Table of Contents
- Google Assistant Basic Settings
- Enable/Disable the function
- Activate voice reference
- 'Ok Google' without unlocking the screen
- Delete/Reset Voice Reference
- create routines
- screen context
- Link with Spotify
- Link with Netflix
- show your photos
- Customize your news feed
- sports news
- Add home/workplace
- create nickname
- App search on the Play Store
- Sticky notes
- Alarm
- Good morning
- real time translation
- Games and other entertainment
Few people know that the Google Assistant It's not just a way to do it easy voice searches. On the contrary, the name does not come by chance: he is one of the most potent voice assistants of the market, being in direct competition with the giants Crab e Alexa, respectively from Apple e Amazon.
Like the other assistants, it will tell you the weather forecast, add reminders and can even be connected to the user's preferred streaming apps and services. To help you discover the main functions of the assistant, we have prepared this guide with 20 tips for you to take advantage of the artificial intelligence of Google.
Google Assistant Basic Settings
To access the settings, just open the app Google (default app on Android, usually a widget on the home screen), click More, in the lower right corner, Settings and open the tab Google Assistant to access the various menus that will serve as the basis for most of the functions that we will explain in this publication.
By default, the Google Assistant is also set to open every time you hold the middle button (at the base of your screen) for a few seconds, which is useful if you want to select one of the functions displayed on the screen but are in a noisy environment. Before anything else, it's worth remembering that you can download the app na App Store (iOS) ou na Play Store – the “Google” app is already installed from the factory in the case of Android.
Enable/Disable the function
If you for any reason have disabled the Google Assistant in the past and want to reactivate it, just go to wizard tab, go down to Devices and select the device you want add. The option can be clicked again if you wish. remover the assistant.
Activate voice reference
In the task of helping your assistant to recognize your voice (and using one of the most useful functions in this guide, “OK Google”), activate the Voice Match. For that, go to Assistant, select your device and click the first option in the Voice Match section. In case you don't have registered a voice when first opening the Google Assistant, that's your cue. You just need to repeat a few variations of "Okay, Google" for the system to recognize you – and, luckily, no one else's voice.
'Ok Google' without unlocking the screen
One of the most useful functions is being able to carry out commands without having to pick up the cell phone. It can be on your desk or, for example, on the dashboard of your car (while your hands are full, in these two scenarios). to use the Voice Match without having to unlock the screen, go to the tab Assistant, go down to your device and activate the area Personal results on lock screen. As explained in print, there is how to send messages or listen to information, among other options explained by clicking on “Learn more”.
Delete/Reset Voice Reference
To delete your voice model and, as a result, disable the function when you say "Okay, Google" with the screen locked, just go to the area mentioned in the previous items (Assistant > Phone) and click on Voice model to delete. In the same area, it is possible reset it, which is useful if you have a used device where a voice has already been registered.
create routines
By far the most “personal assistant” role, shared among other competitive assistants (such as Alexa, Amazon) is the creation of routines. on the tab Assistant you will see the option and, by selecting it, you can create or customize your routines. In the example on the right, we have the “On my way to work” routine to explain what the routines are like.
First you define the voice command (what will you say), then there is a list of functions/answers the wizard will do (a stock list) that you can even change the order and lastly there is how to add music or a radio station.
screen context
Did you know that it is possible to use some of the artificial intelligence of Google to find out what you're seeing on your cell phone? So when the function is enabled, you give the wizard permission to display information related to what is on the screen – such as links to videos from the YouTube or an actor's page on IMDb. To enable on-screen context, go to your Device (under the flap Assistant) and call Use screen context.
Link with Spotify
To ask the assistant play music, say “Ok Google” followed by a artist or genre (example: “play Gorillaz on Spotify”). By default, your account will not be linked, so just go to Music, on the tab Services, and go down to Spotify. selecting Google Play Music, for example, you will be able to play the songs of this service and also those of your device (if registered correctly). In the same window, you can choose which default player prefer.
Link with Netflix
Similar to Spotify, another possible link is with another service streaming very popular: the Netflix. To link your accounts and open the app with voice commands, go to Services, Videos and Photos and click on the item in the videos area. if you have one chromecast recent, you can order the Google to open, for example, “Orange Is The New Black on Living Room TV” (program name followed by device name). The complete list of commands is, in English, on this help page from Google itself.
show your photos
In the same area as the previous item (Services > Videos and Photos), you can see your Google Photos registered on the device. By doing the standard voice command (“open my photos” or similar) it will open the app in question – instead of the image gallery of your device. If you are familiar with the way Google Photos categorizes what it recognizes as “objects”, “people”, “animals”, etc. pictures of my dog” that a list will appear.
Customize your news feed
To see news in general, just use the voice command and the app will open blocks of text with title and image without migrating to the browser. Remembering that the list is not the same as Google Chrome suggests. In this second scenario, the options are more refined. To configure Google Assistant and show news in a more Chrome-like way: go to the app, go to Services > News to enable or disable your preferred fonts. Unfortunately, there is no customizable RSS feed, as in competing services (cough cough, Amazon).
sports news
For sports news, you can choose a specific branch or team and ask things like the “last game result" or "when will X team play?“. In our tests, the app recognized more than 10 teams with different names (including AFE, Mirassol and Aparecidense) and told championship table and even team roster.
Add home/workplace
To optimize your routines and see the traffic without problems, it is very useful to locate your home and work through the app. To do this, open the tab You and go down to your places. It's still possible add different locations, such as “boyfriend's house” or a stopping point of your choice.
create nickname
In the same tab as in the previous item, you can create a nickname for yourself. So when you ask "what's my name?" O Google Assistant may respond in a good-natured way, for example. For that, go to Surname and edit the name in the top box. You can also add the option Spell if your name is not in the assistant's Portuguese vocabulary.
App search on the Play Store
If laziness hits when you need to go to the Play Store and type an app with a giant name, don't be afraid: just say the "application name" followed by "in the Play Store" and the assistant will open that app store leaving everything ready for you to just click "download".
Sticky notes
If you don't use the reminder platform Google Keep, a quick way to add a warning is with voice commands from the Assistant. Suffice it to say "what to remember" followed by a time interval ou specific day/time. After adding your locations (one of the previous items), you can make a creative combination of reminders, such as simply “remind me to call my mom when i get home”.
Alarm
If you want to set your alarm clock for a special time tomorrow morning, or if you want something less subtle than a reminder (in case you're baking a cake, for example), just say "set an alarm" followed by a specific period or time – such as “for 13 hours from now” or “for Friday at 8 pm”.
Good morning
One of the routines (function that explained in a previous item) most popular is “Good Day“. By default, there is a sequence of four actions: weather, commute information, today's schedule, and today's reminders. All items are customizable, and you can change their order and disable them. In practice, just test: say “Good morning” and see the sequence of actions happen – as illustrated above. Of course, it’s also possible to just ask “what’s the weather forecast?” to get the answer in the image on the right.
real time translation
Traveled to another country or found a lost tourist here? O Google Assistant helps you: just say what to translate followed by the language (example “go ahead, in French”). It is worth remembering that it translates everything in the Google translator, but he will only understand via voice command the default languages you add, so it may be that a “Portuñol” will pass you by, but it will not understand a German speaker – at least, not before you add the language to your system.
Games and other entertainment
Other useful hobbies are more relaxed orders: you can ask him flip a coin (or just “Heads or Tails”), tell you a joke, throw a dice, to say the meaning of life or say a random number. Optionally, you can just say “play a game” and be surprised. A function that few know is integrated into the Google Assistant is the one of recognize the music - a la Shazam. Just click on the microphone and select the musical note or just say “what song is this?” for the assistant.
Which of the tips on this list will you use the most from now on?
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