ile it was nice to be able to do a rapid-fire search from any screen, it usually didn’t produce the kind of “wow” moments to make me a regular user, unlike when I first discovered Now. Fortunately, that’s changing. Some behind-the-scenes updates more up-front features have turned Now on Tap into an essential part of how I use Android. It’s become so ingrained that I often have that, “oh right, I can’t do that” moment when using iOS or a desktop . If you’re a Now on Tap newbie would like to know more about what can be discovered, here’s a breakdown of some of the most interesting discoveries. As with most searches, the more you experiment try it out in new settings, the better your experience will be. In particular, it’s a big help after you the name of a product or find something you want while reading in a browser, as ‘s dedicated shopping sub-scection is rather useful at finding you some deals. So hold down that home button next time you come across something that you want to find out whether or not the price is right. The results are going to depend not only on who’s playing but what’s on the screen, as I discovered recently. I was watching an M soccer game got a now card for the league, but Now on Tap also picked up the score between the Cubs Marlins on the bottom ticker. It also spotted the Ethiad Airways logo on players’ uniforms. It’s another sign that you’ll never quite know what shows up unless you try it out. Yet other places I tried this one didn’t work out so well, with other venues not recognized. Sometimes, Now on Tap would focus on the text found in the picture itself, as my pictures from novo Techrld brought up a lot of details about the technology company instead of The Masonic in San Francisco, where the event was recently held. My favorite feature is how Now on tap will link right to Street View, so you can get an up-close–personal view of what’s nearby, which can help you if you’re sting right there or trying to remember some of the particulars of a past trip. If there’s a particular term you want to explore, then touch the finger icon at the bottom of the screen highlight the text you want to look up. It’s a very helpful tool, of course lets help you perform a ton of more searches. This worked a lot better in larger cities, as you can imagine, but it’s worth even for what you might turn up by performing a search of that area. This is one tool that could definitely improve, with perhaps additional results options or weather suggestions when you launch Now on tap. There’s something to be said about this being another place where distraction can creep in to a focused activity, but with the right level of self-control Now on tap is a welcome addition here. It’s like a first step to the assistant promised with lo, which puts search right inside of your conversation. It would be even more helpful if such searches could include one-tap access to start the call or a link to an app like OpenTable for a quick reservation. t Now on Tap help you out here. Once you lauch it, you can touch the h icon then select a specific word or phrase. You’ll then get a Now on tap search that will launch different cards based on the term. You may get news, kipedia links, or even searches within other apps (I’ve found this part to be the most inconsistent, with some of them not working). It’s a great way to do a quick check of a term, so definitely give it a try. That’s what I did in pointing the camera at my cat, a Starbucks iced coffee cup, other objects. Sometimes you get nothing, other times you’ll be impressed at what is able to recognize. That really sums up where Now on Tap is right now. low it to delight you with some unusual discoveries, but it’s not completely predictable in how it’s going to act. Of course, your friends, family, pets may need to be wary as you start pointing your phone at everything to see what can find.
