Aside from the usual tech revealed at IFA, like televisions and new laptops, another product showcased this year was cause for awe. This consisted of demo stations by the smart home accessory company Eve, which showed their Homekit-enabled smart plugs working with Homekit-incompatible devices like an Alexa speaker and a Google Nest Hub — all […]
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Made by Google reveals its seasonal Nest Doorbell ringtones
Do you own a Nest Doorbell? Are you a fan of its annual attempts to liven up the holidays around your home by offering custom, themed ringtones? Well, it’s that time of the year again, and Google is once again adding a new set of tones to the Google Home app so you can swap […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Home app is redesigning its controls for popular Smart Home devices
The Android Google Home app was redesigned in March, which implemented the rounded rectangular home controls present as quick settings tiles since Android 11. This redesign was well received, as the new control toggles made it easier to control connected devices with fewer taps and copied the look and feel of home controls on Nest […]
Continue ReadingYour Nest Hub Max should now officially be running Google Fuchsia
Google’s new operating system, “Fuchsia” remains mostly a mystery today. However, one thing is clear and that’s the fact that the company hopes to make it the driving force behind its smart display hardware. Back in June, the Nest Hub Max followed suit in offering a Preview Program for Fuchsia after the original Hub started […]
Continue ReadingStreaming services want to invade and ruin your YouTube experience, and Google may let them
I may be biased in saying this, but it seems like Google will do anything to force YouTube TV down your throat, even if it must mix it with a little bit of what you love in order to make it palatable. Now, I’m not talking about cable channels themselves, per se, but the incessant […]
Continue ReadingChromecast celebrates 9 years with Nest Cam and Doorbell streaming support for Google TV
While Google Play was busy celebrating its 10th anniversary, another Google all star crept up on a huge milestone. Chromecast is now 9 years old (I know, I know, the company couldn’t wait just one more year to round out to an even number?), and with it, a new Keyword Blog post celebrates all of […]
Continue ReadingYouTube TV celebrates reaching 5 million subs in 5 years
I’ve been a YouTube TV customer from the start, and during that time, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the service. From its beginnings as a promising alternative for those who wanted to cut the cord to later disappointments as certain RSNs (Regional Sports Networks) started dropping off, though somehow the price kept increasing. One […]
Continue ReadingNew Chromecast with Google TV update rolling out
If you have a Chromecast with Google TV, the updated streaming device that replaces the original Chromecast and delivers an Android TV-like experience is finally getting an update this year. As 9to5Google noted, the update comes a full seven months since the last update in December, which improved Dolby Vision playback and freed up some […]
Continue ReadingA new Chromecast Audio could be in the works, even amidst Google’s legal battles with Sonos
The Chromecast Audio, while not as popular as the standard Chromecast, was still quite popular with niche users, and especially with audiophiles. I remember back when I worked at Best Buy as a Google Expert, there were many people who came in and bought several of them at a time just to have them for […]
Continue ReadingNvidia Shield ‘night listening’ feature balances audio while watching movies after hours
Have you ever had to play “sound control” late at night while watching an action flick because the characters whisper and explosions are as loud as the commercials in between? Oh yeah? Me too. Unfortunately, on my Chromecast with Google TV, I find myself constantly pressing the up and down volume buttons as I watch […]
Continue ReadingA decluttered feed redesign for the Google Home app is finally rolling out to users
Back in March, Google’s Community Specialist, Leticia, posted on the Nest Help forum that the company was going to completely revamp the Home app’s “Feed” section. This area shows news and updates or notifications about your smart home devices, but until now, it’s been a hot mess. Lots of information came at the user from […]
Continue ReadingNest Hub Max gets Fuchsia update in Preview Program
The Fuchsia operating system is now making its way to the Nest Hub Max, roughly a year after it launched on the first-generation Nest Hub (originally called the Home Hub), except with a caveat — your Google Assistant smart display needs to be enrolled in the Preview Program. However, the program is available to all […]
Continue ReadingGoogle TV Profiles have arrived, will allow each user to have their own personalized experience
Happy Monday! I want to get up, head over to your Google TV, and click the profile image at the top right of the screen. Now, click “Switch account”. Today marks the first day where massive amounts of people are actually seeing the update for Google TV Profiles, as reported by 9to5Google. Originally, Google stated […]
Continue ReadingPopular Linux Distro Ubuntu spotted running on a second-generation Google Nest Hub
We’ve already seen plenty of instances where gamers have run Google Stadia on the wildest devices – even on an Android Auto head unit. The level of modding and customization that fans of a piece of hardware will go to is truly inspiring. Today in my Google Discover feed, I happened upon a guy who […]
Continue ReadingNest Hub Max to lose bridging and range extension support for Nest x Yale locks
Google is hard at work making sure all their smart home devices are ready for the launch of the upcoming “Matter” smart home industry standard that will be leveraging the next-gen connectivity protocol. This new standard was developed in collaboration with Amazon, Apple, Samsung SmartThings, and Zigbee as a way to reduce fragmentation and achieve […]
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