Your Android Smartphone can ‘Now’ be your Personal Assistant.

Just short of bringing you coffee, the new Google Now feature acts like a personal assistant. Compare it to Apple’s Suri, but on steroids. Google Now can react to voice inquiries; proactively alert you of useful information such as traffic jams or warn of package delivery to your door and much more. Proactive means it can alert you of delays in travels with time to spare and suggest other routes. It also has weather, recent searches, meetings and upcoming event alerts. If you are a frequent flyer this is a great app to utilize! QR codes are available for boarding passes and flight statuses are available all in a widget format.

Down to the smallest task at hand, Google Now has you covered. Never forget to do the small things like take out the trash or grab some eggs on way home from work. This is only the tip of the iceberg. If you’re not quite convinced, check out the full list of features here.

What’s the catch? You need to allow Google to access your personal information such as your email, calendar and location [much like a personal assistant]. If you are already using your Android, chances are you have allowed such access through other portals. So you may as well make the best use of your time and be extra productive with this new personalized alert system.

To enable this option, just swipe up from the Home button on your Android to see the Google Now app for an explanation of services and check the acceptance box that says “OK, I’m in!”

James Ritter

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), IT Service Management, Team Building, IT Strategy, and Management. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) focused in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management from Humboldt University of Berlin (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin).