Management
The commands featured below work when initiated from a smartphone, a web browser, a Google Home Smart Speaker or a Google Home Hub [a Smart Speaker with a built in screen] or similar products like the Lenovo Smart Display.
The Google Home Smart Speakers [which come in 3 sizes] can obviously only respond with spoken answers and no images.
Devices with screens will respond with an audible reply and / or text as well including relevant pictures, video clips etc.
Here are some of the most useful commands that you can use with the different tools below.
Google Assistant: Ask "What can you do ?"
If you would like to find out more about the many capabilities of the amazing Google Assistant just open the App on your smartphone [via the "O.K. Google" command or by using a launch button if you have one] then ask "What can you do ?" the device will respond with the message "Here are some things you can ask for :" followed by a list of suggestions in the form of an icon with a short description. At the foot of the list is a further option to "Explore More" which when taken will produce groups of results listed under various categories. Select any of the entries on either list to launch that feature.
Google Assistant: "My Day" [Information Request]
One of the many things you can ask your Google Assistant is the question "My Day" at any time to get a brief overview of your day's activities. The scope of this reply is customisable in the Google Home App and you can for example set it to include 'Time' followed by 'My Calendar' information, and finishing with 'a local weather report'.
N.B.
Saying "My Calendar" by itself just asks for calendar entries to be read out.
Google Assistant: "My Lists"
A great feature of Google Assistant is the ability to create and manage multiple lists. Here is a support page describing how to start and populate a "Shopping List" just using your voice. These can be viewed in your account data using the Keep App on your phone or by pointing your Chrome browser to the Keep: Progressive Web App [PWA]
Google Assistant: "My Reminders"
Your Google Assistant can take the strain by easily managing lots of different reminders for you. Here is a support page describing how to go about dealing with "Reminders" just using your voice.
You can also use your Chrome browser to access this account page that lists any “up and coming” reminders you may have in a similar way as the ‘schedule view’ works in Calendar - even handier !
Google Assistant: "Show My Notes" {on smartphone}
Another useful feature you can request from the Google Assistant on any device with a display is "Show My Notes" that have been previously stored in the Keep App. The response will list any / all current Notes.
If after selecting a note to read, or delete, then on return to the Assistant's screen you will be presented with a "dual menu" where you can toggle between "Lists" / "Notes".
N.B.
This seems to be the only situation when this screen is displayed. i.e. it is not available from any other menu.
Click here for the support page that explains more about it.
See also the paragraph on using Google Keep below.
Google Assistant: "Show My Tasks" {in Calendar}
If you ask your Google Assistant on your smartphone to "Show My Tasks" it will launch the Google Tasks App and display any entries from your Calendar.
N.B.
On your smartphone Today's tasks are displayed in the notification area with an icon looking this (./) in blue, earlier tasks that are overdue will be coloured red.
You can launch the Tasks App to get full details.
Individual notifications are triggered when the time shown in their hh:mm settings is reached, or when any changes are made to content of existing entries.
The Android "Task" App usually issues reminders around 9:00am
On the web while using the Calendar view all tasks appear in black. If they are not marked as completed they remain inside of the their original Calendar date and are shown in bold next. It's a good idea therefore to use the 'Schedule" view with a starting date a few days earlier than current date so that any of these overdue, incomplete, items are also displayed in the current view.
N.B.
After making above notes I came across this HubSpot article does a much better job of giving loads of great advice and is well worth the 7 minute read.
Google Assistant: Voice commands for podcasts and photos
Click here for an article by The Verge that explains how you can use your Google Assistant for topical podcast searching and photo sharing.
Google Calendar: "Individual Entries"
To create a reminder ....
Open the Google Calendar App.
In the bottom right corner, tap Create event and then Reminder.
Type your Reminder, or choose a suggestion.
Choose a date, time, and frequency.
In the top right tap Save.
You'll see the Reminder in the Google Calendar App.
When you mark a Reminder as being done, it will be crossed out in the Google Calendar App, and will stay on the date you marked it as having been completed.
Incomplete Reminders / Tasks carry over to the next day until you action them.
N.B.
You can also create Reminders / Tasks in other ways using the Inbox, Keep, and Google App.
More information can be found on the Add Reminders in Google Calendar support page.
There are also some ideas at What you can do with the new Calendar in the G Suite Learning Centre.
Google Calendar: "Schedule" view
When accessing your Calendar you have the choice of different view options. These are all useful in their own way but the schedule view can be handy for quickly seeing entries spread over a wide period of time.
N.B.
You can have the system automatically send you an email 'Daily Agenda' every morning with an extract from your Calendar [around 5am] with a list of that day's events - and if things are quiet it will just say "You have no events scheduled for today" for a that date.
Google Drive: How To Use ?
Click here to see an official support document that explains how to use the facilities, on different platforms, containing links to a range of handy topics.
Google Drive: One-tap phone backup
Want to back up your phone's important data to Drive? You can! And with a single tap. On the mobile app, go to Settings > Backup and choose what you want to back up -- contacts, calendar events or photos and videos (or all three). Just tap the Start Backup button to get going, but remember if you have a lot of data it could take a while so maybe start the process overnight. Your phone will need to be plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.
Google Drive: Sharing Information
Click here to learn about the many ways you can go about sharing information with individuals or groups of people.
Google Gmail and Calendar: Chrome browser interface
If you already use the Chrome browser and Gmail then you are ready to take advantage of great productivity feature.
This features a quick access side panel in the Gmail view that contains customisable add-ons. By default a narrow pane runs down the right hand mid portion of the browser which can be toggled to expand / contract. The expanded option uses a wider section of the screen to display detailed information from the add-ons. A couple of guides on the topic can be read by clicking here or here for a better understanding.
N.B.
A similar add-on pane is also available in some of the other key Google products.
Google Gmail Issues
Gmail is normally a very reliable product but occasionally something may go wrong. Click here to learn what to do if you suspect something is not functioning properly and what to do to fix it.
Google Keep: Versatile App / PWA
As there is growing focus on this software the many notes have been brought together on the dedicated "Keep" page.
Watch Out: Facebook Frustrations
Click here for a HowtoGeek article called "How to Contact Facebook For Account Help" that spells out issues you are likely to encounter if trying to contact Facebook with a couple of suggestions that may assist.