Perplexity AI goes cell with a brand new digital assistant in your Android telephone.
The corporate introduced the characteristic this week, explaining that it allows you to use Perplexity as ordinary, however takes issues a step additional by integrating with different apps in your telephone and chaining instructions — that means you’ll be able to play media, set reminders, ship texts and emails, e-book rides, study issues utilizing your digital camera, and extra.
Perplexity’s telephone assistant is free and would not require a Professional subscription. It isn’t obtainable for iOS simply but.
I made a decision to present it a strive for some time and made it my default telephone assistant. Only one factor is holding me from sticking with it for good: its present lack of integration with my calendar.
What Perplexity may do on my Android telephone
I began easy. I requested Perplexity to make a listing of one of the best native date-night eating places and textual content them to my spouse (I used her title). At first, it made a listing of eating places in Orlando, Fla., over 500 miles away. I requested Perplexity if it knew my location, simply to verify I had all the right permissions turned on, and it recognized the place I used to be. A second try, asking the identical question, produced a significantly better record of eating places in Charlotte, NC — all swanky choices excellent for a date night time.
To push issues just a little additional, I replied that every one of these had been too far-off and requested for eating places particularly in my metropolis, simply exterior Charlotte. It populated one other record of good eating places restricted to my metropolis and requested if it may textual content the record. After I authorised, it despatched the record as a textual content message.
Taking part in round with examples I had seen different folks use, I used to be in a position to get Perplexity to attach with fairly a number of apps. After I requested for a experience, Perplexity requested the place I wished to go after which fired up Uber with my vacation spot set. Asking it to “Play the preferred songs from the Nineteen Sixties” introduced up Spotify and began enjoying songs. After a request to “Ship an e mail saying I am operating 10 minutes late,” the assistant requested the place it needs to be despatched, requested my most popular e mail shopper (Gmail), and despatched the message.
To check out the Google Lens-style capabilities, I pointed it at my TV and requested what motion pictures this actor was in (it was Steve Martin in an episode of Solely Murders within the Constructing). Perplexity instructed me it could not determine folks. I requested what TV present I used to be watching, although, and Perplexity not solely recognized all three actors on display, but in addition recognized and summarized the particular episode I used to be watching.
What Perplexity could not do on my Android telephone
There are some things the assistant cannot do, although. After I pressed for probably delicate info, like my checking account steadiness, it replied that it could not entry that info. After I requested what was on my Google Calendar, it stated it could not straight see that info (however you do have the choice to set occasions and reminders straight by the Perplexity assistant).
One of many greatest benefits this has over its competitors is the flexibility to remain in context. I can ask it to discover a restaurant, examine evaluations, inform me what’s good there, make a reservation, after which navigate to it.
Why Perplexity is not my default assistant… but
General, I used to be fairly impressed with how simple Perplexity AI was to make use of and what it may deal with.
I at the moment have a Pixel 8 Professional and use the built-in assistant fairly a bit for including calendar occasions and checking my calendar. The truth that Perplexity cannot entry that but might be the most important factor holding me from making it my default assistant. In nearly each different means, it equals or beats my common assistant.
If Perplexity can get a number of small issues labored out, I may change for good.
The right way to strive Perplexity’s telephone assistant
To strive it out for your self, you will want an Android system. Obtain the Perplexity app (the free model is all you want) and head to your telephone’s digital assistant settings. It is best to see “Default digital assistant app.” Faucet on that, and select Perplexity from the record. As you employ the assistant, it should ask for numerous permissions the firs time, together with microphone and digital camera, as will the providers you try to attach.
