“Play the Android Police podcast about Andor”
Driving can be a disgusting activity. It requires a lot of active attention, involves numerous risks and yet you will probably have to hit the road today. Hands-free interaction with Android Auto and some of the best apps can help cut down on the monotony without creating too many distractions in the process. But for podcast listeners looking to pass the time with a favorite episode, they still had to navigate menu after menu of selections. That is, until now.
Google Assistant just gained the ability to recognize commands around specific podcast requests. You’re no longer relegated to the latest edition of a podcast – you can now specify episodes you’re looking for based on specific guests, topics, or if you know them, the title of the episode.
Some examples are:
- “Hey Google, play the episode of Conan O’Brien needs a friend with Stephen Colbert”
- “OK Google, play the This is Uncomfortable pay raise episode”
- “Hey Google, play The Sporkful podcast episode ‘A New Jersey Whiskey Mystery'”
- “Hey Google, play last Thursday’s episode of The Daily”
The commands should get the results you want, whether your podcast player of choice is Google Podcasts or Spotify, as specified in your Assistant settings.
In a statement to 9to5Google, Google said this feature was aimed specifically at car-bound podcast listeners. It also notably complements the recent launch of the Android Auto Coolwalk redesign. However, anyone with access to a Google Assistant-enabled Surface, including your phone, can take advantage of the new voice command parameters.
And if you’re looking for podcast suggestions, can we recommend the Android Police podcast?