The Rise of Gemini: A Disappointing Replacement for Google Assistant?
Recently, I received an intriguing notification after pressing and holding the power button on my Pixel 6. Google prompted me to try out their new Gemini feature, suggesting I use it in place of Google Assistant. Curious but skeptical, I decided to give it a shot—if only for amusement.
Unfortunately, my experience was far from positive.
Within a short span, I posed several questions to Gemini—seven, to be precise. Here’s how it performed:
- “Set an alarm for four thirty, to post out package.”
- “Tell me tomorrow’s weather, but keep it concise.”
- “Briefly update me on the weekend’s weather.”
- “Identify this song.” (I also tried variations: “What is this song?” and “What song is currently playing?”)
- “What’s the weather forecast for next week?”
Out of these inquiries, Gemini managed to answer correctly just once.
Starting with the alarm request, it mistakenly set it for 4:32 instead of 4:30, interpreting my request with slight inaccuracies. While Google Assistant has consistently handled these requests effectively, this minor oversight was merely an annoyance.
Next, when I asked about tomorrow’s weather, Gemini accurately provided the location along with maximum and minimum temperatures, as well as wind speed. Although the wind speed might have been inaccurate, I didn’t feel like verifying, and it wasn’t quite the concise answer I was hoping for—something simple like, “In [town name], it will be 8°C and raining” would have sufficed.
The weekend weather forecast was even less impressive. Gemini confidently asserted it would be hot and sunny with a high of 20°C and clear skies, a startling claim during the depths of Australian winter. In reality, the temperature barely reached 8°C amidst a dreary, rain-soaked day.
When it came to the query about next week’s weather, Gemini disappointingly reported that it didn’t have access to that information—a stark contrast to Google Assistant, which provided forecasts seamlessly.
As for my attempt to identify a song, Gemini offered a completely irrelevant response. It stated, “The song from The Princess Bride is ‘Storybook Love,’” followed by a brief history of the song. Even when I requested it again without any music playing, I received the same wrong answer, albeit rephrased. Eventually, after
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