Everything You Need To Know About Google Now

Also known as a “knowledge navigator,” the mobile software agent could perform tasks based on user input, location and access to online information. Several months after Siri’s launch, Google released Google Now, which has an impressive range of features, and, for advisers on the go, it could revolutionize how they manage their practices.

Installing the App

The application (app) is available for both Android and iOS devices. Retirement plan advisers who have an Android can install the Google Now app directly from the Google Play Store. The app can then be reached by selecting the icon, tapping on the search box at the top of their phone’s screen or swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

To open Google Now, Apple users instead download the Google Search app from the Apple App Store. Regardless of whether their current device supports Siri, they can access the application from their phone’s home screen. From there, the opening screens provide information about the app’s services and notify customers that Google will need to “[u]se and store your location for traffic alerts [and] directions” and “your synced calendars, Gmail and Google data for reminders and other suggestions.”

Users must maintain a Google account to employ the app and, after selecting “Yes, I’m in,” may sign into their account, then swipe upward on the card at the bottom of the screen to begin using Google Now.

Using Google Now

Google Now automatically organizes all information into simple “cards”—similar to alert pages—that appear intuitively as needed. As Google puts it: “[The service] is always working … in the background. You don’t have to ask for anything. Google displays … cards when you’re most likely to need them.” Retirement plan advisers can customize the app’s settings by selecting cards—described below—that are relevant to their work and practice. Through tracking a customer’s usage, Google Now learns how to better manage the information needed every day.

Because the application can sync with a phone’s location services, users may set up “Location Reminders” to prompt them to do something when in a particular place. “Time Reminders” can be scheduled throughout the day. Advisers who frequently travel to client offices can select the “Traffic & Transit” card to notify them about traffic conditions and plan alternate routes if necessary, and “Public Transit” lists which trains and buses will arrive next at stations near a given location.

“Flights” can update advisers about schedule changes and suggest when to leave to arrive at the airport on time, and the “Boarding Pass” card can make it easier for an adviser to get in and out of airports. “Next Appointment” reminds advisers of upcoming meetings and, like Flights, recommends when to get underway for a timely arrival. “Public Alerts” accesses sources including the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to cover major events, such as storms, near an adviser’s home or the cities he visits.

The “Stocks” card reports market changes regarding stocks that advisers track in real time; this can help advisers keep an eye on their investments even while out of the office. Retirement plan advisers can also find information on their clients or follow other topics of interest through the “Research topic” card, which offers further suggestions for websites to visit based on previous searches.

The “Website update” card notifies advisers when recently visited Web pages have new content, while the “Developing story & breaking news” and “News topic” cards provide potentially interesting news and ongoing information involving topics advisers care about.

For advisers who need fast and comprehensive mobile support, the Google Now app offers many services they may find helpful as they manage their practices and personal lives.