Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google Now

google.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

211–220 of 226 posts

Re: Google Now

#211

Post by _feda_ »

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #207
barista wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So this looks similar to the Local Scout that Windows Phone added a couple of years ago. Of course that was limited only to places. Features like these are nice "demo" features. These make great ads but does it really get used in real life?

I used it three times today for the cards alone. Gave me ETA for getting home, the bus for getting downtown and the weather when it was about to rain. That wasn't counting the times I used it for the regular voice actions.

and what were your impressions?

Re: Google Now

#212

Post by mattbirchler »

One thing I really like about Google is that if this is a hit, they will bring it to other platforms. Counter to what Google would like, this is one reason I feel comfortable sticking with iOS.

Re: Google Now

#213

Post by drivebyacct2 »

_feda_ wrote: post #211
drivebyacct2 wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used it three times today for the cards alone. Gave me ETA for getting home, the bus for getting downtown and the weather when it was about to rain. That wasn't counting the times I used it for the regular voice actions.

and what were your impressions?

It was nice, but I'm not one of those "OMG Siri is the best thing ever" people. I'm the guy that upgraded to ICS... 6 months+ ago and I still unlock my phone, swipe to the other screen and tap the Camera icon instead of unlocking to the left. I have familiar usage patterns.

The extra info is "nice". That's how I would describe it. For those that like Siri, this is going to be up their alley. The natural voice recognition isn't as good as Siri's and there are some bits missing (I still freaking can't say "Navigate home" to get directions home, even though I can say "Navigate to McDonald's" and be launched into turn-by-turn).

I think in a few months or even when they release next month it will be capable of what Siri can do and will also have the intelligence to give you that info ahead of time.

Re: Google Now

#214

Post by BigTigger »

myko wrote: post #200
barista wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So this looks similar to the Local Scout that Windows Phone added a couple of years ago. Of course that was limited only to places. Features like these are nice "demo" features. These make great ads but does it really get used in real life?

It was pretty neat for me today. When I woke up my phone told me it would take approximately 18 minutes to get to work given current traffic conditions. As the work day was ending I got a card saying about the same amount of time getting back - though by the time I left the timer had increased to about 30 minutes. I like this a lot, if there is an accident or something I'll notice via this card and potentially avoid…

Sorry, is it out, or is it part of another App?

I attempted to look for it on the Play Store this morning but I could not see it.

Re: Google Now

#216

Post by mieubrisse »

hammersend wrote: post #205
laconian wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's been a HN meme for quite some time.

It's been a meme all over the internet for a while now. Its quite frankly childish and annoying. You would think a place like hacker news would be above that.

There IS always the possibility that people don't really like the product... the top comment of this post is well thought-out and provides valid reasons for not being interested in the product. It's definitely not a flame. And I, for one, agree; I like a little bit of randomness in my day. I don't need an algorithm telling me what I should be doing/knowing at the very moment.

Re: Google Now

#217

Post by rryan »

BigTigger wrote: post #214
myko wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was pretty neat for me today. When I woke up my phone told me it would take approximately 18 minutes to get to work given current traffic conditions. As the work day was ending I got a card saying about the same amount of time getting back - though by the time I left the timer had increased to about 30 minutes. I like this a lot, if there is an accident or something I'll notice via this card and potentially avoid…

Sorry, is it out, or is it part of another App? I attempted to look for it on the Play Store this morning but I could not see it.

It's part of Android Jelly Bean which is available to Googlers and Google I/O attendees.

Re: Google Now

#218

Post by molmalo »

guelo wrote: post #180
DanielBMarkham wrote: post #59

"...Cards appear throughout the day..." Yay, just what I wanted: yet another software service to interrupt me thoughout the day. Snarkiness aside, I'm sure the information is relevant and good. But if I forget that my favorite team is playing while I'm working on a design, do I really need to be reminded? People are not machines. I do not subscribe to and process an information feed in the same way that an email clie…

It's been interesting how every Google announcement on HN this week has had a negative reaction as the top comment. People here don't seem to like seeing Google innovating for some reason.

And a few years ago, everybody cheered like crazy , whenever Google released something (maps, gmail, chrome, maybe even Wave)... Maybe they gradually lost the "cool" factor in some people's eyes...

Re: Google Now

#219

Post by EzGraphs »

It's easy to dismiss Now as yet-another-notification-app. But as PG as said:

Don't be discouraged if what you produce initially is something other people dismiss as a toy. In fact, that's a good sign. That's probably why everyone else has been overlooking the idea.

http://paulgraham.com/organic.html

The problem that Google is focused on is reducing the number of clicks required to get you relevant information now... from one to zero. It's a problem that Google Now might not solve, but somebody eventually will.

Re: Google Now

#220

Post by skeletonjelly »

jpwagner wrote: post #140
jsz0 wrote: post #132

I hate the thought of worrying about the future ramifications of my searches. For example if someone asks me to check the time of a sports ball game for them will Google Now nag me with sports scores I don't care about in the future?

I'm constantly frustrated by this. I use incognito browsing way too often. Then when I come across something by accident that I do want in my history (either for searching through history later or because chrome occasionally crashes), I have to copy the link over to a normal-browsing chrome window.

Can you not bookmark it within the Incognito session?
Post reply on HN