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Google Assistant is now available on some Android TVs (Update: Sony TVs, too!)

If you own a Sony Bravia 4K HDR TV from the last couple of years, you're probably getting access to Google Assistant today.
By
November 8, 2017

Update (11/7/17): If you own a Sony Bravia 4K HDR TV from the last couple of years, you’re probably getting access to Google Assistant today. Sony announced that all 2017 4K HD TVs and 2016 models XBR-Z9D, XBR-X800D, and XBR-X750/X700D would all be getting an update starting today.

With Assistant, you’ll be able to search for content in apps like Netflix or YouTube. With a push of the microphone button on your remote, you can tell Assistant to pull up Mindhunter on Netflix. Additionally, you can perform all of the same actions with Assistant like you’d expect. If you want to know what the weather in Seoul is or turn off your Philips Hue lights in your living room, Assistant has your back.

You might already have the update available, but if not, it should show up soon. Keep your eyes peeled or head into your settings app at the bottom of your home screen and check out mash that software update button.

Original article (9/28/17): Your Android TV is about to a whole lot smarter, and more helpful too. Starting today, you now have access to Google Assistant on Android TV if you have an NVIDIA Shield TV. The update is available for both the original Shield TV and the upgraded model that came out earlier this year. In addition to Shield TV, Google says Sony Bravia TVs with Android TV will also get the update “in the coming months”.

If you have any experience with Google Assistant, nothing will surprise you here. You trigger Assistant by tapping the microphone button on the Sheild TV’s remote. You’ll hear the familiar activation noise and you’re ready to command Assistant to do your bidding. Well, kind of. While you can ask it to play content from places like HBO NOW, Netflix, or YouTube, there are some missing features.

Currently, both reminders and timers aren’t supported. You’ll need to grab your phone or have a chat with your Google Home for that. If you’re a Google Express customers, you can place orders right from your TV and, when you’re done, you can just tell Assistant to your system turn off. Additional controls for volume, play/pause, and control of your smart home devices are here too.

Here are the features Google Assistant might be getting soon
News

The personal assistant fight is heating up. They’re spreading to everything from televisions, to third-party speakers, headphones, and now cars. Google originally announced that Assistant would be coming to TVs at CES in January of this year. The timing of this release will raise some eyebrows since Amazon just released a new Fire TV dongle that is designed to go up against the Chromecast Ultra and brings Alexa to your television.

To celebrate the release of Google Assistant on Android TV, Google is offering a free three-month YouTube Red trial on Shield TV. Kick on your Sheild, update your system, and kick back and enjoy.

Do you think Assistant will be useful on TV? How do you plan to use it? Sound off down in the comments.