S4 & Google Now

[mac247]

Hi' All,
First post on here but looking on for a while.
I have just moved from my HTC Wildfire S to the Galaxy S4 and I like it a lot.
Having problems with the voice replies on Google now just not working at all.
I have reset phone twice and it will work ok until I start to personalize the phone.
I'm logged in to Google now with my gmail address but I also have a btinternet address
for my yahoo account.
Do you think this will be causing a conflict and preventing the voice replies.
All my languishes are set to English US

Jim

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Hey Jim, welcome to AC! I don't think your problem has any roots with your Yahoo account. I have an issue sometimes with voice replies and I use a HTC One. I think one of the recent updates may have made the replies a little finnicky. Yesterday I asked for the weather, and it gave me search results. No idea why this is happening, but it's one of those problems you have to send feedback to Google and let them handle. I'm not aware of a workaround, but if someone is please post.

 

[mac247]

Hi' Scott

Yesterday I disabled the Google Search app and updated it from the Play Store.
To my surprise Google Now was working ok and for the first time ever I was hearing a mans voice giving the replies.
The only problem was there was no voice activation available I had to tap the mike.
It all went back to no voice replies after about an hour.
I have tried updating again with no success.
Might have to go for another hard reset.

Jim

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Jim,
That's not normal! I've never heard a man's voice in Google Now. There are many users reporting hotword is iffy, if at all. Let me know how your reset goes.

 

[mac247]

Hi' Scott,
Done another reset yesterday.
Everything working ok with the mans voice.
Disabled some of the bloat apps set up my email accounts back to Google Now and no voice again
and still no voice today.
I have all the latest updates so I'll wait and see if the next one can fix it.

Jim

 

[Scott Kenyon]

I'm seriously concerned with the authenticity of your device, Jim. Did you get your phone from your carrier, secondhand or what? Nobody I've talked to can replicate a male voice on Google Now.

 

[STSVA]

Scott-
Do a quick Google search and you'll find plenty of links to discussions of the Google Now voice going from female to male. Apparently it's happened from time to time as Google updates the app. It may also be country-specific.

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Scott-
Do a quick Google search and you'll find plenty of links to discussions of the Google Now voice going from female to male. Apparently it's happened from time to time as Google updates the app. It may also be country-specific.

Thanks for the info, STSVA!

 

[bearda]

And chance this has to do with using the Samsung TTS engine vs the Google one?

 

[mac247]

I'm seriously concerned with the authenticity of your device, Jim. Did you get your phone from your carrier, secondhand or what? Nobody I've talked to can replicate a male voice on Google Now.

Hi' Scott,
I'm in Scotland and the phone was new one week ago from O2

Jim

 

[mac247]

And chance this has to do with using the Samsung TTS engine vs the Google one?

Hi,
Using Google TTS and another day with no voice.

 

[mac247]

Hi' Scott,
The phone was new one week ago from the provider O2.
I'm located in Scotland.

Jim

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Hi' Scott,
The phone was new one week ago from the provider O2.
I'm located in Scotland.

Jim

Jim,
Now I have to go back and reread all of your posts in the proper accent! On a more serious note, maybe you should try going down to O2 and seeing if they'll swap it for a new one. I had a coworker do this with Verizon here in the States. The coworker told the Verizon rep Google Now not working correctly was impacting their work, as they relied on it for all sorts of things. They didn't even argue. Just a thought.

 

[STARGATE]

Jim,
Now I have to go back and reread all of your posts in the proper accent! On a more serious note, maybe you should try going down to O2 and seeing if they'll swap it for a new one. I had a coworker do this with Verizon here in the States. The coworker told the Verizon rep Google Now not working correctly was impacting their work, as they relied on it for all sorts of things. They didn't even argue. Just a thought.

+1 On this
Oh and welcome to the forums!
:thumbup:

Sent From a Galaxy S4 Away!

 

[mac247]

Hi,
Went to the Google Search app and deleted the updates I then did an immediate reboot, all
looks to be working ok.with a ladies voice.
Lets see what we get tomorrow.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Scott Kenyon]

I hope it sticks. Let me know how it works out!

 

[STARGATE]

Hi,
Went to the Google Search app and deleted the updates I then did an immediate reboot, all
looks to be working ok.with a ladies voice.
Lets see what we get tomorrow.

Thanks
Jim

Hopefully it'll work just fine. :thumbup:

Sent From a Galaxy S4 Away!

 

[mac247]

Hi' Guy's,
Switched on phone this morning and the Google Search app was immediately updated,
this update disables the voice.
Same as yesterday delete updates from the Google Search app and all runs ok.
So obviously something in this latest update that doesn't agree with my phone.

Jim

 

[STARGATE]

So it must be what Scott said before. The latest update messed up something. :banghead:

Hopefully they'll sort it out soon for those of you that use it often.
I disabled Google Now on my phone to save battery and because I really don't have a use for it at the moment, so it doesn't bother me.

Sent From a Galaxy S4 Away!

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Hi' Guy's,
Switched on phone this morning and the Google Search app was immediately updated,
this update disables the voice.
Same as yesterday delete updates from the Google Search app and all runs ok.
So obviously something in this latest update that doesn't agree with my phone.

Jim

So it must be what Scott said before. The latest update messed up something. :banghead:

Hopefully they'll sort it out soon for those of you that use it often.
I disabled Google Now on my phone to save battery and because I really don't have a use for it at the moment, so it doesn't bother me.

Sent From a Galaxy S4 Away!

Yeah, that does happen sometimes with Google's products. Send feedback to Google so they have yet another report. The more reports they get the higher a priority it is for them to fix it.