Google Assistant
Assistant is Google’s personal assistant that is capable of answering questions, performing automated tasks, and more.
Assistant is Google’s personal assistant that is capable of answering questions, performing automated tasks, and more.
Following the ability to set seconds-long delayed starts, Google has made another tweak to Assistant Routines that lets you rename these macros to be different from their starters.
Expand Expanding CloseOne interesting enhancement of the Pixel 6 series is the Google Assistant’s new “Quick phrases” that let you get certain things done without saying “Hey Google” first. Here’s what all they can do, when they work, and what languages you can use them in.
Expand Expanding CloseHome security cameras are usually pretty basic when it comes to their optical hardware, with a middling resolution that uses digital zoom to get the job done and either a constant power source or a rechargeable battery. Over the past few months, though, I’ve been using Google Assistant-connected cameras from Reolink that kick it up a notch, with true optical zoom and a full solar system.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Home is at the forefront of smart home automation. That being the case, we expect heavy customization and the ability to change minute details depending on how we like our homes to run. One of those fine details is being able to delay certain actions in Google Home’s Assistant Routines.
Expand Expanding CloseAt the end of last year, Google thoroughly redesigned and simplified the process of creating Assistant Routines. That update introduced sunrise/sunset triggers, and Google will soon let you program a delay between when the command is given and the Assistant Routine starts.
Expand Expanding CloseSome have found that Google Assistant voice typing no longer works on their Pixel 6 phones. Here’s how to reset the Google app to get things working again.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle TV’s integration with Google Assistant makes it possible to control smart home devices, find movies and TV shows, and more. Now, Google Assistant on Google TV can offer direct video results for questions powered by YouTube.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle recently updated the default “Shopping List” experience used by Assistant and Home devices. For many users, it’s a huge visual and functional regression that has taken away useful capabilities.
Expand Expanding CloseHome security is important in today’s day and age, but it’s something that’s unfortunately not easy in Google’s ecosystem. While Nest cameras go a long way in protecting your home, Google pulled the plug on its only true security system, Nest Secure, in late 2020 with no replacement. Lately, I’ve been spending time with a SimpliSafe Google Assistant-compatible home security system, and it certainly goes above and beyond filling that need.
Expand Expanding CloseOnce a Pixel 6 exclusive feature, Google seems to have enabled the flagship’s excellent Assistant voice typing on more Pixel phones.
Expand Expanding ClosePublic parking can sometimes be a bit frustrating, but Google Assistant is making an attempt to improve the process.
Expand Expanding CloseIt’s been clear for some time now that Assistant Snapshot “does not have the same level of vision, central on-phone placement, or wide backing” as Google Now. It was never going to be game changing, but its upcoming demise officially closes the chapter on what could have been a radically different way to use smartphones.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid has a lot of features that have the potential to make things a little easier. Sometimes, those features are a little out of the way and hidden. One prime example is the Google Assistant Snapshot feature. This guide will take you through what Snapshot is and how you can use it.
Expand Expanding CloseTruly wireless earbuds have a variety of use cases, but their small and portable form factor have, for me, always been a great fit for ambient audio. That’s a purpose that most brands have basically ignored, short of Google’s Pixel Buds. The new Sony LinkBuds go all-in on mixing your music with the surrounding world, and I’ve been waiting years for these to exist.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Snapshot is a useful tool that lives within Assistant and acts as a hub for predictive information — in essence, it’s a limited version of Google Now. Unfortunately, Google is killing off Snapshot, with a message now appearing to users saying that the feature is “going away soon.”
Expand Expanding CloseWith Winter coming to a close, we’re all excited to get back outdoors. To help with the pesky mosquitos that will be coming back out in the coming months, Thermacell has just launched a new mosquito repellant system that works with Google Assistant.
Expand Expanding CloseIt’s not uncommon for smart speakers of all kinds to fail once in a while, but it seems there’s a larger issue at play with some Google Assistant devices currently. If your Google Assistant device is suddenly saying “Sorry, I didn’t understand” a lot, you’re not alone.
Expand Expanding CloseThere are a lot of users out there who don’t mind setting their earbuds to ambient mode and going on with their lives. With the Sony Link Buds, that seems to be the main focus.
Expand Expanding CloseThanks to a recent firmware update, the Nothing ear (1) earbuds from Carl Pei’s fledgling tech firm can now connect directly to your on-device Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri AI helpers.
Expand Expanding CloseFor Safer Internet Day 2022, Google is previewing a handful of new features across several products, including Assistant, Fi, and Account security, and a slew of related initiatives.
Expand Expanding CloseFollowing Samsung’s tease yesterday afternoon, Google today provided more details on the new Assistant experience coming to Wear OS, including its new design.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 made the switch over to Wear OS, but it remained an experience that was clearly Samsung’s more than Google’s. Now, Samsung is providing an update on Google Assistant for the Galaxy Watch 4, saying that the promised feature is still “months” away from its debut.
Expand Expanding CloseSome of my favorite earbuds in recent memory have come out of Jabra’s Elite lineup, with great fit, reasonable cases, and very good audio quality to boot. However, the company’s latest high-end model feels like a step back, as Jabra Elite 7 Pro has lesser sound quality despite its long-overdue addition of Google Assistant and other features.
Expand Expanding CloseAt I/O 2019, Google introduced the ability to cancel alarms by just saying “stop,” while the Pixel 6 picked up “Quick Phrases” last year. You can now tell Google Assistant on Smart Displays and speakers to “stop” talking without having to first preface that command with “Hey Google.”
Expand Expanding Close