Google has finally opened the gates for the developers to make Google Assistant more productive. Now developers can create custom commands that enable the assistant to do application-specific tasks. At present devices with Assistant are limited to some set of universal commands like “On, Off, and Dim” while the additional features can be added with the Application actions but it adds an additional step for the developers if they are trying to develop more complex products.
Google also suggests the use of Assistant in electronic appliances like Oven and Washing Machine so that the manufacturer could use this ability to program specific voice commands into their products. For Example: Turn on the air conditioner and set the temperature to 17’C.
LG has already taken advantage of this technology by saying talk to LG before issuing a command which will let you control all the LG’s connected appliances which provides the user with much faster and natural interaction.
Some of the features listed on the Google’s blog are:
- Notifications. You’ll soon be able to subscribe to information on your phone from your personal Actions, so you can hear about a recently added workout, a change in a stock price, or a news alert, right when it happens. For instance, Esquire can send you daily “wisdom tips” to start your day off with a little sage advice and you can ask Forbes for a “quote of the day.”
- Better media playback. Operations will support media playback on speakers and Android phones, providing you access to more audio experiences like longer meditation sessions, relaxing sounds, clips from your favorite TV shows and news announcements. With this update, you can also easily pause or replay audio with your voice, or when you’re on your phone, you’ll see a media player you can tap to pause, replay, or even turn the screen off while the audio continues playing. With The Daily Show Action, for example, you can listen to the latest full and extended interviews.
- New Actions. Google has recently started a handful of new Actions for the Assistant, so if you’re in the mood for some thought, to listen to music, a quick trivia game or a good laugh, give these a whirl: American Idol, Trivia from iHeartRadio, Calm, The Mindfulness App.
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Source: TechCrunch, The Verge