App of the week: Google Assistant

Why Google Assistant? 

The Google ecosystem is growing faster than any other tech company. With a range of smart devices filling both the home and the office, it’s becoming harder and harder to go through a working day without relying on something from the tech company. Google Assistant is the latest app from the tech giant that allows you to manage and control all of your other Google products and services. 

What can I control from the app?

The app doesn’t rely on you having a tonne of Google products to work. In fact, you can synchronise the app with all the major calendar apps. It also allows you to sync multiple accounts to the one app, useful if you use separate accounts for work and home life.

The app works alongside whichever phone you use, including IOS and Android taking control of features also controlled by Siri or Bixby etc. These apps include things such as your alarms, making a phone call, hands-free messaging and even playing songs using third-party apps like Spotify.

The fun doesn’t stop with purely phone related apps. With more office spaces becoming ‘smart spaces’, Google Assistant allows you to control the lighting, heating and even the speakers from home if needed, provided these are smart devices.  

Is it easy to use?  

When you first open the app you’ll be asked to sign in using an email address. The app is surprisingly intuitive compared to similar apps on the market. To register any smart devices takes just a second or this process can be instant for any devices already set up with apps on your phone. To fully utilise the app for daily use took less than ten minutes.

Will it work on my phone?

The app is available from most app stores already and is compatible with:

• Android
• iOS
• KaiOS
• Jio Phone
• Nokia 8110 4G7

Price?

On all official app stores, Google Assistant is currently ‘Free’ to download and use. As with most Google products, there doesn’t seem to be any additional costs.

Is it worth the switch? 

With tech ecosystems becoming larger, as each firm wants dominance over the tech world. It’s nice to see Google Assistant compatible with some many devices. It is very quick to set up and can save time with all processes of day-to-day life. I found it particularly useful when scheduling meetings, arranging events and collecting contact information. It’s an app that really does transition seamlessly between work and home life. I would say it’s a must try for anyone that needs to streamline their workload.