Hey Google isn't just about voice search!
From television advertising, one might assume that the famous "OK Google" is the ability to specify a search query by voice. On computers, if you install a browser Google Chrome, there will also be such an opportunity - voice search.
But for owners of smartphones and tablets running Android OS, “OK Google” provides much more options. "Okay Google" on Android allows you to control your smartphone using voice commands. You can call, send SMS and email without touching the touchscreen - completely or almost completely hands-free!
- Call a person from the phone book.
- Send SMS to a subscriber from the phone book.
- Send Whatsapp message.
- Send a short e-mail to a subscriber from the phone book.
- Check the weather.
- Launch the application.
- Open the site.
- Find out the result of calculations (for example, 2 multiplied by 189).
- Find out the translation of a foreign word. Or translation from native to foreign.
This is not a complete list. And besides this, “Ok Google” allows you to use voice input of text, instead of typing this text on the keyboard. That is, for example, you can dictate a full e-mail letter.
Terms hint
- Tap, tap- short finger touch touch screen. Similar to left clicking on a computer.
- Long tap- touch with finger holding. Similar to right-clicking on a computer.
- Swipe- movement of a finger (or several) on the touch screen. For example, swiping scrolls the screen content on mobile devices. Or conclusion additional panels controls (swipe from the top or side edge of the screen).
How to enable voice control on Android
For voice control to work, you need a constant Internet connection! While this may work to a limited extent without the Internet, in this case the quality of your voice recognition will be so poor that it will be virtually impossible to use voice control.
The Google app is most often already installed in those versions of Android used by smartphone manufacturers. Smartphone manufacturers install Google Speech Synthesizer less frequently.
It is not difficult to check their presence on your device. Open "" and scroll through the list of applications:
If " Google app"is not in this list, then you need to install it from the Play Store.
Check whether it is installed or not speech synthesizer You can also do it through the settings (" Settings - Personal - Data - Language and input") there should be two options " Voice input" And " Speech synthesis":
If both the "Google App" and "Speech Synthesizer" are installed, then you can enable voice control in the settings.
First in the section " Settings - Device - Applications“You need to make sure that the “Google Application” is not disabled. And if it is disabled, then enable it.
After that, in the section " Settings - Personal Data -Google"open settings screen" Search andGoogle Now ":
This is what the screen looks like:
Then open the "Okay Google Recognition" screen. Here you need to specify the settings for "OK Google recognition":
- From active" Google apps". First, you will need to manually launch this application, for example with a shortcut from the Desktop, and then you can perform a voice command.
- If you enable the option " On any screen", then you can perform a voice command at any time, when the screen is on. Even on the lock screen. You will only need to say the phrase "OK Google" to activate voice assistant Google.
Voice typing (voice text)
If you tap on this icon, it will open the voice recognition screen:
However, the program adds spaces before these characters! Voice typing is absolutely real, but you will have to correct the dictated text manually. Unfortunately, the program cannot yet separate paragraphs; this will also need to be done manually.
How to download voice control for Android
If your device does not have the required two applications, then you will need to install them through the Google Play Store. This is not difficult at all, just like turning on the “Ok Google” service. However, there is one non-obvious aspect to this issue. This is the integration of the “OK Google” service into the graphical shell of the device (launcher), so that Google voice search is convenient to use.
There are launchers in which the “Okay Google” service is already integrated, for example the Chinese “Launcher 3”, which is particularly used in custom Android called Freeme OS. However, not all launchers integrate the “OK Google” voice assistant service.
And if your device has just such a launcher (Launcher), then it makes sense for you to try the launcher from Google, which is called “Google Start”. This launcher integrates not only voice control"Okay Google", but also another technology of the company - "Google Now". At the same time, the launcher itself is very simple and compact - nothing superfluous.
The "OK Google" voice assistant, by default, in this launcher, is available on the start screen and on the "Google Now" screen. However, you can configure settings to make voice control available on any screen, including app screens and the lock screen.
Start screen launcher "Google Start":
Google Now screen in Google Start launcher:
Application screen in the Google Start launcher:
She tells jokes, you can play cities with her. Uses the entire Google voice framework (synthesizer and speech recognition).
Alice Yandex uses its own speech synthesizer (not Google's, unlike Dusi and Sobesednitsa). There are no settings in the program. Speech recognition is good. Be that as it may, we must make allowances for the fact that this is the “youngest” program of this type. As far as I know, it was released only in 2017. Considering the seriousness of the developer, it can be assumed that it may have a good future.
Microsoft Cortana. Yes, Cortana is also available for Android. However, she only understands English and speaks only English herself. At the same time, its set of commands is smaller than in “Okay Google”. Cortana has the functionality of an interlocutor, but its interlocutor is useless. She does not shine with intelligence and a sense of humor. For example, to the request “OK Google”, Cortana responds trivially - “Google is ok, but this is Cortana”. But the main problem is of course English language. You need to have pretty good American pronunciation for her to understand you. It’s easier with short phrases, but long phrases (for notes, SMS, etc.) are difficult for her to dictate.
Cortana cannot be installed directly. First you need to install "Microsoft Apps" and from this application you can install Cortana. You will need a Microsoft account!
High-speed Internet
In order to use voice control normally, your smartphone must have a stable and high-speed Internet connection. If the connection is slow or unstable, then it will not be controllable, but a hassle.
Ivan Sukhov, 2016, 2017 .
If you found this article useful or simply liked it, then do not hesitate to financially support the author. This is easy to do by throwing money at Yandex Wallet No. 410011416229354. Or on the phone +7 918-16-26-331 .
Even a small amount can help write new articles :)
What is voice search
Entering text from the keyboard is not always convenient. Moreover, there are a number of situations when it is easier and faster to enter a command by voice, through a microphone.
Voice search is one of the innovations that allows you to speed up your interaction with the search engine. Google was one of the first to teach its search engine to respond to voice commands received from a computer or mobile device.
OK Google Voice Assistant Features
Using the application " Okay Google", the phone user can
- assign a wide range of voice commands to the Android system
- search on the Internet and search engine Google system
- receive accurate answers to queries in audio format
- manage applications and services on a mobile device
It is important to know that the service fully works in Russian, that is, it recognizes speech. Therefore, difficulties in mastering search tool A Russian-speaking user will not have it.
How to enable and configure the "OK Google" voice application on your phone
Most Android mobile phones and tablets already have a search bar from Google Search and are located on the main screen. Therefore, for the OK Google function to work on the device, it was enough to update the system at least once in the last three months.
So that all the requests mentioned above, as well as some others additional commands worked more correctly (that is, with a voice response or more accurate information) You will need an Android assistant called Google Now (aka Okey Google), which can be downloaded from us.
If the Google application is already present on your device (but disabled), to enable OK Google
- go to menu " Google Settings", then "Search and Hints",
- In the Google Now section, turn the switch to ON.
- in the upper left corner, click the menu icon (three horizontal stripes)
- Settings -> Voice search -> "OK Google" recognition.
Enabling Okay Google on a mobile device
Launch OK Google:
- depending on the version of Android, click on the Google search bar or the microphone next to it
- say one of the available commands into the microphone
This is how you enable OK Google.
For the most part, Okay Google queries are simply typed into the search bar after being spoken into the microphone. In some cases, the response to a voice command may be spoken in a synthesized voice. For example, to the question “Where was Pushkin born?”, the robot will answer you in Russian: “Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was born in Moscow.” In this case, information about the mentioned city will be displayed on the phone screen (in the search engine Google results). If you say “what does it look like…” before a phrase or command, then, as a result of a voice search, the Google search results will display the result of a search for photographs of the item mentioned in the request.
Installing OK Google on your computer. Unlike mobile devices, no additional programs are required to install the OK Google voice add-on on your computer. The only condition is installed browser on your PC and a microphone connected to the PC. For voice control, it is advisable to use the Google Chrome browser: the search feature is best implemented in it.
Until 2015 in settings Chrome browser There was a corresponding option in the "Search" parameters section. However, now she is gone. Therefore, to use Okay Google (i.e., voice search function), just go to the Google page and click the button to the right of search string to pronounce the command.
Voice commands Okay Google and application functions on Android
The traditional way to communicate with an Internet search engine is to enter text queries. In the "Okay Google" application, you access the Android OS directly, the applications installed on your phone, and control them through the microphone. A wide range of functions are available - voice commands for the organizer, calls and messages.
- By contacting the organizer with the phrase “wake me up tomorrow at 6.30 am”, you will open the alarm setting in okey google, where the time and date will already be indicated.
- To set a reminder, just say “remind me... (do something)” into the microphone.
- The function of voice creation of meetings and events works in the same way - “make a meeting... (anywhere, with someone at a specified time).”
- To check existing events, you can say the command-question “what is planned for tomorrow?”
- To create a note, say "Note:...".
- Okay Google on Android can also work with contacts. To make a call, enter the command “call (name from contacts)”
- The request for sending SMS sounds similar - “SMS (name from contacts) (message itself).”
- “working hours (of an establishment)”
- “how much are the shares (of the company) worth”
- "who it …"
- “how tall (for example, the Empire State Building)”
- “how to get to (destination)”
- "where is…"
- "Where is the nearest..."
Interface of the OK Google application on Android
Voice launch of Android applications
To others functionality The "Okay Google" application works closely with the Android OS. To open a program via okey google, use the command “open (application name)”, start playing music in the player - at the request “listen...” or “play (name of song)”. You can use commands to open the most popular applications on your mobile device (for example, the command "turn on the flashlight" will open the corresponding widget). There are a great many options for using OK Google, it all depends on your desire to use the potential of the OK Google application in conjunction with Android.
Summary. Voice search technology is quite young and presented by Google recently. But the usefulness of the auxiliary application is felt from the very first minutes of testing on Android. Over the short period of its existence, an impressive number of recognizable voice commands in Russian have been developed for the Google service. Their number is growing every month.
If you are connected to the Internet and don’t have time to spend a long time entering queries into a search engine in text form, setting reminders or writing notes, the Okey Google application for Android will simplify your life. Enabling OK Google and then setting up the application on your phone is not at all difficult. Voice Google quickly responds to commands from the user of a mobile device, and instantly. This is another reason to download Okay Google on your Android phone or computer.
Answers to readers' questions
Please ask any questions related to the use of the OK service, Google and voice search in general (via the contact form in the sidebar of the site).
I have Philips Xenium V387. At first, the “OK Google” application worked. Then I accidentally clicked “Delete Voice Sample” and now I can’t record it again. OK Google says “speak.” I say this command - and nothing. Voice search only works when you press the microphone. How do I set up OK Google so that voice search works correctly? OS version – Android 4.4.2. The main language is English (US), the additional language is Russian.
Answer. We wrote above about how to set up OK Google on Android. In your case, if nothing helps, try the following steps:
- Download the latest version of the application (download Okay Google is easier only from Google Play). Or update the current version of the application.
- Launch the application.
- Go to the Settings menu – Voice search – Recognition “OK Google”.
- Record your voice sample for recognition using a microphone.
OK Google doesn't work. When you press the microphone it works, but without pressing it does not respond to the voice. Everything is enabled and configured in the settings. Phone Meizu m3 max. Android 6.0. Tell me what to do, how to enable OK Google?
- Install the Application Google search
- Enable the option in your phone settings Google History audio.
- The primary language of voice search must be English.
I have Samsung Galaxy A3 2017, the OK Google voice function does not work when the display is sleeping, the settings are disabled automatically. How to enable ok google from standby mode? What launch programs can I use?
Answer. Indeed, you cannot turn on the voice assistant ok google from sleep mode. This is easily explained by the fact that otherwise the phone will quickly discharge.
In the Android settings you can increase the sleep interval. To do this, go to Settings – Display – Sleep mode and specify the desired interval. This will increase the opening interval. Google Assistant. There is also an app called Stay Alive! Keep screen awake, which disables sleep mode.
In the Samsung Galaxy, Okay Google was in the form of a ribbon on the main screen. I accidentally deleted it. Now voice search only works in the form of a microphone icon. Can you tell me how to return the search feed and enable ok google?
Answer. To return the Google search widget to your home screen, select Screen - Widgets - Google Search from the menu. If you have a non-standard Launcher (shell) installed, the method for enabling OK Google may be different, but the principle is the same.
The “OK Google” voice command is a universal tool with which you can do a lot of useful things online. For example, search and even control some functions of tablets or smartphones running Android OS. However, initially this feature is only available using the Google Now app. To use the command in any application on your device, today we’ll talk about how to enable Ok Google on Android.
How to activate "OK Google" using the Google Now app
First you need to check whether the function is activated on your gadget voice input. To do this, in the settings, go to the “ Language and input"and, if necessary, activate it:
Before moving on to a direct presentation of the topic, for the uninitiated, just a few words of background.
Application Google Now with the function " Okay Google» appeared in open access in mid-2012, almost simultaneously with new version Android 4.1. Since the owner of the Android OS is Google, like other services and tools of this developer, they are preinstalled on almost all devices of the operating system. Last Google version Now has been integrated into the Google app (Google search). Therefore, to activate " Okay Google"We need to go into this application (either through a shortcut or by long pressing the " Home"). Now, in the upper right corner of the screen, call up the menu (the button in the form of three horizontal lines) and select “ Settings»:
In settings, click on “ Voice search", in the window that opens, select " Recognition Okay Google" Next, activate the position “ From the Google app" And " On any screen" Now we need to record a sample of our voice for recognition by the system, to do this we “tap” on the corresponding line:
When a window opens on the display inviting you to start recording, click “ Begin", then, after reading the information about the purpose of the procedure, click the button " Start recording" and say three times " Okay Google" When recording is complete, click " Ready»:
How to activate “OK Google” using the Google Assistant application (for Android 5.0 and above)
In May 2016, Google announced a new application - “ Google Assistant» , which is essentially a continuation of " Google Now". Now a smart personal assistant can participate in dialogues and solve more complex problems. The program is relevant for Android devices 5.0 +, in addition, the application version " Google" should not have been earlier than 6.13, free memory you will need 1.4 GB, the gadget’s screen resolution is 720p. In addition, to activate the function, you must have the application " Google Services Play" On latest versions Android Google Assistant is a pre-installed application. If your device does not have an Assistant, but it fits into the required parameters, then this program can be used download from Play Store .
The activation procedure is extremely simple and looks like this. So, if the “OK Google” command is not active, then you can launch the program by holding down the “ button on the main screen of your tablet or smartphone Home", or simply saying " Okay Google" When the application opens, click " Further", in the window that opens, click the icon " Review"(in the upper right corner of the display), then call up the menu (three vertical dots) and go to " Settings»:
Now in the section " Devices“We need to choose the one we use (tablet or phone). If the application does not respond to voice commands, then proceed as follows. Let's launch GoogleAssistant, select " Re-record voice sample"And then, following the system prompts, write down the command. In general, if you have any questions about the operation of the application, you can call up the menu and open the section “ Reference» and get answers to all your questions:
Well, that’s all I wanted to talk about in this material. I hope that now the question “how to enable the OK Google command on Android” can be considered closed. Good luck!
Translation of Dave Lee's article
For the past month, I've been using the word "Google" to turn off my alarm. This is how I wake up. With the words “Okay, Google.” Not content with controlling our lives both online and offline, Google wants to make us shout the name of their corporation throughout the house.
The first morning I felt stupid, but I told myself to wait before jumping to conclusions. A month later, patience ran out. I'm going to explain in detail what exactly the problem is.
I often tease my predecessor Richard Taylor for being the only person I know who uses Apple's Siri personal assistant to its fullest.
You'll stand there minding your own business and Richard will pull out his phone and start dictating. text messages. Right in front of you. In front of strangers. I find it inconvenient, he thinks the opposite.
It's clear why he likes it so much - he uses this feature quite often, so the voice recognition is perfectly tuned to his speaking style. But what I can't understand is how he can calmly talk to a piece of metal when there are so many people around.
As for me, all my fingers would have to be cut off for me to consider doing this in front of people. Home is the only place where I can overcome myself in this regard.
So in the corner of my kitchen sits an Amazon Echo, a stylish little black cylinder that glows blue when it listens to me.
And in the corner of my bedroom there is the same stylish Google Home with its little lights.
Both devices are very neat. The voice recognition is very accurate, the speaker quality is amazing, and the processing power of these devices is enough to transcribe my tricky queries.
I speak to them in a whisper, barely audible, so that the neighbors don't think I'm a super nerd.
Something wrong
But here's the difference. To access Amazon, you call your assistant by name.
"Hey Alexa, what's new?"
The same goes for other assistants: Siri from Apple or from Microsoft. You don't necessarily have to call them by name when working, but it still gives a pleasant impression of interacting with the person.
For the same reason, we love movie characters with artificial intelligence. This makes us feel warm towards them.
I know in my heart that there is no difference in “Hey Google” or “Hey Alexa.” This adds neither privacy nor practical benefit. Both devices do exactly the same thing - use my data to help me (and then sell me something).
But I'm talking about a certain "awkwardness" factor that I feel myself. He should not be underestimated. When I use Amazon Echo, I talk to Alexa. When I use Google Home, I have to turn to the corporation. Or as Buzzfeed's Mat Hanani puts it: "I hate constantly saying, 'Okay, Google,' just because it makes me feel like I'm talking to a brand."
Achilles' heel
Back in October, when Google was holding intriguing events around the world to launch Google Home, I was able to have a quick chat about it all with Michael Sundermayer. He leads the product design team of this device.
They were originally going to give the system a friendly name, but the reason they changed their mind is clear: they wanted to make it feel like you were interacting directly with Google. To create not an assistant, but an all-powerful, all-knowing Google.
“This assistant is Google,” Michael comments. “This is something Google has been working on for 18 years.”
Friendly face
This is a huge step towards what we really want, to have one of these personal home assistants fit into our family life and become indispensable.
If we have the feeling that we are talking to real person, then this can be considered a huge step in the right direction.
Talk to Amazon Echo owners and they'll immediately start telling you how they developed a fondness for Alexa. I'm not the only person who often adds "please" and "thank you" when talking to her.
But as long as Google forces you to bark "Ok Google," Google Home is certainly not capable of becoming a full-fledged personal assistant. He will be a helper and a very good one. But not personal.
It's worth taking into account that the Google Home assistant has the full power of the Google ecosystem. It provides a better service than Alexa, Siri or Cortana. But it would be foolish of me to stop halfway, so I will try to use the influence of this blog to change Google for the better. I have an alternative.
A friend of mine noted that all assistants (with the exception of Siri) still have women's voices, thereby perhaps slightly supporting the idea that assistant is still exclusively a woman's job.
So let's go in a different direction: pay homage to one of the company's founders, Larry Page. I would love to shout, “LARRY! Turn up the volume!".
This means that I would start my morning by saying hello to Larry from bed, but whatever. The neighbors already look at me askance.
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