HANDY HELPER: Another virtual assistant is coming to the aid of iPhone and iPad owners. Google is trying to shove aside Siri, a concierge-like service offered by Apple since late 2001, with its own technology for helping people manage their lives on mobile devices.

THE DIFFERENCES: Siri waits to be asked a question or told to do something. Google Now, the name of Siri’s new competition, learns about a person’s habits and preferences so it can proactively provide useful information.

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DUEL BEGINS: Google Now was released for the iPhone and iPad as part of a Monday update to an existing Google Search application for those devices.