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Google Begins Rolling Out Gemini 'Utilities' Extension: What's New?

The utilities extension lessens Gemini's dependency on the Google Assistant for functions such as controlling music playback, accessing apps and setting alarms and timings.

<div class="paragraphs"><p>Google has begun to push out the Gemini Utilities extension.&nbsp;(Photo Source: Freepik)</p></div>
Google has begun to push out the Gemini Utilities extension. (Photo Source: Freepik)

Google has begun to push out the Gemini Utilities extension after its preview at I/O in May. The utilities extension lessens Gemini's dependency on the Google Assistant for a number of functions, such as controlling music playback, accessing apps and setting alarms and timings.

Google claims that Gemini will let users take pictures and screenshots, browse or search for screenshots in Pixel Screenshots, control device capabilities, and open websites, apps and settings. The feature presently supports voice and text instructions in English. 

However, your smartphone might not have the utilities extension right away because it is reportedly being rolled out to users gradually.

One of the problems users have had with Gemini is being resolved by the utilities extension, which enables some capabilities even while a device is locked. This includes checking the device's volume and battery level, turn it on and off, take screenshots and photos, control media directly from the lock screen, set and silence alarms, set and stop timers, and enable or disable the bluetooth, do not disturb mode, battery saver and flashlight.

Here's a lowdown on what users can do with the Gemini Utilities extension:

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Set And Manage Alarms

  • Set alarm at [time]

  • Set alarm in [minutes]

  • Change [alarm name] alarm to [time]

  • When is my next alarm?

  • Show my alarms

  • Snooze alarm

  • Stop

  • Cancel [time] alarm for [day]

  • Remove all my alarms

  • Delete [time, alarm name] alarm

Set And Manage Timers

  • Set timer for [length of time]

  • Add another timer for [length of time]

  • Change the timer’s name to [new name]

  • Add [length of time] to this timer

  • How much time is left on my timer?

  • Show my timers

  • Pause my timer

  • Resume my timer

  • Unpause my timer

  • Reset timer

  • Restart my timer

  • Stop

  • Delete the timer

Set And Manage Alarms And Timers Based On Conversation

  • Set an alarm so that I can wake up for [event, activity]

  • I need to focus on [activity, task] for [length of time]. Set a timer for this

  • Show my alarms/Delete the [time] alarm

  • When does [activity, event] start?/Set an alarm for [hours] hours earlier

Request Multiple Actions In One Prompt

  • Turn my media volume and notification volume to [percentage] and turn on Battery Saver

  • Take a photo with a 10-second timer

Check And Control Device Features

  • Turn [on, off] flashlight

  • Turn [on, off] Battery Saver

  • Tell me the volume

  • Volume [percentage]

  • Turn [up, down] volume

  • Decrease brightness to [percentage]

  • What’s my battery level?

  • Power off device

  • Restart my device

Take Photos And Screenshots

  • Take a selfie

  • Take a picture in [seconds]

  • Take a screenshot

Control Media Playback

  • Pause

  • Pause the [music, video]

  • Stop the [music, video]

  • Resume

  • Continue playing

  • Replay

  • Restart [music, video]

  • Skip

  • Next

  • Next [song, video]

  • Previous

  • Play previous

  • Give this [song, video] a Thumbs up

Open Websites, Apps And Settings

  • Open [URL name]

  • Open [app name]

  • Open [name of settings] settings

Browse Or Search Screenshots In Pixel Screenshots (Announced In October Pixel Drop)

  • Search for [item, object, content type] in Pixel Screenshots

  • Show me my [collection name] in Pixel Screenshots

  • Check Pixel Screenshots [your query]

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