Google Home

ADT and Google have been working behind the scenes for years now on a new partnership that, finally, has resulted in a new “DIY” security system. But, after getting started with “ADT Self Setup” as a Nest Secure owner, I’ve quickly learned that owners are going to be incredibly disappointed with this transition.

In recent weeks the Google Home app has done a lot to better support various smart home devices such as climate devices and more, and that also includes the long overdue ability to control garage doors.

The Google Home app this week started rolling out version 3.0 and changes to navigation by introducing an “Inbox,” while also redesigning lighting controls.

As the Google Home Public Preview continues, the company is rolling out a trio of features with a particular focus today on improving the camera experience.

Among a few other changes this week, the new Google Home app is also updating its “Climate” tab to show more types of devices such as fans.

The Google Home app appears to be rolling out better support for select smart home devices, including curtains, heaters, appliances such as washers and refrigerators, and more.

The Google Home app has seen quite a few major improvements in the past several months, and the app is now expanding its support for cameras by adding streaming support for more camera models and brands.

SwitchBot’s plethora of devices has made for some really simple and effective smart home tech, although much of it has been slightly problematic when connecting to Google Home or other ecosystems. With the newest Matter device – the Hub 2 from SwitchBot – the company’s Bluetooth devices are now able to slide into any ecosystem with ease, thanks to Matter.

To keep your personal property safe, Nest Cameras are preparing a new feature to monitor your garage door, alerting you when it opens and if it’s been open for too long.

The latest preview update of the Google Home app includes a new design for the “Device controls” area that’s accessible from the Android lockscreen.

Design-wise, Google has already shown off a lot about the Pixel Tablet. The latest leak goes in-depth on its “Stand,” while here are some details about the Pixel Tablet’s “Hub Mode.” 

Some Google Home app users are seeing “Wi-Fi Labs” for their Nest Wifi router to try out experimental features. This might be an internal capability that was accidentally made available outside the intended test pool.  

The Google Home app Public Preview is set to get a number of features before it more widely launches. The ability to reorder devices in Google Home’s Favorites tab is now starting to roll out for those in the beta program.

Adding your Xbox to the Google Home app and connecting it to Google Assistant has some advantages. To get those, you’ll need to connect it. Here’s how.

Google Assistant devices such as the Nest Hub and Nest Mini are handy for a lot of things, and many folks use them for music above all else. But if you’re trying to use radio stations from services such as Pandora via a Google Home routine or an Assistant command, you may have noticed that the functionality is partially broken.

The Google Home app has been undergoing a reinvention in over the past year, and one of the best new features is improved control over TV devices. If you happen to own a Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync box, Google Home also just became the best app you can use for quick controls.

Building on Google Assistant voice command support, Microsoft is rolling out an Xbox update that lets you remote control the console with the Google Home app.

The Matter standard for smart home devices has been full of big promises, but the vast majority of people haven’t been able to experience it for themselves. If you’re curious, though, here’s what it’s actually like to use Matter on Android with the Google Home app.