By Chris Pomroy - Thursday, June 28, 2018

The same Google Assistant as on Google Home devices is now on SHIELD!

Google Assistant is a lot smarter and feature-rich. It transforms your TV experience. You can find content or ask Google Assistant to give you recommendations. You can control your media with your voice without the need for finding your remote; “OK Google, Pause.” You can now even use your SHIELD to add items to your shopping list, turn on your lights* or see who’s at the door**. Google Assistant really helps to connect Android users to their Google connected life on TV. You can ask SHIELD to show you your pictures of your latest holiday or ask when your next meeting is, and you will get the visual response up on your TV. Finally, you can now also use SHIELD to control your other Google Assistant devices like your Chromecast Speakers or Google Home device!

The Google Assistant experience on SHIELD has also been optimised for your TV. Ask for popular movies and see movie “cards” appear on screen to show you the answer. Ask who stars in Game of Thrones and see pictures of the cast. Google Assistant on SHIELD TV even gives you suggestions on screen to provide suggested follow-up questions to ask. If you want to access Google Assistant in your living room, we think your best experience would be on SHIELD.

With the Google Assistant update, SHIELD TV also becomes the world’s first completely hands-free streaming device. As long as the new SHIELD controller is nearby, you can say “OK Google” or “Hey Google” to control your TV and your home without picking up a remote. The Google Assistant is at your command, hands free. Think about it. You don’t have to get off the sofa or even pick up your remote - you can just say “OK, Google”, “Show me the Premiership Rugby results”!

Together, Google Assistant and SHIELD let you accomplish all kinds of actions. Here are a few fun things to try. Just say “OK Google” or “Hey Google” and issue the following commands:  

• “Show me popular Netflix shows”
• “Watch Homeland on Netflix”
• “Dim the living room lights in the Living Room”*
•  “Who is the Mother of Dragons”
• “Show me my pictures from Egypt”
• “Open my Nest camera”**
• “Play Katy Perry’s Dark Horse on YouTube”
• “What are Oscar Nominated Movies with Tom Hanks”
• “Ask Asda to add more crisps and beer to my shopping list”
• “Who won the London Irish Vs Bath rugby game?”
• “Set a reminder for me to take the car in for a service”
•  “Play a Lullaby in the Baby’s room”***

So, there you have it. Fire up that SHIELD, and start playing around with Google Assistant. And if you haven’t already jumped on the SHIELD bandwagon, then what’s stopping you? It’s all seamless and astonishingly simple. Grab one today.

* Requires a smart home lighting system from someone like Philips Hue.

** Requires smart home camera from a someone like Nest.

*** Requires a music streaming service subscription from someone like Spotify and a Google Home or Chromecast Speaker.