Google adds a Dashboard to Google Now, but only for the rumored Nexus Launcher

By Julian Chokkattu Published August 11, 2016

google now nexus launcher dashboard feat — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Android Nougat, Google Assistant, and the new Nexus devices are all coming soon, and Google is increasingly testing new features to small groups of people ahead of these launches. The search giant is testing a new “Dashboard” in Google Now, the personal assistant that offers contextually relevant information on Android.

Multiple users have uploaded images and screen recordings with a new feature in Google Now — a Dashboard. The Google app looks the same as before except there’s a new bar at the bottom that offers the Google “Home” on the left, and the “Dashboard” on the right. Unfortunately, none of the images show what the Dashboard actually takes you to, but the “Home” is essentially the default Google Now homepage.

google now dashboard — Andrew Krause

One of the users who posted a screenshot of the new feature says “nothing appears” when he clicks Dashboard, meaning it’s likely not working. And it also seems to only show up when he’s using the Nexus Launcher, a proprietary launcher Google is bundling into Android Nougat for the upcoming Nexus devices. The buttons disappear when the user reverts back to the Google Now Launcher.

The user, Andrew Krause, says he “made a calendar entry and a reminder in Keep and both appeared in the Dashboard. It seems to pull data from other Google services so that they are all available in one place.” Essentially if you use other Google services like Calendar, Inbox, and Maps, you’ll likely be able to see and act on notifications in the Dashboard.

The APK for Google’s upcoming Nexus Launcher was unofficially leaked earlier this month; it seems like if you downloaded it you may be able to see this new Dashboard feature. That means Google may not have intended this feature to be seen yet, and it only affirms that the Nexus Launcher will bring proprietary features to Nexus devices only.

This is not the only new feature the search giant is testing — a new “Explore Interests” feature recently began showing up for select users, allowing them to set specific categories and topics for Google Now to track.

Topics

Julian Chokkattu

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…

Mobile

New spec leak adds to growing Google Pixel 6 rumors

We've already had a leak showing what could be the Google Pixel 6. Now, some detailed specs for the phone, plus hints of an even longer software support schedule than existing models, have emerged. The latest leak includes details about the screen size, cameras, and branding for two Pixel phones expected to make their debut this year, as reported by Frontpage Tech's Jon Prosser, a regular device leaker.

The Pixel 6 is rumored to ship with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display and a dual rear camera setup made up of a 50-megapixel wide camera paired with a 12MP ultrawide lens. The front is expected to have an 8MP camera, and all this is to be powered by a 4614mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB and 256GB of storage.

Mobile

Google Photos now shows more of the photos you want, fewer of the ones you don’t

Google Photos

Google detailed a selection of feature updates to Google Photos during the Google I/O 2021 keynote presentation, starting with an incredible statistic: There are 4 trillion photos and videos stored in Google Photos, an astonishing number, but the vast majority are never viewed.

Google is using A.I. to make sure the memories you’ve made and stored in Google Photos don’t get forgotten. It begins with an approach it calls Little Patterns. When it finds three or more photos that look similar, including shapes and colors, machine learning puts them together into a single story. Google showed a demonstration where it identified someone wearing a distinctive orange backpack, which was featured in multiple photos of a hiking tour, that was ready to be collected into a new story.

Mobile

How to turn on Now Playing and see music history on your Google Pixel

google-pixel-3a-xl-now-playing

If you own a Pixel phone, discovering what music is playing near you is now easier than ever. Google includes an exclusive feature called Now Playing in its Pixel 2 and newer phones, so you're not scouring the internet trying to figure out what that song was you just heard playing.

In short, the Now Playing feature automatically recognizes and shows you the title and artist of that mystery song on the lock screen. It also keeps track of those songs so you can access them later. However, you must manually enable this feature first. In this guide, we show you how to enable Now Playing, how to access the history, and tweak the notifications you get.
How to turn on Now Playing
Now Playing shows songs that are playing in your vicinity right on your lock screen. Again, this feature is only supported on the Google Pixel 2 or later -- you won't be able to follow these instructions on other phones or the original Pixel. Here's how to turn it on: