I sort of think Google Now sucks...

[TimboSliceSliceBaby]

Before you grab the pitchforks and burn me at the stake for blasphemy, hear me out.

My real complaint is that Google Now has replaced the search function in 4.1 Back in the olden days, I used to click on my Google search bar (or magnifying glass icon), type in my search, click enter, and viola! I would be in my browser perusing the results.

Google Now seems to have added a couple of unnecessary steps to the process. Now, I click on the search bar, wait for Google Now to open up and tell me the weather and traffic conditions. Then I type in my query, and my results come up, but not in a browser; in Google Now. So I have to click on one of those results to actually get to a browser. If I want to open a few results in different tabs...well, I can't. In fact, long pressing the search results in Google Now doesn't seem to do anything at all (other than cause my device to give me some unnecessary haptic feedback). So I can't tell it to open in an incognito tab, or copy the link address, or save link as, or any of that stuff.

Lately I've taken the just opening Chrome and typing searches into the address bar, as it bypasses the Google Now mess. But that's not as simple as that old school search bar either.

Anyway, this isn't a rant as much as it is a long-winged way of asking if anyone knows how to get the classic Google search functionality back on my 4.1 devices? I don't mind Google Now; I just don't like it as a search replacement.

Any thoughts?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[jpr]

I've got a search widget that opens the search result in your default browser. Give me a few minutes to find the name of it and I will come back and edit this.

I've disabled Google Now but the Google search function of it still works. I agree with you that there should be options when you long click browser results. But I use it when I'm searching for stuff on my phone, like apps, files, etc.

Anyway, will be back in a minute with that app info.

Edit: Ok, it's called Quick Search Widget (I previously called it Ozmium but that is the dev's name): https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...d=net.ozmium.QuickSearch&hl=en&token=XjMtMHg9

You can add it as a widget to your screen and there are settings for which search provider and just a few other things.

 

[TimboSliceSliceBaby]

I've got a search widget that opens the search result in your default browser. Give me a few minutes to find the name of it and I will come back and edit this.

I've disabled Google Now but the Google search function of it still works. I agree with you that there should be options when you long click browser results. But I use it when I'm searching for stuff on my phone, like apps, files, etc.

Anyway, will be back in a minute with that app info.

Edit: Ok, it's called Ozmium: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...d=net.ozmium.QuickSearch&hl=en&token=0FRFDI-_

You can add it as a widget to your screen and there are settings for which search provider and just a few other things.

I'll give that a look. Thanks for the heads up!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[brasco901]

I'm with sprint and i have the galaxy nexus. How do you get google now? is there an apk file for it to install?

 

[patruns]

I'm with sprint and i have the galaxy nexus. How do you get google now? is there an apk file for it to install?

Google Now comes with Jelly Bean. Until you get updated by your carrier, no Now for you........ unless you install a custom ROM.

 

[Ulairi]

I like it, but, there isn't a lot I do with it now. I have the MLB At Bat app for my baseball scores/games and I don't know who these people are in these sizzle videos they release. My wife is from China and we go there once a year but I'm not always on the road flying around and everything. I think a lot of the features are built for people who live in the city or new york.

 

[AzD]

It is kind of limited right now but you can certainly see the potential. Of course the weather is handy but not earth-shattering; the directions home/work is actually pretty useful for quickly seeing where potential traffic issues are on your way home. Sports updates are nice. I've had the chance only once to use the flight update stuff but it worked reasonably well - will be travelling quite a bit over the next month so I will get to test it more.

I believe Google Now is just the early stages of a long term plan that coalesces with the Google Project Glass. I fully expect the limited functionality will likely be improved upon as time goes on, and more devices get the feature.

 

[SteveMW]

Once you start Now you can go into settings and turn off the cards(??) you don't want to see. It's not in-your-face intuitive but if you select Google Now and tap a selection, you can turn it off.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[con5150]

I tend to agree with most of what's being said here about Google Now. Initially I was very excited about it, even made a post on how best to use it. I do like how they have updated Maps , location history now makes more sense to me.

Like others have said, it's early days with Google Now and I expect it to get better.

 

[jace2z]

I have similar issue, I always used the voice search on 4.1, would just say call pizza hut, and would get results for the nearest Pizza Hut's Phone Number and click to dial. But after the update, when I say, "call Pizza Hut" I get results for people in my contact list,(for instance there names will start with "P") or I might get Pizza Hut.com or a map for Pizza Hut. I figured you can click on the map to get the phone number, but its so many steps and results show up inconsistently based on what you search for, I really dont like it so far.

 

[Polish Prince]

Agree. I uninstalled Google Now (for now).

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[jean15paul]

Before you grab the pitchforks and burn me at the stake for blasphemy, hear me out.

My real complaint is that Google Now has replaced the search function in 4.1 Back in the olden days, I used to click on my Google search bar (or magnifying glass icon), type in my search, click enter, and viola! I would be in my browser perusing the results.

Google Now seems to have added a couple of unnecessary steps to the process. Now, I click on the search bar, wait for Google Now to open up and tell me the weather and traffic conditions. Then I type in my query, and my results come up, but not in a browser; in Google Now. So I have to click on one of those results to actually get to a browser. If I want to open a few results in different tabs...well, I can't. In fact, long pressing the search results in Google Now doesn't seem to do anything at all (other than cause my device to give me some unnecessary haptic feedback). So I can't tell it to open in an incognito tab, or copy the link address, or save link as, or any of that stuff.

Lately I've taken the just opening Chrome and typing searches into the address bar, as it bypasses the Google Now mess. But that's not as simple as that old school search bar either.

Anyway, this isn't a rant as much as it is a long-winged way of asking if anyone knows how to get the classic Google search functionality back on my 4.1 devices? I don't mind Google Now; I just don't like it as a search replacement.

Any thoughts?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Just scroll down. When you do a search in Google Now the web search results are directly below the cards.

 

[C Harkness]

so I search using Google now and when it opens up result you're telling me to scroll down first of all that but lets say I do that I scroll to the bottom click on a result then a common thing that happens is it's not what you wanted to try to go back asap to check one of the other result but you can't with Google now it shut down the initial results and they disappear this makes you have to hit Google now to do another

 

[Jnorton2724]

Before you grab the pitchforks and burn me at the stake for blasphemy, hear me out.

My real complaint is that Google Now has replaced the search function in 4.1 Back in the olden days, I used to click on my Google search bar (or magnifying glass icon), type in my search, click enter, and viola! I would be in my browser perusing the results.

Google Now seems to have added a couple of unnecessary steps to the process. Now, I click on the search bar, wait for Google Now to open up and tell me the weather and traffic conditions. Then I type in my query, and my results come up, but not in a browser; in Google Now. So I have to click on one of those results to actually get to a browser. If I want to open a few results in different tabs...well, I can't. In fact, long pressing the search results in Google Now doesn't seem to do anything at all (other than cause my device to give me some unnecessary haptic feedback). So I can't tell it to open in an incognito tab, or copy the link address, or save link as, or any of that stuff.

Lately I've taken the just opening Chrome and typing searches into the address bar, as it bypasses the Google Now mess. But that's not as simple as that old school search bar either.

Anyway, this isn't a rant as much as it is a long-winged way of asking if anyone knows how to get the classic Google search functionality back on my 4.1 devices? I don't mind Google Now; I just don't like it as a search replacement.

Any thoughts?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

I also don't like how it opens up chrome when it could just open in Google now or something but its not a big deal. I still can tap the search bar and type in anything, don't need to wait for it to load to search and it loads pretty quick. I like that it keeps track of my sports teams, maps traffic for a trip home from work and gives me weather updates as well as tracking or flight information.

It isn't perfect and I also dislike some things you pointed out. Hopefully they can improve on it with Key Lime Pie.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Algus]

I won't lie, I love Google now. Now if only it would respond when I say "Computer" so I could take my creepy Star Trek fantasies a step further. Your complaints are quite reasonable however and as others have said, it still has a bit of growing to do.

 

[C Harkness]

anybody else experiencing an issue here but when I'm trying to open a new window and a Google search it takes a total of seven to eight seconds to open because the screen will sit there and I can't tap my cursor in the search field because the top right a little red box is slowly filling with a number which indicates how many Google Plus messages I have and secondly in to the top right besides my image for Google Plus will slowly fill then as I keep tapping into the cursor field repeatedly waiting for it to open finally the cursor will show itself this whole process takes 8 seconds it is frustrating.

8 seconds just to finally get a searchable box and blinking cursor? Used to open instantly before ics.

I am not even talking Google now and it's 12 seconds to search and inability to backtrack to initial results if a link clicked doesn't suit my search....

I am just talking the simple act of opening a Google page and waiting until I can finally input my search words.... Yeesh! Sigh!

 

[C Harkness]

Google now? Ur killing me! I have been searching for help with slowness of Google now opening and there are hundreds of threads and many people just like me dumbfounded with an inability to do quick searches like we pre ics did. This one I replied to nobody has answers.
Just same complaints.

99.999% of time I want to open a quick Google search. Before ics I hit Google bar and spoke my question. 2 seconds.

Now? I wait 8 seconds just for Google now to stop loading. That's even with cards turned off.
Then insult to injury when you click a result in Google now and realize it's not exactly what you want you click back thinking you will get the same results list... But ah!! No!

Don't think so! Google now closes page you opened and leaves you in the browser with other previously opened pages???

Nothing to do with your original search results which disappear?
Absolutely horrible and amazingly moronic in design and function.

Old search fantastic. Google now is a bulky bloated entity. It would have been fine as a separate app not as the default to opening a basic search.
Apple makes good ideas and refines them.
Google apparently frustrates gs2 owners like myself by creating good then taking away. Bizarre?

 

[Insp_Gadget]

When I search with Google Now and click on one of the search results, if I hit the back button I'm returned to the same list of search results. That's the behavior I would expect.

Others are saying that doesn't happen for them? Odd. Works fine for me.

 

[gnr_2]

When I search with Google Now and click on one of the search results, if I hit the back button I'm returned to the same list of search results. That's the behavior I would expect.

Others are saying that doesn't happen for them? Odd. Works fine for me.

That works but not if you need to do anything else. So say you need to check a text or look at something else in your browser. Then, even if you go back to the browser window with the search result, it will just take you to the home screen if you click back. Sometimes if I click Google Now it will still have the search saved, but not the results so you have to wait and sometimes don't get the same results.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

 

[C Harkness]

That's impossible. On several android phones, including my own and others it
Doesn't allow that. Once in a rare while the results are there like 1 in a 100 times but try to do any other step and results are gone.

It really is mind boggling why I showed off voice Google search to friends last year and amazedwith the ttechnology and speed...

Then I thought I got siri for android but it is a slow, laggy, bloated, frustrating piece of clunky crap.
Simple searches take up to ten seconds to initiate.
I absolutely hate Google now. It should've been separate from a basic Google search bar like we had before.
No update or upgrade here.... Just a downgrade in experience.
Is Google trying to get us to go away... And if so why?