Google Now The apps
many emails that require you to create new tasks or add calendar
appointments, but with Google Now many of these can be tracked
automatically. If you have received order notifi cations, the parcels
will be displayed automatically in Google Now (Fig 2) so that you
can track them continually. Statuses of fl ights you are taking soon
are constantly updated and the list continues to cover so many
other aspects that would otherwise require manual handling. It can
at times feel slightly intrusive, but no individual person is checking
through your email, it is done automatically so you can feel safe that
your data is only being used for the right reasons. This particular part
of Google Now is one that grows more important over time and it
will likely give you more reasons to use the service than any other. It
is truly revolutionary in so many diff erent ways.
Find anything instantly
At the top of the Google Now screen
is the familiar microphone icon which
requires a simple tap to activate. It works
exactly like the standard Google search,
in that it is quick and accurate, but it
is also able to leverage your personal
information so that you can undertake
urgent searches whenever you need
to. For example, if you are travelling to
a particular destination and need to
know the traffi c conditions, just ask and
a map will be displayed showing the
traffi c situation (Fig 3). You can ask what your next appointment is,
what the weather will be like tomorrow and almost anything else
that comes to mind. The only limit to what Google Now can fi nd is
governed by your imagination as it can search for virtually anything
you need in an instant.
When prompted to
specify your preferred
units and other info, add it
for future effi ciency1 The settings Tap the top-left
menu icon to access the full
Google Now settings menu.Customise Google Now
2 Select Customise Tap
Customise to see the various
sections you can change.3 Your interests Add your
favourite sports teams in the
‘Everything else’ section.4 Your input The more specific
data you add, the more detailed
the information you get will be.