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Those of you with an Android device running Ice Cream Sandwich who were green with envy at your Android 4.1 brothers and sisters and their full access to Google Now, don’t let it get you down. It seems you might soon be able to still get in on some Google Now action on your desktop (at least it’s something, right?).
Some underlying code found buried in a Chrome extension developed by Google revealed the search giant’s plans to release Now for the desktop, bringing back some of that iGoogle functionality we all loved. References to “get started with Google Now,” “just the right information at just the right time,” “Google Now uses your Home location to show relevant information like weather, traffic conditions, and nearby places,” and “now_card.” all make an appearance in the code (pictured above).
No word on an expected rollout, but this kinda stuff sounds perfect for a Google I/O announcement next month. What do you guys think, could your Google homepage better serve you after its been infused with the power of Google Now?
[via Google Operating System Blog]
Honestly, I barely use Google Now. If you let it tell you traffic and stuff, you kill a lot of your battery off (from my own experience anyway). It is slow to pick up what is actually happening in games. Overall I haven’t found it useful.
Yeah, I think it’s nice in theory but like you, it rarely gives me up-to-the-minute info on anything other than packages.
I’ve never gotten a package to work on it. I wanted to so bad when I was waiting for my N4, but no dice.
Yeah, the G Now package tracking doesn’t work very well for me. FYI: the Slice.com app is awesome for package tracking, as long as you don’t mind giving it the same permissions that google now has (i.e. read your gmail for tracking numbers, etc)
Eh, I don’t have enough money to burn on stuff that needs to be shipped. Just thought it would be fun to see my N4 being tracked on my N7.
Give that, it’s probably Google beta testing the people right now instead of the other way around. It gets that out of the way for when Now is ready for prime time.
Hmmm… I think it’ll be cool to have Google Now as a sidebar option while searching for something. But as a complete overhaul? Not too sure about that
They never mentioned anything about a complete overhaul.
Check out the source, it still doesn’t rule it out
I would happily change my desktop to a Google Now theme if cards worked. That would be sweet.
google now as the new tab window in chrome would be even better
Or let it be part of the frequent tabs. Like how you have the option to click and view your webapps. Google Now should be one.
I would actually love that
Good!! I’m crack-addicted to knowing the weather and this will just aide my obsession.
Already using a Now-ish extension, can’t remember where I came across it.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-page/cikkigamncoobkmpenfdeniclmehdidh
Found it!
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-page/cikkigamncoobkmpenfdeniclmehdidh?hl=en-US&utm_source=chrome-ntp-launcher
I use this too really awesome. Sucks they are shutting down reader I would love for it to replace the News section on there. I saw it on Lifehacker