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 […]
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Third-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 ReadingHow to use ChatGPT on your Chromebook: Witness the future Google Assistant should have been
Have you ever wished that Google Assistant could do more? That it was more contextually aware, could carry a conversation better, or was just overall just more useful? I’m not saying it’s dumb or anything, but it sure isn’t what it used to be and it certainly isn’t the future of virtual helpers we all […]
Continue ReadingYou’re not imagining it: Google Assistant recently had trouble controlling your smart devices
Yesterday, I asked Google Assistant on my Nest Mini to turn off the smart light in one of my rooms, and for the first time ever, it responded with something other than “Okay, turning the bedroom light on”. For a moment, I was taken aback, because I knew that I had set everything up properly […]
Continue ReadingAcer reveals a new waterproof Assistant-enabled smart speaker at CES called the Halo Swing
Announced at CES this year as a follow-up to its predecessor – the Halo Smart Speaker – Acer has now announced the “Halo Swing”. The Swing is a wireless, waterproof (IPX5 rated), Bluetooth (and Wi-Fi 6) speaker with a handle for, well, swinging or hanging! While the name does seem to come from the fact […]
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 ReadingGrab the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 w/Google Assistant and wireless charger and save $47
It’s no secret that Lenovo makes some of my favorite Google Assistant smart displays. From the 7″ model that has lived on my kitchen counter forever to the tiny smart clock essential that I used for the longest time as my alarm clock, Lenovo’s family of Assistant-enabled smart displays offers a little something for everyone. […]
Continue ReadingHow to have your Android phone’s Google Assistant read articles out loud to you
Time is of the essence nowadays in this modern world where we are all either rushing to work or to our next appointment. Yet, we still have to manufacture somehow more time to keep up with friends, social media, and the news. Many are not aware, but Google gave us a very useful tool that […]
Continue ReadingAndroid 13 removes Google Assistant’s light theme
After the release of Android 13 on Pixel devices this year, some users noticed that the Google Assistant UI all of a sudden adopted a dark theme, even though their device had dark mode turned off. It bothered fans of light mode enough to submit an issue tracker reporting the supposed bug to Google. Now, […]
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 ReadingHere’s a closer look at the Pixel Tablet’s apps and experiences including Assistant and Discover
Everyone is excited for Google’s new Nest Hub because, well, it’s more than just a Nest Hub. It’s actually a two-in-one device featuring the same power and features of an Android tablet with the convenience and smart home focus of a docked smart display. Google first showed it off during the 2022 hardware event that […]
Continue ReadingLess is sometimes more: I’m glad the new Nest Wifi Pro won’t have Google Assistant built-in
Earlier this week, we reported on the fact that Google announced the all-new Nest Wifi Pro at its 2022 hardware event. At that time, we covered its specifications like its Wifi 6E capability for faster speeds, longer reach, and more simultaneously connected devices. However, something I completely missed and am just now realizing is that […]
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