One of the Nexus 5 smartphone's best new features is the always-listening, touchless control over Google Now, the name by which the platform's personal assistant is known.
By saying the words "OK, Google" when the phone is unlocked, you can launch any of Google Now's actions -- like searching the Web or dialing a number -- without having to touch the screen. Several Motorola phones did this prior to the Nexus 5's Android 4.4 KitKat OS.
Voice-activated Google Now is a terrific little convenience that can save time or give you the freedom to go hands-free. It's also another stepping stone for what Google, and other companies working on voice actions, can build out next.
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For instance, as long as I'm entirely hands-free, I'd like to be able to use secondary voice commands, or rather, a series of commands, to keep both hands on the wheel, or in a chicken I'm stuffing, or wrangling a squirmy child or pet.
What if, when my cell phone rings, I can vocally instruct Google to answer the phone, and then to turn on the speakers, so I can keep doing what I'm doing uninterrupted?
Similarly, what if Google Now were able to interpret requests to adjust the phone's volume or brightness, or open the Settings menu and then open another submenu while you decide on your next selection?
There's a tremendous amount that Google's voice actions can do, like call a business you search out by name -- as long as there's only one instance of the shop near you. Otherwise, the search assistant may present you with a list of choices that you won't be able to narrow down until you manage to free a hand.
I'd love to tell Android to select choice A, left, and to add or change more details to a reminder if you forget the first time.