4 ms·

So, "Google Now". Freaky ? What's HN's first impression?

skystorm 14y ago
Kinda creepy indeed. But at least they're being (more) honest about all the things they know about you, like which sports team you favor. ;)
- draggnar 14y ago
  There seemed to be a collective gasp in the room. I did too. It seems like there is a red line somewhere for digital integration, I'm not sure exactly where it is or if it is moving as people get more comfortable with technology.
mikemarotti 14y ago
Might as well use all that info they're collecting on you in some useful way.
gfosco 14y ago
Very freaky, and scary... I don't like it. Just because I search for something, doesn't mean I want it forever assigned to me.
ConstantineXVI 14y ago
I've been waiting for this. My phone has effectively had 24/7 access to my life for the past two years, about time it starts making use of it.
zyb09 14y ago
My first impression is nothing of this will probably work if you don't live in San Francisco or New York.
- drivebyacct2 14y ago
  Why? Google has a huge source of information for traffic analysis, time estimates via Google Maps. The "ETA" on Nav is precise no matter whether I'm in podunk Midwest city or Seattle and I get traffic overlays in both as well.
  - moe 14y ago
    Why? Ever tried any of their location based features in europe?
    - Locke1689 14y ago
      It was fine for me in Amsterdam and London.
    - drivebyacct2 14y ago
      I can't say that I have. Granted, there is a huge amount of territory in the United States that is neither San Francisco or New York. And as much as you or I may not like it, it seems pretty clear that Google primarily targets the United States for new features. (Given the crowd-sourced nature of their traffic data, I would venture to guess that it's partly because of legal issues).
    - smithian 14y ago
      I have used my android phone for turn-by-turn navigation, finding transit, restaurants and other POI, translating foreign-language signs, etc. making me a pretty independent world traveler in Tokyo, Hamburg, London, Milan, and Paris. I have rarely had any problems with their location-based features.
    - auxbuss 14y ago
      Pretty much every day for the last two years. My Android phone is my satnav. It works. Faultlessly.
    - candeira 14y ago
      They work for me fine in Melbourne (frequently) and Madrid (though I have used it sparsely there).
jedc 14y ago
The "you need to leave at 10:14 minutes because it'll take 16 minutes to get to your 10:30 appointment" (because of local traffic/public transit) looks AWESOME.
hu_me 14y ago
I think google just replaced the need for recently launched Cue[1] (Greplin) with Google Now [1]https://www.cueup.com/ https://www.cueup.com/
laconian 14y ago
Very Siri-like.
zem 14y ago
looks very impressive, but i'll probably never use it due to having enough problems with battery life as is.
josteink 14y ago
I love it. I love how it warns me that to make the meeting on other side of town I need to be going in 10 minutes. Because without asking it used my calendar, the GPS, Google Maps and calculated how long it would take for me to get to my next meeting. This is pretty sweet tech. This is above anyone else on the market right now.

Kinda creepy indeed. But at least they're being (more) honest about all the things they know about you, like which sports team you favor. ;)

draggnar 14y ago
There seemed to be a collective gasp in the room. I did too. It seems like there is a red line somewhere for digital integration, I'm not sure exactly where it is or if it is moving as people get more comfortable with technology.

mikemarotti 14y ago

Might as well use all that info they're collecting on you in some useful way.

gfosco 14y ago

Very freaky, and scary... I don't like it. Just because I search for something, doesn't mean I want it forever assigned to me.

ConstantineXVI 14y ago

I've been waiting for this. My phone has effectively had 24/7 access to my life for the past two years, about time it starts making use of it.

zyb09 14y ago

My first impression is nothing of this will probably work if you don't live in San Francisco or New York.

drivebyacct2 14y ago
Why? Google has a huge source of information for traffic analysis, time estimates via Google Maps. The "ETA" on Nav is precise no matter whether I'm in podunk Midwest city or Seattle and I get traffic overlays in both as well.
- moe 14y ago
  Why? Ever tried any of their location based features in europe?
  - Locke1689 14y ago
    It was fine for me in Amsterdam and London.
  - drivebyacct2 14y ago
    I can't say that I have. Granted, there is a huge amount of territory in the United States that is neither San Francisco or New York. And as much as you or I may not like it, it seems pretty clear that Google primarily targets the United States for new features. (Given the crowd-sourced nature of their traffic data, I would venture to guess that it's partly because of legal issues).
  - smithian 14y ago
    I have used my android phone for turn-by-turn navigation, finding transit, restaurants and other POI, translating foreign-language signs, etc. making me a pretty independent world traveler in Tokyo, Hamburg, London, Milan, and Paris. I have rarely had any problems with their location-based features.
  - auxbuss 14y ago
    Pretty much every day for the last two years. My Android phone is my satnav. It works. Faultlessly.
  - candeira 14y ago
    They work for me fine in Melbourne (frequently) and Madrid (though I have used it sparsely there).

jedc 14y ago

The "you need to leave at 10:14 minutes because it'll take 16 minutes to get to your 10:30 appointment" (because of local traffic/public transit) looks AWESOME.

hu_me 14y ago

I think google just replaced the need for recently launched Cue[1] (Greplin) with Google Now [1]https://www.cueup.com/ https://www.cueup.com/

laconian 14y ago

Very Siri-like.

zem 14y ago

looks very impressive, but i'll probably never use it due to having enough problems with battery life as is.

josteink 14y ago

I love it. I love how it warns me that to make the meeting on other side of town I need to be going in 10 minutes. Because without asking it used my calendar, the GPS, Google Maps and calculated how long it would take for me to get to my next meeting. This is pretty sweet tech. This is above anyone else on the market right now.