How are you finding Essential Search?

Vast

Due to a bug with the Google search bar not changing colours to mirror my home screen, I thought I’d replace it and try out Essential Search.

I’m actually surprisingly impressed, a very nicely packaged Gemini Mini which has made it so I have less step to access what I need in that moment. It’s a great tool in saving time finding apps in the app draw, files, images, settings and some simple searches. I will be keeping it enabled from now on!

My only complaint so far, when you ask it a question and it comes back with a reply, you can’t ask it a follow up question based on the answer it gives you. So for instance if it makes a mistake, you have to press the undo button and then rephrase your question in the hope that this time, it will understand and give you an answer to the question you asked instead of it getting sidetracked.

I have no idea if this is a limitation of Gemini Mini, something that was missed or this may be coming in a future update.

But this is a really good addition to the ‘Essential’ lineup, saves the user a tonne of time cutting steps and streamlines you to your destination with ease. It’s now my new normal going forward.

Thanks NothingOS team once again!

How are you guys finding Essential Search? Are you even using it? What would you change/suggest for improvement?

Nicouschulas

Vast

Not working for me so I can’t tell

thandi

Vast @changename Please provide an update for the phone (2)

X0R

Vast works unreliably for me, i.e., sometimes it refuses to give me an answer.

dazedbwoy

Vast still not available in my region.

Vast

Nicouschulas That’s a shame. What device are you on?

CMF1_hacker

I use it as default and like that it searches my files on the phone, performs and internet search and provides a short summary.

I am fully tired of reading chatGPT summaries, especially on coursework submitted by student, so this short take is very nice.

It saves me a Wikipedia/Wiktionary search tbf.

mackie_cmf

CMF1_hacker aren’t u on cmf phone. I thought the gemini thing only works on phone 3??

Vast

Walid Very exciting, I can’t wait too see what you guys come up with, let’s hope that implementation can help this small quirk!

CMF1_hacker I can only imagine how painful those AI essays must be to mark!

Yeah it’s really snappy and gets too the point for little facts or queries you might have floating in your brain.

georgios1 I think this is a Google Gemini issue tbf, Gemini was telling me two days ago that the Nothing Phone (3) was yet to be released and me talking about it’s specs were “speculation”.

If you try and add a year i.e. the 24/25 season, it normally answers decently. This is why I think a reply button would be quite nice as its an easy way to correct Gemini instantly.

ByronXTREME Yeah that would be nice, you can access the source material but not directly take you to a search engine. However, I think typing into the search bar and then selected chrome from the drop down is much faster.

K0pp3r This is true and I totally agree I don’t wish for it to become another boring chatbot, we have way to many of those. I guess as well in my case, if you did want very specific data or knowledge from the web then EssentialSearch may not be the place you would head too first, so I understand your point. I still think if their is a way to gently correct Gemini Mini to answer your question if an error occurs without making it a full blown chatbot, it would be a welcome edition.

CMF1_hacker

mackie_cmf I have a CMF1 and a NP3 (both ends of the spectrum I guess.) I still love them both and right now am painting my house with the CMF1/BT buds before the rain comes this afternoon. NP3 is charging.

georgios1

It doesn’t look like being up to date to provide current information

CMF1_hacker

georgios1 I thought Mo Farah was a runner. So, it’s even incorrect.

Walid

georgios1

We are using Gemini’s grounding under the hood to power fetching up to date information. Looking into what might have happened here.

pixcel25

It’s too slow to process answers

Walid

pixcel25

Latency improvements on the way!

Gun_Put

Not really reqd.

The AI chatbots are far better.

Walid

Gun_Put

What would you want to see included in Essential Search to cater for most your other AI chatbots needs?

ByronXTREME

Yeah, it cool, but I do wish you could go further. Like, maybe add a “keep searching on Google” button at the end.

CMF1_hacker

Essential search will not tell be about itself.

Walid

Hey @Vast, thanks for giving Essential Search a shot and providing feedback!

Follow ups are happening! We’re not surfacing the chat history in the UI as we’re exploring a more interesting implementation than an alternating message list.

georgios1

Walid thank you! 💪

pixcel25

Walid lets goooo.

K0pp3r

Maybe I’m in the minority but I actually quite like that it’s not a full blown chatbot, there are better apps for that. Being able to just get quick search results/answers works great for me. Maybe a touch slow depending on the network. Maybe better integration into essential space too, but to be honest I like that it doesn’t immediately violate my privacy by digging through everything.

I think it’d be a mistake to try an emulate a full chat bot in a search bar. That said maybe some more contextual stuff like being able to find/see specific info about apps or help troubleshoot nothing specific features?

Nicouschulas

Vast

Nothing phone 2a.

Eyepatch

When will these search function available in cmfp2p