By now, many people have heard about Google Assistant but may not know many details about it prompting them to ask, “What is Google Assistant?” In short, Google Assistant is a personal assistant found on Android devices and the smart speaker, Google Home, among numerous others. It is available in eight languages, including Italian, French, and Japanese. The assistant has a somewhat long history despite only being officially released in mid-2016. This quick guide will give some history of the personal assistant, what it is, and how it can be used.
A Brief History of Google Assistant
The Google Assistant we know today was inspired greatly by Google Now, a predictive service as part of the Google app. Initially released in 2012, Google Now learned patterns about its user to make suggestions based on their search history. For instance, if at 7 a.m. the user checked their email each day, Google Now would pop up around this time to make opening their email easier.
Although Google Now no longer exists, it formed the basis for developing the Google Assistant. The Assistant in part uses the history of voice commands given to it by its user in order to make more accurate suggestions and answers. In May of 2016, Google Assistant was released as part of Google’s messaging app, Allo, only for certain Android phones.
Since that time, the assistant has been made available on numerous Android phones, Android Wear smartwatches, TVs, Laptops, and on the Google Home. And if you’re asking, what is Google Assistant doing in my car? Well, it can be found there, too. Numerous car companies like Subaru, Volvo, and Nissan have integrated the virtual assistant into their newer vehicles in order to reduce the time drivers spend looking at their phones.
What Is Google Assistant
So, what is Google Assistant? The virtual assistant is similar to assistants Alexa by Amazon and Siri by Apple. It helps users answer questions, add events to their calendar, play games, and play music among a host of other features. Google Assistant can even act as a smart home hub in order to control lights, thermostats, and smart appliances with simple voice commands.
Google Assistant is special given its utilization of software found in Google Now and the fact that it has the world’s largest search engine at its disposal. Although it is one of the youngest virtual assistants on the market, it interacts with users in a more human-like way. The next holy grail of virtual assistants is to achieve flawless two-way conversation between the assistant and users. Although this may be a long way off, Google is likely the closest company to reaching this goal.
How To Use Google Assistant
What is Google Assistant used for specifically? For owners of Pixel devices, Google Assistant is already integrated into the phone or smartwatch. Users just need to hold down the home button and say, “Okay Google” or “Hey Google” and speak a command. Other Android devices may require Google Assistant to be turned on. To do this, open the Google app, go to the menu, and select settings. Tap the Google Assistant tab, tap settings, and toggle ‘Turn on’. For users who don’t like to (or can’t) speak with Google, the virtual assistant can be accessed in the app or a keyboard can pop up when the home button is held down. The Pixel 2 allows users to squeeze their phone to access the assistant. The Google Assistant can be downloaded onto Apple devices for those who prefer it to Siri.
There are a variety of commands that can be given to Google Assistant. Most people seem to use the assistant for entertainment purposes. By saying “Okay Google, show me a funny video”, it will pull up something entertaining from YouTube. From a more practical standpoint, users can also use the assistant to convert units or translate words from another language. Reminders can be set and information given, like “Okay Google, remember I parked on the third floor by the elevators.” It will relay this information back when asked.