Over the past week, I’ve been using the Gemini app and have found that my usage of Google Assistant through Pixel Buds Pro has significantly increased. I’ve been enjoying the balance between the two. 9to5Google has a revamped newsletter that features the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. You can sign up to receive it early in your inbox, or keep reading below.
If I weren’t actively testing Gemini, Google Assistant would absolutely be the default on my daily driver. It’s ready for those that want a dedicated mobile interface for Gemini, but I primarily need a smart assistant that can quickly control my phone via voice commands. My workaround has been invoking Assistant via Pixel Buds Pro. My top commands are playing music and podcasts – it’s absolutely wild that Gemini cannot do that at launch – as well as smart home controls. The touch and hold gesture to trigger Assistant is quite underrated, so tactile, and feels instantaneous. I’ve also had a fun time rediscovering what’s possible on the earbuds.
It’s even gotten me to ask for the weather and time even though I have a multitude of other ways to access that, like my two smartwatches (though I do wear long sleeves all the time). Meanwhile, device control commands include: However, I can’t bring myself to send texts via voice (even in the privacy of my home) just yet from an accuracy standpoint. We reported that Gemini is coming to Google Assistant headphones in what could be the first form factor expansion. It’s a better target than smart speakers as you have your phone to return to if something goes wrong. I do wonder how Gemini will be optimized for the audio-only form factor. Will Google make sure verbal responses aren’t as verbose and more concise? Whatever the case, I hope Gemini on headphones is much more feature complete, if not entirely, than the initial phone launch.
Google pulls Android 15 DP1 OTA images due to corruption issue Google Keep says lockscreen access for notes is ‘coming soon’ Review: The Galaxy S24+ is the only one I’d buy ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ on YouTube will now be delayed Google explains how Android Auto AI message summaries work Google now sells an adorable Android ‘The Bot’ figurine, but it’s going to sell out fast Galaxy Buds update brings live translation with AI and Android’s auto switching for calls Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra launches on March 14 with its much bigger size OnePlus Watch 2 officially revealed with 100-hour battery life, but will it have Wear OS? Wyze outage led to the cameras of 13,000 customers being shown to other users Chrome for Android adding second ‘Bookmark’ button to overflow menu Sony’s PlayStation Portal modded to play PSP games, thanks to Android YouTube rolling out redesigned channel pages on TVs
The transition from Assistant to Gemini can be quite worrisome; especially when you look at how the transition from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music is going. Currently, one is left with less than before. This could also be the case here. If you ask Gemini about the time or the opening hours of a store, you almost always get a wrong answer. I really miss having an overview of my appointments – not to mention, creating any at all. Additionally, I’m also wondering what happens to the function to play ambient sounds or just open websites. That had always worked well. Changing Android’s default assist app disables Circle to Search (which makes sense) ‘Gemini Business’ and ‘Gemini Enterprise’ plans for Google Workspace are coming 9to5Mac: Apple Music testing feature that easily imports playlists from Spotify and other services Electrek: Ford slashes prices of 2023 Mustang Mach-E and adds huge incentives for F-150 Lightning FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: Assistant is Google’s personal assistant that is… Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com
