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Google Now comes to the desktop

Fans of smartphones powered by Google’s Android operating system will have more than likely encountered Google Now, the predictive digital assistant buried inside of the Google Search app. Serving up tidbits of information just when you need it, Google Now takes its cue from your calendar, your Gmail and from information you supply it with to keep track of the important things in your life, without you having to ask it to find them first.

Up until now (no pun intended), Google Now has been limited to smartphone and tablet users which meant that you always had to keep a mobile device within your line of sight if you wanted to take advantage of it. Thankfully for the desk bound masses, Google Now has officially made its way into Google’s Chrome browser in the form of notifications which can pop up to keep you in the loop.

Unfortunately for those looking to get in on the action for the first time you can’t sign up for Google Now using your computer, you’ll have to have a compatible smartphone or tablet signed in with the same account you sign into your browser with. The browser won’t have all of the same notifications as your smartphone will but the likes of the local weather, favourite sport team results and traffic to home and work have cards in the desktop version.

Google Now was originally announced at Google’s annual I/O conference in 2012 and became available to all Android users running any version of the operating system starting with a 4. In 2013 Google now became  to iOS users with its integration into the Google Search app for the platform. The most recent incarnation of Google Now’s card based interface is seen in the videos for Google’s latest operating system for smartwatches and glasses, Google Wear, which pushes the information from Google now to the wrists of wearers in devices like Motorola’s upcoming Moto 360.

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