42 means Google Assistant can make yous more efficient on Android

Google Assistant has some genuinely useful productivity tools for professionals — and it's upwards to yous to larn how to use them.

Contributing Editor, Computerworld |

Table of Contents
  • Calendar and routines
  • Reminders and notes
  • Messages and communication
  • Phone functions and settings
  • Location and travel
  • News and electric current events
  • Other useful odds and ends

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Google Assistant is artificial intelligence at your fingertips, especially on Android — only sometimes, it tin exist tough to know what to ask an omniscient robot to do.

I'yard hither to assistance. I've talked to my Android phone more than than I'd care to acknowledge (even before it did anything in response — boy, were those awkward times), and I've put together the ultimate guide to Google Assistant's well-nigh useful productivity-oriented possibilities.

So clear your throat, grab your favorite Android device, and get prepare to brand that silky-voiced virtual companion of yours more than helpful than ever.

Google Banana is natively available on any reasonably current Android phone. And so long every bit yous've enabled Vocalisation Match in your organisation settings (and you tin search for the phrase "Voice Match" inside your settings if you aren't certain), you can admission it anytime simply by maxim Hey, Google while your phone is in earshot.

Depending on your device and Android version , you may also exist able to summon Assistant by sliding your finger up diagonally from either of your screen's lower corners or by pressing and holding your Home button, on older Android devices . You lot can also create a regular domicile screen shortcut to Assistant by downloading the standalone Assistant app , which is essentially merely an like shooting fish in a barrel-admission icon for the service that'south already in that location and waiting.

Calendar and routines

1. Peek at your calendar for any day by asking Assistant variations on these questions:

  • When's my side by side engagement?
  • Show me my appointments for Tuesday afternoon.
  • What's on my calendar for next Mon?
  • What/when/where is my next event?
  • What'due south my first event tomorrow?
  • When'southward my next haircut engagement?

2. Create new calendar events on the fly by telling Assistant add to my agenda or make an appointment followed by the event'southward name, date, time, and optionally even location. For instance, you could say something like Add to my calendar, projection coming together on June 12th at 11 a.1000. — or Brand an appointment for a lunch meeting with Bipsy and Blerp Friday at noon at Del Taco.

3. Get a broader overview of your 24-hour interval by activating Assistant and saying good morning. That'll cause your Assistant to give you a summary of the weather for your current area along with a rundown of any reminders and appointments on your agenda — and, if you lot want, an overview of your commute and a quick audio broadcast of the news from whatever sources you prefer. You tin can even have Assistant automatically take your phone off silent, gear up your phone'southward media book to a specific level, and adjust any connected devices in your domicile or function every bit office of the process.

To configure all of the options, fire up Banana and say Assistant routines, and so tap the gear-shaped icon next to the discussion "Routines" and tap the line labeled "Good morn."

01 google assistant android routines JR Raphael/IDG

Y'all can edit Assistant's morn routine to include all sorts of dissimilar on-need actions and adjustments.

4. In that same section of the Assistant settings, you can configure divide routines that occur whenever you lot utter any phrases yous want — or even at specific set times of day or the second you dismiss certain preset alarms in the morning. You tin even create twenty-four hour period-long Assistant routines that comprise multiple actions at multiple times.

v. Be sure to wait, too, for the preset routines for "Commuting to work" and "Commuting dwelling." Provided you're commuting into an actual exterior-of-the-home workplace these days, those are handy places to fix processes in which Banana tin do things like update you on the traffic or your agenda; set your phone's media volume to a sure level and play music, news, or a podcast; send a predefined message to a specific person or read your unread texts aloud; and even broadcast a message (like "On my way dwelling" or "Arriving at the office in 20 minutes") to whatever Banana-enabled speakers in your dwelling house or role as soon as you indicate you're en road.

Reminders and notes

6. One of Assistant's most useful tools is its power to take and manage context-sensitive reminders. You can ready a reminder for a specific time and day — Remind me to call Schmitty Fri at noon, for instance — or you tin create a reminder that'll announced when you arrive at a detail location: Remind me to order more turnips when I get to work, Remind me to check on the turnip-ordering progress when I'm at the Chicago airport, Remind me to mention the client'due south turnip-caused rash when I get to Red Robin, and then on.

7. Y'all tin set reminders with general locations, also — such every bit Remind me to pick up ointment at the grocery or Remind me that Gladys wants an Egg McMuffin when I get to McDonald's — and Assistant will deliver the message the next time you lot arrive at a relevant place.

8. Got something you lot demand to remember on a regular basis? Ask Assistant to create recurring reminders for y'all. But add the word every into your control — as in: Remind me to check the printers every Tuesday at 3, Remind me to touch base with Stu on the starting time day of every month, or Remind me to purchase the boss some altogether turnips on June 4 every twelvemonth. From that moment forrard, you'll never accept to worry near forgetting again.

9. In addition to regular reminders, Google Assistant tin help you recall random facts. Just tell information technology what you demand to know — such every bit Retrieve that the office Wi-Fi password is FreshProsciutto7, Remember that my rental auto is a ruby Toyota Camry with Florida license plate PE379Q, or Retrieve that the dominate's husband is an accountant named Morty.

And so, when you lot need to think the info, but say, What did I tell y'all almost followed by the subject area — the office Wi-Fi password, my rental machine, or whatever the case may be.

09 google assistant android remember JR Raphael/IDG

Tell Banana anything on your heed, and y'all'll ever exist able to telephone call that info upward when yous need it.

ten. Afterwards a long and winding road of awkward limitations, Assistant's note to cocky command now lets you transcribe a quick memo for your future cocky in whatever app you prefer, so long equally the app is installed on your phone and compatible with the function. To select your preferred note-taking provider, say Assistant settings and then await for the "Notes & lists" option on the screen that comes upwardly. Once you've made your pick, you can simply say note to cocky and so rattle off any's on your mind to have a note saved instantly in any app you picked.

Messages and advice

xi. The side by side fourth dimension you lot demand to make a telephone call, let Assistant human action as your operator. But tell it to telephone call any publicly listed business organization or any person in your contacts — specifying mobile or piece of work if needed — and and so sit down dorsum while the digits are dialed. If you're driving and need to become completely easily-costless, add on speakerphone to the end of your request.

12. Transport a text without lifting a finger by telling Google Banana text followed past your contact's name. Assistant will ask for your message and, in one case you've finished dictating, show it on the screen and ask if you want to edit it. If your optics are on the road and you lot can't wait down, you can e'er take your chances and say send it when that second prompt comes upwardly.

13. Need to catch up on text messages when your optics are otherwise occupied? If you lot're using Google'southward own Letters app on Android, tell Assistant read my letters. It'll walk y'all through your most recent texts and offer to permit you reply to any pending messages via voice at the same time. You lot can too specify a contact's name — Read my messages from Arthur, for case — if you're looking for something specific.

13 google assistant android messages JR Raphael/IDG

Ask Assistant to read y'all your messages for an easy mode to stay in touch on without having to do any touching of your screen.

14. Assistant makes information technology easy to find emails within Gmail likewise: But enquire it to detect my emails from a particular contact or to notice my emails about a specific subject, and it'll pop up tappable results right within its interface.

15. Y'all tin can as well send emails in Gmail via Assistant. Use the following format: Send e-mail to [contact name], subject [your bailiwick], message [your bulletin].

Phone functions and settings

sixteen. The next time you need a screenshot, skip the usual button-pressing madness and tell Banana to take a screenshot. You'll have a saved epitome of your current screen waiting and ready in the glimmer of an heart.

17. Listening to some sort of (ahem) important business-related audio in the car? Tell Assistant to turn the book up or down or to set information technology to a specific level (gear up the volume to 10) or percent (gear up the volume to 50%). You lot can also tell Assistant to mute the book, if you simply need some frickin' peace and quiet.

18. Speaking of silence, y'all can always tell Assistant to plow Do Not Disturb on (or off). The same commands will even piece of work from any other Assistant-connected device where you're signed into the same Google business relationship, if you need to shush your phone while it isn't in forepart of you.

xix. When an unidentified gremlin hides your phone (considering we all know you would never be and so light-headed as to misplace information technology yourself), ask whatsoever other Assistant-enabled device on which your account is connected — a Chromebook, a tablet, or even an Assistant-associated speaker or display you've got sitting on the corner of your desk-bound — to find my phone. That'll crusade the telephone to ring loudly, no matter where it might be tucked away.

xx. Some other helpful universal Assistant command: What's my telephone's battery level? Ask that of your phone or whatsoever other Assistant-enabled device where yous're signed in, and you'll know exactly how your stamina's property upward without having to end whatever else yous're doing or elevator a single finger.

20 google assistant android battery level JR Raphael/IDG

Get a fast update on your phone's battery level with Assistant's aid.

21. Speaking of avoiding unnecessary finger-exertion, Google Banana can go around your Android phone for you lot in a flash. Effort telling information technology to open [any app or website] for a zippy way to zoom anywhere you demand to get.

22. Your Android-home Assistant can even read you manufactures in the Chrome Android app, the Google News app, or the Google app out loud on demand — a perfect way to take in info on the get. Just summon your ever-available helper and say read this when you lot've got something open in one of those places.

23. Why swipe and search through your phone's settings when you can simply speak your desires? Banana is standing by and ready to handle all sorts of settings on your Android device. Endeavor telling it to turn Wi-Fi on (or off), plow Bluetooth on (or off), turn flashlight on (or off), turn airplane style on (or off), or plough battery saver style on (or off) — or fifty-fifty to dim (or brighten) the screen.

24. You tin also ask Assistant to accept yous to the expanded settings sections for areas like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, if you need to dive a little deeper and check on a connexion. Just say Wi-Fi settings or Bluetooth settings — or, if y'all're feeling chatty, add Take me to in forepart of those phrases.

25. If you realize you've asked Banana something you don't desire it to remember (and don't worry: I won't ask for details), just remember the command that wasn't for you. That'll crusade Assistant to delete the virtually recent inquiry from your business relationship-connected history.

26. You can besides ask Assistant to delete everything from the terminal week — or hour, day, or fifty-fifty only the concluding five minutes — for a broader clearing of your recent conversations.

27. Banana can help yous naught over to your account-wide Google search history, likewise. Only say show my Google search history, and y'all'll be able to browse through all the action that's been recorded beyond Banana, YouTube, and other associated sources.

27 google assistant android search history JR Raphael/IDG

Enquire, and ye shall receive: Ane quick control will crusade Assistant to load all of your recent searches and other activity from a variety of Google services.

Bonus: If the results frighten or overwhelm you lot, tell Banana to make a howling sound. Information technology'll set an eerily advisable mood.

Location and travel

28. Whether you're genuinely lost or just pondering your existential nature, attempt firing up Banana and saying: Where am I? That'll permit Assistant to tap into your phone's GPS and give y'all a tappable map of your precise current location.

29. If you lot're trying to come across up with someone else, enquire Banana to share my location. That'll assistance yous temporarily grant anyone else access to your electric current whereabouts, fifty-fifty as you lot move effectually, and navigate to that very same spot.

30. Provided yous accept the appropriate apps installed, you can inquire your friendly virtual genie to hail you a ride with Lyft, Uber, or other similar ride-sharing services. Just tell Assistant to club me a Lyft (or any service yous're using) or inquire it to volume a car to a specific destination to become the wheels a-rollin'.

31. Allow Assistant give yous a heads-up on traffic before you head out for the day. Only ask: What'due south the traffic similar on the way to work? (provided you've set your work address inside the Google Maps app) — or How long will it take to become to whatever specific concern name or accost. And, of grade, you can e'er tell Assistant to give you directions or navigate (by motorcar, foot, or public transit) to any place yous need also.

31 google assistant android traffic JR Raphael/IDG

Let Assistant assist you estimate travel times — past car, public transit, or even your own two anxiety.

32. Traveling for piece of work? Or picking up an out-of-town interviewee? Assistant can give y'all upwards-to-date flight info for any airline. Just inquire: When does [the airline name and flight number] arrive? — or Is [the airline name and the flight number] on time?