All the New Google Assistant Features Announced at CES 2020

New features, including advanced speech technology and advanced smart home control, are coming to the Google Assistant later this year. (Photo Credit: Google)

Hey Google, can you manage my smart home, create notes, and translate web text?

Now you can get it all done, thanks to Google Assistant’s new features focused on connectivity, advanced speech technology, and more.

The new features, which were announced at CES 2020, are expected to roll out later this year. They aim to make the Google Assistant more helpful across homes, cars, and smartphones. With more than 500 people using the Google Assistant each month, Google is elevating its smart tech presence with this major update.

Make Your Smart Home Dreams Come True

Wouldn’t it be nice to have more control of smart home devices? Scheduled Actions will allow you to ask the Google Assistant to turn on/off or start/stop a Google-friendly smart device at a specific time. All you have to do is say “Hey Google, shut off the lights at 10 p.m.,” or “Hey Google, start the coffee maker at 7 a.m.” and not think about it.

More smart devices, including August Smart Locks, GE Appliances Ultrafresh Front Load Washer, and the Yeelight Staria Bedside Lamp Pro, will also be compatible with the Google Assistant. You can control these gadgets and many more from the Google Home App for the ultimate smart home setup.

Leave Notes

Ditch the collage of Post-its and opt for Google Assistant’s household notes instead: With this feature, you can create “digital memos” for everyone at home. Say “Hey Google, leave a note that says I cleaned the fridge,” or “Hey Google, tell the kids I already fed Buddy,” and they’ll be able to read it on smart home devices.

Read Out Loud

Some virtual assistants still talk like a bot, but Google is trying to change that with the Google Assistant. New voice data sets that are more expressive are coming to the device soon.

To start, the company is exploring how Google Assistant can read webpages with long-form content on smartphones. With a compatible Android device, you can say “Hey Google, read it,” or “Hey Google, read this page” when you’re reading an online article from a smartphone. There’s even the option to translate text into 42 languages, making comprehension easier.

Google would also like to incorporate auto-scroll and text highlighting to make the read out loud experience more natural-sounding and less automated.

Info Stays Private

Privacy has been a major issue for some virtual assistant devices lately, but Google is stepping up security with standby mode.

The Google Assistant will stay in standby mode until it is activated with your commands. In this state, the Google Assistant won’t send your speech to Google or anyone else.

Two new voice actions will be available soon, including “Hey Google, that wasn’t for you” to let the Google Assistant forget unintended conversations and “Hey Google, are you saving my audio data?” to change your privacy preferences.

The Google Assistant app is available to download on Google Play and the App Store. Read more about compatible devices, set-up, and more here.

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