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Google Maps has become a household name for navigating across locations. For some, it has become a part of their life, whether it’s for discovering new places, strolling around or choosing shorter routes. Over the years, Google has been adding features to make it better, and it has done it again.
Google has been rolling out AI features to many of its apps lately. Maps will be no exeption. The company is introducing AI functionalities to enhance the travel experience.
Gemini in Google Maps
Initially, we heard news of Google Gemini making its way to Google Maps. Now, it’s happening. Android devices are the first to get them. It will roll out to Android Auto and iOS later on.
In place of voice search and voice commands that are currently available on the app, Google Gemini will be there instead. By switching to Gemini, Google aims to outperform the old voice system by providing an intelligent travel partner to help users navigate better.
With Gemini on the app, it’s easier to get clearer directions by asking multiple questions. It also makes it easier to work with other Google apps from Maps. You can report incidents you encounter during your drive.
Take for instance, there’s an accident or some other issue along your way, you can help other drivers by logging it with Google Maps. Gemini will show you landmarks to make your drive smoother. You will get a better idea of where your current location is, helping you take action when needed.
Gemini alerts
Before hitting the road, Gemini will warn you of what to expect. You are informed of potential traffic even before you start driving. You can decide to follow some other route that’ll be less busy or just take a bus.
Not everyone will see the new changes but most people should. The update is currently available for Android. Android Auto is also getting it soon. To check if Gemini is now on your Google Maps, you can download the latest update.
Author:Obiajulum Ndubuisi
Obiajulum is a tech enthusiast passionate about writing. When she isn’t writing about gadgets, she will probably be playing badminton, watching a movie, or surfing the internet.
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You can set up and add a smart plug to Google Home on your smartphone, so you can have unified access to all your smart devices and appliances from one place.
Some weeks ago, I set up a WiFi smart plug to automate some lights in our home, and after that, I set up and added the smart plug to Google Home. In this video, I demonstrate how I went about that.
Google Home offers you three distinct options to add a device – you can scan a QR code (perfect for Matter-enabled or Nest devices), search for the device (Nest, Chromecast, Google Assistant-enabled devices or partner devices), or link apps or services (perfect for any devices and services that were set up in a different app).
Because I had the smart plug set up on my phone with the Smart Life app, the 3rd option was good for this scenario. So, I went with that. The process is similar to linking any other service to your Google account and it took only a few moments to complete.
After the linking was done, the connected smart plug then showed up on the list of devices in the Google Home app. From there, I could manually turn it on and off as I wanted.
Remember that you can add as many smart plugs (or other devices) as you wish to the Google Home hub for easy access. Watch the short video below.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
