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  • The New Google Android Connection
Technology Articles > Software > Communications > The New Google Android Connection

Google wants to make connectivity between your Android phone and Google Search easier and more cozy. Today, Google rolls out a feature that will be useful for a lot of Android users. This feature allows Android users to type something into Google, and then send those directions directly to a connected Android phone. Here’s how it all works.

Setting Up Your Android Connection

You need to have the latest Android version on your phone in order to use the new Google feature. Once you have updated your phone, and then you will need to make sure that the right settings are in place. To do this, head to your Google app, then tap the Menu icon, the Settings, and then Now Cards. Turn on “Show Cards,” and then turn on “Show Notifications.” From there, visit the “Account History” page, and make sure that it’s turned to green.

After all of that is done, head to your Google app on your phone, select the Menu icon, choose the right email address, and then go to your Google browser on your computer. Make sure that you are signed into the right Google account, and now comes the fun part. With the new Google settings, you can type things like “send directions to my phone” directly into the search bar. You can also type in other commands like “send note to myself.”

Using the New Search Terms

After you type the search term that you want to use into the search bar, you should see a separate box pop up that gives you the option to send directions or a note directly to your phone. You can also send an alarm to your phone, set a reminder, and do other things, but the most useful thing for most people will be the option to send directions from a browser to an Android phone.

You can also find the location of your Android phone directly from your Google search browser. Just type in “find my phone” and you should see that separate box pop up with the location of your phone. The new features will make the transition from your Android phone to your browser simpler. Google has created this option to appease Android users that may want something similar to what Apple offers with its “Hand Off” feature.

Apple’s Hand Off

With iOS 8, Apple users can “hand off” items from their iPhones to their computers in the same and smooth kind of way that Android can now work with Google search. Apple’s Hand Off is widely used, and the company has also spent a lot of marketing dollars making Hand Off popular. Whether or not Google’s new Android connect will have the same impact remains to be seen.

If you have the right Android updates and settings selected (see above), you can tap into the new Google search and Android connection right away. If you don’t have the latest version of the Google app or your phone isn’t updated, you won’t be able to use this new tool (so update!).