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TheRtRevKaiser@kbin.social

Google says it's killing 17 Assistant features to improve the user experience (mobilesyrup.com)

submitted 10 months ago by floofloof@lemmy.ca to c/technology

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[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Playing and controlling audiobooks on Google Play Books with your voice. You can still cast audiobooks from your mobile device.

Downgrade.

Setting or using media alarms, music alarms, or radio alarms on Google Assistant enabled devices. You can create a custom Routine that has similar behavior or use a standard alarm.

Downgrade

Accessing or managing your cookbook, transfering recipes from device to device, playing an instructional recipe video, or showing step-by-step recipes. - You can use Google Assistant to search for recipes across the web and YouTube.

Absolute dogshit that doesn't vaguely resemble a substitute in any way.

Managing a stopwatch on Smart Displays and Speakers. You can still set timers and alarms.

Whatever

Using your voice to call a device or broadcast a message to your Google Family Group. You can still broadcast to devices in your home.

Downgrade

Using your voice to send an email, video or audio message. You can still make calls and send text messages.

Downgrade

Rescheduling an event in Google Calendar with your voice. You can still schedule a new event.

Downgrade

Using App Launcher in Google Assistant driving mode on Google Maps to read and send messages, make calls, and control media. You can still use voice control on Google Maps the same way.

No clue what the difference is.

Asking to schedule or hear previously scheduled Family Bell announcements. You can create a custom Routine that has similar behavior.

No clue what Family Bell is

Asking to meditate with Calm. You can still ask for meditation options with media providers such as YouTube.

YouTube sucks

Voice control for activities will no longer be available on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices. You’ll need to use the buttons on your device to start, stop, pause, and resume activities. You can still voice control activities on Pixel Watches.

Downgrade

Viewing your sleep summaries will only be available on Google Smart Displays. You can still ask for sleep details by voice on third-party smart clocks.

Punishing third parties for no reason by taking away features they had

Calls made from speakers and Smart Displays will not show up with a caller ID unless you’re using Duo.

Viewing the ambient “Commute to Work” time estimates on Smart Displays. You can still ask for commute times and get directions by voice.

Laughable "replacement". Having it visible is the whole point.

-Checking personal travel itineraries by voice. You can still ask for flight status. - Asking for information about your contacts. You can still make calls to your contacts. - Asking to take certain actions by voice, such as send a payment, make a reservation, or post to social media. You can still ask Assistant to open your installed apps.

Eh I don't care about these.

I don't use Google smart shit because I don't trust them with a microphone. But several of those are features people very easily could have purchased a device for. The cookbook one, as an example, is almost the entire reason you'd buy a device for your kitchen, and the suggested alternative is fucking offensive in how much of a pile of shit it is.