Google Gemini vs. Google Assistant: A Disappointing Encounter
Recently, I received an alert on my Pixel 6 inviting me to try out Google’s new voice assistant, Gemini, in place of the ever-reliable Google Assistant. Out of curiosity, and perhaps a hint of skepticism, I decided to test its capabilities. What I found, however, was far from impressive.
During my trial, I posed a total of five questions (which might sound strange, but several variations were included). Here’s how Gemini fared:
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Alarm Setting: I requested, “Set an alarm for four thirty to post out a package.” Gemini confused it and set the alarm for 4:32 instead. This was a minor frustration, particularly since I regularly rely on Assistant to set multiple alarms without issue.
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Tomorrow’s Weather: Next, I asked for the weather forecast for the following day, hoping for a concise response. Gemini provided the correct details about my location, including maximum and minimum temperatures along with wind speed. The accuracy was commendable, though the answer could have been more concise. I was expecting something as straightforward as, “In [town name], it’ll be 8°C and raining.”
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Weekend Weather Outlook: When inquiring about the weekend’s weather, however, things took a turn for the worse. Gemini predicted a hot and sunny 20°C with clear skies, despite the reality of a chilly 8°C day filled with clouds and rain – a clear discrepancy, especially considering it was the middle of winter in Australia.
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Next Week’s Weather: I also asked for the weather forecast for the upcoming week, but Gemini disappointingly replied that it did not have that information, while Google Assistant is known to provide accurate long-term forecasts.
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Music Identification: Lastly, I attempted to identify a song. Instead of listening as I had expected, Gemini responded with a seemingly unrelated answer about “Storybook Love” from The Princess Bride, even though no music was playing. When I pressed further for the currently playing track, it suggested that I download an app like Shazam instead of attempting to identify the song.
While I understand that Gemini is still in development, I can’t shake the feeling that Google has never released something so fundamentally flawed before. Previous products, despite their challenges, at least provided foundational functionality. This experience with Gemini left me questioning its readiness for prime time.
In conclusion, while it’s exciting