How Google Assistant Can Help You Plan & Enjoy Christmas - Screen Rant

It’s the holiday season, which for many means spending a lot of time prepping for Christmas, but why not let Google give you a hand this year? There can be so much to do but, for those with a Google Home, Google Home Mini, or Nest Hub in particular, Google Assistant can help them plan and enjoy Christmas. It can do everything from finding the perfect Christmas cookie recipe to pulling up the best route to grandma’s house.

Google Assistant is Google’s answer to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Microsoft’s Cortana. Launched in 2016, it's considered one of the most advanced assistants around and is available on mobile devices, on computers, and in cars, among other places. Its voice control functionality helps users to get answers to questions and complete tasks and it's capable of recognizing voices, so it knows who it's talking to and can tailor responses accordingly.

Google Assistant is compatible with a wide range of smart devices like lights, thermostats, and smart plugs, the last of which means it can be to control Christmas tree lights. There are many other ways it can help at Christmas too, though, such as by playing holiday music, giving kids Santa’s GPS coordinates, and making a note of gift ideas when inspiration strikes.

Ways To Use Google Assistant Over The Holidays

With kids at home for the holidays and stuck indoors due to the cold weather, they can get bored, restless and end up drive parents crazy. They can be kept entertained and happy, though, by asking Google to call Santa Claus or play some Christmas carols. Just say to a device with Google Assistant “OK, Google, play Christmas music,” and holiday tunes will stream from the default music service. Google’s Santa tracker, meanwhile, provides Santa’s whereabouts and current progress, as well as offering several holiday-themed games and activities. In addition to tracking Santa, he can also be called by saying, “OK Google, call Santa.”

One of the reasons Google smart speakers are so popular is in their ability to control smart homes, so it makes sense to have them control Christmas decorations as well. With just a few smart plugs, everything from the Christmas tree lights to the blow-up reindeer in the front yard can be controlled with voice commands, which beats having to crawl under the tree to turn on the lights. Christmas planning is detail-oriented and Google Assistant can help by running a list of reminders for everything from presents to buy people to what to pick up from the store. And, finally, when the big day comes and you're trying to cook the turkey just right, asking Google to "set a timer for an hour and a half" will ensure you don't end up with a burnt bird.

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Source: Google

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Ricky Ochs (23 Articles Published)

Ricky Ochs is a writer and journalist who is a huge fan of horror movies and old-school comic books. He is based in Loveland, Colorado where he worked for a newspaper for two decades and was also a content writer for a large marketing company. He holds a BA in journalism from Colorado State University with an English minor. It should be quite obvious that writing is his passion. In his free time, Ricky enjoys riding his mountain bike and hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and listening to death metal.