We all had high hopes for Google Now on Tap, but the reality of actually using it didn't live up to the hype. There are too many instances where Google Now on Tap simply misses key words or phrases, or just brings up that sad "nothing on tap right now" card. Google is testing a new feature of Now on Tap that might make it vastly more useful. Some users are seeing standard Google Now cards in Now on Tap.

This is something we've been openly suggesting for months as a way to make On Tap more useful. If there are no search results, then opening On Tap is just wasted effort. This way, On Tap has something to show you regardless. This feature is available in the beta channel of the Google app, and it seems to work for everyone who installs it. Just scroll down to get your cards, which will include everything other than news and apps/sites cards.

Being part of the beta app, we can't say for sure how this will work when it's an official feature. Right now, the cards will only show up when you activate Now on Tap from the home screen. Similarly, if there are On Tap results, you will just see those instead of the cards. I'd really like to see the cards accessible all the time when you scroll down, but this is still a big step in the right direction. If you're not in the Play Store beta test for the Google app, you can grab it from APK Mirror to see how the cards are being integrated.