Google Search Now Lets You Send Directions, Notes, And Alarms To Your Android Phone
Google sure is on a roll when it comes to making our lives easier just by using its immensely popular search engine. Just over a week ago, the search giant rolled out a feature that allows you to type a simple query, “find my phone”, into the Google omnibox to locate your lost or stolen smartphone. Today, Google is expanding its omnibox’s capabilities to include the ability to send directions from your desktop to your Android smartphone.
It’s not exactly like this was a tough feat to accomplish previously, but it’s now so easy a caveman could do it. All you have to is type “send directions” and you will be presented with a map overlay which gives your phone’s current location as the starting point. Enter the destination into the next field and click “Send directions to my phone.”
That’s it; it’s that simple. Google Maps will automatically pop up on your smartphone once you unlock it and will await your command to start navigating.
Google also has another omnibox trick up its sleeve which can also be useful in a pinch. Type in “send a note to my phone” and up pops a box where you can type in anything you want (perhaps a grocery list or a reminder to pickup some flowers for your wife). Click “Send note to your phone” and you’re all set. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also set an alarm by typing, you guessed it, “set an alarm” into the omnibox.
I’m sure that many people would be just as happy performing the above commands by picking up their phones and simply saying “OK Google,” but if you’re phone isn’t within arm’s reach, this makes a nice alternative.