I Found a Gemini Feature So Good, I Deleted a Bunch of Apps

At first, I viewed AI chatbots as fun novelties — good for dad jokes, random facts, and quick emails. They were amusing, sometimes useful, but ultimately just another icon cluttering my home screen. Ironically, I never thought they could solve my app overload problem. If anything, they were part of it.

The Discovery That Changed Everything

That changed during a trip-planning session. While juggling flight and hotel apps, I decided to try Gemini. Hidden within its settings was a feature called Gemini Apps — previously known as Extensions — and that single discovery reshaped how I use my phone.

Gemini Apps connect the chatbot to services like Google Flights, Hotels, Maps, Gmail, Drive, and Calendar. When I enabled them, Gemini stopped being a trivia toy and became a full-blown conversational operating system. I no longer needed to open separate apps for flights, hotels, or maps — I could just describe my goal, and Gemini handled the rest.

Gemini Replaced My Travel Apps

Trip planning used to mean juggling Kayak, Booking.com, and Google Maps. Now, I simply ask Gemini something like:

@Google Flights @Google Hotels @Google Maps Plan a 4-day trip to Austin, Texas, for me and my partner the first weekend of October. Find non-stop round-trip flights under $400 per person and hotels under $300 per night with a pool and 4-star rating. Build an itinerary with live music, BBQ spots, and outdoor activities — and export it to Docs.

In one conversation, Gemini delivered real-time flight and hotel options, complete with links and ratings. When done, I exported everything to Google Docs with a single click. My usual mess of apps turned into one smooth workflow.

Discovering New Places with Gemini

Before Gemini, I used Yelp and MICHELIN Guide for restaurants, then cross-checked with Google Maps. Now I just ask:

@Google Maps Find a top-rated Japanese restaurant within 15 minutes of my location that’s open now.

Gemini used my live location and Maps data to instantly suggest three restaurants, showing reviews and directions — all within one chat. The decision fatigue was gone.

Writing Without App-Hopping

I used to brainstorm in Notion, polish in Grammarly, and check synonyms in Thesaurus.com. Gemini Apps collapsed that workflow too:

@Workspace Find the note “Theme Party.” Draft a casual email announcing the new date (October 23). Include each guest’s costume and keep the tone upbeat.

Gemini pulled my document, refined the language, checked tone, and even suggested better phrasing — all without leaving the chat. I deleted Grammarly, Thesaurus, and even moved notes from Notion to Google Keep.

When Dedicated Apps Still Matter

Gemini isn’t perfect. For professional tools or offline access, standalone apps still win. For example, AllTrails remains essential for serious hikers needing detailed maps and trail conditions. And naturally, I wouldn’t trust a chatbot with financial data or sensitive files.

Gemini requires both an internet connection and permission to access personal data. It’s a balance of convenience and privacy that users must accept to unlock its full potential.

From Taps to Conversations

For decades, we interacted with devices through icons and menus — the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Now, Gemini Apps push us into the era of the Conversational User Interface (CUI), where we talk, and the computer understands.

Before downloading your next app, try asking Gemini first. My phone is cleaner, my digital life simpler, and for the first time in years, it feels like my device actually understands me.