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Why do some people refuse to use Google Assistant?

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If you haven’t heard about this yet then you’ve been living under a rock: Google Assistant is on its way to all devices running Android Marshmallow and up. While the personal assistant seems to draw in crowds, some people are still resistant to Google’s AI. Why aren't these people swayed by a more modern and comprehensive technology?

Change can be difficult. New things are scary because they're unpredictable. Although change is generally synonymous with progress and improvement nowadays, some people remain skeptical of new technologies. Google Assistant is no exception to this rule: despite how impressive and useful the technology is, it hasn’t gone completely mainstream. Why?

Google Assistant could be seen as useless

What can Google Assistant do? Many things. Google lists its abilities on its website. In short, you ‘chat’ with the Assistant by asking it questions and giving it orders. This can range from simply gathering information for you, to carrying out actions in an app, to using your personal information so the app can be tailored to your needs. In short, it can do many things. But, most of the useful features (alarms, searches, etc.) can be carried out ‘the old-fashioned way’, meaning by opening the app and entering information yourself instead of asking the Assistant to do it for you. Doing things the old-fashioned way might be a hard habit to break, but it's up to you to decide which way is more efficient for you.

google home
Google Home listens discreetly like a spy. © Google

Perhaps the concept of talking to your phone is simply hard to get used to, so an adjustment period will be needed. On the other hand, I personally find Google Assistant more interesting for connected objects, especially with Google Home as it allows you to control many things around the house. 

Giving up private data can be uncomfortable

This subject comes up time and again, and I must acknowledge that it’s slightly complicated. I’m the first to be skeptical of methods used by Internet giants, as their strategy is to use our personal data for advertising purposes, and it’s a business model that we have to accept in order to use their services.

That said, with Google Assistant, the story is a little different. One of Google Assistant’s main aims is to enter your private life in order to help make life easier for you. While I don't know to what extent Google has access to stored information or if it is used for advertising purposes, Google Assistant simply wouldn't be useful without sharing your personal information with it.

For example, if you don’t want it to have access your calendar, it won’t be able to tell you when you have a meeting coming up. In other words, you can’t have an assistant if it isn’t allowed to know anything about you. Not wanting to share information with Google is a problem that can't be gotten around in this case, as there is no Assistant without Google.

Plan B: Google Now

If you’re a skeptic, you’ll be thrilled to learn that it is possible to replace Google Assistant with the good old Google Now (yes, yes, even on the Pixel). Contrary to what you may think, there are no major changes necessary to make this happen. It can all be done in the settings: just configure your device's language to a zone where Google Assistant isn’t available. If you want to have your device language set to English but you don’t want Google Assistant, just find a region where Google Assistant isn’t available, like an island, for example. This solution is probably temporary, so you won’t benefit from it for long.

Would you use Google Assistant? Or are you too concerned about privacy?

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Benoit Pepicq

Benoit Pepicq
Editor

Benoit is passionate about new technologies and everything related to computers. A big Android fan since 2011, he joined the AndroidPIT team to satisfy his passion and to share his knowledge on Android with readers.

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  • 1
    MILTON1644 May 6, 2019 Link to comment

    This is an example of pathetic stupid blog writing. In addition to sounding like you write at 3rd grade reading level, you completely ignore why people hate Google Assistant and downplay the concerns you make up for them. Your headline is nothing more than worthless click bait. "What not use Google Assistant?" Because ironically, while 'Google Assistant’s main aim is to enter your private life in order to help make life easier for you'... it violates our privacy and it is forced upon us as default in the Android app instead of opting into it.

    Oh by the way... you have a typo. Find it yourself, you are not worth helping.


    • Bastian Siewers 66
      Bastian Siewers May 6, 2019 Link to comment

      Well, normaly we welcome new users to AndroidPIT, but in this case there is not point I guess. Is this the way you like to communicate with others? Honestly, that's actually quite sad ... You don't agree with the editor, that's fine, noone has to. But just writing a comment with a new account simply to insult the editor is astonishing.


  • 1
    memerly Oct 23, 2018 Link to comment

    In my attempt to not personalize the Artificial Intelligence item (Google Assistant) I have found I simply detest this little "helper". I have tried to calmly announce her annoying little two word request. "Ok Google" ---- and then give a quick question. If that's all that is involved and I can tolerate/be helped by her info -----then it's "OK". BUT ....if there is any follow up or clarification needed----its a nightmare !! Ok. Not 100% of the time. But let's just say.... a good 85% of the time. How is that not just pretty darn annoying? And how is it and WHY is it that Little Miss Ok Google can start off with a fairly polite voice but if you try to ask further or clarify --- she gets rather snarky ?! What's that all about? (Meaning: who programmed that?!)
    AND....when she gets a tad snarky and you ask " do you have more info?" She often kind of flips on you and gets defensive. How is that possible?! Does it happen all the time? Nah. Maybe others don't notice or don't use much in the way of follow up comments. But it makes me wonder instead of Ms. Snark why isn't a relaxed male with a bit of sunshine in his deep voice available?

    A little less snippy, please,miss.
    :)


  • 1
    Dlarson Aug 12, 2018 Link to comment

    Nice little Google prop piece. Do you really think people don't use Google Assistant out of fear of change? The fact is it is far less intuitive, cognitive and functional than Google Now. I don't care how nice the voice sounds if it doesn't do the job it's useless. I am constantly given the least useful or wrong information. I've given it 2 months after it was forced on me with the latest Android update. I'm turning off Google Assistant today because it's worthless. Really a shame.


  • t md 2
    t md Feb 6, 2018 Link to comment

    My biggest concern is that I only used my original google now to allow me to safely call a phone number by bluetooth or send a text. using the handfree.
    But now this has all been lost into Google Assistant that wants access to everything in my phone. IT IS MY PHONE AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE WHEN I LAST HAD A SH1T!
    But this Health and Safety feature has now been removed from Android phones. I hope Google can pay for the onslaught of litigation that is coming due to not being able to use handfree (google assistant refuses to use the bluetooth to inform of it's actions and insists on using a small speaker in a noisy environment to inform you it is making a text message to an unknown person containing unknown information because you cannot hear it while driving) and the corporate murder charges because people are having to refer to hand use of mobiles after the Failure in it's Duty of Care towards it's users.


  • 27
    Sorin Jan 5, 2018 Link to comment

    So my guess is because Google Assistant does not know what the Lottery winning numbers will be, who will win the Grand Final, why the stars do not fall in the sky, or why the Earth is spinning around the Sun.
    Or maybe because when I say OK Google, the assistant will answer politely Ok Sorin, I know you, I know you really well ! You know ?!


  • 1
    cm punk Mar 20, 2017 Link to comment

    such a decent post.it contains quality information.


  • 10
    Jay Viper Mar 20, 2017 Link to comment

    turn off my google history because of this


    • Andria D. 11
      Andria D. Mar 20, 2017 Link to comment

      I just turned off/disabled any and all "voice" anything on my phone. Google is very useful, but I don't want it talking to me.


  • Andria D. 11
    Andria D. Mar 19, 2017 Link to comment

    I dislike EXTREMELY having devices talk to me, and I'm not in the habit of talking to them, either, except maybe to cuss at them. I use my phone to talk to other humans, but I have no plans to EVER speak directly to the phone itself. I'm Timothy Leary's brother (ReallyReally Leary (sic)) about AI; in fiction, the beginning of AI is the beginning of the end of the human race, as the machines ultimately figure out that humanity is nothing but a virus to be exterminated ASAP. No thanks, HAL!

    Theodore V PeykoffPhil Williams


  • 4
    Phil Williams Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

    OK if no-one is around you. Otherwise background noise interferes with it and do you really want everyine to know what you are searching for?

    Theodore V Peykoff


  • 2
    John Smith Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

    Why isn't Assistant just the new version of saying Ok Google? That did all of what i needed and did it better. I now live in the US Virgin Islands., according to my phone that is.


  • LeQuinte Russell 2
    LeQuinte Russell Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

    I got it on my Note 5; I don't want to talk to my phone for any reason. To make it worse, I cannot escape it when I press the home button; I'd press it if I wanted Google Now, but I get that damn AI. I shut it off, but I miss Google Now. I ended up putting a Google search widget back on my home screen.

    Theodore V Peykoff


  • Tomm Gundal 2
    Tomm Gundal Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

    It isn't all that smart. Mostly i get, "I don't understand". That is the only thing it says. Every time i give it a command an obscure yet related web site pops up. I've got an LG V10. My gals LG Nexus 5X has the same Qualcomm 808 and 1 gig less RAM and runs it nicely but on my phone it is a total dud. It will probably get better as time goes on but right now it bites a big wet one.

    memerly


  • 1
    Pop Kaufman Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

    Keep the sparkley unicorns, just let me use my bluetooth headset to send a group text, like I could with me previous eye-phone.


  • Andrea B 2
    Andrea B Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    The biggest thing that I don't like even with Google Now, is how very much the system talks back to me. Decades ago when they started programming voicemail responses they were smart enough to add options for abbreviated prompts. For example, when I tell Google to "read text", it annoys me to no end for it to come back and tell me "you have one new text from John Smith, it was received at 12 p.m., do you want to hear it?" Let's see, did I just say read text? Of course I want you to read it!
    I don't want to have a "conversation" with my phone. I just want to say something and have it do what I tell it to do.

    Theodore V PeykoffDean L.


    • Dean L. 34
      Dean L. Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Agreed. And then it's not consistent. Some searches it talks back and others it just displays. Go figure


  • Greg1100 24
    Greg1100 Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Seems as you have been out looking, lol


  • niladri sadhukhan 3
    niladri sadhukhan Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I agree with most of the comments out here. I feel, overtime Google has become more of a show off company. It wants to show how cool it is but leaves the usability behind. Google Assistant is a classic example. Technology wise it's advanced but it's less usable to its predecessor Google now/ on tap.
    So evident that -
    1. I could copy text from anywhere including pictures with now on tap.
    2. I could setup reminder, alarm and do other useful things without yelling at Google Assistant
    3. Extract contextual information from any thing on the display with just tapping and holding the home button.
    4. Finally why do I need to call out Google Assistant to get basic stuff done? Should I not be able to type in from my meeting room or a crowded place.
    Hence, I used a hack to avoid Google Assistant and went back to Now on Tap by selecting 'English - Virgin islands' in the choice of language. Hope common sense prevails over tech-sense.

    Theodore V PeykoffDean L.Andrea BB Russ


    • B Russ 7
      B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      YES.

      Hit the nail on the head. Well said, all of it.


  • The Werewolf 1
    The Werewolf Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Really simple. It's not available on my phone. I use a Samsung Tab S2 8.0 as my phone and we don't have a recent enough version of Android yet... And it's not clear if Google will consider it a phone or a tablet...


  • Kaio Henrique 3
    Kaio Henrique Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I think they should add the typing input and the Google app icon that leads to it as in it did in Google Now when we held the home button, apart from that, I've taken a liking to Google Assistant, we all know google will add better features soon, like recognition to a number of useful apps and stuff, just hope they don't take long to release the Brazilian portuguese version since in Allo it already exists.

    Dean L.Andrea BB Russ


    • B Russ 7
      B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      "I think they should add the typing input and the Google app icon that leads to it as in it did in Google Now when we held the home button..."

      Exactly.

      Well said. Not sure why Google would want to turn people off right when they are trying to turn people on to Assistant. I mean, sure, they don't "want" to -- but turns out they are, apparently. Needless hobbling, no benefit -- Google fix that shiz fast!

      Theodore V PeykoffDean L.


  • Javier Grinfeld 3
    Javier Grinfeld Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    It's the noise. If one could choose to use keyboard (like in Allo's assistant), not only voice, then more people would use it. Having voice only is a problem in crowded places, public transport etc

    Theodore V PeykoffDean L.Andrea BB Russ


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Then type like before, as mentioned below. No real change is there?


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Then as he said, provide a place to do it, like Allo. :)


      • Bob 2
        Bob Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Google search and assistant have the same functionality. Information and actions like set a reminder, alarm, etc. That's the place.


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        By 'place', both you and he and now I were talking about a place to type. It's not there in Assistant. THAT'S the objection. Assistant supplanted it. Had Assistant simply been added to it, then it wouldn't be a problem.

        Dean L.


    • Dean L. 34
      Dean L. Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Yup. Agreed. Particularly for those of us that use public transportation

      B Russ


  • Seth N 1
    Seth N Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Everyone is complaining about privacy and shit from assistant.. but google now and google tracks your history and stuff like that.. everyone needs to grow up.


    • 2
      John Smith Mar 18, 2017 Link to comment

      Yeah and all those whiners who complained that the NSA was tracking all phone calls and social media. Stupid babies who like their privacy.

      itprolonden


  • 2
    Anthony Halim Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Why previous feature google have offered is more viable than google assistant? 3 things: not everything I want to know is already identified by google, not everyone is using english as their main language, I really feel helped with ability to pick words on screen to copy to other apps or for other purposes.

    B Russ


  • Albin Foro 30
    Albin Foro Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    All my dealings with Google are non-commercial and the services I want are handled through a nonsense Gmail address - want to keep it that way. Google might sell me a driverless car in a few years, and maybe the Assistant will send it out on nuisance errands to measurably improve my life - but the privacy aspect could even be a deal-breaker for that. My personal habit is to use a 7-inch tablet around the house and the phone out of doors - apparently the Assistant won't be on tablets anyway.


  • Brian Sayatovic 3
    Brian Sayatovic Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    There are many situations where audio is a problem. Not just the Assistant being heard by others (I could lower the volume) but others overhearing my commands to it. It doesn't even have to be to secret stuff. No one needs to hear the appointment I'm setting or what actor in goggling. Not on a plane, not in a train and not in a bathroom stall at work.

    Since there is not an option to use text, you're forced to speak the whole thing.

    They claim they'll add text soon, but until that day.

    Dean L.B Russcopasetic


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Just type into the search bar. It works the same and has the same info as before. Shouldn't be that much further away either.


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        It's farther away indeed: It's not there anymore. Not when you hold down the Home button -- universal one-step access from any screen &, indeed, incorporating that screen in super useful ways-- the way many people here are trying to say they use and like it.

        (I'd like to also point out that swipe-up-for-search is not available on many phones.)

        Dean L.


  • Ivan Manojlovic 2
    Ivan Manojlovic Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    It's not the matter of privacy to me but language. Until google assistant starts speaking my language it's quite useless for me.

    bojan radovanoviccopasetic


  • 3
    edgardo amaya Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I honestly don't get the opposition to Assistant. It's basically using the information you already gave Google when you made an account. Voice Search is still available as a separate app, and functions the same as Google Now. You just need to swipe up on the screen to access On Tap in the Assistant screen, not that it was that useful. Ads are possibly going to be a part of it but Google always gives more than just ads already. It's basically Sirius but with all the info of Google, how are people upset!?

    Chris Savardcopasetic


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      I agree so wholeheartedly!!! I was hesitant before I got it on my phone because of all of this talk but it's great. And a plus for me is that it plays much better with my Google Home.


    • B Russ 7
      B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      I'm not opposed to Assistant per se, I'm opposed to REMOVING a host of features essential to the way I use my phone. Many people apparently feel that way and it's valid. Swipe-up is not available to everybody.

      On my phone(s), since 2013 I've already had Assistant available in the form of always-listening touchless voice control powered with Google Now. I have no use for an annoying and feature-starved Now-lite -- I mean "Assistant" -- hijacking my Home button with no way to turn it off in favor of search, screen-search and Tap.


      • Bob 2
        Bob Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Google app Settings>Google Assistant>Disable it.


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Red Herring. That's a bit silly, my friend. That disables the Home button and does nothing to restore the functionality people want.


      • Chris Savard 4
        Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        What did they remove? I can't identify songs any longer, I'll live. As far hijacking the home button that's all preference. On Tap is still there with Screen Search, Cards are there, Google Search Box is still there and allows you to type...


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        No it's not. Seriously, it's not still there. Have you tried turning off Assistant and seeing what that does to the Home button? Even this article points out that you can't turn it off -- only change the actual default language on your whole phone! Really?


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        P.S. they really removed listening and identifying music? Didn't know that. That's pretty big, actually. None of this is selling Assistant. Quite the opposite.


  • B Russ 7
    B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    My Moto Z with 2-3 day battery life features dedicated always-listening: Google Now ready to respond to my voice even when the phone is asleep and sitting across the room. ...As did the 2013 Moto X before it.

    Moto has handled Google better than Google itself. Moto X users know it. Users have essentially enjoyed Google Assistant (or Now) for three years now. No, in fact, better: TOUCHLESS Google Assistant (or Now).

    Silly Google, "Assistant" is nothing new and you know it! For years now we could talk to Google to set alarms, open apps, navigate, do searches and get spoken answers. Without even touching the phone or waking it. Three years and I still can't do without this functionality.

    So since we already have spoken conversations with Google built into the Moto phones, give me back my dang Home button! Until last week I could hold the Home button to instantly see reminders, parking location, weather, news, Google widgets, all right there. No speaking necessary.

    The new Google Assistant offers none of those powerful things... unless you talk to it -- a ridiculous hoop to hop through, a pointless noise-making extra step. Speaking is nice sometimes, but sometimes silence is essential too. I already use and want BOTH.

    Until holding the Home button brings back the blissfully silent On Tap feed along with the spoken Assistant option, I'm uninstalling the updates back to the factory install of Google On Tap / Now, so that I can use my dang phone! Using it, as always, including the always-on option to speak to a fully touchless Google Assistant or Now or whatever name you want to give it tomorrow -- just like we have since 2013. Cheers.

    Dan FloresDean L.Anthony Halimerik seanSarath Kscopasetic


    • 3
      edgardo amaya Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      You know you just need to swipe up on the Assistant screen to access On Tap and no-one's saying you have to keep your media volume on.

      Sarath Kscopasetic


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Been there, no up-swipe on this phone working. And I keep my media volume up because I use hands-free always-listening Moto Voice w/ Google Now. It provides *exactly* the same functionality and gives *exactly* the same results as Assistant. It makes perfect sense to provide some options for how to use the Home button, especially for Moto users, for example. Assistant is poorly implemented by comparison. That's why I uninstalled it: redundant; removed options I use many times a day; and intrusive.

        erik sean


      • Chris Savard 4
        Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        I have seen a lot about the Moto phones having issues with Assistant. (not sure why. Moto Voice?) For the most part the inegration has been problem free on other phones.

        B Russ


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Moto Voice -- you may be right. Doesn't explain why swipe-up is missing -- but maybe that means Google will fix this! Fortunately deleting the Google Search update solved it for me for a while. :)

        I'm just annoyed I even have to resort to that thanks to an automatic update!


  • 24
    Deactivated Account Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    May concern is how "independent" will the Google assistant be now and/or in the future? If I ask for something or a company will it really give me the best companies and their products or will it give me the ones that pay Google the most in incentives for advertising purposes for example? Thus will it just become a tool to promote the highest paying companies and the user will be forced like a sheep into a pre-programmed direction of google's choice? Thus going the same way as television has done to people in my experience.

    Dean L.copaseticDeactivated Account


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      That's not really any different than the G Now version or basic search right?

      Dean L.B Russ


  • Mick Nelson 3
    Mick Nelson Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    If privacy is a concern, I always keep my phone in flight mode so nobody can track my whereabouts, pay for everything in cash and I wear a foil hat just to be sure.
    Seriously, if privacy is your issue then that boat sailed long ago. "They" know when you were born, where you live, where you work, how much you earn, where you go, what you buy, what websites you visit and who all your friends are and the same information about all of them too. I don't think asking Alexa or Google Assistant what the weather is going to be like is going to have much of an impact.

    Dean L.copaseticTim Egan


  • Dean L. 34
    Dean L. Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    This is one I'll have to think about. I already have a bunch of google products I'm using so not sure what else Google would get, but still need to ponder the privacy implications.

    copaseticDeactivated AccountDeactivated Account


  • Thomas Audwin 2
    Thomas Audwin Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    As someone who hates his own voice recorded, I'm staying with Google Search, but if it's possible I prefer Google Now. Why can't Google stay with text. And I'm sorry, an amateur here.

    copasetic


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      See the above comments. The same functionality remains and you can type whatever yours needs. You never have to use the voice features of Assistant if you don't like!

      Dean L.Bob


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        But the same functionality is NOT there in Assistant. Now you have to go through several steps to leave your screen and open the Google app, or add a search widget (again, leaving your screen), to get to Tap -- and that STILL doesn't restore all the screen aware hold-Home features that Assistant *replaced*. That's the deal-breaker for a lot of people, apparently. Is for me. Pointless hobbling that only gets in the way of people embracing Assistant.

        itprolondenDean L.


  • 46
    Deactivated Account Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Google assistant and all other assistant programs are major information mining tools for the companies that provide them. While may be useful to some, I will never use them for privacy reasons. Also like other have said I will talk on my phone, but I do not want to talk to my phone.

    copaseticDeactivated AccountDean L.


  • Brian Wilson 4
    Brian Wilson Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    It replaced a fairly solid performer in Google now and now on tap. It takes an extra step to get to now cards, the new updated now on tap is useless. All I ever get is "I'm sorry, I can't do that yet". It actually removed options.
    Plus. No type input. No one wants to talk to their phone on public. Except that guy taking to his watch.

    Dan FloresDAVID GOODNOAnthony HalimcopaseticBrian Sayatovicbojan radovanovicB RussDean L.


    • DAVID GOODNO 2
      DAVID GOODNO Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Totally agree, when I'm at work or out and about eating​ lunch in public area or around a crowd of people, I'm not really able to talk to my phone without capturing ambient sounds or disturbing others. I wish the assistant had both talk and type input. I also miss my Google now cards. I know how to get to them outside of the assistant. But wish it was integrated somehow

      B Russ


      • Bob 2
        Bob Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        You can type. Google search and assistant are the same thing, one is voice, one is text, but they are the same


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        I too wish it had retained type input! I want my Home button back :(


  • Akira Nakandakare 2
    Akira Nakandakare Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    Currently, Google Assistant cannot speak in my native language (pt-BR). I would like it to be bilingual, just like Google Now.

    Even if I'm using it in English, I can't ask it to search for information that contains Portuguese words (like streets, movies or personalities).

    copasetic


  • Mark Cline 4
    Mark Cline Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I don't want my phone talking to me all the time. Can't hear it in a crowd, and don't need everyone else hearing it in a meeting or on public transport. Maybe if I could shut her up, I would use it.

    t mdDAVID GOODNOcopaseticBrian Sayatovicbojan radovanovicB Russ


    • bojan radovanovic 12
      bojan radovanovic Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Now, the goal is that you buy wearables like "smart" earbuds, too... Spend little more money onntheir products, and cut all wires with a world around you to be free to enter in Google 's own, virtual one.

      copasetic


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Again, nothing has really changed. See other comments above. You can still type, just as you always have...


    • Bob 2
      Bob Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      1. Disable the volume if you don't want it to talk.
      2. Use your keyboard if you don't want to talk.
      It's not that hard, people.


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        Go around back and climb in the window, folks, if you don't want to use your house keys. It's not hard, people.

        ;)

        t md


  • Scott Lowe 2
    Scott Lowe Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I just can't figure out this rollout for Google Assistant. My Nexus 4, running CyanogenMod​ 13, got it immediately, when I thought that "forked" versions of Android were not compatible. That's my backup phone, though. My wife and I both have 2014 Moto X Pure Editions running Marshmallow, that are still on Google Now on Tap. Personally, I don't think there's much of a difference between Google Assistant, and Moto Voice, so I'm not sweating it. But the rollout has been strange, to say the least.

    B Russ


  • Shankar Prasad Nandi 18
    Shankar Prasad Nandi Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    The whole thing is crazy. What extra is Google Assistant doing except enabling you to talk and get information where you can type and get information?

    Brian Sayatovicbojan radovanovic


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Am I missing something? It adds a few features and is basically a new 'wrapper' but you can type whatever you need, still!

      Bob


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        No you can't, not in Assistant.

        Update: On some phones.

        That's where the disconnect is. For some, apparently, swipe-up for screen search / Now / On Tap is not functional once you install the latest Google Search with Assistant. The only way to get back access to Google Now / On Tap from the Home button or anywhere within Assistant is to roll-back the Google app pre-Assistant (which I did), or set the phone language to something like Virgin Islands (again, a solution unavailable on some phones). This gives me hope that this is merely a bug and not a design choice, and thus will be fixed. Cheers!


      • t md 2
        t md Feb 6, 2018 Link to comment

        On my phone, google assistant does not appear in the apps list so cannot be rolled back. It also cannot be removed from accessing items like camera or gps, when all other apps can be blocked from using these features. This means that the app has bypassed google security and it a direct route for hackers to access any secure information stored in your phone.


  • James Gibson, III 3
    James Gibson, III Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    It definitely comes in handy when I'm driving.

    BobDAVID GOODNOBrian Sayatovic


    • bojan radovanovic 12
      bojan radovanovic Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      Only time i think of when it could be used...

      Brian Sayatovic


    • t md 2
      t md Feb 6, 2018 Link to comment

      It is useless when driving. I use bluetooth and when I say "ok goole, make a call". I cannot hear the phone replying "who do you want me to call" because it doesn't tell me over the earpiece, it uses the speaker and it is too small to hear properly.


  • 3
    Bobby Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I'm not a fan of Google assistant or Google Now because they drain the battery. Anything that "listens for input" drains the battery. It's just not worth it.

    t mdTim EganShankar Prasad Nandi


  • Jeff 3
    Jeff Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    I (along with billions of others) do not appreciate this sudden major change being forced upon us. I used the google now regularly, because I could easily check the weather, while in the same room as my sleeping girlfriend. Make it OPTIONAL Googl

    t mdbojan radovanovicB Russ


    • Chris Savard 4
      Chris Savard Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      And the weather can still be checked with the Google app. Type weather if you want and/or use the weather cards as before. It's just a button push from home and works the same, girlfriend or not :). I'm confused...?!?!


      • B Russ 7
        B Russ Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

        "a button push from home"? I'd go for that -- do tell! If / when it's there, I'm back on board.


  • Greg1100 24
    Greg1100 Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

    My life is my own- not interested in talking to inanimate bits of plastic. Almost as crazy as people looking for pokemon.

    t mdbojan radovanovicDeactivated AccountDean L.Deactivated AccountShankar Prasad Nandi


    • Bob 2
      Bob Mar 17, 2017 Link to comment

      This is sarcasm, right?

      B Russ

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