[Verizon] Google Now, Voice Search is crap now.

[ymDroid]

(Running XenonHD v11)

So...back in the days before Google Now, my Google searches were speedy. I could tap the Voice Search button and tell my phone to do just about anything.

My favorite thing to do was to tell it to something not in my phone book.

So "call Red Robbin in Springfield, Virginia". It would populate the web, find a Red Robbin in Springfield, and automatically call it. No need to touch any other button.

I could do this as far back as my Droid X.

Now, Google search can't even find the nearest McDonald's, let alone call it automatically.

I see every review of Google now populating these "cards" with search results for images, movies, random facts, mathematical questions, but mine doesn't do any of that.

So my question is...is this all a part of the dumb down search that hit all the Nexus phones, or the Google now packed with XenonHD bad, or are my settings in Google now just messed up?

I'd really like to drop Google Now and return to the regular internet search...

TIA

 

[Outatime]

Google Now just found the nearest McDonald's to me perfectly and quickly. I'm on JBSourcery 2.2.

 

[Rxpert83]

Does your phone have issues finding your location via GPS?

Could be as simple as that

 

[ymDroid]

Does your phone have issues finding your location via GPS?

Could be as simple as that

Not at all.

Really my real concerns are with Google now not being as intuitive as it appears to be on a hundred reviews. Simple things Google search used to do like, call the Home depot in Woodbridge, VA" and it just automatically called.


All it's good for is bring up the web search results. that's it. And I can open my browser and type the query in. There's no special functions anymore.

Things like.."Remind me to take the trash out tomorrow" will return prompts that say, unable to schedule outside of the same day or something like that.

It just doesn't do anything anymore.

 

[TheOozyman]

maybe you need to reflash because I have none of these issues

 

[ymDroid]

maybe you need to reflash because I have none of these issues

Reflash Google now, or Xenon?

 

[NSutherl]

Reflash Google now, or Xenon?

+1 vote for reflash. I would clean wipe.

 

[jackburnt]

Xenon is great... if you wipe. If you don't wipe, weird little things like this happen.

I'm trying to decide today if I want to wipe and install the latest Xenon or jumpship and try a different ROM.

I have to wipe regardless. Too many little bugs like this crop up because I didn't wipe last time.

 

[prostang]

I am on Liquid Beta2 and have none of the issues you detailed. I have tried all kinds of other ROMs and come back to Liquid. The battery life is great and the number of bugs is very low, especially for a Beta.

 

[RballCoach]

I haven't used Google search but the voice text rocks! I hate texting now...rather talk into my phone.

 

[The_Chief]

Not sure what the issue could be. I told it to "Call GameStop in Manchester TN" and it searched for the number, said "calling" then called it.

Maybe it's a setting somewhere that got tweaked?

 

[ymDroid]

Not sure what the issue could be. I told it to "Call GameStop in Manchester TN" and it searched for the number, said "calling" then called it.

Maybe it's a setting somewhere that got tweaked?

Are you on Xenon?

I'm planning on clean flashing v11 or v12.

 

[The_Chief]

Are you on Xenon?

I haven't been on Xenon in months. I rock JBSourcery now

 

[ymDroid]

I haven't been on Xenon in months. I rock JBSourcery now

I'm going to clean flash Xenon v11, if it first fix, but I'm bouncing.

 

[ymDroid]

So I'm on Xenon 13 now.

When I do a voice command to "call the nearest XXXXXX store", it's still doing the same thing. It brings up that store's Google Map location.

If I type "call nearest XXXXX store, it does call.


NOW on my stock unrooted Nexus, I received JB today. And Google Now search works perfectly.

So i'm pretty sure this is a Xenon issue.

So what ROM should I jump over to?

 

[The_Chief]

It depends on what you want in a ROM. If you want almost limitless options and outstanding developer support, wipe and flash JBSourcery 2.3 and Gapps 7/26. I have personally used a number of JB ROMS and this has effectively ended my flashing addiction... except for updates, of course.

Make a nandroid of Xenon, wipe and try JBSourcery. If you don't like it (I'm sure you will) just wipe & restore the nandroid

 

[Dex]

I think I might give that a shot. I've been running the Xenon ROMs for a while in the time being and hoping for an AOKP release. I had noticed this and a couple of other things, but since I don't use it a whole lot never really paid much attention.

 

[GandalfTehGray]

I think I might give that a shot. I've been running the Xenon ROMs for a while in the time being and hoping for an AOKP release. I had noticed this and a couple of other things, but since I don't use it a whole lot never really paid much attention.

Aokp is also nice if you haven't tried it before.

 

[LTek1]

Interesting.

I am also on Xenon and have loved it, but I have found Google Now very lacking. Search cards are cool, but I rarely actually GET any of them other than my morning commute.

Voice calling never works right. If I say "Call the nearest Home Depot" runs a google search. If I say "Call Home Depot in Richmond Virginia," it starts dialing my friend Richard.

Location based stuff has been really rough. The other day I said "Navigate to the ABC store" and listened to it without glancing at the screen. At some point I realized I was heading towards the interstate, and discovered that it was sending me to the ABC store two states away. Whaaaat?

Let us know how the clean flash goes. I wonder if just reflashing gapps would help. I think I'm on the 726 gapps under Xenon.

 

[MSUgEEk]

For those having trouble with the Google Now and Voice Search stuff, just curious...do you have your web history enabled on your Google Account? I know that has caused problems with things in the past for people.

http://androidforums.com/nexus-7/588248-all-those-disappointed-google-now.html

 

[LTek1]

It was disabled on my Google Aps domain. Let's see what difference that makes.

Thanks!

 

[LTek1]

What g-apps is everyone running? Iceandfire responded to this question via twitter and suggests flashing Formula84, though this is the first he's heard of anyone having Now problems.

 

[ymDroid]

Interesting.

I am also on Xenon and have loved it, but I have found Google Now very lacking. Search cards are cool, but I rarely actually GET any of them other than my morning commute.

Voice calling never works right. If I say "Call the nearest Home Depot" runs a google search. If I say "Call Home Depot in Richmond Virginia," it starts dialing my friend Richard.

Location based stuff has been really rough. The other day I said "Navigate to the ABC store" and listened to it without glancing at the screen. At some point I realized I was heading towards the interstate, and discovered that it was sending me to the ABC store two states away. Whaaaat?

Let us know how the clean flash goes. I wonder if just reflashing gapps would help. I think I'm on the 726 gapps under Xenon.

This is exactly my issue.

What's formula84?

 

[LTek1]

This is exactly my issue.

What's formula84?

It's another gapps package. I don't think it changed much. I will say, I have been playing with it all day, and it's very strange.

"Call Home Depot" gives me the list of Home Depots and I can tap one to call.
"Call the nearest Home Depot" tries to call my friend Dave.
"Call Home Depot in Richmond Virginia" tries to call my friend Cullen.

Note that in both cases above, it translates the text perfectly.

If I *type* "call the nearest home depot" it acts just like I said "call home depot" and gives me the list of three to pick from.

speaking: "Call Red Robin" pops up Russ Brown, even though the text is accurate, "call red robin"

Typing "call red robin" gives me a list of three to pick from.

The fact that typing vs. speaking - even when the speech recognition is perfect - is very strange.

I will have to flash a clean rom.

 

[LTek1]

Well, I just clean flashed the latest Xenon and am getting more consistent behavior from Google Now.

Most searches, I have to pick the right one. So, above, my Home Depot example, it usually gives me three to choose from. Which isn't too bad, since we do have a bunch of Home Depots.