Wikipedia

Google Now

For the other virtual assistant from Google, seeGoogle Assistant.

Google Nowwas a feature ofGoogle Searchof theGoogleapp forAndroidandiOS.Google Now proactively delivered information to users to predict (based on search habits and other factors) information they might need in the form of informational cards. Google Now branding is no longer used, but the functionality continues in the Google app and its discover tab.[3]

Google Now
Original author(s)Google
Developer(s)Google
Initial releaseJuly 9, 2012;12 years ago(2012-07-09)
Stable release
5.5 / October 29, 2015;9 years ago(2015-10-29)
Operating systemAndroid 4.1+ ( "Jelly Bean" ),iOS 6.0+ andChromeOS
Limited functionality inMicrosoft Windows,macOS,Linux(viaGoogle Chromeand the Google app)[1][2]
SuccessorGoogle Assistant
Available inEnglish
TypeIntelligent personal assistant
Websitewww.google/search/about/

Google first included Google Now in Android4.1 ( "Jelly Bean" ),which launched on July 9, 2012, and theGalaxy Nexussmartphone was first to support it. The service became available for iOS on April 29, 2013, without most of its features. In 2014, Google added Now cards to the notification center inChromeOSand in the Chrome browser. Later, however, they removed the notification center entirely from Chrome.[4]Popular Sciencenamed Google Now the "Innovation of the Year" for 2012.[5]

Since 2015, Google gradually phased out reference to "Google Now" in the Google app, largely removing the remaining use of "Now" in October 2016, including replacingNow cardswithFeed.[6]AtGoogle I/O2016, Google showcased its new intelligent personal assistantGoogle Assistant,in some ways an evolution of Google Now.[original research?]Unlike Google Now, however, Assistant can engage in a two-way dialogue with the user.

History

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In late 2011, reports surfaced that Google was enhancing its productGoogle Voice Searchfor the next version of Android. It was originally codenamed "Majel" afterMajel Barrett,the wife ofGene Roddenberryand the voice of computer systems in theStar Trekfranchise; it was also codenamed "assistant".[7]

On June 27, 2012, Google unveiled Google Now as part of the premier demonstration ofAndroid 4.1 Jelly BeanatGoogle I/O2012.[8]

On October 29, 2012, Google Now received an update throughGoogle Playbringing the addition of Gmail cards.[9]Google Now displays cards with information pulled from the user's Gmail account, such as flight information, package tracking information, hotel reservations and restaurant reservations (as long as the Gmail account is not aGoogle Workspaceaccount[10]). Other additions were movies, concert, stock, and news cards based on the users' location and search history. Also included was the facility to create calendar events using voice input, for instance, "Make a new appointment for dinner with Steve next Thursday at 7 pm".

On December 5, 2012, an update to the Google Search application brought several new features to Google Now, including cards for nearby events, searching by the camera when at a museum or shop, airplane boarding passes found from e-mail (United Airlinesin the first instance, more airlines followed).[11]In addition, Google Now would show cards for the weather for upcoming travel destinations, birthday reminders; and monthly summaries of biking and walking activities. New voice action features included with this update include the ability to post toGoogle+,song recognition capabilities, and the ability to scan bar codes.[12]However, when the Search 2.5 update hit, Google removed the "Search With Camera" feature.

On March 21, 2013, the Executive Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, stated that Google had submitted aniOSversion of Google Now to Apple for review and that the app was awaiting approval, but he later said that this was not true[13]after Apple denied this was the case. Despite this, on April 29, 2013, Google Now was made available foriOSin an update to the operating system's Google Search application.[14]

Based on Google Chrome code review in December 2012, Google Now was expected to be integrated into the desktop version of Google Chrome.[15]According to Seth Rosenblatt ofCNET,it is rumored that Google Now will also serve asiGoogle'sreplacement in November 2013.[16]On May 15, 2013, at Google I/O 2013, Google announced the upcoming release of Google Now on desktop platforms—the feature would be accessible only via Google Chrome or Google ChromeOS.[17]On January 16, 2014, an Alpha version of the Google Now was made available on desktop through theGoogle Chrome Canaryrelease, although this app lacks some of the cards available on mobile version of Google Now such as public alerts, nearby photos, activity summary and stocks.[1]On March 24, 2014, Google started rolling out Google Now for Google Chrome users who are signed into their Google account on the browser.[18]

Functionality

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Google Now was implemented as an aspect of theGoogle Searchapplication. It recognized repeated actions that a user performs on the device (common locations, repeated calendar appointments, search queries, etc.) to display more relevant information to the user in the form of "cards". The system leveraged theGoogle Knowledge Graphproject, a system used to assemble more detailed search results by analyzing their meaning and connections.[8][19]

Specialized cards currently comprise:[20][21][22]

  • Activity summary (walking/cycling)
  • Birthday
  • Boarding pass
  • Concerts
  • Currency
  • Developing story and breaking news
  • Events
  • Event reminders
  • Flights
  • Friends' birthdays
  • Hotels
  • Location reminders
  • Movies
  • Nearby attractions
  • Nearby events
  • Nearby photo spots
  • New albums/books/video games/TV episodes
  • News topic
  • Next appointment
  • Packages
  • Parking location
  • Places
  • Product listing
  • Public alerts
  • Public transit
  • Research topic
  • Restaurant reservations
  • Sports
  • Stocks
  • Time to home
  • Time reminders
  • Traffic and transit
  • Translation
  • Weather
  • Website update
  • What to watch

In January 2015, Google introduced the ability for participating, installed third-party apps to generate cards; on launch, this included apps such asAirbnb,EBay,The Guardian,PandoraandLyftamong others.[23]

Now on Tap

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OnAndroid 6.0 "Marshmallow",Google Now supported an additional feature known asNow On Tap,which lets a user perform searches within the context of information currently displayed in an app. When a user activates the feature, by holding the "Home" button, or using a voice command, the text content of the current screen is parsed for keywords and other information (names of people, television programs and films, etc.)—which then generate cards that display related information, suggestions, and actions. Users can also voice questions related to the subjects of these cards.[24]

Reception

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Scott Webster ofCNETpraised Google Now for its ability to remind users of events based on past location histories and check-ins, and further commended it for providing "information instantly in a clean, intuitive manner" without the user's requesting it.[25]A review byRyan PaulofArs Technicaclaims that like most other voice activated apps, includingSiri,voice recognition is a major issue, but notes that the ability to type queries provides users with alternatives.[26]Some commentators noted that Google Now's predictive power[27]reveals "exactly how much data and information Google actually has about [users'] routines and daily lives."[28]An October 2014 review on Android Central showed Google Now outperforming its competition, Siri and Cortana.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abSummers, Nick (2014-01-16)."Google Now arrives in Chrome Canary with weather, sports scores, traffic and event reminder cards".The Next Web.Retrieved2014-01-16.
  2. ^Ravenscraft, Eric (2014-03-24)."Google Now Comes to Chrome, Is Out of Beta".Lifehacker.Retrieved2014-04-03.
  3. ^"Feed your need to know".Google.2017-07-19.Retrieved2018-02-08.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^Streamlining Notifications on Desktop,Chromium Blog. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Google Now wins 'Innovation of the Year', runs laps around 'outdated' Siri".BGR.2012-11-15.Retrieved2012-12-26.
  6. ^Google Now is dead: Latest beta of Search app erases references to Google Now,Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  7. ^Webster, Scott (2011-12-15)."Google's project Majel gets more interesting by the day".CNET.Retrieved2011-12-28.
  8. ^ab"Google I/O Day One: Google continues attacks on Apple, Amazon".CNET.Retrieved15 September2012.
  9. ^Ravenscraft, Eric (2012-10-29)."Google Search Updated, Brings New Google Now Cards And Voice Actions - Yes, You Can Set Calendar Events".Android Police.Retrieved2012-10-31.
  10. ^"Google Now with Google for Work accounts".google.Retrieved29 May2015.
  11. ^Schwartz, Barry (2012-12-21)."Google Expands Gmail In Search Results With My Orders, My Events & My Reservations".Search Engine Land.Retrieved2023-11-07.
  12. ^D'Orazio, Dante (2012-12-05)."Google Now takes on Passbook, adds QR code airport check-in and camera search".The Verge.Retrieved2012-12-05.
  13. ^Wolfe, Bryan M. (March 22, 2013)."Both Apple and Google Confirm: No Google Now For iOS Just Yet".AppAdvice.RetrievedApril 26,2013.
  14. ^Rosenblatt, Seth (2013-04-29)."Google Now 'talks' its way onto iOS".CNET.CBS Interactive.Retrieved2013-04-29.
  15. ^"Issue 11412291: Creating a skeleton for Google Now for Chrome implementation".Chromium Code Review. December 2012.RetrievedMarch 22,2013.
  16. ^Rosenblatt, Seth (April 22, 2013)."Google Now could be Google's new home page".CNET.RetrievedApril 24,2013.
  17. ^Farber, Dan (May 16, 2013)."Google Now voice search arriving on the desktop".CNET.RetrievedMay 16,2013.
  18. ^Welch, Chris (March 24, 2014)."Google Now finally comes to desktop Chrome browser".The Verge.Vox Media.RetrievedMay 1,2014.
  19. ^"Google Makes Search 'More Human' with Knowledge Graph".BBC News.May 16, 2012.RetrievedMay 18,2012.
  20. ^Google (2013-08-22)."Google".Google Inc.Retrieved2013-08-23.{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help)
  21. ^Limer, Eric (May 1, 2014)."Google Now Can Remember Where You Parked".Gizmodo.Gawker Media.RetrievedMay 1,2014.
  22. ^Winkler, Rolfe (May 6, 2014)."New Google Now Feature Aims at Amazon".The Wall Street Journal.Dow Jones & Company.RetrievedMay 9,2014.
  23. ^"Google Now for Android can now work with third-party apps".The Verge.30 January 2015.Retrieved7 October2015.
  24. ^"Android 6.0 Marshmallow, thoroughly reviewed".Ars Technica.Conde Nast. 5 October 2015.RetrievedOctober 6,2015.
  25. ^Webster, Scott (2012-07-02)."Reading the tea leaves of Google Now".CNET.Retrieved2012-12-26.
  26. ^Paul, Ryan (August 13, 2012)."Review: Android's" Google Now "can teach Siri a few tricks".Arstechnica.RetrievedDecember 26,2012.
  27. ^Osinga, Douwe."Text Messaging Service".Google.U.S. Patent Office.
  28. ^Wortham, Jenna (June 28, 2012)."Will Google's Personal Assistant Be Creepy or Cool?".The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 30,2013.
  29. ^Simon Sage (October 8, 2014).(King of search) Google Now voice search edges out Siri and Cortana in comparison,Android Central
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