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Solved: Google Now UK

Hi all,
Sorry if already asked, had a quick search but couldn't find anything directly related to the Nexus 7. Does the UK have Google Now with cards etc.? Can't see anything related to Google Now on my Nexus 7 but was sure I set it up on first login?? I've set a calendar event to drive to my parents from work at 4pm today to see if that triggers a traffic card later but otherwise can't seem to find much info on how to use it and whether it works. Certainly can't see any Google Now settings anywhere.
Thanks,
emptybee

Hold down the Home button and a "Google" should appear just above it, select that and you'll see the Google Now Tour

Thanks for the reply. When I do that a google search box appears at the top of a white screen (no cards etc.). Not to say it didn't do the tour when I first did that. I was just expecting cards to start appearing automatically (options like location services are enabled). When I click on the microphone and say weather a weather card appeared at the top of a list of google searches for "weather" but shouldn't things like that appear naturally in the morning?
The other thing that's weird is that I can't find an app or any settings for Google Now anywhere on the Nexus 7, should there be?

NOW should start to build a profile of your travel habits and interests as time goes on, it mainly builds up its info based on your search results. It wont have much to show to start with, but you should see more info and cards as it gets an idea of what you are interested in seeing.

Oops sorry guys I guess I must have not enabled it (i swear i had during first boot...). Went to the search pane and slid it up so that the bar at the bottom was visible with the menu button (three squares vertical). Clicked the menu button, settings and google now was off so turned it on and now gives me two cards when I slide up from the home button on any screen. These cards are the route and travel time to my parents later (as entered in calendar) and the local weather.
Excellent, apologies for my stoopidnessnous.
emptybee

aha, thanks! I had it switched off too, am sure I turned it on too

Two things some people might find useful:
1) You don't have to hold down the home button. Just tap and drag up from there. Doesn't save a lot of time though, just an alternative.
2) Scroll to the very bottom of the Google Now page and you'll see a menu at the right (looks like a stack of 3 dots). Settings for Google Now are in there. Each card also has its own menu at top-right.
--
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] N4 has no Voice Dialing / Voice Assitant?

I just received my phone today.I know that there is "Voice Search" and "Google Now" built in, but I cannot seem to launch them from the lock screen using a headset.
I have also tested the headset (3 button), and it does work; I can play and stop music both locked and unlocked screen and Google Now activates when I hold middle button unlocked, but nothing happens when the phone is on lock screen.
As far as I am concerned, "Google Now" & "Voice Search" are useless unless I can activate them while they are in my pocket, for driving and walking. Furthermore, when I ask it to send a message to someone, it simply displays the message, not repeating it to me, or asking me if I would like to send. I see lots of reviews, claiming "Google Now" is far superior to S-voice and Siri (iPhone) but in my opinion, they should not be categorized together, "Google Now" simply does not do the things I need it to do. If at any point, I need to look at the screen, or press something on the screen, the whole purpose of Voice activation is rendered useless. I cannot be the only one out there with this problem. I am open to any suggestions to solve this issue, or else I must go back to iPhone for the sake of the voice dialing that is headset activated, as well as the ability to read out my messages and send them.
I have tried 3rd party apps like Headset Button, with no luck and it still does not allow Google Now to run in the background with screen off, and requires another third party app, Screen Off & Lock to do just turn off the screen with a different combination of presses on the headset. The lack of any sort of physical button on the N4 is also another problem.
I am open to any suggestions or comments if I am simply just missing something from the features. Please excuse me if I sound rude or a hater, all I am trying to do is find out the problem to my issue, and potentially inform others if they have the same needs as me.
Cheers. :good:

So because it doesn't do the things YOU need it to do, they shouldn't be categorized together?
If you want to access Now with your headset then turn off the screen lock function.

AFAIK, I don't think Google Now will do the things you want it to do out of the box. If you're willing to use third-party apps, though, I think you may be able to get the behavior you need by using Tasker (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm). A quick search also turned up this app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonalight&hl=en), which supposedly can read/send text messages by voice alone.
As far as physical buttons go, well .. that's something you're just going to have to get used to, sorry

tengen said:
AFAIK, I don't think Google Now will do the things you want it to do out of the box. If you're willing to use third-party apps, though, I think you may be able to get the behavior you need by using Tasker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would Tasker accomplish this?

thanks for all the responses
is there itleast a way i can activate voice dialing from my headset button, i feel like that must be a feature for driving
i now have no lock screen, and when holding down the middle button of my headset, still get nothing
please help.

vicson88 said:
thanks for all the responses
is there itleast a way i can activate voice dialing from my headset button, i feel like that must be a feature for driving
i now have no lock screen, and when holding down the middle button of my headset, still get nothing
please help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue , headset button doesn't start voice while screen is off even if there is no screen lock ... Bit daft
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Switch off screen trick

Thought I'd share an interesting discovery,
I'm on the stock rom, and have both google search and google now disabled. I discovered by accident that whenever I press any of the three buttons and swipe up (similar to how you launch google now, but with any of the buttons), the screen is switched off and locked.
I dont 't know if anyone has noticed this before, but this is very useful since you can lock the phone from anywhere without having to use the hardware button.

I don't how you did this, but it doesn't work for me.
For me, when swiping up, if I move to the "google circle" it opens Google search, and if I don't move enough to that circle, nothing happens ...

ciberbeb said:
I don't how you did this, but it doesn't work for me.
For me, when swiping up, if I move to the "google circle" it opens Google search, and if I don't move enough to that circle, nothing happens ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As i mentioned, I have google search disabled as well. It also works with any of the 3 buttons. My phone isnt rooted or anything of that sort.

Install "screen off" app and do what khaledm_92 says

Google voice search, without the "beam me up Scotty" thing!

Simple question, but haven't found a clear answer:
Is it possible to launch the Google Voice search screen on the watch, without either having to swipe several times to the left or having to sound like a dork? I just want to be able to bind it to a clickable area on my watchface (for instance through Watchmaker), so I dont have to say "OK Google".
Is it possible through Tasker or by any other means?

came99 said:
Simple question, but haven't found a clear answer:
Is it possible to launch the Google Voice search screen on the watch, without either having to swipe several times to the left or having to sound like a dork? I just want to be able to bind it to a clickable area on my watchface (for instance through Watchmaker), so I dont have to say "OK Google".
Is it possible through Tasker or by any other means?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pujie Black is what I use, but I'm sure other Watch face apps have the option too.

After you open the app in any other way you find, won't you still have to talk to your watch and look like captain kirk?

Well true.. But saying "OK Google" is kind of a giveaway, compared to just saying "How will the weather be tomorrow". That just makes me look crazy and not dorky.
And oddly enough I find that I have to say "Okay Google" very loud and V-E-R-Y C-l-E-A-R-L-Y, which just adds to the goofyness... Google seems to be understanding "OK Google" far worse than it understands everything else..
So is it possible?

Trigger voice search in Android Auto programmatically ?

Does anyone know the intent that should be used to trigger voice search on a phone running the Android Auto app ?
I have tried calling android.intent.action.VOICE_ASSIST - which does bring up voice search, but it appears to be the full google assistant window, as it covers 2/3 of the screen, and sits on top of the screen if no command is heard.
I also tried android.intent.action.VOICE_COMMAND, this looks more like the voice search that is started from within Android Auto (only covers the top 1/4 of the screen, and disappears when finished listening) - but this doesn't appear to accept any voice input.. despite showing that it's listening.
Anyone have any ideas if there are other actions that can be called to kick off the voice search ? - I'm basically looking to replicate touching the mic button in the top right of Android Auto.
Thanks!

Did you ever find an answer to this?