Using Google Maps, Navigation, and Google Now with Your Android Phone
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
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In this chapter, you find out how to use Google Maps, Navigation, and Google Now. Topics include the following:
- Staying up to date with Google Now
- Navigating with Google Maps
- Taking map data offline
You can use your Android phone as a GPS navigation device while you walk or drive around. Your phone also includes an app called Google Now that provides all the information you need when you need it.
Using Google Now
You can access Google Now from the Lock screen or from any screen, which enables you to search the Internet. Google Now provides you with information such as how long it takes to drive to work and the scores from your favorite teams.
Accessing Google Now
You can access Google Now from any app or the Home screen pane by swiping from the bottom of the screen up onto the screen and toward the word Google. If you are on the Home screen, you can also swipe all the way to the left to see Google Now. It is the leftmost Home screen pane.
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Use Google Now
After you access Google Now, you can see current information, or search the Internet.
- Cards automatically appear based on your settings. Examples of these cards are scores for the sports teams you follow, upcoming meetings, weather in the location where you work, and traffic on the way to work.
Tap the Microphone icon to speak a search term or to command Google Now to do something. You can also type your search terms.
Information relevant to your search appears.
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Commanding Google Now
In addition to searching the Internet using Google Now, you can command Google Now to do things for you. For example, you can tell Google Now to set an alarm for you, compose a text message, or even send an email. This is just a small list of the types of things you can have Google Now do for you. To see a comprehensive list of commands, visit http://trendblog.net/list-of-google-now-voice-commands-infographic/.
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Set Up Google Now
For Google Now to work for you, you need to set it up correctly. This also means sharing your location information with Google.
- Swipe in from the left side of the screen to reveal the menu.
- Tap to add and manage reminders. After adding a reminder, Google Now notifies you of the activity when the reminder is due.
- Tap Customize to customize what kinds of Google Now cards are displayed. This includes choosing sports teams, stocks, places, and TV and video.
Tap Settings.
- Tap to manage what Google Now can search for. This can include apps you have installed, bookmarks and web history in the Chrome web browser, your contacts, Google Play Books, Movies & TV, and Music.
Tap Voice to manage how and when Google Now responds to your voice.
- Tap to choose the languages that Google Now responds to.
- Tap to choose when Google Now should be listening for you to say “OK Google,” which is the key phrase that launches Google Now. You can choose to have Google Now listening only from the Google Now app, from any screen, or from the Lock screen.
- Tap to choose whether Google Now works when your phone is locked, and how it should listen for your commands. You can choose to let Google Now use a paired Bluetooth device, a headset connected by a cable, or both.
Tap to choose when Google Now speaks back to you. Your choices are On (which means always), Off (which means never), or only when you are using a hands-free device (such as a Bluetooth headset or your car’s built-in Bluetooth connection). Some phones may not include the “Off” choice here.
Beware of Others Speaking to Your Phone
Be careful about deciding when Google Now can listen for commands. If you allow Google Now to listen for “OK Google” on any screen (which means on any screen plus while running any app), the only drawback could be battery life suffering, but if you let Google Now listen for “OK Google” from the Lock screen, there is the potential for someone else to instruct your phone to do things. Even though when you enable this feature, you are asked to say “OK Google” three times so that Google Now can become familiar with your voice, it is possible for others to command your phone to send emails, read emails back to them, and so on.
- Tap to manage whether Google Now speech recognition can work even when there is no Internet connection. This is achieved by downloading one or more languages to your phone.
- Tap to block offensive words being spoken when search results are returned by voice.
- Tap to allow Google Now to record your voice using your Bluetooth headset or built-in car Bluetooth.
Tap to save your changes and return to the main Google Now Settings screen.
Tap Accounts & Privacy.
- Tap to choose which of your Google accounts (if you have more than one) you want to use for Google Now.
- Tap to manage whether apps can share your data with Google and clear any data that apps on your phone have shared with Google.
- Tap to enable or disable the SafeSearch Filter that blocks offensive content.
- Tap to choose whether you want to share your commute status, such as when you leave for home or leave for work. People need to be in your Google+ Circles to receive your Commute updates.
- Tap to enable or disable high-contrast text if you have a vision disability.
- Tap to enable or disable Google Now sending Google information on how you use Google Now.
Tap to save your changes and return to the main Google Now Settings screen.
- Tap to manage how Google Now alerts you when new cards are ready, and choose the ringtone that plays when they are ready to view.
Tap to save your changes and return to Google Now.
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