Google Home

Smart Displays allow Assistant to provide visual feedback, but the clear benefit of the screen is as a digital picture frame for Google Photos. An update to the Google Home companion app today preps a “Minimum brightness” setting for the Home Hub, while there are a handful of minor Material Theme tweaks.

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Over the past decade, Google has mapped the external world extensively and increasingly wants to do the same for the indoors. For example, mapping stores could make it easier for customers to find products. Google is now partnering with Roomba-maker iRobot to get a better sense of your house and improve your smart home.

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The Google Home Hub, Google’s first foray into smart display has been generally lauded in reviews, including our own. Under a security review, however, the story may be a bit different, with one researcher claiming that the device’s security is “beyond dismal.” Google, of course, denies these claims.

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Over the past year, YouTube Kids introduced human-curated channels and allowed parents to whitelist videos after some failings with the algorithm. The service is now coming to Smart Displays, Google Home, and Cast-connected televisions.

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Google has had a strong focus over the past few months on its Digital Wellbeing initiative. This first started in Android Pie with a suite of new tools to track your tech habits. Now, Google is starting to roll out Digital Wellbeing for Google Home.

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The Google Home Hub is the fourth addition to the Google Home family, and it marks the launch of the first Google-made Smart Display and the company’s first proper competitor to the Amazon Echo Show. While the device is the same as the first few Google Home entrants at its core, the display is definitely a boon for the experience and Google is making strides in smart home control…

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The Nvidia Shield TV is easily the best Android TV box you can buy today, and it just seems to be getting better with updates. Following a promotion which teased the functionality earlier this month, Nvidia is detailing all of the new controls you can use with a Google Home and the Shield TV.

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If you saw our coverage of the Google Home Hub, one of the standout features — including the hardware itself — was the new Home View dashboard. This simplified home control system has now found its way to the Google Home app on mobile with the entire Home app receiving a complete visual overhaul as well.

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The updated Chromecast might not seem like much of a improvement over the second generation model released in 2015, but a refreshed look, stronger WiFi connection and 1080p 60FPS — no 4K — streaming make for a pretty decent upgrade all things considered.

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At 10/9, Google announced Downtime and Filters for the Google Home Hub. These Digital Wellbeing features will be coming to all Smart Displays and Assistant speakers, as Google’s initiative to manage device usage is integrating with Assistant on phones.

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Alongside the Home Hub, Google yesterday detailed an update to the Home companion app that makes the client a dashboard for your smart home. Google Home 2.6 is now rolling out with a revamped Google Material Theme that leverages a bottom bar, while revealing work on Digital Wellbeing and support for the Home Hub.

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Google Home Hub went official today and along with it, Google is announcing some big changes for its Home control strategy. In addition to voice controls, the new “Home View” dashboard will enable easy controls.

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With the Home Mini and Home Max in 2017, Google was able to inundate the market with affordable smart speakers, while offering an audiophile experience for the high-end. This year, the Made by Google lineup is gaining its first Assistant Smart Display with the Google Home Hub.

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The Google Home launched at the inaugural Made by Google event in 2016, while 2017 saw the Home Mini and Home Max. This year, the Google Home Hub is expected to continue the company’s success in the connected speaker space over Amazon. Thanks to a handful of leaks, we are well aware of the design, specs, and capabilities, while the price has also been rumored.

Here’s a look at everything we’ve learned about the Smart Display so far…

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Google Home Hub initially leaked in its entirety earlier this month, but there was just one thing missing: the second “Charcoal” variant that the leaked spec sheet said indeed existed. Now that second color option for the forthcoming new Google Home hardware has leaked as well…

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As October’s Made by Google event nears, more and more devices are hitting the FCC for regulatory approval ahead of retail availability. Following this week’s leak, a Home device that is likely the Google Home Hub has arrived.

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Google has long been rumored to be launching its own first-party Smart Display, and now it looks like we have our first solid leak of the device. It’s called the “Google Home Hub” according to images and details shared today by MySmartPrice, and it’s essentially a tablet-esque 7-inch display mounted on a speaker base with a design similar to other Google Home products.

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User feedback is an important part of improving any service, with all Google apps on Android featuring a quick way to do so. However, getting feedback on a product with a voice interface is slightly harder. Google Home and Assistant does so by asking users how satisfied they were using a one to five scale.

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Digital Wellbeing is a company-wide initiative that Google announced at I/O 2018. So far, it has launched in YouTube and Calendar, with a launch on Android set for this fall. Google is now preparing to bring Digital Wellbeing to Google Assistant and Home smart devices.

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