21 ways Gemini can actually be useful on Android

Right now, Gemini’s getting a bit of a bad rap — at least, among certain circles of savvy users who are closely tuned into the technology.

It’s easy to see why: Google rushed Gemini out of the gates way before it was ready. It increasingly crippled the perfectly fine Google Assistant experience in the meantime, and still today, Gemini can’t do everything Assistant did in terms of day-to-day device basics (while Assistant no longer handles those same tasks consistently anymore, either).

Gemini’s also overly complicated and confusing, with its many models and cryptically coded options. It’s being shoved in our faces at every possible opportunity in a move reminiscent of a certain other much-maligned Google service. And, most troubling of all, it’s being positioned as an all-purpose answer machine when it gets answers wildly wrong anywhere from 5 to 20% of the time.

Just like all the other generative AI chatbots of the moment, in other words, it’s a steaming hot mess — even if most of the the mainstream tech-tappin’ masses may not fully realize it yet.

But the problem with Gemini (and other similar systems) is less the technology itself and more the way the tech industry for some reason insists on framing it. These large-language model mechanisms just aren’t good at understanding context or offering factual answers. They shouldn’t be set up to serve as replacements for search. They get stuff wrong shockingly often, for cryin’ out loud, and they always will. It’s par for the course, and it’s just plain silly. (Seriously: The hits keep comin’ — and comin’, and comin’, and…well, you get the idea.)

They are, however, useful in other ways — namely when it comes to lower-level, more mundane sorts of tasks where context, judgment, and a lack of flat-out fabricating aren’t required.

Here, specifically, are 21 simple ways Gemini can actually be useful and worth using on Android — with minimal “AI” (in the current sense of the term), no “brainstorming” ballyhoo, and absolutely no error-filled info-seeking involved.

Note that Gemini is not available in all countries, due to differing regulations in different parts of the world. If you’re in a place where the service is supported and you don’t yet have it on your device, you can download the official Google Gemini app and open it up to get started — then either long-press your device’s power button or say Hey Google to summon it from there, depending on the specifics of your setup.

Part I: Notes and memory with Gemini on Android 

1. In a reminder that the simplest features are often the most practical of all, Gemini can remind you of anything, anytime — just like Google Assistant could before it. Simply fire it up and say Remind me [whatever] at [whenever — day and/or time], and the deed will be done.

Gemini can set a reminder for you without even interrupting what you’re doing.JR Raphael, Foundry

It may not be flashy, but I’d be willing to wager you’ll rely on that much more often than the on-demand image generation or “creative thought partner” poppycock Google and every other AI-obsessed company is pushing with these things these days.

2. Basic reminders aside, Gemini is great at remembering specific info and then recalling it for you later. Try telling the service something like Remember that the door code is 90210, Remember that my rental car license plate is WIGGLES77, or Remember that Jed’s wife is named Tallulah — then, whenever you need to recall the related nugget, just ask: What’s the door code, What’s my rental car license plate, or What’s Jed’s wife’s name (or whatever question is appropriate for what it remembered).

3. The next time you need to make a more extensive note to yourself, pull out the classic old Assistant trick of telling Gemini to Create a note that says whatever you’ve got on your mind. It’ll save it into the Google Keep Android app for easy future finding.

[Psst: Love shortcuts? My free Android Shortcut Supercourse will teach you tons of time-saving tricks. Start now for free!]

Part II: Places and events with Gemini on Android 

4. If you’re ever feeling lost — or maybe you’re out on a Very Important Business Call and at a location you want to track down again in the future — fire up Gemini on your phone and ask the soul-searching question Where am I? Gemini will give you the nearest address in return. And then…

5. After you’ve asked Gemini for your current location, try saying Remember that location as…, followed by some sort of description you might use in the future — the best place to park, the home of the seven-foot egg roll, the place where I lost my mind (after eating a seven-foot egg roll), or whatever the case may be. You can then later ask Gemini where that place is, and it should serve back up the very same spot for your rediscovering pleasure.

6. Gemini can help you get from point A to point B, too. In addition to asking it to Start a navigation to some particular place, you can ask it questions like How long would it take me to get In ‘N’ Out Burger right now and other equally important inquiries.

7. Just like Assistant before it, Gemini is great at helping you check in on your calendar. Ask it What’s on my agenda for today, When’s my first meeting tomorrow, or When’s my next haircut — or any other variations on those same concepts you can come up with — for a quick ‘n’ easy way to see what you’ve got ahead.

8. You don’t have to stop with calendar check-ins: Gemini can also make new appointments for you in some especially useful ways. In addition to simply asking it to Create a new calendar appointment for [whatever] on [whatever day and time], you can summon Gemini anytime you’ve got info about an event on your screen — in an email, on a website, within a text or Slack thread, or whatever — then tap the button that says “Ask about screen” and say Create a calendar appointment for this. Gemini will interpret the visible info and format it into a full event on your calendar in a single swift step.

Creating calendar events is especially easy with Gemini’s assistance.JR Raphael, Foundry

Part III: Intelligent interactions with Gemini on Android 

9. When you’re looking at a web page, a document, or any other type of text on your Android device and you aren’t in a position to read it with your own two eyes — if, for instance, you’re walking, driving, or climbing high atop a towering tree in Narnia — get Gemini, tap that same “Ask about screen” button we went over a second ago, and say Read this out loud. Just please, for the sake of our collective sanity, put in your frickin’ earbuds first.

10. If, on the other hand, you want a summarized version of something on your screen, follow those same steps from the previous tip but this time say Summarize this. Gemini will start to speak a simple summary of the info aloud to you (provided you spoke aloud to it), or you can press the pause button and read its streamlined overview yourself if you’d rather.

11. Speaking of summarizing, Gemini’s (non-milk-related) condensing powers also extend to the domain of YouTube — where a quick ‘n’ simple summarization can sometimes really be useful. Use that same “Ask about screen” button again while you’ve got a video in front of ye and say Summarize this video. 

Get a simple text summary of any long video in seconds with Gemini by your side.JR Raphael, Foundry

In advance: You’re welcome.

12. One more slice of summarizing sorcery worth noting: No matter what you’re doing on your device, you can call up Gemini and ask it to Summarize my most recent incoming emails. As long as you’ve got the Gemini Gmail/Google Workspace integration active, El Gembo will give you a bird’s eye view of what’s awaiting in your inbox at that very moment.

13. Trying to identify something you see on your screen — a landmark, a plant or flower, or even a person named Joe Pesci? Caress that Gemini “Ask about screen” button while it’s visible and ask exactly what you want to know: What building is this? What type of flower is this? Who is this? Gemini will tap into the same smarts seen in the superb Google Lens Android setup and give you an answer in the blink of an eye.

Part IV: Basic device functions with Gemini on Android 

14. Check up on your phone’s power in a jiff by asking Gemini What’s my battery level? (You can also try asking it What’s the frequency, Kenneth? — but I wouldn’t necessarily expect any real results in return.)

15. Save yourself the sometimes-awkward finger-stretching and snap a screenshot of anything on your screen simply by asking Gemini to Take a screenshot. Easy!

16. On a related note, you can review your captured screenshots without lifting a finger by giving Gemini the very logical command of Show my screenshots.

17. It may seem obvious, but Gemini can send text messages on your behalf. Just say — brace yourself… — Send a text message to followed by the name of the person you’ve got in mind (and, optionally, the entire message, too, if you want to save yourself a second step).

18. Similarly, your Android Gemini assistant can place a call via the command Call followed by the name of the contact or number you’re needing.

19. Set your sound volume in a split second by asking Gemini to Set the media volume — or call volume, ring volume, notification volume, or alarm volume — either on a one to 10 scale or to a specific percent value.

Adjusting any system volume level is never more than a spoken command away.JR Raphael, Foundry

20. You can also rely on Gemini to adjust all sorts of system settings — for instance, asking it to Turn Do Not Disturb on (or off), Turn the flashlight on (or off), Turn Bluetooth on (or off), and Turn airplane mode on (or off).

21. And last but not least, Gemini can get you where you need to be within your Android system settings without any of the usual hunting. Tell it to Open up the Accessibility settings — or any other area or specific option — and watch it fly you over precisely where you need to be.

Keep the advanced Android knowledge coming with my free Android Shortcut Supercourse. Tons of time-saving tricks await!