There are a number of ways to Cast content from your phone to smart devices. The most convenient is when developers integrate the Cast SDK so that controls are built right into the audio or video app. Mirroring your device is another solution, and Google Home 2.14.1 adds shortcuts to make that more apparent.
As of today, Google Home and Nest speakers now have the ability to make external mobile calls using voice activation, starting first with Australia.
A new “Call Home” button is now rolling out to the Google Home app on Android that makes it easier for you to place a video call from your mobile directly to any of your Google Nest Hub devices and Smart Displays.
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Google Home 2.13.50 is rolling out this evening with support for and many details about the upcoming Nest Hub Max. This release also returns strings detailing in-app Nest device setup, while providing some collaboration about a new “Nest Mini” later this year.
Google plans to launch a followup to 2017’s Google Home Mini with a second-generation ‘Nest Mini,’ a reliable source tells 9to5Google. It’s a departure from the previous model in name, but also a substantial upgrade in features. This year’s Nest Mini will pack a wall mount, better sound, and more.
Yesterday Amazon and Google finally put an end to their bitter, consumer-hostile feud and started to support each other’s platforms. Now, it’s been confirmed that on Google’s hardware, Amazon Prime Video is going all-out with full support for Google Home commands on Chromecast.
Last week, reminders in Google Assistant were redesigned on Android, while the functionality was entirely removed for G Suite accounts. Google today announced that Assistant reminders can now be assigned to members of your family or household.
Announced at I/O 2019, the Nest Hub Max will be available on September 9th. Google Home 2.13.1.10 readies support for the newest Smart Display, and the promised Nest migration to Google Accounts. The companion app also reveals work on linking “radio services.”
While talking to your smart home is intuitive, there are instances when voice commands can be quite disruptive. One notorious example is telling Assistant to turn off lights at night and getting back a verbal confirmation. Google is now replacing that loud response with a simple “chime” reply.
With summer well underway, the Nest Hub Max should be coming sooner rather than later. The latest Google Home 2.12.50 companion app preps “Reactive UI” settings for the new Smart Display, while there is a design tweak to control dials throughout the client. This Android release, however, does not enable the custom Assistant volume we spotted on iOS.
A fairly common complaint with Smart Displays and Home speakers is how the Google Assistant voice is tied to the standard media volume. This can result in search results and responses being too loud or too quiet. Google is now readying a solution with “Custom TTS Volume” in the Home app.
Smart speakers are used in many households for controlling smart lighting products. Currently, one of the most popular smart lighting options, Philips Hue, can’t be connected to Google Assistant due to a bug, but thankfully, both companies are at least aware of the problem that takes away the ability for Google Home to control the smart lights.
On July 16th, 1969, NASA successfully launched a mission to bring astronauts to the moon, and 50 years later, we’ve just passed the anniversary of that historic event. To celebrate, the US Navy has developed a new Google Assistant game called “Journey to the Moon” which plays real audio recordings and takes you through the process of the lunar launch.
It emerged yesterday that Google hires people to transcribe Assistant queries from Home and other smart devices. The company today described the practice as “critical” to bringing Assistant to other languages, while promising an investigation into the leak of customer data.
A report from a Belgian network, VRT, has uncovered how Google is using human subcontractors to help transcribe and improve its Assistant speech-recognition systems around the globe and how this could be a privacy concern (via BoingBoing).
Given everything that you can do with your Google Home(s) and/or Google Nest Hub(s), it’s easy to forget some of the simple tasks it can handle. One that I make use of a few times a week is the ability to make calls. Once you have it set up this is dead simple, so here’s how to get started making calls with Google Home and Google Nest Hub.
In addition to a slew of user-facing Assistant features at I/O 2019, another way Google is improving the experience of using Google Home and Nest Displays is through the Local Home SDK. This new local technology will deliver faster commands to your smart home accessories.
Did you know that you can add your favorite podcasts to your Google Home routines? Amazing, isn’t it? What is more amazing is that you might not have known this little tidbit.
Last month, a Google Store listing briefly referred to Google Home as “Nest Home.” The official Made by Google Twitter account this afternoon used that name again with the “Nest Home Max.”
The latest version of the Google Home app is rolling out this evening with a handful of features in progress. Google Home 2.12 suggests that a dark theme could be coming to the app, while there is a new device codename.
At I/O 2019, Google confirmed that “Google Nest” branding would eventually make its way to first-party smart speakers. That transition could already be underway with Google Store revealing a “Nest Home” rebrand for the first time today.
Since its availability in August 2017 in France, Google Assistant has had two hotwords: The well-known “Okay Google”, and “Dis Google” (meaning “Say Google”). Google has now announced support of the “Hey Google” hotword support in France for the beginning of July.
Smart speakers have basically taken over our homes in 2019, and there is no sign of that slowing down with the arrival of new form factors and even smart displays. If you’ve yet to join in on the fun or are looking for some additional options for your home, here are the best Google Assistant speakers and smart displays.
With all the hype around the Pixel 4 this week, we thought it might be good to look at some of the other things Google might have in the Made by Google hardware pipeline. A new hardware prototype, codenamed “Visalia,” has popped up in the Fuchsia OS source code, which could be yet another Google Home device.
