How does Google Assistant work? Here’s the guide you need to get started
AI is in the news a lot right now because of robots like ChatGPT. Did you know that you can already use AI on your Android phone? Google Assistant is Google’s AI-powered voice assistant. It’s available on Android, iOS, and many smart devices, like Google’s Nest speakers. Even though Google Assistant is less intelligent than ChatGPT (yet), it can do a lot. It can pause and play songs and videos, set tasks and notes, and sometimes even answer and screen phone calls for you.
How does Google Assistant work?
But first, you should know what Google Assistant is. Google Assistant has been around a long time and has been through a lot, but its roots are in Google’s search tool. Google Voice Search was where the first signs of what would become Google Assistant showed up. This function was a long way from what we can do now. It was straightforward and only let you do voice searches and voice searches.
A tremendous change happened when Android 4.1 Jelly Bean added Google Now. Code-named “Majel” after Majel Barrett, who was the computer’s voice in many Star Trek shows, and Gene Roddenberry’s wife, who created Star Trek, Google Now included Google Voice Search, but now results are read out loud. It also added a notification system to inform you about upcoming meetings or traffic. Gmail integration would be added in later updates, making it even more helpful.
Google Now was around for years, but when the first Google Pixel emerged, it was merged into Google Assistant. Google Assistant quickly spread to every Android phone running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later, and since then, Google hasn’t looked back; Google Assistant has only gotten better and more valuable.
Ten years after the first start of Google Now, some parts of Google’s dream have come true. Even though it’s not as bright as Star Trek’s all-knowing computer, Google Assistant has many uses. It can help us run our vacuums, TVs, music, etc.
What can Google Assistant do for you?
Making a complete list of all of Google Assistant’s features and commands would be a considerable task that goes far beyond the scope of this piece. But we can tell you what it can do in general, so you can know what your AI friend can do for you.
Questions about general knowledge
Google Assistant can tell you about a subject in a general way. Generally, the Assistant can read the answer if you can Google it and get it right on the search page. You can ask it about the weather, when the sun sets, how tall a celebrity is, simple math, word definitions, and much more. If it doesn’t know the answer to a question, it will tell you a few sentences from a website it thinks might have the answer and send you a link to read more.
Help you plan your day and your finances.
If you set it up that way, Google helper can also be a more personal helper. Most of the more personal questions will require you to have set up Voice Match, so Google can be sure it’s not telling anyone else about your business.
Once you’ve set it up, you can ask Google Assistant about your daily commute to work, when upcoming events are, and even how to change your Google privacy settings or delete any stored data.
Streaming and other device can be controlled.
There are a lot of things that Google Assistant can do on other platforms. It can be used on phones, tablets, and smart speakers, among other things. You can tell it to play a particular TV show, change your phone settings, or even make your phone ring.
“Make some noise.”
“Turn [Flashlight, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth] on/off.”
“The Umbrella Academy should be shown on TV.”
“Look for my phone.”
Pixel-specific skills
Pixel phones are more closely connected to Google Assistant than other phones, so they have several unique features. Most of the time, these don’t come as orders but as AI-powered features. You could have the Assistant answer your phone calls or hold your place in a call line.
Some of these features might come to other Android phones in the future, but Pixels usually get new features first. This makes them the best choice for Assistant fans who want a smartphone.
…and a lot more
We have yet to begin to scratch the surface. We have yet to discuss how the Assistant can translate languages, send text messages, and connect with certain apps. We have a longer list if you want to go into more detail, and you should skim it to get a good idea of what your Google Assistant can do.
What technology is Google Assistant available?
One of the best things about Google Assistant is that it’s built into many different devices. This makes it easy to fill your house with smart devices connecting to the same system.
Smartphones and computers are the first places you’ll find Google Assistant. Google Assistant is built into almost every Android device. The only ones that need it are some ancient phones and tablets, as well as Huawei’s devices and Amazon’s Fire tablets, which use Android without Google’s services. Other than those, though, Google Assistant is available on most Android phones and tablets, including high-end ones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Google Pixel 7 Pro, and OnePlus 11, as well as cheaper ones like the Nokia G60 5G.
Google Assistant has smartwatches with Wear OS, including the Pixel Watch. But it also consists of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, which is based on a tweaked version of Wear OS and still has Google Assistant.
What about Apple phones like the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14? The default helper on Apple’s iPhones is Siri, but you can add Google helper by getting the Google Assistant app from the App Store. You’ll have to jump through hoops to make it listen to your words. Start by opening the Shortcuts app and adding a button letting Siri call up Google Assistant. To do this, open Shortcuts, click the “+” button, then click “Add action,” and then choose “Assistant” from the list. Then press”Hey Google” and add the “Hey Google” key. Then you can say “Hey Siri, hey Google” to bring up Google Assistant through Siri.
Google Assistant isn’t just for phones and computers, either. Unsurprisingly, you can use Google Assistant on the intelligent Nest Google speakers and Chromecast, but did you know that it also works on smart speakers from JBL, Sonos, Bose, and others? Google Assistant can also be used with intelligent locks, robot vacuums, smart plugs, and light lights. If something has a brilliant version, you can find one that works with Google Assistant.
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How to find the settings for Google Assistant?
It’s easy to use Google Assistant, but a lot is happening behind the scenes. Google Assistant has a lot of settings you can change and edit, as well as many extra features that can make your time with it even more helpful. The Home app is where you can change how Google Assistant works.
- Step 1: Open the app called “Home.”
- Step 2: Choose your face in the upper right corner and click Assistant settings.
There are many choices here, most of which are easy to understand. But some preferences stand out and are worth checking out. Your Assistant can be slightly more personal in the “You” part. For example, you can set up individual family members as contacts to tell the Assistant to “call Dad” or “call Mom.” You can also choose your usual way to get around under You > Transport. You can choose to drive, ride a bike, or walk.
Assistant Routines might be for you if you want to automate more of your life. These actions are very flexible and can be set to do more than one thing when a single request is given. This makes them great for automating parts of your daily routine. You could set up a performance that starts a podcast playlist when you start driving to work in the morning, turns on the living room lights at a particular time of day, or even creates a sleep routine when you say “good night” to your Assistant. Under Assistant settings > Routines, you can find these.
These are just two advanced settings you can make for your Assistant. There are many more, like telling it about your dietary needs, setting up Face Match to give you personalized results on smart devices with cameras, setting up the Family Bell to alert your family at certain times, and much more. Is so much in the settings menu that we could write a whole piece about it? Take your time and look around to see what’s there. Also Read – Xiaomi 13 Ultra Spotted at TENAA, will Released Imminent
How to change the voice of Google Assistant?
You’ll hear the voice of the Assistant a lot, so it must be one you like. If you aren’t, it’s easy to change in the settings app.
- Step 1: Open the app called “Home.”
- Step 2: Choose your face in the upper right corner and click Assistant settings.
- Step 3: Go to the bottom of the page and click on Assistant voice & sounds.
- Step 4: Colored circles show the different choices you can choose from. Please go through them and choose the one you like best.
How to stop Google Assistant from working?
AI assistants aren’t for everyone, and you may not want the extra benefits that Google Assistant offers. If that is the case, you can turn it off quickly by doing the following:
- Step 1: Open your phone’s Home app.
- Step 2: Open Assistant settings by tapping your face in the upper right corner of the Home app.
- Step 3: Move down the page and click on General.
- Step 4: Uncheck the box for Google Assistant.
This will turn off Google Assistant on your device completely. You won’t be able to use “Hey Google” anymore, and you won’t be able to use tools like Snapshot that use Assistant. If that’s too much for you, you can turn off the “Hey Google” listening feature by returning to the Assistant settings screen, clicking on Hey Google & Voice Match, and unchecking “Hey Google.”
You can also turn off Google Assistant on your Google Nest devices, but this turns the device into a speaker, so we don’t suggest doing this all the time. But if you want to ensure it’s not listening to everything you say, you can turn each Nest device’s hardware mute switch to ensure it’s briefly deaf.
Which is better, Google Assistant or Siri?
Siri and Google Assistant are two of the most popular smartphone AI helpers, so it makes sense that they are often compared to each other. Which is better? That’s a tricky question that needs to be looked at in-depth and with a clear plan.
In short, though, many things about both are the same. Both react quickly and accurately to their hot words and can find the correct information with about the same level of accuracy. You can also use either to handle compatible devices, of which there are many, as well as some parts of your smartphone. On the other hand, Google Assistant’s smartphone settings are more limited and need some extra setup on most devices, so this is likely to work better on an iPhone. Google Assistant does have an edge in other places where Assistants are used, such as call screening and waiting in line. These are tricks that Siri can’t do, so it gives the Assistant a few more points for gimmicks.
Overall, it’s best to use the helper with your phone. For iPhones, this is Siri, and for Android phones, it’s Google helper. There are some changes between the two, but in the grand scheme of your device, they aren’t that big of a deal, and both are likely to work very well for you.
If you switch brands often, there is one thing you should think about. Siri doesn’t work on Android, but Google Assistant does (with a few solutions). So Siri can’t go with you if you switch phone brands, but Google Assistant can. That’s fine if you’re an iPhone fan for life, but if you’re thinking about switching to an Android phone to see what all the fuss is about, you’ll have to start over with Google Assistant and can’t bring Siri with you.
