a redemption location, reminding you of forgotten deals when they're most relevant. Next up is a new voice action, which lets you control music playback -- both on your device and in the Play Store -- by speaking to your handset. (Voice action tips also make a debut with this refresh.) A third addition enables instant access to information about television programming you're currently consuming, assuming your HDTV is connected to the web and on the same WiFi network as your device. Get your download on at the source link below.

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Via: Droid Life

Source: Google Play, Google+

This week on gdgt: PlayStation 4, MacBook Air, Google Now

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Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.

This week on gdgt

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