5 Useful Things You Can Do with OK Google

5 Useful Things You Can Do with OK Google

Apple users have Siri, Windows 10 users can call upon Cortana, and Android users can use Ok Google. Ok Google can do a lot more than just look stuff up however, and it even rivals Siri in some ways.

Ok Google can be accessed by typically saying “Ok Google” or tapping the microphone button on the Google search bar on your Android tablet or phone.

t’s important to note that Ok Google is accessible if you have Google Now installed on your smartphone or tablet, so if you can’t access it, then you’ll first need to download and install Google Now from the Play Store if your version of Android supports it.

The Google Now Launcher is only available for Android 4.1 and above.

Many users might already use Ok Google to look stuff up because it plugs right into the mighty search engine. What you might not realize, is that it can do so much more and is, in fact, a fairly full-featured digital personal assistant.

Today, we want to take a tour of many of the things you can do with Ok Google and show you how it can make your life just a little bit more convenient and easier.

Open Applications

With Ok Google, you can open applications without touching your device, simply say, “Ok Google, open Pandora” or “open Netflix” and it will dutifully open them on your device.

The ability to open applications means that you won’t have to hunt for them on your home screen(s).

If the application isn’t available, then you will have the option to download it from the Play Store.

Set Timers and Alarms

Need to set a quick timer for something you’re cooking? Maybe you want to take a short power nap. No problem, just tell Ok Google to “set a timer for 15 minutes” or “set an alarm for 6:30 PM” and that’s it.

When you start a timer, you simply specify the duration for your timer and it will begin automatically.

On the other hand, if you want to stop your timer or cancel your alarm, it seems that you have to still do so manually.

Define Words

Not sure what something means or even how to spell it? You can ask Ok Google to define it for you so you always use the right word in the right place.

Now the next time you’re unsure whether you’re using the right word in the right context, you can just ask Ok Google.

Call, Text, and Message People

Two other things you can do with Ok Google, both of which are similar and thus lumped under the same heading are the ability to call and text people.

Just like with Siri, you can use Ok Google to call and text people, thus assuring that if you’re driving, your eyes never leave the road.

This works just as it does with Siri. Simply queue up Ok Google and then ask it to call a contact or a number or text someone. Ok Google will either prompt you for further information, or you can dictate the message contents when you give the command.

Once you have your text message ready, you can send it on its way. Additionally, you can have Ok Google read your text messages back to you, which means that your eyes never need to leave what you’re doing.

You can also use Ok Google to send Hangouts messages as well as post to Twitter and Facebook.

Change Settings and Control Your Device

You can use Ok Google to control your device and change settings, here we ask it to turn on the flashlight.

Obviously, you can affect all kinds of settings as well, such as Wi-Fi, which is especially convenient if your mobile connection is unreliable or vice-versa.

You can try this out with all your settings to make it a lot more easier to use your phone or tablet to make quick adjustments. Want to take a picture or shoot a quick video? Ask Ok Google to “take a picture” or “shoot a video” and that’s it.

Other Stuff

There’re a quite a few other things you can do with Ok Google, some of which include:

• Track packages provided you have the tracking information in an email message.
• Show you which bills are due.
• Display your flight info (it needs to be in an email message).
• Ask for sport scores and team schedules.
• Play and control music from Google Play Music.
• Ask where and what movies are playing.

As you can see, Ok Google is similarly useful to Siri in many ways and quite versatile to boot. Additionally, because it is plugged into Google, you can search for anything.

Overall, Ok Google has come a long way from when it was simply a convenient way to map routes and search for stuff. As time goes on, it’s gaining more and more skills that are giving the likes of Siri a run for its money.

In any event, if you use any of the latest Android phones or tablets, then Ok Google is more than likely going to available to you.

We hope you found his article informative and useful, if you have any questions or comments you would like to contribute, please leave your feedback in our comment box.