Google Now for Desktop Available in Chrome Canary Builds

MacRumors · Jan 16, 2014

Google Now is a personal assistant service that is considered to be Google's counterpart to Siri. Available on iOS and Android devices, the service is now making its way onto the desktop via Chrome Canary, the experimental build of Google's Chrome web browser.

As reported by the Google Operating System blog, the latest build of Chrome Canary allows users to receive Google Now cards directly in the browser's notification system. Canary users on the Mac can enable the personal assistant by turning on the correct flag in the browser. Users should go to "chrome://flags/#enable-google-now" and then switch the settings from "Default" to "Enabled." A final click on the "Relaunch Now" button will turn on the feature.

Users who are signed into Chrome will receive a Google Now notification and a list of available cards. According to a Google support page, Google Now on the desktop will support weather, sports scores, commuter traffic and event reminders. Some of these desktop cards will sync with Google Now if it is enabled on a mobile phone. These mobile-synced cards will display relevant information using location data pulled from the mobile device.

Google Now for the desktop is still in the experimental stage, but it will likely land in the consumer version of Chrome for the Mac.

Article Link: Google Now for Desktop Available in Chrome Canary Builds

tymaster50 · Jan 16, 2014

wish we could use it on safari

yes I use safari.

Goftrey · Jan 16, 2014

Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!

roadbloc · Jan 16, 2014

Since all the hype of voice recognition, I have successfully used it.... 0 times. Seems my accent just isn't cut out for computers. Not that I care. Doing it the older fashioned and manual way is often faster and easier.

oneMadRssn · Jan 16, 2014

I love Chrome, but as a browser. I don't want things running in the background, trying to by autonomous. I hope this feature has an off switch.

Overall, it seems Chrome is getting more bloated. Dare I say it's suffering from the Firefox-itis?

Michael Goff · Jan 16, 2014

tymaster50 said:
wish we could use it on safari

yes I use safari.

Google helping somebody not using Google products? Psssh.

DeathTheKid · Jan 16, 2014

It seems like they are trying to integrate with the desktop more and more. If they can't sell you a Chromebook, they are going to turn your Mac/PC into a Chromebook.

Tanegashima · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!

The future?

Only over my dead body.

Elbon · Jan 16, 2014

Aside from the search engine, there still is not a single Google product that interests me.

osofast240sx · Jan 16, 2014

Elbon said:
Aside from the search engine, there still is not a single Google product that interests me.

YouTube, hangouts and gmail that's about it for me.

Bear · Jan 16, 2014

Hey, this makes it easier for Google to gather information about it's product - you know the people using Chrome so Google can gather information about you to bundle up as a product to sell.

Goftrey · Jan 16, 2014

Tanegashima said:
The future?

Only over my dead body.

Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself.

Neuro · Jan 16, 2014

roadbloc said:
Since all the hype of voice recognition, I have successfully used it.... 0 times. Seems my accent just isn't cut out for computers. Not that I care. Doing it the older fashioned and manual way is often faster and easier.

On the Nexus 5, you have to have the language set to US English for "OK Google" to work. Works really well, but I certainly can't leave my language set to US, being in the UK... annoying.

Maybe it's the same for you?

Michael Goff · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself.

Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?

Elbon · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect.

For the average consumer who only wants to use the web or web-like apps, sure. But most people I know want and expect more than that from a device.

Goftrey · Jan 16, 2014

Michael Goff said:
Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?

Speak for yourself, mate.

----------

Elbon said:
For the average consumer who only wants to use the web or web-like apps, sure. But most people I know want and expect more than that from a device.

Oh yeah absolutely. I could never own one personally, and probably 90% of the people here who browse this forum couldn't either. It's not designed for us. It's designed for the families, the Mom's and Dad's, the grandparents, net-cafes etc.

Neuro · Jan 16, 2014

Elbon said:
For the average consumer who only wants to use the web or web-like apps, sure. But most people I know want and expect more than that from a device.

There are plenty of people who are hopeless with PCs and can't justify the cost of a Macbook. A Chromebook is actually very well suited to many of these people.

Low cost / admin overhead for business use too.

In terms of 'web-like' apps, I actually prefer Google Docs over MS Office by a mile!

Michael Goff · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
Image

Speak for yourself, mate.

----------

Oh yeah absolutely. I could never own one personally, and probably 90% of the people here who browse this forum couldn't either. It's not designed for us. It's designed for the families, the Mom's and Dad's, the grandparents, net-cafes etc.

And yet all ways of figuring out marketshare via web use puts them at 0% along with a bunch of other things. I can't find a single thing that shows it's actually being used to access the web much. Since it is a web-based platform, you'd expect we'd see it more.

Elbon · Jan 16, 2014

Neuro said:
In terms of 'web-like' apps, I actually prefer Google Docs over MS Office by a mile!

Fair enough. But I still prefer Pages over Google Docs. ;-)

roadbloc · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself.

My Chromebook was simply the worst computer I've ever used and ChromeOS shouldn't even be allowed to be called an Operating System. The most half baked and flimsy software I've ever had the misfortune of using. I can't say I'd recommend a Chromebook to anyone.

robjulo · Jan 16, 2014

Google Now is head and shoulders above anything iOS offers right now. "Today" is garbage in comparison. Hopefully some of Apple's recent purchases will allow them to play catch-up.

ArtOfWarfare · Jan 16, 2014

Goftrey said:
Image

Speak for yourself, mate.

I've seen the chart, and I don't believe it. I have come across four of these devices within the past 18 months (outside of stores) and all of the owners were disappointed with them. Some didn't realize they weren't getting a Windows laptop and were upset when they found out what they'd bought - the others knew what they were getting and were disappointed that it didn't live up to Google's claims (as if anything lives up to Google's claims.)

petrucci666 · Jan 16, 2014

roadbloc said:
My Chromebook was simply the worst computer I've ever used and ChromeOS shouldn't even be allowed to be called an Operating System. The most half baked and flimsy software I've ever had the misfortune of using. I can't say I'd recommend a Chromebook to anyone.

It will get better, that's the beauty of software.

sevoneone · Jan 16, 2014

I think Chromebooks are a little ahead of their time, but they're getting the convergence of desktop and mobile right. I think we'll see something similar from Apple soon. For the average consumer it makes a ton of sense. People love simplicity. There will always be a place for desktop workstations with power users, but convergence is the way for the masses.

localoid · Jan 16, 2014

roadbloc said:
My Chromebook was simply the worst computer I've ever used and ChromeOS shouldn't even be allowed to be called an Operating System. ...

It is a "real" operating system -- Chrome OS uses a modified Linux kernel. Canonical, Ubuntu's parent company, helped build Chrome OS, although it was largely based on the Gentoo Linux distribution. Gentoo's Portage is still used for package management in Chrome OS.

Google Now for Desktop Available in Chrome Canary Builds

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