All You wanted to know about Google Now

With the all new Android, Google has come up with an innovative feature known as Google Now. Jelly Bean, the latest Android, comes equipped with Google Now which will predict the content that you are looking for depending on your previous search. It is the only feature which is new in the faster Android 4.1.

Google Now from Google is a customized search query application for mobile which is created by Google while Knowledge Graph powers the application. It comes in the 4.1 version of Android know as Jelly Bean. Google Now makes use of personal information and previous locations and queries and then intimate you about the information of the flight schedule that you might have looked for or tell you the nearest eating point. The new application also keeps an account of the time of the day to let you know that it is time to head back to home and suggest some alternative if there is some problem on that route.

Interface

This application utilizes the actions that have been performed by you in the past and forms an idea about your likes and dislikes. After that it makes use of that idea to make the search process more personalized for you depending on your past locations and so on. You will find the popular Google Search box in the application against the background of the time and location. The backdrop of time and location update themselves depending on the time and location.

As soon as the query is completed, the response will come on a ‘card’ along with weather icons, navigation maps and in case of sports, a scorecard. Beneath the ‘card’ there will be a usual list of query results. The shortcuts for this application will be there everywhere in the Android version. The new interface comes with a UI which is stellar graphics which come up with weather graphics and first search result as soon as it is clicked. If the first result is not the desired result then you can reject it and go back to that search results list.

Features

When you have to go somewhere for a meeting or lunch Google Now will be of great help. As soon you as click on Google Now, your destination will be searched in Google Maps and guide you to the location. When you reach the place Google Now will retain the place and take you back to your home or the next place if there is any. Google Now will inform you about the time required to reach there. With time the application will start guessing your moves and will come up with better results depending on your previous locations, calendar entries and also the time of the day.

The application from Google comes with cards based on traffic, flight, places, next appointment, weather, public transit, time and currency. All these cards are very useful when you are traveling in the city or you travel a lot. Although the list of the cards if very extensive and comprises almost all the things that you might need but then all these things except the weather and navigation options are not for those who do not travel that much. However, Google Now will work for most people without any hitches by the information that we feed into it. Also, the users can have a control on the data that is displayed in the cards and the application comes with a list of options which will allow you to have granular control.

Pros and Cons

In plain words, Google Now can be taken to be less conversational counterpart of Siri, iOS application. This new search result application from Google has the capability of speaking the results to you. In addition to a more personalized Google searches the application will allows you to have conversation with the query results also.

While the application is a well-thought innovation from Google but it could have been better than the already-existing Siri. Also, to use the application you require an internet connection all the time. The application has the potential to save user’s time but it is futile without an internet connection.

Verdict

It is indeed a well-thought innovation but not well-implemented. Although the application is a terrific addition in the operating system but there is a lot of scope of improvement. For the present times, the application is targeting more on people dwelling in the city rather than the people living in the suburbs, we can hope that Google will make Google Now friendlier to people who are living beyond the boundaries of the urban areas.