It’s the Christmas season and sometimes it can be busier than we want it to be. As part of the Christmas spirit, Google has rolled out new Google Assistant features, which aside from the addition, encourages us to stay well-mannered during the Christmas season. The new features will encourage you to be a better person and remain more polite. After all, if you don’t behave well, Santa won’t give you a present, right?
Google’s blog post reads “7 ways the Google Assistant can help you survive the holidays,” which means its packed with features which prove “patience is the key to any battle.” It’s not all just about manners, the Google Assistant will also help you stay more productive and entertain your entire family. If you own a device like Google Home Hub, you’ll be able to turn it into a karaoke machine.
Google also allows you to create your perfect gift list, which you can use when in a hurry to buy Christmas gifts for your family. Here are the commands following “Hey Google…”:
- “Create a gift list”
- “Add opera tickets for mom to my gift list”
- “What’s on my to-do list?”
- “Show me my last note”
Another feature includes a recently launched Google Broadcast feature, which lets you make a recording of your voice and send it to a Google speaker or display. The improved version of the feature will allow users to also send their replies.
If you have children who are always up for some “Story time,” especially if the story revolves around Christmas, one of the new Google Assistant features can also tag along and read the story instead of you. For example, all you have to say is “Hey Google, let’s read along with Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” If you want to check the list of titles Google Assistant will read, you can do so here.
One of the new Google Assistant features is also the Pretty Please feature, which makes sure you remain well-mannered and polite. If you make commands to Google Assistant using the words “please” or “thank you,” Google Assistant will respond in a well-mannered tone, using polite phrases to encourage you to continue doing the same in the future. It’s not only aimed toward people who have forgotten about using polite words, since we are live such a fast-paced lifestyle, but also to encourage children to be well-mannered.
There could be other reasons as well. Perhaps, Google was inspired to implement this feature as another “thank you,” to the old lady who was politely searching on Google. As reported by the Guardian two years ago, Google thanked the then 86-year old British woman for using her polite manners to search on Google. The feature may also prove useful to impatient people who curse at their Assistants, perhaps the Assistants grew tired of it.
Dearest Ben’s Nan.
Hope you’re well.
In a world of billions of Searches, yours made us smile.
Oh, and it’s 1998.
Thank YOU@Push10Ben— Google UK (@GoogleUK) June 15, 2016
Dear Grandma,
No thanks necessary. ?
Sincerely,
Googlehttps://t.co/vedrVek8nb— Google (@Google) June 15, 2016
Perhaps, there’s nothing spectacular in the mentioned features, but they sure do make the Christmas season even more welcome, with Google wanting to contribute to a more peaceful and happier holiday atmosphere while being well-mannered.