Unleash Google Assistant: 5 handy tricks you need to try today

I have been utilizing the Google ecosystem for longer than I can keep in mind. Over time, I’ve watched every part — from Docs and Search to Gmail and Maps — evolve right into a extremely environment friendly and efficient system, and at this level, I am unable to think about having to reside and work with out it.

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Though it appears as if Google is poised to make some main modifications by injecting its powerful AI into the combination, Google Assistant continues to be the go-to digital assistant for Android (and Google Dwelling merchandise). In the event you’re one of many thousands and thousands who use Google’s merchandise, you may be glad to know that Assistant has a number of options to assist make your workday (and your private life) a bit simpler.

For individuals who think about themselves Google Assistant energy customers, a few of these is likely to be acquainted. Nonetheless, if you happen to’ve solely been casually utilizing the instrument, these may all be new and thrilling choices that may enable you to perceive simply how highly effective Assistant will be.

Let’s dive in, lets?

1. Your individuals

Google Assistant has a helpful characteristic known as Your Individuals, which associates contacts with sure relationships, so you possibly can extra simply communicate with these individuals. You’ll be able to categorize a contact as an Aunt, Boyfriend, Brother, Cousin, Daughter, Father, Good friend, Accomplice, and extra. These relationships make it simpler to, say, ship messages. So as a substitute of claiming, “Hey, Google, ship a message to Aaron Kennedy,” you possibly can say, “Hey, Google, ship a message to my good friend.” In case you have a number of “good friend” relationships, if you converse the command, Assistant will ask which good friend you wish to ship the message to. So as to add somebody to your listing of individuals, go to Assistant Settings > You > Your Individuals and faucet Add Particular person.

2. Meals preferences

Whether or not you are a foodie or simply somebody who eats out whereas on the go (particularly for enterprise journey), you may wish to set your meals preferences in Google Assistant, so the instrument shall be higher able to serving you nicely if you’re too busy to do a deep dive into discovering the correct place to fulfill a craving. As soon as you’ve got set this, Google Assistant will use that info when it suggests eating places for you. To set your meals preferences, go to Assistant Settings> You > Meals Preferences. From that web page, you possibly can choose dietary preferences in addition to delicacies varieties and substances. As soon as you’ve got taken care of this, faucet Executed and the subsequent time you ask Google that can assist you out with discovering a spot to eat, it will draw from these settings to find one thing appropriate.

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3. Voice entry

Voice entry is an accessibility characteristic that makes it doable to work together together with your cellphone with out utilizing your fingers. This may be very useful to these with extreme motor impairment or anybody who has hassle utilizing a cellphone’s contact display successfully. As soon as voice entry is enabled, you merely say, “Hey, Google, begin voice entry.” As soon as began, you possibly can then use your voice to open apps, scroll, faucet compose, go down, and rather more. Earlier than you need to use voice entry, it have to be enabled, in Settings > Accessibility > Voice Entry > Use Voice Entry. Needless to say Voice Entry is at present solely accessible in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German.

4. Add languages

By default, Google Assistant will solely have your chosen system language accessible. In case your system language is English, Assistant will solely acknowledge English. However what if you happen to’re both studying a brand new language, working with others from totally different international locations, or touring out of your place of birth? You may wish to add one other language. With Google Assistant, you possibly can add Danish, German, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, and extra. There are even numerous regional choices for a few of the languages.

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The one caveat to that is which you could solely add one extra language at a time, however you possibly can shortly change them out as wanted. And as soon as you’ve got added a brand new language, you can begin utilizing it instantly. So as to add a brand new language, go to Assistant Settings > Languages > Add a Language.

5. Learn articles aloud

As an example you are driving or on the gymnasium and might’t give your consideration to your cellphone’s display to learn an article. To resolve that challenge, you possibly can have Google Assistant learn an article aloud to you. This characteristic works rather well (and would not sound like a robotic from an Nineteen Eighties sci-fi movie). The characteristic is enabled by default and solely works with the Chrome browser. To make use of the read-aloud characteristic, open an internet web page in Chrome after which say, “Hey, Google, learn this text.” Google Assistant will begin studying the article to you in a somewhat nice voice. You’ll be able to pause the studying, change the pace, and even change the audio language.

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Google Assistant is a lot greater than what you imagine it to be. Not solely can it help you locate things, discover out the climate, and ship messages, however it could possibly additionally serve you successfully in different methods, with out having so as to add third-party software program or spend prolonged time configuring or making dramatic modifications to your machine.