32 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 50GOOGLE I/O 2018
includes a few customization options including smart
home devices, travel info, and audio playback. You
can also modify the trigger phrase at the top of the
Routine settings page.- Take and share screenshots
You can capture screenshots on Android phones by
holding the power and volume buttons, but Assistant
can do it, too. In fact, it might be faster if you intend to
share the screenshot right away. Open Assistant and
say, “take a screenshot” or “share a screenshot”.
It takes a moment to capture the screenshot, but
you’ll get a preview as soon as it’s done. Assistant then
immediately brings up the sharing interface so you can
send the screen to a message or upload it someplace.
The screenshots taken via Assistant aren’t saved
locally, so you won’t end up with clutter from repeated
screenshot captures. - Listen to podcasts
Google has built a basic podcast interface into the
Google app, and the easiest way to access it is via
Assistant. You might want to listen to podcasts in this
fashion because Google’s solution is quick and easy.
Just say, “listen to [podcast name]” to fire up the latest
episode. If you were in the middle of an episode,
Assistant picks up where you left off.
Your progress is not device-specific, either. You can
start listening to a podcast on your phone, then tell
Assistant on Google Home you want to listen to the
same podcast. Rather than start, over, it starts where
you last listened on your phone.