Google
Now
Combined with Google Search’s best
features plus your digital profile
Search function
You can make search via Google by clicking
search bar on top of the screen. Similarly, you are able to press microphone to
start search things by voice.
Checking panels
Anytime when a new panel pops up on Google
Now, you will be warned of it by a notification. This informs you of the
panel’s style and gives you instant access to it by clicking notification.
Setting priority
The more you interact with panels, the more
priority Google gives to them. You can also adjust setting for each panel by
opening Settings.
Personal configurations
Each panel has own settings which are
customizable according to your demand and entered via an icon on the top right
of each panel.
Links with other apps
Some panels you face will instantly link to
other apps. For instance, Places panel will link you to Google Maps for
detailed view of a place once you press More details.
Phone UI
Nexus 7 owns Phone UI, which means
notification box is dragged from the screen’s top. However, when you install
apps, the interface optimized for tablet will be applied availably.
Nice display
The screen has wide viewing angle and vivid
display. It is also not too big to view in bright condition.
The
screen has wide viewing angle and vivid display.
Easy recharging
It is quite odd for a tablet, Nexus 7 is
charged through micro-USB slot. When official cable is used, a recharge takes
around 3 hours. Besides, the device is well compatible with cables of other
devices such as Samsung Galaxy S III.
Key position
You will clearly see that power button and
volumes keys are place too close to each other, which frequently make you
wrongly press them.
Start
to understand Google Now
Google Now is a unique combination of
Google Search and information relating to your life as well as your device. The
feature itself doesn’t require configuration done by users. Instead, it works
around the clock to provide you with surrounding important information
including weather forecast, travelling, sport report…
By sliding the screen from bottom to top,
you will open Google Now immediately. At first start, you will be given a short
visit to what are included and how to use and make adjustment. Google Now’s
design is completely made of panels which will change according to your
interaction.
When you are walking, Google Now would
automatically update related panels. For example, we may pass a bus stop and
Google Now will supply us with the latest bus routes. The detail of info given
by Google Now is awesome. Selection for panels and topics is quite large with
panels for traffic, public transport, dates (synchronized with Google
Calendar), places (synchronized with Google Map), weather forecast, currency
and translation. Despite options, they are mostly used for getting weather
updates and street direction.
Level of notifications received from Google
Now totally depends on your position and you may get more benefits if living
right in the cities instead of rural areas. By any mean, Google Now is a great
supplement for Android and it shows Google’s innovative experiences.
Google
Now is a unique combination of Google Search and information relating to your
life as well as your device.
Start
with Google Now
Google Now needs few attempts to configure
and use but in your first start, you may encounter problem finding it. Take a
look at these quick instructions during when we will be guiding you through basic
principle of using Jelly Bean’s biggest features.
Step 1
Either you are in lock screen or main
screen, by sliding from bottom to top, Google Now’s icon will pop up for you to
type and open.
Step 2
Follow instructions because they show you how
to command. When finishing, scrolling and observe carefully panels as well as sample
panels provided.
Step 3
Press Options icon in one of the panels to
adjust configurations. This can optimize your regularly visited panels.
Jelly Bean: Promote boundary
Voice
recognition
Find what you want by your own voice
Google’s search function via voice appeared
irregular in previous updates though with Google Now, it has been enhanced and
improved for easier use. Through Google Now, by pressing a microphone on search
bar, you can start search by voice. On this screen’s top right, you will monitor
your volume to make sure that your voice is understandable. It’s hard to try to
balance your voice to hear clearly and you have to repeat adjusting.
Request for basic functions for forecasting
weather or finding a restaurant in your area will show you this feature’s
strength. Instantly, you would be prompted with panels and screens in reply to
your questions. Asking any question related to geography will immediately open
Google Maps while GPS is running. However, with more detailed questions,
Google’s voice detection starts to malfunctions. Even after synchronized with Google
Calendar, finding dates and places will be greeted with a virtual shrug. Then, you
will be moved to Google Search resulting what you said.
It is not perfect but Jelly Bean’s voice
recognition has been the best until now. Integration with other apps makes the
system work easily, except for Calendar, allowing it to become a new supplement
for not only the device but also your later regular use.
Voice detection
We said: “Show us all flights from Bournemouth”
Places tab was instantly loaded from Google
Now’s UI and it allowed us to identify the airport exactly but we received
little information about flights from or to our requested airport.
We said: “When will our next appointment be?”
Despite the synchronization of Google Now
with Google Calendar plus our appointments, it couldn’t show us when our next
appointment would be and it made a search on Google, instead. This was such
disappointed.
We said: “Show us the nearest restaurant”
It worked perfectly and we were immediately
given details of the nearest restaurant in Places tab as well as an option for
receiving smart guides. Pressing it would open Google Maps.
We said: “How about the weather?”
Although our sentence was not completed, it
showed us a panel displaying the latest weather report of local area. However,
different weather icons took time to load.
