Google Assistant

Video calls are booming in 2020, and dedicated home devices are particularly suited for casual conversations. Smart Displays, including the Nest Hub Max, are now adding support for Google Duo and Google Meet group calling.

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One handy trick Google Assistant offers is the ability to use your various Google Home and other speakers as a PA system through your home. Dinner ready? You can send a message to the whole home to let the entire family know. Now, Google is improving on Assistant’s broadcasting feature by enabling broadcasts to a specific room.

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After an extensive wait, Google is now rolling out a fix for an issue that prevented users from utilizing the Assistant fully when connected to Android Auto.

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Besides on-device processing, the revamped layout is a key part of the Pixel 4’s new Assistant. A more compact Google Assistant redesign that’s been in testing for all other Android devices now looks to be rolling out to some beta users.

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Back in March, Google rather quietly rolled out Assistant Snapshot as a Google Now-esque replacement that brings together weather, calendar events, reminders, and other relevant, proactive information. Google Assistant now looks to be testing a second, visually-similar feed called “Updates for you.”

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Google Assistant is one of the best ways to control your various smart home products, Philips Hue included. If you’re still using a Philips Hue v1 bridge, though, Google Assistant is cutting off support in the next few days.

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Since the launch of the original Pixelbook, Google has been pushing for the Assistant to play a larger role in Chrome OS. Their latest push will use an on-device version of the Google Assistant to handle “the most common queries” directly on your Chrome OS device.

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Like Android, Google Assistant is also a platform for third-party developers creating apps. Google today is making it easier to build Assistant Actions with new development tools and core platform features, like Continuous Match Mode.

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For a few years now, the Google Assistant has been integrated into Android TV, with most newer remotes offering a dedicated Assistant button and some devices offering “Hey Google” support. Now it looks like Android TV is picking up Voice Match integration with the Google Assistant, according to the latest update to the Google Search app for Android TV.

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Google Assistant has long offered the ability to help you find your missing smartphone if you misplaced it. However, it’s only been able to track down a couple of devices at once. Now, Google Assistant’s “Find my Device” command makes it easier to find more devices.

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In November, Google framed its acquisition of Fitbit as a way to “help more people with wearables.” However, since the deal is still pending regulatory approval, the two companies have yet to integrate or announce any joint plans. That now appears to be changing as Fitbit works on bringing Google Assistant support to its devices.

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First-party Nest and Home devices are often the first to pick up new Assistant features. Google is now bringing Voice Match and default speaker support to third-party devices, including those from Bose and Sonos.

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With the vast and ever-expanding library that is the Internet of Things, the Google Assistant is always playing a cat-and-mouse game in an effort to support everything. Last night, Google mistakenly updated their Assistant developer docs to include doorbell and styler device types, which will soon be supported widely.
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Earlier this week, Sundar Pichai said Google was standing with the Black community, and would “develop initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions.” The latest expression of that support lets you ask Assistant, “do black lives matter.”

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Google’s Android TV platform is growing, but sometime this year it’s set to get another major redesign. Today, a leak detailed Google’s new hardware as well as sharing our first look at the new Android TV UI which, apparently, includes YouTube TV integration on the homescreen.

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Google Assistant lets you build macros that invoke multiple actions with a single command. Over the past day, a bug when creating new Assistant Routines prevents you from easily adding Home control actions. Fortunately, the underlying capability remains functional and a workaround exists.

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