Do you all use "Ok Google" a lot ?

[Tig Bitties]

Just curious if any of you use "Ok Google" ?

I know it's been around for a long time, but I was always scared of the battery drain it would cause, so I never used it. But now I want to use my phone as a smartphone, I'd like to use it more hands free, just say Google, " call Mom ", or Google " text Tom; blah, blah, blah ", or Google "turn on WiFi"

Does it work as well as advertised ? Does using your phone like this, make it better, and easier not having to hold it and type something, or press through the menu to make a phone call ?

Is it a major battery drain ?

 

[epicrayban]

Sometimes. I mostly use it in the car.

And mostly use it to say "ok Google, take me home" and it starts navigation for me. Very reliable. Ditto for making phone calls during driving.

 

[jamezr]

I use it all the time to make calls. I am horrible at remembering people's numbers.......so "ok Google call ____" and it works just about every time. Then the navigation is priceless when driving

 

[ozaz]

I don't. Not even sure how to enable it on my Samsung phone to be honest.

I do use voice commands though. Primarily for setting reminders, alarms and initiating voice calls. I just initiate the listening manually.

 

[Surf Donkey]

Yup.... ALL the time especially for adding events and reminders. Like, remind me next time I am at Fred Meyer to buy nasal decongestant.

Actually in my voice history. Next time I went to the store, sure enough it buzzed.

Battery drain, probably some, but I don't mind using the battery for useful features. Kind of the point of it. Never had an issues getting through a couple days.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Yup.... ALL the time especially for adding events and reminders. Like, remind me next time I am at Fred Meyer to buy nasal decongestant.

Actually in my voice history. Next time I went to the store, sure enough it buzzed.

Battery drain, probably some, but I don't mind using the battery for useful features. Kind of the point of it. Never had an issues getting through a couple days.

Thanks, that is very cool, and sounds extremely helpful and useful, like a big point of owning a smartphone I'd say ?

Do you need a separate note taking app for stuff like that to work ? or does the Google app do all of that on it's own ? I'd like to use it for work related events, or remind me of upcoming site meetings.

 

[Surf Donkey]

Thanks, that is very cool, and sounds extremely helpful and useful, like a big point of owning a smartphone I'd say ?

Do you need a separate note taking app for stuff like that to work ? or does the Google app do all of that on it's own ? I'd like to use it for work related events, or remind me of upcoming site meetings.

Should all be built in by default (but I guess depends on your flavor of Android). Reminders are all kept in Calendar I believe. I do wish it used Google Keep, it would be a bit more advanced for lists and note taking. But OK Google doesn't seem to talk with Google Keep yet.

Also, I use Google Now Launcher. Not sure how the experience will be in different launchers with the google app.

 

[Klyster]

Never really...

 

[spinedoc77]

Just curious if any of you use "Ok Google" ?

I know it's been around for a long time, but I was always scared of the battery drain it would cause, so I never used it. But now I want to use my phone as a smartphone, I'd like to use it more hands free, just say Google, " call Mom ", or Google " text Tom; blah, blah, blah ", or Google "turn on WiFi"

Does it work as well as advertised ? Does using your phone like this, make it better, and easier not having to hold it and type something, or press through the menu to make a phone call ?

Is it a major battery drain ?

It works well, sometimes it surprises me when I think it's going to fail. I can be in my car with the moonroof open and the radio on, and OK Google picks up what I'm saying. Also sometimes mid sentence my 4 year old starts babbling about something, but OK Google still picks up my voice. Good stuff.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Ok, tried it out, and not totally impressed, it's not as seemless and smooth and easy as I would've liked. I want a Star Trek Next Gen type thing, where you speak openly in the air to Computer and it does whatever you need. We're not quite there yet.

I wanted to use it totally hands free, not even touch the phone, and not sure how to set it up that way ? Right now, you actually have to unlock the phone and go to the home screen and then say "Ok Google" So I did, and I said "Call Arlene" ( Wife's name ) it then asked :Call Arlene, or call Arlene Office, I said Call Arlene, it asked call Ilene ? I said Call Arlene, it said Call Arlene Office, I said again CALL ARLENE, and again it says please say the name you want to call. Ugh...

I tired another "Ok Google" "Call Mom" dials my mom's number, but then I wanted speaker phone on, to do this hands free while I worked at my desk, no option to tell it to turn on the speaker phone, i had to actually press the speaker button in the Dial app.

It seems to ask too many questions and not totally understand me 100%, I just want it too work smoothly and understand what I want immediately without pausing or anything, just do it like I would be talking to a real life human butler. I shouldn't have to repeat my request at all, I should say it once and then I want the phone to do it light speed fast.

I want the phone laying on the table next to my keyboard, and not touch the phone once, and just say "Google" Text Tom "Hey, we going to the Lombard Ale Fest on Saturday" an the phone should do it, no questions to me, just ***** do it. No "Do you really want to send this message, ok say Send it. **** you, yeah I want you to send it, or I wouldn't have asked in the first place, **** off Google, don't talk back to me.

 

[Mxbzz]

Ok, tried it out, and not totally impressed, it's not as seemless and smooth and easy as I would've liked. I want a Star Trek Next Gen type thing, where you speak openly in the air to Computer and it does whatever you need. We're not quite there yet.

I wanted to use it totally hands free, not even touch the phone, and not sure how to set it up that way ? Right now, you actually have to unlock the phone and go to the home screen and then say "Ok Google" So I did, and I said "Call Arlene" ( Wife's name ) it then asked :Call Arlene, or call Arlene Office, I said Call Arlene, it asked call Ilene ? I said Call Arlene, it said Call Arlene Office, I said again CALL ARLENE, and again it says please say the name you want to call. Ugh...

I tired another "Ok Google" "Call Mom" dials my mom's number, but then I wanted speaker phone on, to do this hands free while I worked at my desk, no option to tell it to turn on the speaker phone, i had to actually press the speaker button in the Dial app.

It seems to ask too many questions and not totally understand me 100%, I just want it too work smoothly and understand what I want immediately without pausing or anything, just do it like I would be talking to a real life human butler. I shouldn't have to repeat my request at all, I should say it once and then I want the phone to do it light speed fast.

I want the phone laying on the table next to my keyboard, and not touch the phone once, and just say "Google" Text Tom "Hey, we going to the Lombard Ale Fest on Saturday" an the phone should do it, no questions to me, just ***** do it. No "Do you really want to send this message, ok say Send it. **** you, yeah I want you to send it, or I wouldn't have asked in the first place, **** off Google, don't talk back to me.

In Google Now's settings, you have to enable "OK Google" detection from any screen, as well as setting it up Trusted Voice. This will bypass your security (fingerprint/PIN/pattern) and execute your commands. This only works while the phone is charging, unless you have a stock Nexus device.

Also, there are going to be times where you forget what you're trying to say in the text message, so I actually do like the confirmation request. Maybe you can suggest an option to turn it off, but there is a good reason for it being there (not to mention voice recognition isn't going to be perfect, especially in noisy areas).

Try giving your wife a nickname (say "OK Google, Call my wife", etc) and see if that works better for you.


As a side note, I have had major wakelock issues with Google Now, so I disabled it for a day. Going to try re-enabling it and fiddling with some settings because I do miss the notifications.

 

[MRU]

You can get it to wake device / be always on. You also have to learn how you want it to work.

With Irish names for example i have had to adapt how i say a name for more accurate recognition.

So you have to say 'ok google.'

'Call person name on speakerphone'

It will then call them on the speakerphone. If you have multiple numbers for a contact, check how you have them in your device. If the number is under home, work or mobile just add that word to the command

'Ok google. Call person's name mobile/home/work on speakerphone '

REMEMBER ... It's voice recognition. It's not reading your mind


As for your desire for table communication. Again learn the commands and flow

'Ok google. Text tom mobile. Are we going to dinner Saturday? (Or whatever you want it to say) '

Google will read back to make sure it's got that and ask to send, edit or cancel.

Just say send . Send confirmed.


If you don't want it to read back your text aloud to confirm, then your unlikely to be in a privacy situation where you can freely talk to your device in the first instance.

 

[MRU]

In Google Now's settings, you have to enable "OK Google" detection from any screen, as well as setting it up Trusted Voice. This will bypass your security (fingerprint/PIN/pattern) and execute your commands. This only works while the phone is charging, unless you have a stock Nexus device.

Also, there are going to be times where you forget what you're trying to say in the text message, so I actually do like the confirmation request. Maybe you can suggest an option to turn it off, but there is a good reason for it being there (not to mention voice recognition isn't going to be perfect, especially in noisy areas).

Try giving your wife a nickname (say "OK Google, Call my wife", etc) and see if that works better for you.


As a side note, I have had major wakelock issues with Google Now, so I disabled it for a day. Going to try re-enabling it and fiddling with some settings because I do miss the notifications.

Regarding wakelock. Have you tried simply turning off google location history if it is on (googles own settings, not devices). This is generally the biggest cause of wakelock with Google now services.

 

[tbayrgs]

Should all be built in by default (but I guess depends on your flavor of Android). Reminders are all kept in Calendar I believe. I do wish it used Google Keep, it would be a bit more advanced for lists and note taking. But OK Google doesn't seem to talk with Google Keep yet.

Also, I use Google Now Launcher. Not sure how the experience will be in different launchers with the google app.

I don't believe Reminders are actually kept in Calendars per se but are certainly accessible there. They are also accessible inside Google Now. There really needs to be a Reminders app, like Apple because getting to them is kind of a P.I.T.A.

You can certainly interact with Google Keep via OK Google. I routinely add items to lists I keep in Google Keep by voice--'Add milk to my Grocery List' does just that..adds a checklist item 'Milk' to my note in Google Keep titled 'Grocery.' Unfortunately, OK Google functionality is inconsistent between the phone and Android Wear as the same functionality isn't available on the watch.

 

[lowendlinux]

No, i didn't install it.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Is there an option to chsnge it from "Ok Google" to activate it, to something quicker, like just "Google"

 

[nj-morris]

I use the Google search widget all the time. Occasionally I us voice commands. But I never say Ok Google. No point.

 

[Surf Donkey]

I don't believe Reminders are actually keep in Calendars per se but are certainly accessible there. They are also accessible inside Google Now. There really needs to be a Reminders app, like Apple because getting to them is kind of a P.I.T.A.

You can certainly interact with Google Keep via OK Google. I routinely add items to lists I keep in Google Keep by voice--'Add milk to my Grocery List' does just that..adds a checklist item 'Milk' to my note in Google Keep titled 'Grocery.' Unfortunately, OK Google functionality is inconsistent between the phone and Android Wear as the same functionality isn't available on the watch.

Ah thank you! I was doing that wrong.... as @MRU said, you have to train yourself to use it.

 

[epicrayban]

Wow... I think thanks to this thread, I'll be using OK Google even more so now. For example, I didn't realize you can ask it to make phone calls directly to speaker. That would be super useful in the car!

 

[Stooby Mcdoobie]

I mainly use it to set timers while I'm cooking.

 

[kdarling]

I have a Moto X, which has a low power coprocessor that's always listening.

I use it to set timers, reminders, make calls, navigate, find the closest something... but more often, I simply use it to answer the random questions I get while driving the in car with my family. Like:

"Gee, I wonder how tall the Eiffel Tower is?" or "When does the next Avengers movie come out?"

(on my phone, at least, the answers are even read out loud to me)

I'm always amazed how accurate its voice recognition is, even under adverse sound conditions. Yes, it makes a mistake once in a while, but that's rare.

 

[Fanaticalism]

I use it enough to make it useful.

 

[Fanaticalism]

Also, I use Google Now Launcher. Not sure how the experience will be in different launchers with the google app.

It's hit or miss.

 

[JamieLannister]

I turned it off completely with the app disabler. I figure if I'm in an emergency such as grave danger I might be able to fully utilize it but then again I figure at that moment I'd be too freaked out to know what to do.

These voice commanded features are just really awkward to use. I mean I am speaking to the invisible man here and it's easier if I just use my hand to execute commands. Of course I'm missing my right hand now so it makes more sense for me to use voice commands

 

[Steeley]

"OK Google. Do farts have lumps in them?"

But seriously, I don't bother with it anymore because I always had to speak quite loudly for it to register. Louder than I need to for Siri anyway. Is that normal?