New features are being launched in Google Assistant, most of which are for home and built around smart displays.
The first of the new features is family memos. Users will be able to add notes (reminders or to-dos) on the home screen for everyone to view. Think of it as a reminder widget.
Google also added new ringtones and sound effects to the Family Bell feature announced in August.
This feature allows special alarms to be played on different smart home devices, such as bed time, breakfast time and movie time. In addition to the alert tone, the smart speaker or display will also speak the meaning of the alert.
Family Bell can also be customized for specific equipment. According to The Verge, this feature can pause all ringtones of the day.
Another interesting feature added in Google Assistant is the ability to ask where the family is. You just need to say “Hey Google, where is my family?” or “Hey Google, where is mom/daddy (the specific name of the family member)?” The assistant will display the latest known information of all members or specific people on Google Maps position.
To use this feature, you need to have a Google Family account and be over 13 years old. Location sharing must also be enabled in Maps.
Other features Google has added include new educational features such as interactive stories-users can say “Hey Google, tell me a story” and the interactive story will appear on the smart display. Google says you can also say “Hey Google, what can I learn with my family?” There will be family activities that children can complete.
