Quick Tip: Accessing Google Now on the HTC DROID DNA

by: Kellex | posted 11.29.12 | News, Tips

Since the HTC DROID DNA doesn’t have an on-screen Home button that can be swiped up to access Google Now, we wanted to make sure that you knew the easiest way to access it. It’s simple, really. All you need to do is long-press on the hardware Home button and, bam! There doesn’t appear to be a way to access it from the lock screen, which is unfortunate, but this trick works from anywhere else on the phone. Enjoy!

http://androidtaskforce.com/ Chris Gustafson

To access it from the lockscreen, just add the Google Search icon to your launch bar.
- BrianPowell12
  
  That brings up Search rather than Now. I still do that more often than not because I use voice search all the time. But I do with there was an easier way to get to now.
  - http://androidtaskforce.com/ Chris Gustafson
    
    No, add the Google icon, not the voice search icon.
http://twitter.com/ToysSamurai Toys Samurai

Frankly, this is how Google Now should be launched. With a hardware button, you can bring it up without looking at it, then say “Google” to do a voice search.
- zurginator
  
  It’s just as easy with on-screen though. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to click the home button and wait, you just swipe up from the bottom of the device.
Tyler Casilio

Oh ya, Kellex. What button do you press to bring up the voice search? Hold Back?? or do you have to go to the Google Widget
Tyler Casilio

Kellex, when I do it on my DNA I pretend I have to swipe up. So I long press then swipe up and I pretend that its necessary

To bad it doesn’t pop up with that Google circle though, maybe an update…..ya……
John

This similar process for the note 2 as well?
- Guest
  
  Long press the capacitive menu button on the Note 2.
  - John
    
    ahh…thx
EC8CH

Lack of on screen buttons…

FACKWORS
- William_Morris
  
  Kellen will never be able to live this down, will he?
http://twitter.com/Fireproof1905 Fireproof1905

So is this phone worth an upgrade?? i’m torn between the gs3 note 2 or this, note is out because of price but the others are on the table…. need help deciding…
- oblah
  
  gs3 you’ll love it
- zepfloyd
  
  There’s no reason to go Pentile and dual core at this point (GS3). Either the DNA or Note 2 is where you should go. That comes down to personal tastes for sizes and storage. I will say this, I’ve handed 7 or 8 people in my office this week both the GS3 and DNA (both turned off intentionally) and all of them immediately said the DNA was better in hand. YMMV
- Larizard
  
  depends on which aspect of the phone you value more: battery life, screen quality, price, user interface, rooting, etc. If you can hold off til CES, I think it would be worth it seeing what stuff they got for next year. But that’s the non-first adopter in me talking.
- droidbeat
  
  DNA is awesome! I’m loving it. Large beautiful screen in a pocketable size. And HTC has made great touches throughout that improve the experience. Great keyboard, folder icons show apps side by side, auto text reflow, etc. The radios inside seem strong, too. And volume gets nicely high.
- michael arazan
  
  2 words, Note 2, it has more functionality and a better screen and processor than the GS3, and bigger battery than the gs3 and dna. I would trade the bigger screen, more functions, better software, and bigger battery to the DNA screen and same old crappy sense
- Symbiotx
  
  I think it’s important to get your hands on them. I love my DNA. Everyone knows the drawbacks, but I absolutely love this phone. I haven’t been this excited about a phone since the original Droid. Feels great, looks amazing, good call quality, loud sound, and I personally like Sense, great lockscreen. It’s really up to you and what you’re looking for.
George264

Awesome thanks. Haha HTC is sending me one as a gift and I was trying to find out how to use google now on it since you can’t swipe. Perfect timing
Adol

now tell verizon to let htc fix the menu button like on the One X
mcdonsco

Ugh…to swap or not…I’ve been using Motorola’s for years, build quality is just awesome and with the maxx line battery kicks ass too. But I always have small issues, text input for instance lags often, lag that I never see on other droids…plus, camera stinks…

Just picked up the razr maxx HD off contract (keeping unlimited data) and I’m debating swapping it for the DNA (wireless charging is really temping as is that huge screen…but just barely over HALF the battery)….hmmmm

Also, knowing Motorola is now Google, seems updates would be better on Motorola’s then HTC, and the motorola s seem to have a more “pure” android experience then htc’s and Samsung…

Grrr….
http://twitter.com/spdivr1122 Stephen

cant wait to hopefully have this phone. a man can dream
BSweetness

You should also let folks know that long pressing the capacitive menu button on the Note 2 while on a home screen (or in the app drawer) will bring up Google Now.
- http://www.droid-life.com Kellex B
  
  That’s just search isn’t it? You have to long-press home and then choose the Google button in the middle on the Note 2 I believe.
  - BSweetness
    
    Nope. On my Verizon Note 2, when I long press the menu button, it definitely brings up Google Now (cards and all). On my S3, long pressing the menu button just brings up the search, but that’s not the case on the Note 2 (at least the Verizon version).
  - Immolate
    
    Verizon Note 2 uses a long press on the menu button. Long press home brings up your running applications. Long press on the back-up button brings up the multi-view side bar. But if you want Google Now on a Note 2 from a device that’s off, you just hit you power button or home button to turn on the lock screen, then swipe up the Google Now icon.
    
    Short of a dedicated hardware key (rather have one for the camera if we had one), an icon on the lock screen is the quickest way to get to Google Now. I think anyone can do that in Jellybean, right?
ssjnimma

Similarly with my SGSIII I have Nova Launcher and use the swipe up gesture on my app drawer and it opens google now
- S2556
  
  I do the same thing. Works great
- http://www.droid-life.com Kellex B
  
  Ahh didn’t think about that. Great tip.
- normmcgarry
  
  If you long-press the menu button, it opens Google Now.
Chris Hollenbeck

First GIF on DroidLife …. This site is getting serious now.
(Well done on the site overall guys)
- http://www.droid-life.com Kellex B
  
  We’ve done a few GIFs here and there.
  - EC8CH
    
    Here’s my fav:
    
    http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/headphone-good.gif
http://www.facebook.com/LoganQBerry Logan Berry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQB4nAjZIdE
- james dawley
  
  You actually watched that wow terrible

Quick Tip: Accessing Google Now on the HTC DROID DNA

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