Google Now is quickly becoming a key part of Google's future as it expands from being on smartphones and tablets to smartwatches this summer. Here are some of its best features you can use right now.
When Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S in October 2011, the company revealed what the 'S' meant in its latest flagship smartphone's name. The smartphone would ship with a virtual assistant named Siri that could interact with iPhone 4S users by using a natural language user interface. This meant that you could ask Siri questions and perform other functions by speaking the way you naturally would, no special voice commands to learn. Siri caused many people to upgrade or switch to the iPhone 4S, since it was the only iOS device at the time to include the assistant.
Siri spawned the virtual assistant living inside mobile devices craze and Google knew it needed to offer a similar feature on Android and introduced Google Now with the launch of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in July 2012. Google Now has received multiple updates and new features since it was first released and here are some of the best ones you can use right now on your Android smartphone or tablet.
Google Now as your personal assistant - Google Now works like Siri by allowing you to speak to it the way you would naturally speak. Simply launch Google Now by sliding up on the Home button, some manufacturers have alternate ways of accessing the service, find out yours if the Home button method doesn't work. Tap the microphone button and you can ask all types of questions and will either be presented with a voice response or information in the form of a card.
If you hear a song and want to find out the name of the song, artist, etc., no need to launch a third part app, just ask Google Now, "what's this song?" you will then tell you and provide a link to the song on Google Play.
Google Now Cards - Google's upcoming Android Wear OS relies on Google Now and its card user interface to provide you with all different types of information. Google has been constantly updating and adding new cards and features. An update to Google Now makes remembering where you parked a no brainer, literally. Google Now can determine when you leave a moving vehicle via the sensors in your smartphone and keeps track of exactly where you parked, making finding your car a snap, you don't have to remember or write anything down.
Google Now Bill Reminders - Google is releasing an update to Google Now that will automatically remind you to pay upcoming bills. A new Bill Pay card will be created from any bills that get sent to your Gmail account. The card displays the amount due, due date, and a link to the specific email used to populate the information.
Google Now is getting better by the day and there are many cool features you should get to know if you have an Android smartphone or tablet. As previously mentioned, Google is constantly updating Google Now and adding new cards at a steady rate. If you'd like to check out all of the available cards, Google has listed them on its Google Now site, along with tons of other useful Google Now information. Let us know in the comments your favorite Google Now features.
