Question about how Google Now works

[xraydoc]

So I've been using Google Now for a while ands despite the fact that I've gotten several emailed shipping notices for various packages (UPS, FedEx and USPS), I've never gotten a shipping notice card from Google Now like I've seen from other people. Nor did I get notified about a restaurant reservation with confirmation email via Open Table. And I've made certain that the "Gmail Cards" option in Google Now is turned on.

I'm thinking it's possibly because I have a habit of reading an email then archiving it (not deleting), so my inbox is usually empty (though all the necessary emails are still on Gmail).

Does Google Now only look in the Inbox to build its cards and notifications, or does it all use the "All Mail" box as well?

The other thought I had is that some of these verification and shipping notice emails and shipping notices are forwarded to me from other email addresses - so some are technically not addressed to me (just forwarded to me).

Does Google Now skip emails not addressed specifically to you (i.e., does it only use emails addressed to you, not forwarded or BCC'd)?

I guess I'm looking for some insight on to how Google Now's Gmail cards work so I can maximize its IQ.

 

[Tinmania]

I don't really know exactly how it works but I do know I have gotten cards based on emails forwarded to me. I get shipping notices that have come from Amazon orders. I get flight info based on emails--and also weather info for where I am heading.

I do not clear out my inbox for most mail. I archive stuff that is not technically spam, since I asked for it, but that I will have no need to ever reference again (Staples weekly sales, etc.).

My hunch in your case is that it is not in the inbox.



Michael

 

[Assault]

So I've been using Google Now for a while ands despite the fact that I've gotten several emailed shipping notices for various packages (UPS, FedEx and USPS), I've never gotten a shipping notice card from Google Now like I've seen from other people. Nor did I get notified about a restaurant reservation with confirmation email via Open Table. And I've made certain that the "Gmail Cards" option in Google Now is turned on.

I'm thinking it's possibly because I have a habit of reading an email then archiving it (not deleting), so my inbox is usually empty (though all the necessary emails are still on Gmail).

Does Google Now only look in the Inbox to build its cards and notifications, or does it all use the "All Mail" box as well?

The other thought I had is that some of these verification and shipping notice emails and shipping notices are forwarded to me from other email addresses - so some are technically not addressed to me (just forwarded to me).

Does Google Now skip emails not addressed specifically to you (i.e., does it only use emails addressed to you, not forwarded or BCC'd)?

I guess I'm looking for some insight on to how Google Now's Gmail cards work so I can maximize its IQ.

For Google Now to bring up packages, reservations, plane tickets, etc... The email must be sent to you, in your inbox, and using the gmail address you use for all of Google's services. Otherwise, it is ignored.

Also, go into Google Now settings and ensure that you click on "search" and make sure that "apps" is checked, plus whatever other programs you want Google now to use to search through info.

 

[xraydoc]

For Google Now to bring up packages, reservations, plane tickets, etc... The email must be sent to you, in your inbox, and using the gmail address you use for all of Google's services. Otherwise, it is ignored.

Also, go into Google Now settings and ensure that you click on "search" and make sure that "apps" is checked, plus whatever other programs you want Google now to use to search through info.

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. We use my wife's Amazon account and the emails are addressed to her but automatically forwarded to me. Guess they'll get ignored. And I hate having old, read email in my inbox (its called Inbox for a reason), so I read it and archive it. Guess it'll all get ignored.

Hopefully Google will tweak things to include the above...

 

[Tinmania]

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. We use my wife's Amazon account and the emails are addressed to her but automatically forwarded to me. Guess they'll get ignored. And I hate having old, read email in my inbox (its called Inbox for a reason), so I read it and archive it. Guess it'll all get ignored.

Hopefully Google will tweak things to include the above...

If they are forwarded to you they are addressed to you. I get Google Now cards for forwarded email.

Or did you mean CC'd or BCC'd to you?



Michael

 

[Assault]

If they are forwarded to you they are addressed to you. I get Google Now cards for forwarded email.

Or did you mean CC'd or BCC'd to you?



Michael

That is what I am referring to. It must be addressed to your Google email address that is used for all GAPPS verification. I have an Outlook and Hotmail account that auto forward to GMail, but they retain their original address and will not be picked up by Google Now.

 

[Tinmania]

That is what I am referring to. It must be addressed to your Google email address that is used for all GAPPS verification. I have an Outlook and Hotmail account that auto forward to GMail, but they retain their original address and will not be picked up by Google Now.

Again, if someone forwards an email to me it is addressed to me. I don't know how to make it any clearer. I get google now cards for that kind of email all the time. For example: old friend David is flying out to see me. He makes a flight and hotel reservation, for which he gets email notifications. He then forwards me those emails so I have a copy too. All gmail sees is it is sent to me. Ergo, I get his flight info and hotel info as google now cards. Indeed I used that a few times to track flights.

I also have gmail retrieve other email accounts (i.e., I don't forward from hotmail/outlook.com or my other email accounts: I have the accounts setup in gmail for pop3 retrieval as well as send-as). I get Google Now cards for email that comes in from those accounts too.

In fact it is how I found out my walmart account was compromised last month. I didn't really pay attention to the emails from walmart as I assumed it was some sort of sale or promo. But when I got google now cards about products being shipped I damn sure took notice. These emails were not addressed to my gmail account.




Michael

 

[Assault]

Again, if someone forwards an email to me it is addressed to me. I don't know how to make it any clearer. I get google now cards for that kind of email all the time. For example: old friend David is flying out to see me. He makes a flight and hotel reservation, for which he gets email notifications. He then forwards me those emails so I have a copy too. All gmail sees is it is sent to me. Ergo, I get his flight info and hotel info as google now cards. Indeed I used that a few times to track flights.

I also have gmail retrieve other email accounts (i.e., I don't forward from hotmail/outlook.com or my other email accounts: I have the accounts setup in gmail for pop3 retrieval as well as send-as). I get Google Now cards for email that comes in from those accounts too.

In fact it is how I found out my walmart account was compromised last month. I didn't really pay attention to the emails from walmart as I assumed it was some sort of sale or promo. But when I got google now cards about products being shipped I damn sure took notice. These emails were not addressed to my gmail account.




Michael

Lost in translation issue here. We are saying the same thing. I am not talking about someone forwarding you an email (cause that will be addressed to your gmail account), nor am I referring to any of your personal accounts that you have forwarded to your gmail account. All of those will be addressed to your gmail address and have it in the "To" line.

I have my accounts pulled by Gmail and those emails retain the original outlook or yahoo address, hence ignored by Google Now. Those emails are even auto-seperated into individual color coded tabs.

Short of it and as I said in the beginning, as long as your GMail address is in the To line and it is the one you used to sign up with, Google Now will see it.

 

[Tinmania]

Lost in translation issue here. We are saying the same thing. I am not talking about someone forwarding you an email (cause that will be addressed to your gmail account), nor am I referring to any of your personal accounts that you have forwarded to your gmail account. All of those will be addressed to your gmail address and have it in the "To" line.

I have my accounts pulled by Gmail and those emails retain the original outlook or yahoo address, hence ignored by Google Now. Those emails are even auto-seperated into individual color coded tabs.

Short of it and as I said in the beginning, as long as your GMail address is in the To line and it is the one you used to sign up with, Google Now will see it.

lol.... well at least I got in a little typing practice!



Michael

 

[xraydoc]

Lost in translation issue here. We are saying the same thing. I am not talking about someone forwarding you an email (cause that will be addressed to your gmail account), nor am I referring to any of your personal accounts that you have forwarded to your gmail account. All of those will be addressed to your gmail address and have it in the "To" line.

I have my accounts pulled by Gmail and those emails retain the original outlook or yahoo address, hence ignored by Google Now. Those emails are even auto-seperated into individual color coded tabs.

Short of it and as I said in the beginning, as long as your GMail address is in the To line and it is the one you used to sign up with, Google Now will see it.

Strange. Not that I don't believe you, but I'm uncertain then why I'm not seeing the appropriate GN cards. I guess I'll keep working on it.

 

[Tinmania]

You haven't clarified what you mean by forwarding. And I can attest to what he is saying as it works for me--and that includes traditional forwarding.



Michael

 

[revelated]

So I've been using Google Now for a while ands despite the fact that I've gotten several emailed shipping notices for various packages (UPS, FedEx and USPS), I've never gotten a shipping notice card from Google Now like I've seen from other people. Nor did I get notified about a restaurant reservation with confirmation email via Open Table. And I've made certain that the "Gmail Cards" option in Google Now is turned on.

I'm thinking it's possibly because I have a habit of reading an email then archiving it (not deleting), so my inbox is usually empty (though all the necessary emails are still on Gmail).

Does Google Now only look in the Inbox to build its cards and notifications, or does it all use the "All Mail" box as well?

The other thought I had is that some of these verification and shipping notice emails and shipping notices are forwarded to me from other email addresses - so some are technically not addressed to me (just forwarded to me).

Does Google Now skip emails not addressed specifically to you (i.e., does it only use emails addressed to you, not forwarded or BCC'd)?

I guess I'm looking for some insight on to how Google Now's Gmail cards work so I can maximize its IQ.

You must understand that Google doesn't see the logic in you deleting/archiving email. They even tell you so if you go to Gmail. Read it, leave it in Inbox. Their theory: use search if you need to find something. Do this and you WILL see shipping cards. It wasn't working like two-3 months ago but it's consistently working for me now.

Don't label or autolabel your shipping confirmations. At least in my case it would not show a card if it had any label on it except Inbox. YMMV.

Weird: when my RAZR had Jelly Bean, it wouldn't show cards consistently. But my Droid DNA with Jelly Bean does every time. No explanation on that one.

 

[Dr McKay]

So it has to be Gmail? I only have hotmail and MobileMe, Ive never had package tracking cards.

 

[xraydoc]

So it has to be Gmail? I only have hotmail and MobileMe, Ive never had package tracking cards.

I can understand the Gmail-only part... Google has to search thru your email. But I've only ever gotten one package card. None since.

 

[revelated]

So it has to be Gmail? I only have hotmail and MobileMe, Ive never had package tracking cards.

There's your problem. I'm 99% certain it needs to be Gmail, because Google indexes your email as it arrives. It won't show cards from non-Gmail email accounts or from Outlook.

If you have those others and you just forward a copy to a new GMail account using rules, then it should work, even if you don't ever use the GMail box. You'll have to give it the account credentials when you set up anyway.

I can understand the Gmail-only part... Google has to search thru your email. But I've only ever gotten one package card. None since.

Amazon? Because I've noticed that only certain ones work. Amazon works consistently.

You might also try the cache/data clear from the App area and reset the Google Search app entirely to give it a fresh start.