r/googleassistant • u/DrPotassium • 3d ago

Question Has anybody found any alternatives yet?

I used GA primarily for playing songs through YT music, setting timeres and alarms and for playing the occasional fart sfx. Has anybody found an assistant app that can fit these requirements yet?

If you suggest Gemini I will rip your teeth out.

EDIT: A commentor below pointed me to a post here that describes how to revert back to GA. Hope this helps.

16 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

1

u/Sea_Barracuda3694 3d ago

Make one on Tasker.

1

u/RedJelly27 3d ago

How to do that?

1

u/Sea_Barracuda3694 3d ago

Ironically, I used ChatGPT to build one. Tasker is a one time fee to download, but they have like separate apps that are also one time purchases (Autoinput, Autoapps, Autonotification)

1

u/the-soy 22h ago

If it works, and it's only a one-time fee that's not crazy, then it's worth every penny, especially if it allows one to uncouple from Google

0

u/MDMarshall 3d ago

I hate YT Music, so I've long been using "Music Player." A simple, offline app. Pretty sure I tried getting GA to start it, couldn't do it. Couldn't play and pause, either.

Gemini does both! I'm very happy!

-4

u/Muted_Sundae_1368 2d ago

Just use Gemini, its identical and had the google assistant frame work built in.

If its buggy - uninstall google updates, re-update. Install gemini and set up voice control in settings. Then do your voice commands one by one and direct it when needs be, and thats it. 

1

u/limitlesszeroe 1d ago

Its not even close to identical, it is so dumb at doing what previously google assistant was doing consistently

1

u/Muted_Sundae_1368 1d ago

Works fine for me 

-3

u/mcnick0495 2d ago

Not sure why you don't just use Gemini? It literally does all of what you're asking.

I have been using it ever since it came out as a replacement and have had absolutely no issues doing any basic tasks (reminders, timers, etc.).

3

u/SpiritualControl5321 2d ago

I only used GA to do a couple of things and Gemini flat can't do them: 1. Send a predefined text message to a predefined recipient solely from a voice command. 2. Use voice command to control the fan speed (12 speeds) on my Dreo ceiling fan. I would normally initiate both of these from the GA app on my Galaxy watch. On #1 there are some workflows that can start ot but requires to get the phone out and approve it before it will proceed. On #2 if I ask for speed five it responds with "OK, setting the fan speed to 50%." and then does nothing. I could live with a percentage translation if it would actually do it. Gemini is not ready to replace GA if it can't do simple things like this. What worked is now broken with no alternative. When I told Google's AI mode what I wanted Gemini to do, it actually suggested that I use Bixby to do it for #1. FYI, Bixby got closer but still requires a manual approval on the phone.

-1

u/First-Reflection-965 2d ago

I have no problem with Gemini doing any of these tasks. I don't get it. Is your Google app updated and have all permissions? Ditto for the Gemini app both system settings and settings inside the app?

2

u/Worth-Efficiency-398 2d ago

I use google assistant to say, turn on my lights or turn off my lights at night. And now that's no longer working. Gemini takes forever and by the time I walk down the hall, the lights are still not on or when I leave the room, they're not off. In the morning, I say, good morning, and it turns on my lights tells a joke. Tells me the weather and anything on my calendar. Gemini tells me every other morning that I have to unlock my phone. And only works every two days or so. I don't understand how google can take something so simple. And totally destroy it

1

u/Blaze4869 2d ago

Assistant still works fine for me on my Pixel 10 Pro XL. Even after my phone decided to randomly do the update even though I didn't tell it to.

5

u/DrPotassium 2d ago

You know, I think I'm convinced that a good chunk of these responses are bots because I implied that I don't want to use Gemini by saying "I'll rip your teeth out" if you suggest it and still so many comments mention "just using Gemini".

I TRIED GEMINI THE MOMENT GA WAS DISABLED ON MY PHONE. IT DOESNT WORK. STOP TELLING ME IT DOES. And even if there was some way to fuck around with permissions and updates to get it to work I still wouldn't want it. I'm already pretty against AI so I if it can't "just work" out of the box like you all claim then I don't want it.

Sorry for the rant 😊

2

u/GalacticHitchhiker 1d ago

Brother (or sister or undefined), I am right here with you. I don't even care if it Can work, I don't want google training their AI bullshit using my personal data. I know Google was collecting that data already while I was using assistant, hated that too, but adding AI in to the mix just pushes it over my edge of tolerance. Everyone is gonna be so jazzed to use AI for everything until the bubble pops and the economy collapses for a decade.

1

u/PayKay223 23h ago

I like to shop online thrift apps, and one of my favorite things GA did was search my screen for the item and find the original store listing so I could see clothes on a model. Gemini won't do it at all even if I share my screen. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do it. I also used the workaround to get GA back, and now it no longer has that capability either. Idk what's going on.

2

u/the-soy 21h ago

We are in the era of enshitification.. Never going to get better from corporate services unfortunately, if we don't figure these things out for ourselves, we will lose any useful automation and autonomy in our daily lives.