Google Assistant adds Pretty Please functionality, updated lists, and other features
The question of whether or not it’s necessary to say “please” and “thank you” to smart assistants is one that divides users, but it’s clear tech companies think it should at least be an option. Following Amazon’s decision to reward children when they’re polite to Alexa, Google is introducing similar functionality to the Google Assistant named Pretty Please (first announced at I/O earlier this year). It’s part of a raft of new updates out today, including better list-taking functionality and more family-orientated games and stories.
Pretty Please is an optional feature which will “reinforce polite behavior.” If users say “please” or “thank you” to Google Assistant they’ll be rewarded with what Google is calling “delightful responses.” These mean that the Assistant will acknowledge their politeness and respond in kind. So, say something like “Hey Google, please set a timer for 5 minutes” and the Assistant will reply: “Thanks for asking so nicely. Alright, 5 minutes. Starting now.”
The feature will be automatically enabled for all voice matched users (that is, those who have registered their voices using the app) and Google says it’ll work with both smart displays and smart speakers. For parents worried that virtual assistants are encouraging bad manners in children, it’ll be a good way to prod the little ones to remember their p’s and q’s.
With the update, users will have the ability to ”manage multiple lists in one central place” using Google Assistant. With voice commands, users can create new, named lists (“Hey Google, create a gift list”) and check what’s on existing lists (“Hey Google, what’s on my to-do list?”). These lists will be stored in the Assistant app, but Google says it’ll soon be adding support for other services including Google Keep, Any.do, Bring!, and Todoist.
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Google Assistant adds Pretty Please functionality, updated lists, and other features ‘OK Google, teach my kids some manners’ |