Google Home Overview Updated November 25, 2022
Google Home Stories November 25
How to sign up for the Google Home Public Preview for a chance to test the redesign
Google is continuing to invite those who’ve signed up for the Google Home Public Preview program. Signing up gets you early access to a completely revamped Home app. Here’s how to make sure you’re on the list to join the Google Home app’s Public Preview.
The Google Home app is moving towards a brighter future, and on that path the app is now rolling out far better support for sensors and sending out more invites to the Public Preview redesign.
Google Home Stories November 22
As promised, Google has rolled out an update for low Nest Wifi Pro speeds with PPPoE settings, while an issue with the Home app’s built-in speed test has been identified.
Google Home Stories November 17
If you use Netflix on Google devices and have been running into issues lately, you’re not alone. Netflix integration with Google products and the Google Home app is largely broken right now.
Google Home Stories November 14
The new Google Home app is finally on its way and public preview sign-ups are live now, but the app is still only available for a few people. If you haven’t yet had a chance to use it, what do you still want to know?
Google Home Stories November 11
The Google Home app started off as a solid way to manage your smart home devices, but as it has been flooded with new hardware and taken on the legacy of Nest, it hasn’t felt as though it was keeping up. Now, Google is moving toward a new Google Home app that makes some big promises, and we’ve spent a couple of days gathering a few first impressions.
Google Home Stories November 8
Following the announcement last month, the Google Home app Public Preview is beginning to go live.
Google Home Stories November 2
Google Home is starting to undergo a big overhaul. One major change is the addition of “household” routines. So what are they, and how do they differ? This guide will take you through Google Home’s household routines and how you can start using them.
Google Home Stories November 1
Last week, Google emailed some Nest Wifi owners about a 30% Nest Wifi Pro discount, and the company is reaching out again through the Google Home app.
How to setup Google Home’s new device-triggered routines
Over the next few months, Google Home is getting a full makeover, complete with new tools, functions, and more. One of these new tools is device triggers for routines. Here’s how they work.
Google Home Stories October 27
It’s taken well over a year, but Google’s new Nest cameras finally have a Google Home web app. The experience is still rolling out, but here’s a quick look at what you can expect.
Google Home Stories October 26
The Google Home app will work fully with older Nest cameras ‘next year’ – what you need to know
Ever since Google introduced a new lineup of Nest cameras to its smart-home lineup, there’s been a ton of confusion around the Google Home app, the Nest app, and which Nest Cam works where. Consider this your definitive guide.
Google Home Stories October 25
As part of announcing the rebuilt Home app, Google reiterated that the website to view camera feeds was coming “in a few weeks.” “Google Home for web” is now rolling out this week and should be widely available by the next one.
Ahead of its larger redesign heading out to the general public, the Google Home app is doing some work with routines, adding a new “Household” option for routines as well as expanding device triggers to more users.
Google Home Stories October 20
Using voice commands to control smart home devices is very common, and something that Google Assistant is about to get better at through the use of AI.
Google Home Stories October 19
The Google Home app is set to see a major redesign in the coming months but, ahead of that, Google is opening up a whole new world of automation. This week, some Google Home app users are noticing support for device triggers on Assistant routines.
Google Home Stories October 14
How to install and use Google Home on your Pixel Watch or Galaxy Watch
Google’s Pixel Watch is meant to be one of the missing pieces to a complete ecosystem. Part of that ecosystem is Google Home, and the two work together quite nicely. Here’s how to access Google Home from your Pixel Watch or on any Wear OS 3 device, like the Galaxy Watch 5.
Google Home Stories October 12
Google Home and Samsung SmartThings will use Matter to share control of your smart home
The smart home is set to be reinvented over the next few years largely thanks to the arrival of the Matter standard. Ahead of that fully launching, Samsung and Google have announced a partnership that will deepen how SmartThings and the Google Home app can work together.
Google Home Stories October 5
Ahead of the Pixel event, a pre-release Google Home update includes early signs of two distinct docks for next year’s Pixel tablet.
I’ve been all-in on Google’s smart home ecosystem for the past several years, but with the soft reboot in 2021, things started falling apart, and frankly, I was getting tired of it. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been prepared to throw out my entire Nest ecosystem and move on to something else. But with new hardware and a revamped app that shows the company is actually listening to customers, Google just earned a second chance.
Google Home Stories October 4
Matter is a new standard for smart home devices that’s making huge promises for the future, and Google is a core part of that. Alongside the announcement of its revamped Google Home app, the company is also confirming this week that it will update its Nest speakers, smart displays, and routers to help control Matter devices. It’s also showing off how you’ll be able to set up Matter devices from Android.
Ahead of the launch of Matter and its smart home reinvention later this year, Google has some big new announcements for the Google Home app, including support for a website where you’ll be able to view live feeds for Nest cameras, and unlock more powerful script editor automation in the future.
If you’ve purchased any of Google’s new Nest cameras in the past year, you’re probably familiar with the awful experience that comes with trying to view recordings. With its redesigned Google Home app, the company is finally fixing the problem by stealing the history page from the old Nest app.
In addition to the Nest Wifi Pro and new Doorbell (wired), the expected Google Home app redesign was officially announced with “customization and personalization a core principle”. It’s a big overhaul, and you can sign up now for the preview program starting today.
Google Home Stories October 1
We now know what the Google Photos watch face we spotted last month looks like, with Play Store listings today also showing off more of Google Home and Personal Safety for the Pixel Watch.
Google Home Stories September 27
Ahead of a “next generation design,” the Google Home app is rolling out a redesign of “controls for popular smart home devices.”
Google Home Stories September 23
Google’s presence sensing detects whether somebody is home using your phone’s location, Nest smart home devices, and now Nest Hubs and speakers.
Google Home Stories September 20
The beauty of smart home systems like Google Home is that you can connect tons of different devices from a plethora of different manufacturers. How well those devices work with Google Home is a complicated matter, however. We’ll go over cameras that work well with the Google Home app and how to take advantage of any Google Home device.
Google Home Stories September 10
Google is preparing to open a “Preview Program” for the Home app on Android, which would give early access to new features for your smart home — here’s how to sign up.
Just under a year ago, Google announced that it will be “launching a 2nd generation of Nest Doorbell (wired) in 2022.” Ahead of the October 6 event, which will feature smart home products, the latest version of the Google Home app reveals the new wired Nest Doorbell in its (visual) entirety.
Google Home Stories August 15
Control Google Home devices without unlocking your Pixel – Here’s how
Android 13 has introduced an improvement to Android 12 that allows you to control Google Home devices from the Pixel lock screen shortcut without unlocking your phone. Here’s how to do it.
Google Home Stories August 11
Earlier this year, Google revamped the two primary ways people interact with the Home app. The company is now teasing a “next generation design of the Google Home App” and is looking for testers.
Google Home Stories August 4
Security doesn’t always have to come in the form of cameras and door sensors. In fact, your Nest Hub or speakers can play a big role in keeping you safe with Nest Aware’s smart sound detection benefit. Here’s how it works and why you may want to invest in it.
Google Home Stories July 14
How to play music on multiple speakers in the Google Home app
One of the distinct advantages of having Wi-Fi speakers is the ability to wirelessly play music on multiple devices at the same time. It just so happens you can do this through the Google Home app on your phone by creating speaker groups. All you need is a few Google Home compatible speakers and some great music to play.
Google Home Stories July 12
How to manage Google Nest Hub alarms through the Home app
Have you ever set an alarm only to have something change and suddenly that alarm is no longer needed? On top of that, you may have completely forgotten that you ever set an alarm. That’s enough to ruin your day. To avoid this, you can manage and delete the alarms you set on your Nest Hub in the Google Home app. Here’s how.
How to view and manage your Google Nest Camera or Nest Doorbell video recordings
Did something happen and you need to download the video your Nest Camera captured? Or did someone drop by and leave a voice message on your Nest Doorbell? In either situation, viewing and exporting your Google Nest Doorbell and Nest Camera video recordings would be your next move. Here’s how to do that.
Google Home Stories July 8
How to control your Android TV using the Google Home app
Android TV and Google TV are great options for streaming media, playing cloud-based games, or even turning your TV into a virtual fireplace. Ok, well, mostly the first two. But did you know that you can use your phone as a remote control for your Android TV/Google TV? Here’s how.
How to extend your Nest Doorbell’s battery life
When it comes to deciding whether to buy a wired-in Nest Doorbell or a battery-powered one, there are a couple of things to consider: How long does the battery actually last, and how can I extend it? This guide will take you through just that and hopefully help you extend your Nest Doorbell battery life.
Last year, Google refreshed the Nest camera lineup for the first time in several years, but it also came with a change on the software side of things. The Google Home app is supposed to replace the Nest app, but the transition period has been a maddening limbo. Nearly a year later, virtually nothing has changed on that front either.
Google Home Stories July 6
Google appears to be working on a new device that — at the very least — has the functionality of the classic “Chromecast Audio,” which helped make normal speakers “smarter.”
Google Home Stories June 22
Google Home Stories June 6
Back in January, Google had to make changes to Speaker Groups because of the US ITC ruling in favor of Sonos. Another “interruption caused by Sonos” is now responsible for some Pixel phones in the United States and Canada being unable to to set-up Google Home devices.
Google Home Stories May 11
Google neglected Wear OS for years, but it seems the company is finally ready to take things seriously. Alongside the reveal of the Pixel Watch earlier today, the company also confirmed that, finally, Wear OS is getting a Google Home app.
Google Home Stories May 10
We’ve been hearing about the Matter smart home standard and what it could do for ages now, and things are on track to finally arrive later this year. In an interview ahead of this week’s Google I/O, the company has teased what Matter will mean for the Google Home app going forward.
Google Home Stories April 11
There are tons of music streaming services out there, and Apple Music is one of the more popular ones for offering lossless playback at a reasonable price. So how do you listen to your music from Apple Music on Google Home devices? Well, it’s quite easy. This guide will take you through it step by step.
Google Home Stories April 9
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.
Google Home Stories March 31
Google 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.
The Google Home app is getting a rather sizable redesign of the device grid that makes it faster to control smart gadgets right from the main tab. This is more or less similar to the Device controls page on Android 11+.
