This past week was a busy one for Google Assistant as more than 20 new services were made available including DIY tips from WikiHow, Rotten Tomatoes movie reviews, and an action that can act as a concierge for Airbnb guests.
More than 170 actions have been listed in the Google Home app since the launch of the Actions on Google platform last December.
The WikiHow action can tell you how to survive a bear attack (10 seconds), start a business (in about five minutes), administer CPR (in three minutes), or do the Heimlich maneuver (in a little over two minutes).
The WikiHow action for Google Home begins by saying “Ask me to do anything,” but conversations with the action make it clear that it’s more accurate to say you can ask WikiHow about most things. Ask how to do Krav Maga and you may be told how to choose a martial art for example. Irregardless of whether WikiHow can tell you about anything or most things, this action can pull information from more than 180,000 WikiHow articles and that’s powerful.
Unlike most actions, WikiHow interactions are measured in minutes, not seconds. Longer questions are chopped up into sections and require you to say “Next” to proceed.
Also among noteworthy new Google Assistant actions, the Rotten Tomatoes action can tell you a movie’s Rotten Tomatoes review, the year the movie was made, and a two to three-sentence review. This action only works today for movies.
The Concierge Service action was made by Dana Young to support people who stay at his Washington mountain lodge. It’s meant to be a fun way for a guest…