Google Now is a personal assistant service that is considered to be Google's counterpart to Siri. Available on iOS and Android devices, the service is now making its way onto the desktop via Chrome Canary, the experimental build of Google's Chrome web browser.

google-now-chrome-mac-menu-bar
As reported by the Google Operating System blog, the latest build of Chrome Canary allows users to receive Google Now cards directly in the browser's notification system. Canary users on the Mac can enable the personal assistant by turning on the correct flag in the browser. Users should go to "chrome://flags/#enable-google-now" and then switch the settings from "Default" to "Enabled." A final click on the "Relaunch Now" button will turn on the feature.

Users who are signed into Chrome will receive a Google Now notification and a list of available cards. According to a Google support page, Google Now on the desktop will support weather, sports scores, commuter traffic and event reminders. Some of these desktop cards will sync with Google Now if it is enabled on a mobile phone. These mobile-synced cards will display relevant information using location data pulled from the mobile device.

Google Now for the desktop is still in the experimental stage, but it will likely land in the consumer version of Chrome for the Mac.

Top Rated Comments

Goftrey Avatar
157 months ago
Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Goftrey Avatar
157 months ago
Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?



Speak for yourself, mate.

----------

For the average consumer who only wants to use the web or web-like apps, sure. But most people I know want and expect more than that from a device.

Oh yeah absolutely. I could never own one personally, and probably 90% of the people here who browse this forum couldn't either. It's not designed for us. It's designed for the families, the Mom's and Dad's, the grandparents, net-cafes etc.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Goftrey Avatar
157 months ago
The future?

Only over my dead body.

Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself. (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tanegashima Avatar
157 months ago
Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!

The future?

Only over my dead body.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
157 months ago
Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself. (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854)

Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
157 months ago
I love Chrome, but as a browser. I don't want things running in the background, trying to by autonomous. I hope this feature has an off switch.

Overall, it seems Chrome is getting more bloated. Dare I say it's suffering from the Firefox-itis?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Mock Quick

iOS 27 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday January 18, 2026 3:51 pm PST by
iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update. The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense...
airpods pro 3 purple

New, Higher End AirPods Pro Coming This Year

Tuesday January 20, 2026 9:05 am PST by
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest. Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

MacBook Pro Buyers Now Facing Up to a Two-Month Wait Ahead of New Models

Sunday January 18, 2026 6:50 pm PST by
MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States. A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At...
smaller dynamic island iphone 18 pro Filip Vabrous%CC%8Cek

iPhone 18 Pro Leak: Smaller Dynamic Island, No Top-Left Camera Cutout

Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely. Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...