Month: March 2018

While Apple's Siri started the mobile voice assistant craze, it's easy to argue that Google Assistant has surpassed it. Combining a natural speaking format with the power of Google, having Assistant around is one of the best perks of Android.

In this guide, we'll explain what Google Assistant is, what it's used for, and how to start using it yourself.

Google Assistant is Google's virtual voice assistant. It's an evolution of old Android feature known as Google Now, which provided you information about your interests before you even asked. It competes with Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and (to a lesser extent) Microsoft's Cortana.

Assistant launched in May 2016 as part of Google's smart messaging app Allo, which is no longer around. After a brief time of exclusivity on the first Google Pixel phone, Google Assistant is now available on pretty much every Android device running Android 5.0 above.

Though it's most well-known on Android, Google Assistant is available elsewhere too. You can access it on Android Wear, on iPhone and iPad through the Google Assistant app, through the Google Home line of smart speakers, and on other devices too.

Note that in the screenshots and instructions below, we're using a Pixel 4. This features the revamped version of Google Assistant, but the differences are mostly aesthetic.

On an Android device, you can summon Google Assistant through a few methods, depending on your phone. This is the easiest way to check if you have Google Assistant ready to go.

If your phone has the three-button navigation bar at the bottom, press and hold the Home (circle) button to summon Google Assistant. With the two-button navigation setup, press and hold on the pill-shaped Home button instead.

On newer Android phones using the all-gesture navigation setup, swipe inward diagonally from either of the bottom corners instead. The Pixel 2 and above support squeezing the edges of your device to bring up Assistant, or you can tap the Assistant button on the Google search widget.

Finally, on many Android phones, you can also say "OK Google" to bring up Google Assistant by voice.

If you see Assistant appear after using any of these methods, then it's built into your phone and ready to go. If you have it built-in but don't have it enabled, you'll see a prompt to enable the feature instead.

On Google Home devices, Google Assistant is built-in.

Went through the above steps and found that you don't have Google Assistant installed? It's easy to get Google Assistant on your device.

On Android, download the Google Assistant Android app from the Play Store. Make sure you've updated the Google app on your device, per the Google Assistant requirements.

In addition, you must have a phone with Android 5 Lollipop or higher, along with a minimum 1GB of memory and a 720p screen. Remember that you don't need this app if Google Assistant is built into your device.

If you use an iPhone, download the Google Assistant iOS app from the App Store. It requires iOS 11 or newer.

And in case you're wondering, Google Assistant does not cost money. It is completely free, so if you see a prompt to pay for Google Assistant, it's a scam.

To call up Google Assistant on compatible Android phones, use the gestures mentioned above or say "OK Google." With some phones, you can also say "Hey Google." On an iPhone or iPad, you'll need to open the Google Assistant app and either say "OK Google" or tap the microphone icon.

If you don't want to use your voice, you can also type out a question. Touch the keyboard button at the bottom-right to enter text into Google Assistant. It will respond just as if you were talking.

A handy feature of Google Assistant is that it understands context quite well. For example, if you ask "When was Denzel Washington born?" and then say "What movies is he known for?", Google knows you mean Washington when you say "he" in the second command.

Once you've pulled up Google Assistant, you can ask it anything you'd like. Assistant can interact with lots of apps and services, and it will pull up Google results if it can't help with your question.

Now that you have it set up, what is Google Assistant used for? As it turns out, Assistant can help you with any kind of information you'd like to learn, or action you'd like to take on your phone.

Some of the most popular questions you can ask Google Assistant include prompts like:

• How's the weather?
• Find sushi restaurants near me.
• Navigate home.
• Call Sam.
• Text Mary "I'll be there in an hour."
• Wake me up at 8am.
• Remind me to clean the bathroom when I get home.
• Play some country music.
• Did the Giants win their last game?
• Define "vivacious."
• How do I say "Where is the train station" in Japanese?

• Decrease the brightness.
• How old is Gal Godot?
• Open Telegram.
• Let's play a game.
• Turn off my bedroom lights.

This is just scratching the surface of what the Assistant can do. We didn't even mention the smart home functionality, since that requires you to have compatible devices.

Check out lesser-known Google Assistant functions if you're interested in more. And if you'd like to have a few laughs, there are also many funny questions you can ask Google Assistant.

Setting Up Google Assistant for Efficiency

Google Assistant doesn't require any real setup to start working. But you can tweak a few options to make it work to your liking.

To find all options related to Google Assistant, navigate to the buried menu at Settings > Google > Account services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Google Assistant.

These are the most useful sections under the You tab:

• Your places: Enter your home and work addresses, as well as anywhere else you want to give the Assistant by name. This makes for easy navigation, perhaps while using Android Auto in your car.
• Your people: Add family members so Assistant knows who "Grandma" is.
• News: Choose your favorite news sources, which are used for your daily digest when you ask Google Assistant for the latest stories.

Under the Assistant tab, take a look at the following:

• Assistant voice: Change the way your Assistant sounds.
• Continued Conversation: Enable this and Google Assistant will listen for follow-up questions right after it's done talking to you.
• Voice Match: Teach your Assistant how your voice sounds for better recognition.
• Home control: If you use smart home devices, set them up to work with Assistant here.
• Routines: An incredibly useful feature; Google Assistant Routines let you set up groups of actions that run with one command.

Finally, under Services, have a look at the following options:

• Notes & Lists: Choose a provider to sync your Google Assistant notes with.
• Music: Set your preferred music provider so Google Assistant knows what to play your requests on.

Most of the other settings here affect Google Assistant in some way, but these are the most useful ones.

You can disable Google Assistant if you never use the feature or are concerned about Google listening.

To do this, head back to the same menu above Settings > Google > Account services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Google Assistant. Switch to the Assistant tab at the top, then pick Phone (or your device's name) at the bottom to access options specifically for your device. There, disable the Google Assistant slider to shut the feature off.

Once you've done this, if you try to launch Google Assistant in the future, you'll see a prompt to turn the feature back on. You can also follow the above to turn Assistant back on if you prefer.

We've taken a look at what you should know to get started with Google Assistant. Now you know what it does, whether you have it, and how to use it. Voice commands are super useful, so you're in for a treat if you haven't used Assistant yet.

If you love voice commands, why not go further and try controlling Android entirely with your voice?

Is your phone charging slow? Your smartphone can do a whole lot---but not if the battery's exhausted. Unfortunately, as your phone gets older, it might take longer to charge.

Let's talk about how mobile device charging works and the different charging methods available for current-generation phones. We'll also see why older phones might require more time to charge and what you can do about it.

Every mobile phone has a battery. For the most part, each battery delivers power the same way.

A cell battery contains two electrodes (one positive and one negative) and an electrolyte. Through usage, ions form in the electrodes, which drives a flow of electronics to your battery's negative outer terminal, thereby giving off a charge.

In non-rechargeable batteries, these chemical reactions only occur one time. With rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, like the ones found in phones, the chemical reactions are "reversible." Thus, recharging allows the cell to absorb power.

In broad terms, there are two ways to charge your smartphones: wired and wirelessly. There are pros and cons for both.

Like other consumer electronics, smartphones have always shipped with cables for charging purposes. For a long time, these cables didn't change.

For almost a decade, non-Apple devices have shipped with USB cables that have supported the USB 3.0 architecture. By contrast, since 2012, Apple devices have used Lightning, a proprietary computer bus and power connector.

"Fast Charging" technology has increased wired charging speeds considerably in recent years. This type of technology typically requires a newer USB Type-C connection. Fast charging specifications differ by manufacturer and device. For example, using a 45 Watt charger you can get your Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra up to 70 percent battery in 30 minutes.

The most significant reason to stick with wired charging technology, at least for now, is efficiency. Plus it's relatively universal, so if you forget to pack one when travelling then it's likely your accommodation will have a spare.

Not surprisingly, cables are the biggest reason to ditch wired charging technology. Cables are annoying and can become worn over time.

This brings us to an increasingly popular form of phone charging: wireless. There are many benefits to using wireless charging, although it does come with some drawbacks.

With wireless charging, you no longer have to worry about finding a cable. Instead, you just set your phone on a stationary charging pad---no fiddling around plugging a cable into your phone.

Convenience is another reason consumers are embracing wireless charging. Many of the charging pads on the market today allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time. They are also platform agnostic, meaning the same wireless charger will work for your Android and iOS device.

Wireless charging can be slower and less efficient than wired charging, though of course that depends on what type of charger you buy. However, because most phones can go an entire day between charges, this discrepancy isn't as significant. Just place your phone on the charger before going to bed, and you're good to go.

Wireless chargers also tend to generate some wasted heat, which in very rare cases could lead to your phone overheating. To avoid injury, make sure you only buy certified wireless charging bases. Wireless charging products are also more expensive than wired solutions.

Now that you know how battery charging works, it's time to look at what might be slowing down your older phone while charging.

The most straightforward reason your phone might be charging slower than before might have nothing to do with the phone itself. Instead, you could have a bad cord or adaptor, or weak power source.

USB cables get put through a lot, especially in homes with multiple users and devices. These cables are often dropped, bent, kept in locations where temperatures can vary significantly, and even stepped on. Therefore, before anything else, change the cable and see if that eliminates the problem.

You should also switch out the adaptor and see if that makes a difference. Do you continue to use the same adaptor even after buying a new phone? You should use the newer one.

Ideally, use chargers from reputable companies. The one that came with your phone is the best. If you buy some random unknown brand, you might find that it doesn't charge as quickly as your phone is capable of.

Many people like to charge their mobile devices using a port on their computer. This isn't always an ideal solution, depending on your computer's age and whether other ports on your machine are in use at the same time.

Everything else being equal, you should use a direct source to charge your phone. In other words: use a wall charger whenever possible. And ensure that you are using a safe charger.

Your cable isn't the only element that could have problems from daily charging. Your phone's charging port could also suffer some damage. Look at the port for corrosion or obstruction. While this probably isn't the reason it's taking more time to charge your device, you should at least rule it out.

To find the latter, use a flashlight and magnification to look around inside your phone's port. Try to remove any object (lint, dust, etc.) that doesn't belong, being very careful not to cause damage to the port's components.

You can carefully use a plastic toothpick to remove any objects. Using a small, soft brush inside the port is also good.

Phones that take forever to charge can also have a hard time keeping a charge when in use. A rogue app, or background apps in general, could be the reason for this.

Both Android and iOS have tools for you to find out what apps are running in the background. For Android-based devices, check out the battery usage menu located at Settings > Battery (or it might be under a section like Device care). On your iPhone, select Battery in the Settings app to see which apps are using the most battery.

Some apps might show high battery usage just because you use them often. Look for apps that have minimal time usage but questionably high battery usage. When you think you've located the nasty app, delete it and see if your battery life and charging speed improves.

If your phone is more than two or three years old, and has had heavy use during that period, it might be time to think about having the battery replaced.

Lithium-ion batteries don't last forever and can only be recharged a limited number of times. Therefore, it could be that the battery itself is what's causing the slow recharging.

While it's rare now, your phone might have a removable back so that you can easily buy a replacement battery and swap it out. However, it's more likely that you'll need to take your phone to a repair shop to ask for more information on replacing the battery in your device.

Are you the type of person that has to use your smartphone even when it's charging? Perhaps you're the reason the device takes so long to recharge.

Apps such as Facebook are notorious for sapping battery life on phones. Nowhere is this more apparent than when you're attempting to recharge your device while also leaving posts on your social network.

Some phones will struggle to provide power for use and charge at the same time. Put your phone down and let it charge in peace.

It shouldn't take a long time to recharge the battery on your phone. If you've noticed it slowing down significantly, there's probably an issue that's easy to resolve. If the tips found in this article haven't helped, consider taking your device to the nearest authorized service center to have an expert take a look.

Struggling to get a charge at all? Here's how to fix an Android phone that won't charge.