Google Now -- which sends info to your Android phone based on your appointments and habits -- is heading to Google's Chrome browser, meaning it'll soon work on desktops and laptops as well.
The team working on Chrome has added a "skeleton for Google Now for Chrome". It was spotted by François Beaufort, a Web application developer. It's part of a bigger project to bring Google Now notifications to Chrome.
Google confirmed the project to our sister site CNET, but wouldn't be drawn on any details. "We're always experimenting with new features in Chrome, so have nothing to announce at this time," a spokesperson said.
Google Now provides you with information based on your schedule and routine. It tells you when to leave for work and what the traffic is like, as well as learning about you by scouring your Web searches and your Gmail inbox. Start searching for a football team, and it'll let you know about upcoming matches, as well as giving you the score of any that are ongoing. It gives you the info through a series of cards, that now look like they'll be making their way to your PC.
It would be handy having these pop up onscreen on your laptop or Chromebook, so I can see why Google is integrating it. The only problem is Google Now is a bit limited at the moment. During a week-long test using an HTC One X+, I found it useful at first, but the novelty soon wore off. If Google can integrate more features into it -- which I'm sure it will, like song and film recommendations, for instance -- I can see it being a very powerful tool though.
Is Google Now on Chrome a good idea, helping you get to appointments and beat the traffic? Or is it just another thing to pop up and distract you from getting anything done? Can it help boost sales of Google's Chromebooks, which haven't made quite the impact Google would've liked? Let me know your thoughts below or over on Facebook.
Image credit: François Beaufort
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jopov123 9 December, 2012 13:57
I like Google now on my Nexus tablet as it brings weather forecasts and travel info straight to the front. Commuting into London is much easier as I can see what train/tube lines to avoid. Not bothered about it being on the desktop as long as I don't get charged more for products, which has been suggested companies profiling shopping habits. I believe the Office of Fair Trading is looking into this at the moment.
anonymous 10 December, 2012 13:29
the core beneficial feature for me isn't so much the cards and notifications, but the way Google Now tries to return information, not web pages. If you search for information, it's far better user experience to see the answer, not a list of web pages which may or may not include the answer. That is a huge step forward in the evolution of web browsing. If the cards add value too, all the better.
anonymous 11 December, 2012 16:27
is siri on macs and macbooks and if not surely they can be sued if they did in future!