Chapter 5. Google Now and Navigation
In this chapter, you learn how to use Google Maps, Navigation, and Google Now. Topics include the following:
→ Navigation
→ Using Google Maps with no data coverage
Your HTC One can be used as a GPS navigation device while you are walking or driving around. It also includes a new app called Google Now that offers to provide you all the information you need when you need it.
Google Now
Google Now can be accessed from any screen (except the Lock screen) and allows you to search the Internet, but it also provides information such as how long it will take to drive to work and the scores for your favorite teams.
1. Touch and hold the Home button to access Google Now from any screen or any app.
2. Cards automatically appear based on your settings, such as sports teams you follow, upcoming meetings, weather where you work, and traffic on the way to work.
3. Touch and speak a request or search. You can also just say “Google” and then speak your request.
4. Cards relevant to your search or request appear.
What Else Can Google Now Do?
When you speak to Google Now, you can ask it questions, but you can also ask Google Now to perform tasks for you. For example, you can ask Google to call a company, get directions, send a text message for you, set reminders, schedule a meeting, play music or movies, set alarms, and even launch your apps.
Setting Up Google Now
For Google Now to work for you, you should set it up correctly. This means not only setting up Google Now, but also setting up Google Maps, which is used heavily by Google Now.
1. Touch the Menu button.
2. Touch Settings.
4. Touch the switch to the right of each Google Now card to enable or disable it.
What Do All These Cards Do?
Google Now has many cards that it can automatically display for you. For example, the Activity Summary card shows how active you have been each day. Many cards are time and place sensitive, such as cards that show how long your commute home is—which appears only when its nearing time to go home—or cards that show your flight status as you get close to catching your flight, and even cards that show nearby restaurants and rental car kiosks as you travel. To get a full list of cards, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Now.
5. Touch to save your changes and return to the main settings screen.
7. Touch to choose the language that Google Now uses.
8. Touch to choose when Google Now speaks: always, only when the information it needs to convey is informative, or anytime you are using a hands-free device.
9. Touch to block or allow offensive words.
10. Touch to enable or disable Hotword detection. When enabled, while Google Now is running, it is always listening for you to say the word Google and it then launches voice search.
11. Touch to download speech recognition software so you can do voice searches even when not connected to the Internet. You can download multiple languages.
12. Touch to enable or disable personalized voice recognition. When enabled, Google tries to better understand your accent to make for more accurate searches.
13. Touch to see your Google dashboard, which shows you all your Google account info, including data collected about your devices.
14. Touch to choose whether to allow Google Now to listen for your voice via your Bluetooth headset.
15. Touch to save your changes and return to the main settings screen.
16. Touch to choose if Google Now should alert you for things like public alerts, heavy traffic tickets, and the like.
17. Touch to set up your specific information, such as where you live and work, your sports teams, and what stocks you want to follow, so that Google Now can show that information to you.
18. Touch to choose which apps installed on your HTC One are searched when you do a search in Google Now.
19. Touch Privacy & Accounts.
20. Touch to choose which Google account you want to use for Google Now.
21. Touch to choose whether Google can access your HTC One’s location anytime you have it turned on and have the capability to track your location and keep a history of it.
22. Touch to enable or disable Web History.
23. Touch to manage your Web History, including the ability to delete it.
24. Touch to choose whether you want to use Personal Results, which is a feature that allows Google to provide more personal search results based on what your friends are posting on Google+ and things you search for on Google.
25. Touch to enable the SafeSearch filter, which lets Google filter out innapropriate content from your searches.
26. Touch to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
Do I Really Want Google Tracking Me?
Google Now is at its most effective when it has access to where you are, where you have been, and where you are likely to go in the future. For Google Now to be this effective, however, you have to agree to let Google track your phone all the time and keep a history of where you have been. Of course, Google does promise to keep this information private and use it only to enhance your experience; however, you will need to make a personal decision about whether you are comfortable with this.
Google Maps
Google Maps enables you to see where you are on a map, finds points of interest close to you, gives you driving or walking directions, and provides extra layers of information, such as a satellite view and traffic.
1. Touch to launch Google Maps.
2. Touch to search for a destination based on key words and the actual name of the place.
3. Touch to get walking or driving directions from one location to another. You can also choose to use public transit or biking paths to get to your destination.
4. Touch to see all your activity while using the Maps app and any reviews you’ve written. You will also be able to see special offers in the area.
5. Touch to add layers to the Map view, such as traffic, a satellite view, transit lines, and biking paths. You can also change the settings for the Maps app.
1. Touch the Directions icon.
2. Touch to set the starting point or leave it as My Location (which is where you are now).
3. Touch to choose a location from your Contacts, My Places, a point on the map, or type it in.
4. Touch to choose between driving directions, taking public transport, cycling directions, and walking directions.
5. Touch to choose to avoid highways and/or avoid toll roads.
6. Touch to choose one of the available routes. The best route is shown on the top of the list.
If you choose to use public transportation to get to your destination, you can use two extra options. You can choose the type of public transportation, including Bus, Subway, Train, or Tram/Light Rail. You can also choose the best route, including Fewer Transfers and Less Walking.
7. Touch to start the turn-by-turn directions.
8. Touch the Menu button to see the route preview, show each step in the list of directions, mute the voice guidence, and turn on the satellite view.
9. Start driving, walking, or cycling and follow the onscreen prompts and visual guidance, or listen to the turn-by-turn spoken directions.
Google Maps Settings
1. Touch to slide out the menu.
3. Touch to switch to another Google account to use Google Maps.
4. Touch to edit your home or work addresses.
5. Touch to let Maps improve its accuracy on your location.
6. Touch to view your Maps History and delete the items in that history.
7. Touch to change the distance units to kilometers, miles, or leave it set to automatic and let Maps decide based on what country you are in.
8. Touch to choose whether you want to be able to shake your HTC One to send feedback to Google about its Maps app.
9. Touch to change Google’s location settings.
10. Touch to choose whether Google apps (such as Google Now) have access to your location. Allowing this improves quality of the information those apps can provide you.
11. Touch to enable or disable reporting your location from your Note HTC One.
12. Touch to enable location history where Google Maps keeps track of where you have been. Having this enabled makes Google Now much better.
13. Touch to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
Google Maps Offers
Google Maps has a feature that allows you to see offers from local businesses, shops, and restaurants. If there are coupons to use, you can use them right from your HTC One.
1. Touch to see offers.
2. Touch any available offers.
3. Touch an offer to view it.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions. The offers can either be used via bar code, QR code, or Near Field Communications (NFC).
Navigation with the Car App
When you are driving, you may choose to use the Car app. The Car app also automatically launches when you insert your HTC One into a car dock. We briefly cover the navigation features of the Car app:
1. Touch to launch the Car app.
2. Touch Navigation.
3. Touch Google Maps Navigation and go directly to the Destination screen.
4. Touch choose options such as Gas Stations, your previous destinations, or restaurants to launch Google Maps and display those items on the map.
5. Touch a red dot on the map that indicates an item you chose to display. In this example, we chose restaurants. When you touch the red dot, it expands to a red pin, and details of the location are displayed at the bottom of the screen.
6. Touch to go to the directions screen.
