Recently, I noticed a ‘Lens’ option that intermittently popped up on Google Assistant for my Pixel phone. Appearing just once or twice, it quickly disappeared and I was left scratching my head. Apparently, this has been a thing on some devices, but not all, for a few months at least. As reported by 9to5Google this […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant
Google Assistant has become the central focus for Google ever since their event in October of 2016. With the roll-out in full swing to many devices across multiple categories, Google Assistant is becoming extremely pervasive. The flagship device for Google Assistant, Google Home, is also powered by a varied version of Chrome OS. As we watch Assistant fully integrate into Chrome OS, we realize the Assitant story is just beginning.
Google Assistant plans a return to its former glory with the help of Artificial Intelligence
I’ve been on a warpath against Google Assistant this year both in my home and in my highly opinionated pieces here on Chrome Unboxed. Google’s once golden child has become dumber than a box of rocks, and most of our readers agree whole heartedly each time we have this discussion. Assistant has fallen from grace […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant is finally going to get a bit of generative AI
Google Assistant looks to finally be on the receiving end of some generative AI and will soon be able to condense long passages of website text into manageable, clear-cut summaries. An update is being worked on in the Google app beta version 14.29 and a new “Summarize” feature has been spotted by 9to5 Google that […]
Continue Reading“I don’t know, but I found these results”: Google Assistant appears to be quiet quitting this year
I’ve been on the offensive against Google Assistant this year, and I’m not ashamed of it either. The virtual assistant has gone from world class to dumber than a box of rocks. It consistently fails to respond, toggle lights, performs completely unrelated actions, and more. It’s just so bad that I can hardly express my […]
Continue ReadingWith its silence, Google may have quietly announced the Assistant’s demise
As a joke during the Google I/O 2023 Keynote, I suggested to the guys here in the office that our entire watch party on Discord should do a shot every time Google said AI during the presentation. It’s a very good thing that we were only kidding, since Google used the term in every possible […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant will finally shut up and do what it’s told instead of excessively narrating itself
Besides being dumber than a box of rocks lately, Google Assistant is pretty alright with the basics – turning your smart devices on and off, and answering basic questions (sometimes). Recently, the team responsible for developing and maintaining it was sent to work on Bard AI, the company’s new golden child, and the once stellar […]
Continue ReadingThird-party smart displays with Assistant built-in may no longer have Google’s support
Google’s Nest Hub is a popular smart display that offers seamless integration with Google Assistant, allowing users to control their smart home devices, manage their schedules, and access a plethora of entertainment options. Anyone who has one will tell you that besides Assistant being near completely useless now that the company is pulling the team […]
Continue ReadingWhat was once the most innovative Google service may soon be yesterday’s news
Google Assistant has revolutionized how we interact with our technology, offering voice commands and contextual awareness as conversational input, and further allowing Google to stand by its mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Sadly, over the past year, anyone you ask will tell you that Assistant has become […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant just removed the end time for music sleep timers without telling anyone
Many people who use Google Assistant around the home (those who aren’t completely and utterly frustrated and done with it by now) often play music on their Nest Hub, Nest Mini, or other Assistant-enabled devices to fall asleep faster. Putting on your favorite lo-fi or relaxing music as opposed to rain sounds can be a […]
Continue ReadingI really hope Google doesn’t kill off “Assistant Memory” before it sees the light of day
Not everyone views or uses data the same way. For instance, many simply consume the things they come across. Others consume it, process that data, and then create something from it by combining many pieces of information as fuel for their imagination. Others still – those seen as “librarians” of knowledge love to collect and […]
Continue ReadingIf you have a love-hate relationship with Google Assistant, an open-source alternative is coming
Did you know that there was an open-source smart home platform called Home Assistant? Me either! News of it comes at just the right time though, because recently, I expressed my frustrations with Google Assistant and its competitors. Instead of being the future we were promised, these AI assistants have largely fallen on hard times […]
Continue ReadingI’m not saying Google Assistant is dumb, but it doesn’t seem as smart as I used to think it was
Google Assistant has fundamentally changed the way we all live our lives. From a convenience standpoint, intelligence and learning, and even a social aspect play a role in how it’s shaped and shifted the landscape of how we interact with technology and one another. Ever since the global COVID-19 pandemic struck, I’ve noticed something strange, […]
Continue ReadingGoogle’s mesmerizing yet terrifying Duplex being shut down for the web, goes incognito instead
I can’t say I saw this coming. After launching in 2019 and making everyone uncomfortable, Google’s mesmerizing yet terrifying Duplex AI is being shut down for the web. The technology began as a smart feature for booking haircut appointments, fixing up your passwords, and buying products among other fringe use cases. TechCrunch reports that it […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant adds parental controls, an educational dictionary, new kid-friendly voices
I’ve always loved Google’s family-centric updates. Any time I see that the company is focusing on the kiddos and how they interact with technology and subsequently, how parents can manage those interactions to protect them as they grow and learn to absorb the world around them, I’m stoked. Today on The Keyword, Google announced a […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant’s new updates will make your Made by Google devices more helpful
At the Made by Google event that took place yesterday, Google highlighted some of the most recent updates to its Assistant’s robust AI capabilities, including new and creative methods for interacting more intuitively with it on the newly launched Pixel 7 series and the Pixel Watch. These are the most notable updates announced: Assistant Voice […]
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