How to Use Google Now on Android: It’s More than Just a Siri Knockoff

Android owners may be surprised to learn that their phones have a helper app that can go toe to toe with the iPhone’s Siri in key ways. It’s called Google Now, and it’s one of Android’s neatest features.

See also: Google Now Coming to Your Desktop Computer, Too

Google’s version of the digital personal assistant doesn’t have a sentimental name, and it doesn’t have as big a personality as Siri. But compared with Siri, Google Now does a better job of learning things about you in order to provide information you’ll appreciate and find helpful.

Here’s how to get the most out of Google Now.

Getting set up
First, you’ll have to make sure your Google Search app (which is where all the Google Now features live) is up to date. On your device (running Android 4.1 or newer) visit the Play store to see if you’re asked to install the latest version. If not, you’re good to go.

How you get to Google Now depends on which device you’re using. You can get to it by opening the Google app from the app drawer, or, if you’re on a Nexus device, it can be accessed at any time by swiping up from the home button at the bottom of the screen.

The first time you load the Google Search app, you’ll be asked to opt in to Google Now. After that, you should be dropped off at your Google Now feed, which looks something like this:

Your Google Now feed
Google Now shows you “cards” with useful information in them, based on your behaviors on your phone and in your personal data, like your calendar. In your first visit or two, Google may not yet have enough information to show you very many cards. Though, ordinarily, as you scroll down this feed, you’d find news that you’re interested in reading—sports scores for the teams you like, local weather, and even things like trip information and package shipping details.

How does Google know all these particulars about you? If you’ve been an Android owner for a while, or often use Gmail and Google Search from either from your phone, tablet, or desktop, then Google already has a substantial amount of information about you.

For example: If you bought a plane ticket and had the confirmation email sent to your Gmail account, then Google Now will see this and send you a smartphone notification, as well as display a trip itinerary card in your feed a day or two before your flight. Or let’s say you’re often searching for scores and news on the NBA’s Miami Heat. Google Now will pick up on this, too, and give you live scoring updates in the notification panel of your phone and also the latest scores and news in cards on your Google Now feed.

Fine-tuning Google Now
One way to use Google Now is by simply opting in and allowing Google to auto-learn what you like. It’s as simple as that—if you want it to be. If you want a little more control over what types of notifications and Google Now cards you see, though, there are ways to fine-tune your experience. You’ll find the buttons to do this at the bottom of your Google Now feed.

The magic wandbutton will bring you to a customization screen with labels for Sports teams, Stocks, Places, and Everything else. Clicking these will allow you to do things like add or drop sports teams or stocks that Google Now will keep you updated on, as well as enter Home and Work locations (or modify them if Google Now has already detected them via Android location updates) for automatic daily traffic or transit information.

Tap the Reminders button, and you’ll see a list of all the scheduled and recurring reminders that Google Now has on record. Here you can modify or erase reminders, as well as add new ones. Adding a reminder from Google Now’s search box (at the top of your Google Now feed) is simple, too. All you have to do is type or speak, “Remind me to [whatever you want to be reminded to do],” and a card will pop up for you to set the particulars of the reminder.

There. Now you should have no excuse to not be trying Now. And don’t forget, the more you use and customize the service, the better it will assist you in your daily life.

I’ve found that Google Now does a decent job of keeping me informed about plenty of things that matter to me, and the built-in reminders feature makes it so that I don’t need to download an extra app just for that. As someone whom you’ll hardly ever catch speaking to his phone (much less asking it to dance with me), I appreciate how Google Now looks after me…quietly.

Have questions, comments, or just want to tell me something funny? Email me at danbean@yahoo-inc.com.