Google today is rolling out a software update to Google Wifi and OnHub devices. The update comes as version 9460.40.5 and brings bug fixes and a few other improvements, including new features and capabilities…
We already know that Google is planning a whole slew of hardware products for its October 4th event, but now we know of one more: Google WiFi. This little white box — purportedly similar in size to the Amazon Echo Dot — will apparently cost $129 and allow you to connect multiple Google Wifi access points within your home to easily create one big WiFi network…
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In an interesting update, Google’s OnHub routers now has integration with automation service IFTTT. If This Then That allows users to easily initiate a command that is set off by pre-programmed action. OnHub’s IFTTT channel is already live with an OTA update rolling out now.
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Unlike most routers that remain static after you purchase them, Google’s line of OnHub routers are meant to receive software updates and new features. While it launched without the standard feature of a guest Wi-Fi network, an update rolling out this week to both models remedies that…
Since routers work better when they’re left out in the open (rather than hidden down in the depths of the cabinets of the desk in your 1st floor office), Google thought it would be a good idea to make that one of the main selling points of OnHub. The new router platform is actually a really pleasant experience as a router (and looks a lot better than most of the current options), but the TP-LINK model’s price tag is just really hard to swallow. And rather than introducing a cheaper OnHub, Google recently decided to launch a more expensive one from ASUS.
Not much about the OnHub makes sense at this point, at least from my perspective.
Now (in hopes of making the platform more attractive?), Google has launched three new stylish covers for the already-$200 TP-LINK router. The Mountain View company is calling them shells, and they’re available in both bamboo and plastic. Oh, and Google is inviting creators to create their own shells as well through OnHub Makers…
Craig Barrat was previously Google’s SVP of “access and energy,” but now he leads an Alphabet unit as CEO. That unit is called Access and Energy, and includes Google’s Fiber division as well as several other access and energy-related products (as Google’s Ruth Porat noted in its Q3 2015 earnings call). Now, thanks to an extensive profile of Access today out of Re/code, we have a little bit more of an idea of exactly which projects fall under this group…
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Google’s OnHub launched a few months ago, and now the expensive router is getting its first software update. It’s not clear at this point if the update is also rolling out to the newer ASUS model quite yet, but the original TP-LINK router is definitely getting it as has been confirmed by one owner on Google+.
There doesn’t seem to be anything groundbreaking here, as many of the things listed on the change log are just improvements to what’s already there. There is “improved client device naming,” optimizations for the antenna, “expanded use of 5GHz channels,” and more.
Interestingly, as noted by Android Police, the update seems to have been able to install itself on the router without requiring a reboot. As those who own pretty much any desktop OS, a Chromecast, or an Android phone will know, this is a really nice feature to have.
Here’s the full change log, as can be found on Google’s website.
Some highlights of this software update include:
- Improved client device naming
- Antenna optimizations
- Expanded use of 5GHz channels
- Improved port forwarding performance
- General stability improvements
After first unveiling OnHub in August, a new wireless router that intelligently finds the best connection for its user, today Google is announcing its second OnHub router hardware through a partnership with Asus.
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In case you didn’t know, iFixit, known for its disassembly instructions and teardowns, does more than just smartphones. We may find the repairability of of our handsets to be just one more benchmark to compare different brands, but who says we can’t do that with routers too? Google’s OnHub router is one of the first of its kind, and it turns out that it’s not super easy to repair…
Hardware over the years has definitely become more attractive to the eye, but repairing these devices has gotten a lot more difficult at the expense of unibody designs and huge glass screens. The OnHub is kind of similar. Unlike the routers of old that were basically just a couple of screws away from full disassembly, the OnHub is held together with clips and has fragile parts.
To give you an idea, iFixit only listed one thing clearly positive about the OnHub: The device’s speaker is replaceable. But it’s all downhill from there. Assembled mostly with clips that iFixit found to be easily broken, the OnHub has most ports on one board (meaning solder will likely be needed), tiny fragile antenna connectors, and its build is overall fairly complex.
If you want to read more about the details of the OnHub’s hardware, head over to iFixit.
While we’re off in Berlin at IFA, our good friend Mike “Detroit Borg” Kukielka got his hands on the $200 Google OnHub router manufactured by TP-Link. We’ve seen a lot of other reviews but this one is an excellent in-depth overview which hits all the right spots.
The TL;DR is that it is about as good a router you can buy but at $200 the differentiating features aren’t quite ready yet. Seems like a go especially if your home networking is currently lacking and you plan on living in Google’s home ecosystem in the future. Pick up one at Amazon, Best Buy, NewEgg, Walmart, Google, or TP-Link . Full video below
I suspect most of us had the same reaction when Google announced its OnHub wireless router: it sounds impressive, but could it really be worth $200? The early reviews are in, and the verdict seems to be that … it depends.
On the plus side, everyone agrees that setup is utterly painless (possibly a first for any router), and the performance is impressive. On the downside, techies may be disappointed at the lack of configurability, and the fact that you can get better performance for the money.
But as ArsTechnica notes in the final excerpt, the $64,000 (or $200) question is – what will it turn into in future … ?
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Google has just published a blog post unveiling OnHub, a wireless router it has developed in partnership with popular router manufacturer TP-LINK, which it says provides a Wi-Fi experience that’s “that’s fast, secure, and easy to use.”
