Android owners may be surprised to learn that their phones have a helper
app that can go toe to toe with the iPhone’s Siri in key ways. It’s
called Google Now, and it’s one of Android’s neatest features.
First, you’ll have to make sure your Google Search app (which is where all the Google Now features live) is up to date. On your device (running Android 4.1 or newer) visit the Play store to see if you’re asked to install the latest version. If not, you’re good to go.

There. Now you should have no excuse to not be trying Now. And don’t
forget, the more you use and customize the service, the better it will
assist you in your daily life.
Google’s version of the digital
personal assistant doesn’t have a sentimental name, and it doesn’t have
as big a personality as Siri. But compared with Siri, Google Now does a
better job of learning things about you in order to provide information
you’ll appreciate and find helpful.
Here’s how to get the most out of Google Now.
Getting set up
First, you’ll have to make sure your Google Search app (which is where all the Google Now features live) is up to date. On your device (running Android 4.1 or newer) visit the Play store to see if you’re asked to install the latest version. If not, you’re good to go.
How you get to Google Now depends on which device you’re using. You can get to it by opening the Google
app from the app drawer, or, if you’re on a Nexus device, it can be
accessed at any time by swiping up from the home button at the bottom of
the screen.
The first time you load the
Google Search app, you’ll be asked to opt in to Google Now. After that,
you should be dropped off at your Google Now feed, which looks something
like this:
Your Google Now feedGoogle
Now shows you “cards” with useful information in them, based on your
behaviors on your phone and in your personal data, like your calendar.
In your first visit or two, Google may not yet have enough information
to show you very many cards. Though, ordinarily, as you scroll down this
feed, you’d find news that you’re interested in reading—sports scores
for the teams you like, local weather, and even things like trip
information and package shipping details.
How does Google know all these particulars about you? If you’ve been
an Android owner for a while, or often use Gmail and Google Search from
either from your phone, tablet, or desktop, then Google already has a
substantial amount of information about you.
For example: If you bought a
plane ticket and had the confirmation email sent to your Gmail account,
then Google Now will see this and send you a smartphone notification, as
well as display a trip itinerary card in your feed a day or two before
your flight. Or let’s say you’re often searching for scores and news on
the NBA’s Miami Heat. Google Now will pick up on this, too, and give you
live scoring updates in the notification panel of your phone and also
the latest scores and news in cards on your Google Now feed.
Fine-tuning Google NowOne
way to use Google Now is by simply opting in and allowing Google to
auto-learn what you like. It’s as simple as that—if you want it to be.
If you want a little more control over what types of notifications and
Google Now cards you see, though, there are ways to fine-tune your
experience. You’ll find the buttons to do this at the bottom of your
Google Now feed.
The magic wandbutton will bring you to a customization screen with labels for Sports teams, Stocks, Places, and Everything else.
Clicking these will allow you to do things like add or drop sports
teams or stocks that Google Now will keep you updated on, as well as
enter Home and Work locations (or modify them if Google Now has already
detected them via Android location updates) for automatic daily traffic
or transit information.
Tap the Reminders button,
and you’ll see a list of all the scheduled and recurring reminders that
Google Now has on record. Here you can modify or erase reminders, as
well as add new ones. Adding a reminder from Google Now’s search box (at
the top of your Google Now feed) is simple, too. All you have to do is
type or speak, “Remind me to [whatever you want to be reminded to do],”
and a card will pop up for you to set the particulars of the reminder.
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