How to use S Voice
A good mobile app should be user-friendly, and with S Voice it’s as easy as following two basic steps. Sounds pretty simple, right? Now let’s take a look at what S Voice can do for you.
What S Voice Can Do
Call a numberSearch for a contactWrite and send a text messageOpen another applicationProvide directionsTell you about the weatherCalculate tipsAdd an event to your calendarSet an alarmUpdate your Facebook/TwitterConduct a web searchPlay musicToggle Wi-Fi on/offTurn hands-free mode on/offWrite a memoRecord your voiceSolve math problemsFlirt with you
S Voice, who says her name is Galaxy, can be pretty sweet at times. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get her to date me!
Hands-Free Mode
Also known as driving mode, hands-free mode reads incoming text messages aloud and allows you to answer calls with a voice command. This is great for driving, but make sure to turn this off when you’re done – especially if you’re going to work or the movies.
How to Know if S Voice is Listening
S Voice must listen for vocal input in order for your commands to be received. However, it doesn’t actively listen all the time because first off, that would be creepy, and secondly, it would drain a lot of battery. In order to tell if S Voice is actively listening to your vocal input, check that the microphone button is illuminated. When you first open the app, Galaxy should be listening already, and the microphone button should glow blue. However, if no voice input is detected, S Voice will go idle and require you to tap the microphone button or say your wake-up command before you can continue. Once it’s activated, wait for the beep to make sure your command is fully heard. In certain situations S Voice will prompt you again for more information. But if your Galaxy determines no more information is required, it may go idle and provide a “Say your wake-up command to wake me up” message.
Personalize Your Settings
Open the S Voice app and tap the menu button. Next, select the Settings button that pops up. This will allow you to access the app’s list of customizable features. Browse through these features and choose what works best for you. The default wake-up command is “Hi, Galaxy”, but you can change it to any 3-5 syllable phrase you’d like. To do this, make sure wake up commands are enabled and then select Set wake-up command. This should bring you to a screen where you can save various wake-up functions to respond to your own phrasing and accent. Select Wake up S Voice and you will be prompted to repeat the phrase of your choice 4 times. Wake-up commands can be used at the Lock Screen (enable this feature under Settings) or when the app is currently open. Once set, your individualized commands will be passively detected. Besides opening S Voice, wake-up commands can also be set for the following:
Integrate S Voice with other Voice Command Options on Your Samsung Device
Asking to compose an email will return an error in S Voice, but there are still various ways to use voice commands to dictate your message. Instead of asking S Voice to write an email, ask S Voice to open your email app. Begin a blank email, go to the composition box, and hit the microphone icon on your virtual keyboard. I’ve found the stock Jellybean keyboard to be especially accurate with vocal input. Another useful tool is Google Now, which provides news, weather updates, and voice command options. You can use the standard Google app to compose an email and add recipients, but the application isn’t fully refined; after the initial block of text is input, Google will only Send or Cancel using voice commands, so if you want to edit your text or continue dictation, you’re brought to the email app anyway.
Next Generation S Voice
A purported leak of the Galaxy S5 KitKat UI shows a potentially significant update of S Voice. The rumored next-gen layout sports a basic, clean look. Here’s a sneak peek: (Photo credits: SAMmobile.) Find out further news about the Galaxy S5 and potential S Voice updates from the MWC (Mobile World Congress), which took place on February 24th, 2014. Overall, S Voice remains an underrated feature on Samsung Galaxy phones and hopefully you’ve found a tip or two in this article to make you get back to it and use it productively. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
