Google released the Google Assistant as an update to every beta user on Marshmallow and Nougat OS. In case you were left behind, switch to Google’s beta programme and get onboard. Google Assistant is a voice-based virtual assistant like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana. The best part is that almost every Android user can now have a virtual assistant on their respective smartphones.
Earlier available exclusively for Google’s Pixel phones, the assistant was only accessible via modded ROMs. Google being Google, surprised the world when they decided to add this feature to every Android phone with supported OS. While most future phones will come with Google assistant preloaded, it is fair to gain knowledge of the many things it can do. Here is our list of 30 things your personal Google Assistant can do.
1. Thou shall be called Lord
You can tell, or rather command, Google Assistant to address you by the name of your choice. Fulfil your fantasies to be called by the rank, honour, funk or name you desire.
2. Make your Google Assistant sing a song
In case you are bored or in the mood for some fun, you can ask your Google Assistant to sing you a song.
Enjoy the Google made lyrics and the pun in them. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Google Assistant has a pleasant voice.
3. Ask your Assistant to brief you about your day
Ask you Google Assistant, How does my day look like? Google Assistant is designed to brief you about your day with greetings of the day, your commute information, reminders, schedules and user customised News briefing. You can customise your daily briefing as per your liking.
4. Sing Happy Birthday for humans
Tell Google Assistant to sing Happy Birthday and it will do so in a melodious tone. If you are surprising someone special or just way too lonely on your birthday, Google Assistant can be your plus one.
5. Play music of your choice
Bob Marley said it best when he was describing our emotions to music
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
Google Assistant understands the pain and can play your favourite music based on your command.
It can also play specific tracks from a particular app of your choice.
6. Your personal translator
Whether you’re travelling abroad or around India, the most significant hurdle is language. Google Assistant allows you to quickly translate any sentence or word, when asked.
With Google’s support of almost every language the world can speak, you are in safe hands.
7. Resolve anything with the toss of a coin
How do a coin and Google Assistant relate? We toss a coin for random outcomes. Heck, we even toss a coin to choose the first call in a cricket match. Although tossing a coin is as real as it can be, random outcomes are the ultimate goal. In a virtual world, Google Assistant allows you to toss a coin coupled with sound effects to reveal those outcomes. Have fun.
8. Listen to news from around the world
Many of us love listening to news and happenings around the world. This is especially true when we start our day. Imagine driving to work as your Google Assistant plays you news from around the world through your favourite news channel.
9. Pull up news about the things you like
Do you love politics or technology or sports? No matter what your taste is, you can tell your Google Assistant to pull up news about the things you like.
You could also ask about something specific and Google Assistant will bring you the best of Google search at your voice’s command.
10. Tell your assistant to repeat what you said
Isn’t it fun to hear someone repeat what you said? Tell your Google Assistant to repeat after you and it will repeat the sentence for you. I can sense what you are thinking at this moment and yes, it will repeat everything you tell it to.
11. Google’s I’m feeling lucky gets an interesting new twist
Everyone using Google search has at least once hit the I’m feeling lucky button. Something similar is cooked into Google Assistant. Try it and be amazed.
12. Toggle basic settings by voice commands
Google Assistant is on your phone and can perform basic tasks based on voice commands.
Next time you wish to turn your phone in silent mode or turn on Bluetooth, just command your assistant to do it for you.
13. Call anyone from your contact list
Ever wondered how easy would it be to only utter the words Call (any name in your contact list) and see your phone calling it! It does make you feel like living a sci-fi fantasy. Google has made this possible. Enjoy the future.
14. Play movie trailers without touching your phone
Google Assistant understands voice commands with app names. All you have to do is ask for the movie trailer to be played in your specific apps and your wish is the assistant’s command.
Ease of operation just got a whole lot cooler.
15. Check movie timings in your vicinity
Getting bored or simply too excited for that new release? Ask Google Assistant about the movie and it will display all the theatres it is playing in along with timings.
We do hope more functionality is added in the near future like booking tickets as well.
LOVE WATCHING MOVIES? Here’s how you can pick the right TV for your home theatre.
16. Use it as a quick dictionary
Do not understand a word and need to look it up? Most of us would end up launching a dictionary app or the browser to search for the meaning of something we do not know.
Now you can directly ask your Google Assistant and get the meaning narrated to you.
17. Getting bored, ask Google Assistant to quiz you
If you are feeling bored, Google Assistant could be quite an entertainer. If you are feeling smart enough, you can ask Google Assistant to challenge you with a quiz of your choice. Select your forte and prove your wit.
18. Google Assistant can make you laugh
Want some inspiration to broaden your scope of humour or simply bored? Google Assistant can tell you a joke when you ask it to. Some of these jokes might be a turn-off but most are quite interesting and some do manage to tickle the funny bone.
19. Let your assistant do the maths
Maths and the thought process that comes with it is quite a task, ain’t it? Most complex calculations (especially the one involving multiple digits) are a calculator app task. Google assistant saves you the time and energy by solving your mathematical queries at your voice’s command.
Spare the calculator app search and throw your equations at your Google Assistant.
20. Google Assistant can recite you poems when you desire
Carl Sandburg had once stated,
Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.
There is something about poems that is hard to describe. Some are thought provoking while others a short story in themselves. Whatever it is, poetry is an art worth your time. Ask Google Assistant to recite you a poem and be prepared for some of the best poems by renowned authors.
21. Increase your general knowledge
If you are someone like me who likes to learn interesting facts, you will appreciate Google Assistant.
Ask a random fun fact, or something more specific and the assistant is ready to fulfil your curiosity. From history to geography to mathematics and even morse codes, Google Assistant can do it all.
22. Change weather measuring units with voice commands
One thing you would notice while using Google Assistant is that it measures the weather in Fahrenheit. We, as Indians, are not accustomed to this measuring unit. You can ask Google Assistant to change your default measuring units to Celsius and it will remember these changes.
23. Generate a random number for fun!
Ask Google Assistant to generate a random number for fun. What do you use this number for is your choice. No one is judging you.
24. Open your preferred channel on YouTube
If you want to navigate to a particular channel in YouTube, the task will require you to fire up the YouTube app. Then, search, navigate and choose the channel to access it.
With Google Assistant, the above task is just a voice command away.
25. Ask and get directions
Planning to go somewhere and need directions? Or just out of cash and need info onnearby ATMs? Simply ask Google Assistant for directions to your desired place.
It will not only get you a quick result but also start Google Maps and aid navigation as you drive.
26. Post a Tweet or Facebook status
There are several ways to post tweets and Facebook status updates. One of the easiest methods has to be through Google Assistant. Just ask your assistant to post a tweet.
The assistant opens a text box with voice recognition to compose a tweet and post it. All this power without using hands.
27. Add items to your shopping list
About to hit the supermarket and wish to make a list of all the things you need? Just ask Google Assistant to add items to your shopping list and have your personal list made in Google Keep. In case you remember something later, just ask your assistant to add items to the shopping list. Simple yet helpful.
28. Open any app without touching your phone
Google assistant knows the apps on your phone. Whenever you want to access any app, you can simply command Google Assistant to open it for you.
This is pure assistance at its core.
29. Google Assistant can remember things for you
If you are human, you are bound to forget. Google Assistant isn’t human and hence can remember whatever you tell it to. From file locations to important documents or keys, Google Assistant can be asked to remember anything.
And when your humane side forgets about them, just ask Google Assistant where are the keys or documents and it will remind you of the things you told it to remember. Mind = Blown into a potato.
30. Talk anything!
Feeling bored and desire someone to talk to? Google Assistant is just an Ok Google command away.
Go ahead and ask all the silliest questions piled in your minds and the assistant has a virtual way to make any conversation interesting.
OK Google, Tell me some Chuck Norris jokes
by saying ‘Talk to Smart Bunny’, you can hear some latest and very funny jokes on Google Assistant