With their continuing efforts to innovate and experiment, Google would be soon be testing some new and creative options with their Google search bar, the Google Now app. Next time you call out the Google Now app on your Android smartphone to search something; don’t be surprised to see a few new options. Some of the additional options that appear in the Google search bar, as reported by many users include “What’s hot”, “Restaurant offers” and “Nearby” points. These are server side switches applied by Google on their servers. So, they do not require an App update to enable these additional options. These features can be tweaked at the server end without any notification to the Android user. Selecting “What’s hot” would return the top searches in Google while choosing “Nearby” gives another list that shows “Gas Stations”, “ATMs”, and “Coffee”. Besides, Google has been showing your recent search history in the drop-down for quite some time now.
Image Courtesy: Droid-life
For those who are unaware of what this “Google Now” app is, it is an android app developed by Google that would be preinstalled in your Android smartphone. It is also available for download in the Google PlayStore. Using the Google Now app you can instantly search with the power of the Google search engine. The Google Now supports search via voice typing as well as the manual typing. For voice search all you have to do is say “Okay Google” followed by your search criteria. The Google Now Android app can collaborate with other in-built apps in the Android smartphone. For example when you say “Okay Google” followed by “Call Lisa”, the Google Now app would make the android system search for Lisa in the contacts list and place a call if an exact unique match is found. Else, it would list out the possible options.
Over a period of time, Google has been developing techniques to track user behavior in terms of what they search for, and what they would be interested to know about. The result is that we are treated with a dose of information much more than what we wanted. Some of these features can be quite handy, while others can be just distracting. Whatever be the case, this feature that is being tested by Google from their servers would very soon find its place permanently in our search drop-down lists. Many would love this new initiative by Google and appreciate the variety it offers. Google indeed wants us to spend a bit more time on it.
So, if you come across something new while searching in your Google Now app, do not be alarmed. You could well be just going through the motions of a product update, to add a great feature.
