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Google Now
Google Now is a new app in KitKat that monitors your activity on your Galaxy Tab 4 and shows you features in various tiles, called cards, that Google Now thinks you'll be interested in based on your past activity. For example, you might see cards with your local weather, upcoming appointments, and current traffic conditions where you live.
You can access Google Now in one of four ways:
- Tap the Google box on the main Home screen.
- Tap and hold the menu touch button.
- Tap the Google icon in the Apps screen.
- Open the Recent Apps screen and then tap the Google icon in the menu bar at the bottom of the screen.
Once you start Google Now, you have to set it up before you can use it. The first screen you see is Get Google Now, as shown in Figure 9. Tap the Next button.
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Figure 9 The Next button appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
In the next screen, tap the Yes, I'm In button to continue the setup process. The opening Google Now screen appears. In the example shown in Figure 10, information is contained in tiles that Google calls "cards," which can include the latest weather information.
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Figure 10 Swipe up and down in the Google Now screen to view all the cards Google Now has selected for you.
Get more information contained within a card by tapping the card in the list. For example, if you tap the current weather card shown in Figure 10, you'll see more information about the current weather as well as related search results on the screen. Return to the Google Now screen by tapping the Back touch button.
Delete a card by tapping and holding on the card and then swiping to the left or right. When you swipe down to the bottom of the screen, you can get more cards (if available) by tapping the More button. On the left side of the menu bar, you can also add a reminder to Google Now by tapping the Reminder icon in the menu bar at the bottom of the screen.
You can also customize your card settings by tapping the Customize icon (it looks like a magic wand) on the right side of the menu bar, as shown in Figure 11.
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Figure 11 The Customize icon appears on the right side of the menu bar.
When you finish setting up Google Now, you can return to the Home screen by pressing the Home button. Now you can use Google Now by opening up the screen.
The Search field appears at the top of the screen, as shown in Figure 12. Google Now remembers your last three searches on the Google search engine and displays them in a list underneath the Search field. Underneath the list, you see your most recent card.
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Figure 12 The keyboard appears on the bottom of the screen, so you can type your search term(s) in the Search field.
You can search Google by typing your search term in the Search field at the top of the screen or by saying "Ok Google" and then saying your search terms. As you type, Google lists three potential search terms you're looking for underneath the Search field. You can either continue typing to refine your search or tap one of the terms in the list.
After you tap a term in the list, the search results appear on the page, as shown in Figure 13. Return to the Google Now page by tapping the Back touch button.
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Figure 13 Swipe up and down the screen to see more search results.
Now that you know how to use several of the new features in KitKat, enjoy exploring KitKat as you use it to make your daily life on the Tab 3 better.