Is Google Now working AND useful for you?

lanwarrior · Feb 25, 2014

I know GNow kills battery due to the constant GPS use, but I was willing to give it a try if it "help" me with my life activities. However, the result has been less than impressive:

1). Weather
Always off by 5-10 degrees (California)

2). Public Transportation
Always informed me of the "nearest" train station, which I do NOT use and I use the other one (BART in California)

3). Package tracking
Never worked for me, especially now Amazon stop including the tracking number in their email.

So what else is GNow used for? How does that working out for you?

pepdavies · Feb 25, 2014

I find the delays on the motorway useful for my commute. Mine doesn't use GPS constantly.

Sent from my Nexus 5

aooga · Feb 25, 2014

lanwarrior said:
I know GNow kills battery due to the constant GPS use, but I was willing to give it a try if it "help" me with my life activities. However, the result has been less than impressive:

1). Weather
Always off by 5-10 degrees (California)

2). Public Transportation
Always informed me of the "nearest" train station, which I do NOT use and I use the other one (BART in California)

3). Package tracking
Never worked for me, especially now Amazon stop including the tracking number in their email.

So what else is GNow used for? How does that working out for you?

1. Weather is usually right...same area as you. It does the same thing as searching "weather in san francisco" in google.
2. Yeah that doesn't work.
3. That only worked when I ordered my N5. Amazon used to work, now it doesn't.

I just turned it off. I can still use all the voice commands, so it isn't a big deal.

mymusicathome · Feb 25, 2014

I don't mind it. Tracks similar articles referencing search strings, tracks sports teams. Liked the Olympic tracking although you could not specify what country you are tracking. Also like the tourists locations when out of town. I don't really notice a battery difference except after a day or 2 without rebooting (doesn't allow device to sleep. Reboot and it's all good again.)

Has a fair bit of potential and looking forward to future updates.

Sent from my HammerHead

aooga · Feb 25, 2014

pepdavies said:
I find the delays on the motorway useful for my commute. Mine doesn't use GPS constantly.

Sent from my Nexus 5

Doesn't do that in the US. At least not where I am.

Sc0rp10 · Feb 25, 2014

for me its useful for the following:

weather
traffic congestion
sports scores and match reminders
flight reminders
package tracking

lanwarrior · Feb 25, 2014

Sc0rp10 said:
for me its useful for the following:

flight reminders

package tracking

Does these tracking only works with the Gmail account which you activated Google Now with?

Example:
1). I use 2 Gmail accounts --> A and B
2). A is activated for GNow
3). B is used for online shopping (package tracking, flight confirmation, etc.)

If I forward package / flight email confirmation from B, will GNow tracks it too even though it is only associated with A?

Sc0rp10 · Feb 25, 2014

lanwarrior said:
Does these tracking only works with the Gmail account which you activated Google Now with?

Example:
1). I use 2 Gmail accounts --> A and B
2). A is activated for GNow
3). B is used for online shopping (package tracking, flight confirmation, etc.)

If I forward package / flight email confirmation from B, will GNow tracks it too even though it is only associated with A?

i have 2 gmail accounts too but i can only get notifications/reminders from the primary account. in the google now settings under accounts & privacy you can switch accounts so i guess it only works for one account at a time.

lanwarrior · Feb 25, 2014

Sc0rp10 said:
i have 2 gmail accounts too but i can only get notifications/reminders from the primary account. in the google now settings under accounts & privacy you can switch accounts so i guess it only works for one account at a time.

Forwarding the email to the primary account doesn't work?

Sc0rp10 · Feb 25, 2014

lanwarrior said:
Forwarding the email to the primary account doesn't work?

It works for me for flight tickets. Haven't tried it for anything else.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

dave99 · Feb 25, 2014

Strange, like everyone else, amazon tracking stopped worked a while back. However, I ordered a cable from amazon yesterday, and google now offered me a tracking option. I click it, and it takes me to the UPS site and offers tracking info. I'm looking at the shipping email in my gmail (desktop), I can't see any tracking number.

Viewing the source, I see it now. Amazon includes the ups tracking number in the link, and google now is scraping it.

nordlead2005 · Feb 25, 2014

I have Google Now enabled. I like the traffic times (and accident warnings), the sports updates/reminders and the package tracking.

Google Now will also pop up a card if I search a destination on my PC. Convenient if I actually needed directions on my phone, but unless the place was in the city, I probably don't need directions.

whitedragonz83 · Feb 25, 2014

I was under the impression that Google Now only uses WiFi and Cell towers to provide you location data. However, Google Play Services will have GPS data Google Now might use as well (Play Services collects GPS data at times under the Location Reporting feature). That's how I understand it and based on the Location window, Google Search/Now never uses GPS only Google Play Services.

Again, this is what I believe from my understanding of how Google Now works.

Lucke · Feb 25, 2014

lanwarrior said:
I know GNow kills battery due to the constant GPS use, but I was willing to give it a try if it "help" me with my life activities. However, the result has been less than impressive:

1). Weather
Always off by 5-10 degrees (California)

2). Public Transportation
Always informed me of the "nearest" train station, which I do NOT use and I use the other one (BART in California)

3). Package tracking
Never worked for me, especially now Amazon stop including the tracking number in their email.

So what else is GNow used for? How does that working out for you?

1. weather has been off by 1-3 degrees, but who's to say which weather service is truly correct (i trust google over yahoo for instance)
2. i don't use public transit (horrible system set up in socal), but it gives me great directions and info on travelling to my destinations. i always check it before leaving work to see how traffic is so i can plan my way home for that day.
3. package tracking works perfectly for me

i also use it for sports scores, and track my stock portfolio.

i use it all the time, and i haven't seen any issues with battery drain at all to say that it "kills" the battery.

shilton.charles · Feb 26, 2014

weather - yes
traffic congestion- no
sports scores and match reminders - yes
flight reminders - yes
package tracking - yes

Always listen feature is pretty heavy on battery and is never useful to me for most part of my day

However i use a Zerolemon extended battery so i only switch off when i am out for very extended periods of time
in short yes! google now is very useful to me and i love the new KITKAT integration with the experience launcher

mistahseller · Feb 26, 2014

I stopped using Google Now because it became kind of annoying. It kept recommending time to travel to these places that i frequented but it wanted me to label them and everytime I would swipe it away it would be there again the next day. I also turned it off for battery consumption. I just didn't find it that useful since my work place is constantly moving.

Also the weather seems inaccurate a lot of the time and I will just use the weather channel, or just briefly look at minarch which has the weather, current conditions and forcast right there on my homescreen.

mrro82 · Feb 26, 2014

I order from amazon a lot and it shows in Google now. UPS, FedEx, USPS. All there. I had about 6 in there earlier. All links worked.

Sent from the jaws of my Hammerhead!

cbutt · Feb 26, 2014

I use it for weather (home & work cities), traffic/commute (mine shows for home & 2 jobs), sports scores & games/matches, packages as well...

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

bblzd · Feb 26, 2014

I only use it for reminders, search references and sports updates. Otherwise its blank and seems minimal on battery.

The weather update was waking my phone consistently to update, where as dash clock does it only when the screen comes on so I use that instead.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Kayen · Feb 26, 2014

Fairly useless battery drain for me. Weather? Off, location? It's annoying but i'm fairly sure I know how to get home.

Is Google Now working AND useful for you?

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