Google Assistant has augmented its podcast search features with more voice commands. Users can look for episodes based on topic, guests, date, and episode name within a specific show instead of just playing the most recently published episode.
The new feature works like any other voice search with Google Assistant, except that the command to play a podcast can include more detail to zero in on a show. For instance, users could ask for an episode of a show by mentioning the guest, the topic, or the one that “played last week” instead of starting with the most recent episode and backtracking. The new feature seems specifically aimed at drivers using Android Auto, as the hands-free element means drivers won’t need to look away from the road to pick a show. The next upgrade will include a timeline scrubber to navigate within the episode as well.
The new podcast search feature arrives with an additional new tool for those with the Walmart app, allowing users to ask Google Assistant when their Walmart order is arriving. There are also new search functions that can run on smart displays and phones ahead of the holidays. Users can use the new augmented reality shipping feature to imagine how different clothes will look on them. They can also look for food recipes based on ingredients and see if any restaurants nearby make the dish. Meanwhile, the new Google Maps Live View feature applies augmented reality to navigation so that people can use their phone’s camera to identify where they are andpull up directions and nearby locations of interest
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Eric Hal Schwartz is Head Writer and Podcast Producer for Voicebot.AI. Eric has been a professional writer and editor for more than a dozen years, specializing in the stories of how science and technology intersect with business and society. Eric is based in New York City.
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