Google Search received an update moments ago during the Google I/O keynote, and it includes a number of new cards for Google Now. You’ll now be able to set reminders, see upcoming releases for your favorite media types (books, music albums, movies, tv shows, and video games), and view real time public transit updates. 

- Reminders (e.g. say “remind me to buy milk this evening”, “remind me to take out the trash when I get home”)
- Upcoming books, music albums, tv shows and video games you may like
- Real time public transit updates (select cities)
- Last train home (Japan only)

Play Link

Google Search Update on Android Introduces Google Now Cards for Music, Movies, TV Shows, and Games is a post from: Droid Life

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our inbox indicates that many of you are aware that Google released Google Now to iOS this morning. This comes as no surprise, nor does it interest us one bit. Good for iOS users. Welcome to the fun that is Google Now! Well, sort of. The Google Now for iOS will never be as powerful as the version on Android because Apple won’t allow it to be.

For now though, you can open up the iOS Google Search app and find some cards for flights or restaurants or routes home from work and even track packages and flight info from Gmail. But from what we can tell, it may not be able to update in the background at full capacity like the Android version does, which means no ongoing notifications for card updates. You’ll have to consciously open up the app to get Now goodies rather than have it dictate your life for you. You also can’t access Google Now through a shortcut like swiping up or long-pressing navigation buttons. You’ll have to open the Search app and then swipe up the Now cards to view them.

It’s really just an add-on to Google Search, not really the semi-stand-alone, ultra-powerful service that it is on Android. Well, until Google makes it that way – take the iOS Gmail app for example.

But again, enjoy, iOS users.

So…Umm…Google Now was Released to iOS Today…Yep. is a post from: Droid Life

When Google Search updated yesterday, bringing with it “real time package tracking from select carriers” to Google Now, we were curious as to what carriers Google was referring to and exactly what “real time” means to them. For one, I have a couple of packages currently coming via UPS and neither are showing anything different from what we have seen since they first introduced the original package tracking. So what do they mean? USPS with maps, itemized tracking, order recaps, and more. 

A long time reader of ours sent in the screenshot above for tickets he had ordered to an upcoming San Francisco Giants game. Clearly, he is seeing new tracking information and USPS must be one of the select carriers that Google was referring to. There is a map that shows the starting shipping point to the end delivery, an itemized breakdown of each stop along the way, a summary of his ticket order and a “more” link to provide additional details.

So rather than the “Track Package” link opening up the browser and the shipping company’s website with tracking information, Google is trying to give you as much or more info without forcing you to leave Google Now. I know I’m a fan – I just wish it would roll out to UPS already.

Cheers Ben!

Here is What Google Now’s New Real-time Package Tracking Looks Like is a post from: Droid Life

Google Search for Android updated today to include new features and settings in Google Now for devices running Android 4.1+. Package tracking has been improved and now updates in real time (new card below), search results should appear much faster (tough to test that), and individual cards now have an info button (i) that when pressed, gives you quick settings for that particular card. For example, I pressed the (i) on my card for tonight’s Blazers game and it asked to make sure that I cared about this event. Tapping “yes” should help Now to continue to be accurate.

The update is live now, so go get it! 

Update:  Google also completely re-organized the Settings menu for the better. Google Now cards are all in their own separate spot now with On-Off toggles. There is a section for “My Stuff” that has been pulled out on its own, which displays your favorite teams, stocks, and places. Last, there is a simple On-Off toggle for notifications.

Update 2:  The weather card with the hourly slider and extra tools has returned!

Update 3:  Here is a quick video comparison of the new Google Search that was released today versus the previous version. Search results definitely display quite differently, but in a good way. I’m also not sure that the “faster search results” claim is correct. In these quick and unofficial tests, I actually show the old version posting up results first.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Play Link

Our running list of Google Now cards has been updated.

Cheers @BrianLipp!

Google Search Update Introduces Real Time Package Tracking, Faster Search Results, and Card Quick Settings (Updated) is a post from: Droid Life

I think we can all agree that Google Now is nothing short of amazing, right? It continues to learn from our Google searches, so that it can recommend everything from travel routes to nearby photo spots. But one thing it also does well, is suggest topics that you may be researching, through the Research card. 

Thanks to its tie-in with Google, it knows every time you search for something, whether that be a travel destination, or in today’s case, a recipe for dinner. Now, I’ve seen the research card in action before, but up until this afternoon, I had yet to see it recommend recipes for items I had previously searched for. A reader of ours noticed the same thing at almost the exact same time as well, so I’m tempted to think this new recipe integration is somewhat new.

As you can see from the card, I spent a few minutes last night looking for a cucumber salad recipe to round out my Valentine’s Day feast. Today, it’s still trying to help by suggesting other recipes. While it may be a day late, I still appreciate the recommendations.

Have you found other Research cards? Anything else new in Google Now since the last update?

Cheers @Tim87D!

Tip: Google Now Will Show You Recipe Recommendations Too is a post from: Droid Life

Moments ago, Google pushed an update out to Google Search in Google Play, bringing some slick new features that we have been talking about over the past couple of days. Google Now widget, anyone? On top of an all new widget that can be placed on either your homescreen or lockscreen, movie rating are pulled from Rotten Tomatoes, there are movie passes from Fandango, and even real estate listings from Zillow. 

What’s in this version:

For Android 4.1+ (Jelly Bean):

• Google Now widget for home screen or lock screen
• Movie passes from Fandango
• Movies now includes ratings from Rotten Tomatoes
• Real estate listings from Zillow when in the market for a home
• Music button when a song is playing in voice mode (US only)
• Support for US college sports

*Lockscreen widget support only available on Android 4.2+.

Update:  Here is a look at all of the new cards.

Go grab it!

Play Link

Cheers Ben and Tommy!

Google Search Update is Live, Brings Google Now Widget to Home and Lockscreens is a post from: Droid Life

This morning, Google Search received an update, but it must be quite minor given that Google didn’t update the changelog. The app did recently receive a big update, so we are guessing this is more of a bug fixing update or something along those lines.

If you haven’t already, go grab it.

Play Link

Cheers ViZZiATO!

Google Search Receives Minor Update, Changelog Currently M.I.A. is a post from: Droid Life

With the newest Google Now update, Google built in a new Voice Action that allows you to scan barcodes with your camera. All you have to say is, “Scan barcode” after hitting the voice search button. But if the voice search button isn’t handy or you don’t want to speak out loud to your phone, you can access it another way.

If you open Google Now, scroll to the bottom and hit the 3-dotted menu button in the right corner. As long as you have updated your Google Now, you should see a new option that says “Search with camera.” Tap that, and find something to search for with your camera.

So far, I’ve had good luck snapping photos of text, but logos or objects, not so much. Give it a shot!

Cheers Nishant!

Tip: Search With Your Camera in New Google Now is a post from: Droid Life

With today’s update to Google Now, we have more than 25 cards that can pop up and show us information depending on our location, recent searches, or location. It can even pull from our Gmail inboxes to track packages, remind us of hotel or restaurant reservations, and make sure we get to our flight on time. As a Jelly Bean user, it’s probably my favorite feature, and one that I’m glad more and more phones are now taking advantage, thanks to recent updates.

Below, and thanks to Google Support, we have the entire list of Google Now cards that can pop up on your device. Since many of us won’t have the opportunity to see some of these, we thought we’d share. 

Activity Summary (Walking and Biking)

Birthdays

Events

Flights

Gmail:  Boarding Pass

Gmail:  Events

Gmail: Movies

Gmail:  Flights

Gmail:  Hotels

Gmail:  Restaurants

Gmail:  Package Tracking

Movies

News

Next Meeting

Photo Spot Nearby

Places

Public Alerts

Public Transit

Real Estate

Research Topics

Sports

Stocks

Traffic

Travel:  Currency

Travel:  Attractions Nearby

Travel:  Time Back Home

Travel:  Translate

Weather

Via:  Google Support

Cheers Grady!

Here is the Complete List of Google Now Cards is a post from: Droid Life

A major Google Search update just hit the Google Play store for devices running Android 4.1+ (Jelly Bean). The update introduces a handful of new cards for Google Now along with some new voice actions. You will now see Now cards for events happening nearby, suggestions to help with research, boarding passes (United only for now), weather for upcoming travel destinations, and more. On the voice actions side of things, you can tell your phone to post to Google+, ask what song is playing, and have your phone to scan a barcode.

Go grab it! 

New cards:

• Events nearby
• Suggestions to help with your research
• Boarding passes from Gmail (United only, more to come)
• Search by camera when at museums or shops
• Weather at upcoming travel destinations
• Approximate monthly summary of walking and biking activity

New voice actions:

• Post to Google+
• Say “What’s this song?” to find the song you hear
• Say “Scan a barcode” to find product info

Play Link

Cheers Grady!

Google Search Receives Update: New Google Now Cards and Voice Actions Included is a post from: Droid Life

Last night on the Droid Life Show, we talked about Google’s penchant for throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. Their latest project, Google Free Zone, seems to be one of those ideas, but we hope that it catches on. Currently being tested in the Philippines, Google is allowing feature phones that have access to the internet to get on Google+, Gmail and use Google Search without incurring any charges.

There are a few caveats however, the main one being that you will be exposed to ads in your searches, Gmail and G+ posts. While the initial searches are free, if you click a link that takes you to another site out of the Free Zone you will be charged, so users beware. It does seem that if this test goes well that Google will try and expand this to other carriers around the world.

Bets on if Verizon would allow this on their network?

Via: Google

Google Looks to Make Your Feature Phone a Bit Smarter With Google Free Zone is a post from: Droid Life

Last night, and possibly because the month of October came to a close, Google Now started showing a new card to a number of our readers. That new card is a pedometer that has been tracking their steps and miles biked over the last couple of months, behind the scenes. I say “behind the scenes” because this is a card that we have yet to see or hear about. In fact, I took a quick look through Google Now settings and could not find this feature mentioned. 

Pretty cool though, right? As you can see in one of the screenshots, it actually compared September to October and split up the activities depending on activity type. There is a mention under the results that reads “Based on your device’s location which is periodically sent to Google.” A Learn more link sits below it, but doesn’t provide any useful info.

Has your Google Now pedometer card showed up? Feel free to post ‘em in the comments.

Cheers Zeas, NCSUgolfer01, cory, Stephen, Dale, Jose, Grady, Matthew, and Brian!

Google Now has a Built-in Pedometer – Tracks Miles Walked and Biked From Each Month is a post from: Droid Life

You may as well start thinking of Google Now as one of the backbones to Android going forward. It’s clear that Google and the Android team are going to make this the most robust and feature-rich service on Android going forward. Sure, they’ll turn the camera software around, make UIs smoother, and tweak little things here and there, but the future is in Google Now and its ability to make your life easier. In the latest update to Google Search, that was released today, new Google Now cards and behind-the-scenes integration are more advanced than ever. 

Thanks to an attachment to your Gmail account, Google Now can show you tracking status on packages, flight information, hotel and restaurant reservations, and events that you are planning to attend. It crawls through your inbox so that it can pull important information out and then display it in Google Now. It will also let you know of movies opening in nearby theaters, concerts at venues, a photo spot around the corner, and other attractions.

Beyond that, Google Now can do a few select actions such as launching apps, making appointments, and showing your next meeting on command.

As long as you are running Jelly Bean, you can update and start taking advantage of these things, today.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Quick First Look at the New Google Now and Google Search is a post from: Droid Life

Google is soon to be in hot water with the FTC again if the latest report out of Reuters is to be believed. An investigation into whether Google wrongly used its ownership of Google Search to promote their products above products of rival companies has been underway for a while now. 4 out of the 5 investigators of this case are recommending legal action against Google for these allegations.

Apparently there is a “long list” of companies that have filed complaints against Google under this claim. Last month, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said that he expected a decision in the case by the end of the year. If the FTC feels that they have a case, Google could negotiate a settlement out of court, but if that doesn’t work this could go before a judge. A decision should be reached sometime soon, until then we have to wait and see if Google broke the law in ranking their search results.

Via: Reuters

Google Close to Having an FTC Case on Its Hands For Abusing Search Results is a post from: Droid Life

Google pushed an update out to Google Search today, which includes new Google Now goodies for Jelly Bean users. The update adds an option to manually sticky your favorite sports team’s card right to your feed for live updates. Previously, you had to search for your favorite sports teams and hope that Google Now was smart enough to add them to your feed. They tossed in movie listings, but so far, are not showing up in a beautiful card and essentially look like what you would get with an iOS Google Search. Also found in the update are Public Alerts – examples given are earthquakes and storm warnings.

Go grab the newest update and let us know if you’re still loving Google Now. To enable these new options, open Google Now, tap Menu>Settings>Google Now and visit each of the sections. Some of them need to be manually turned on.

Play Link

Cheers Sam!

Google Search “Now” Updated – Movie Show Times, Manual Sports Team Additions, and Public Alerts Included is a post from: Droid Life