Google allows voice assistant to post ‘sticky notes’

Google is changing and expanding the ways its voice assistant can communicate with household members.

Google introduces digital sticky notes for its voice assistant.

Google Assistant users will be able to dictate digital sticky notes to household members.

It’s one of several changes to the Google voice assistant announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Google Assistant and its main rival Amazon Alexa these days let users control a plethora of devices at home, including everything from smart lights and TV and music selections through to kitchen appliances, speakers, headphones, cameras, robot vacuums and car navigation systems.

But this increasing capability is making using voice assistants more complex. Do you ask Google to switch on, turn on or start the coffee machine, and do you need to use its brand name? Are different third party devices addressed differently?

This has prompted Google to simplify the language you use with its assistant.

For example, if you stick a Tile tracker on your remote control and later can’t find it, you don’t have to say “Hey Google, ask Tile to find my remote”. You say “Hey Google, find my remote”. This will work if you have labelled it as your “remote” in the Tile app.

Google says it will now be easier to connect home devices to Google Assistant. In fact, an Android phone will prompt you to connect a device. Alternatively the Google Assistant app will show a “suggestion button” to connect a new device when you open it.

Google is introducing more granular control of devices. For example, you can set up commands in advance, such as “Start the coffee machine at 6am”. This will be available later this year.

Google Assistant now includes the concept of a household, a group of people you communicate with in a special way. This is where the sticky notes come in.

If you say “Hey Google, leave a note that I have fed the cat”, only defined household members will get it.

You can also set up a speed dial list of contacts for use at home, such as the doctor, dentist landlord, mum or Uncle Fred, and household members will be able to contact them by that name.

Google Assistant can set up a list of contacts.

Google has expanded the ability of the assistant to read aloud long passages of text. You’ll be able to say: “OK Google, read this page”, or ask Google to read it to you in French, or any of 42 languages. It says this is now in testing phase.

Many consumers worry about the capability of home assistants to listen in to conversations. Privacy is a major concern. Google, Amazon and Apple do upload personal assistant conversations for research purposes, but say they only listen to conversations for research purposes.

There have been reported instances of breaches, such as a case last year in Ireland involving Apple’s Siri.

Google was at pains to say that no conversation data is sent to Google unless you activate Google Assistant with “OK Google” or “Hey Google”.

Users now can use voice to delete past conversations with voice commands such as “Hey Google, delete what I said last week”. You can also say “Hey Google, that wasn’t for you,” to delete evidence of the previous Google interaction.

You can also say: “Where do I change my privacy settings?” and “ Are you saving my recordings?”.

That may allay the worries of some, but not others.

Google says that more than one billion devices now use Google Assistant and more are coming. It says the assistant will be added to new smart displays, speakers, headphones and soundbars from Acer, Aftershokz, Anker Innovations, Belkin, Cleer, Harman Kardon, Konka, JBL, Lenovo, Philips, Seiki and LG.

* Chris Griffith is attending CES in Las Vegas courtesy of Hisense Australia.