Items tagged with google home
We've seen plenty of leaks regarding the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL over the past few months, but this might be the most fruitful of them all. We have what are claimed to be images of both new flagship Android Oreo devices. According to Droid-Life, the Pixel 2 XL (not Pixel XL 2 as it has previously been referenced), will be available in two different color options. The first is black, while the second is primarily white, with a black glass panel on the upper backplate. Overall, the design of the smartphone adheres very closely to what we saw with the Pixel and Pixel XL. This time around, however, the device is being made by LG. As with previous leaks, it's clear that the Pixel 2 XL will only...
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If you own a Google Home device and have been craving some Bluetooth audio action, then you should be really happy to know that as of right now, an update is being rolled out to the devices that will remedy a very long-standing request from consumers. Up to this point, those wanting to listen to music through their Google Home have had to use one of the supported platforms, which have included Spotify, Play Music (of course), and Pandora. That's great if you want one of the services, but if you have another app to play your own local music, or some other streaming service, you've been out of luck until right now. In the most up-to-date version of the Google Home app, you should now...
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A smart speaker that does not allow you to make phone calls does not seem very smart, does it? Google agrees, and so the Mountain View outfit is bringing hands-free calling to its Google Home speaker. Starting soon, the AI assistant powering Google Home will allow users to make voice-activated phone calls for free to anyone in the United States and Canada, Google confirmed in a blog post. Call anyone (at their home, on their mobile or at their office). It’s easy to use, and it’s free," Google says. Being able to make hands-free phone calls brings Google Home one step closer to parity with Amazon's line of Alexa-powered Echo products, which introduced calling and messaging capabilities back in...
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Google has been making run at the smart home speaker market with its Google Home device, though it has not reached parity with Amazon and its growing number Alexa-powered Echo products. Perhaps in time Google Home will become just as fleshed out and capable. In the meantime, Google Home owners can gain access to experimental features by enrolling in the speaker's Preview program. The program is relatively new. It first showed up in an updated help page on Google's website a few weeks ago, though at the time there was no way of signing up to participate. Google must have been getting things in order at the time, because fast forward to now and everyone is invited to join the fun. If you own a...
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Google is not about to let Amazon steal the spotlight with its upcoming Prime Day sales event. While Google is countering with a site wide sale of its own, the Mountain View company is offering a hefty discount on its Home smart speaker and Chromecast streaming gadget bundle. The two devices are being offered up through Google's eBay account for just a Benjamin ($100).That is a 39 percent savings over the cost of buying them individually, which would set you back $164. Free shipping is part of the promotion, too. According to the eBay listing, Google is offering up a "limited quantity" of its Home speaker and second generation Chromecast bundle, though it is not clear exactly how many it has...
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It looks as though Google is trying to unload any remaining Pixel XL handsets it still has before launching its next generation of Pixel phones. Or the Mountain View company finds itself in a giving mood. Either way, you can score a Google Home smart speaker for free with the purchase of a Pixel XL smartphone, though you will have to act fast—the offer is good while supplies last.The Google Home speaker is a $129 value. It is similar to Amazon's Echo products, in that it listens for a wake phrase ("OK Google") and can respond to various commands. The speaker's built-in Google Assistant can provide a weather forecast, scour the web for information, fire up music playlists, and more. It can also...
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So, what did Apple do with those old design models for the Mac Pro? Apparently, it used them to create the HomePod, which is Apple’s take on the smart speaker movement that is sweeping the tech world. The HomePod is a “Breakthrough Home Speaker” first and foremost that measures less than seven inches tall and features seven beam-forming tweeters at the bottom of the device and an Apple-designed woofer for rich bass. As you might expect, HomePod has full support for voice controls with deep Siri integration, which would put it in the same league as the Amazon Echo and Google Home; albeit with far superior audio more in line with Sonos products. An array of six microphones are included the HomePod,...
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The new G6 from LG is a really good Android phone in its own right, but if you were on the fence, T-Mobile and LG have a pair of offers that you might find too good to refuse. Starting with T-Mobile, the spunky "uncarrier," as it likes to call itself, is offering the LG 6 for $20 per month for 24 months, plus a $20 down payment. That breaks down to $500, versus the phone's $650 MSRP. So right off the bat you're set to save $150 on the G6. To sweeten the pot, T-Mobile is throwing in a free LG G Pad X 8.0 tablet, which it normally sells for $240 ($10 per month for 24 months). Tablets are not as popular as they once were, but it is still a nice inclusion at no extra cost. If nothing else, you could...
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If you own a Google Home speaker, it has just became a little bit more useful. Google today announced that it has enabled support for multiple users on the smart speaker, confirming what was leaked earlier this month within the device’s smartphone app. Google has enhanced Google Home by allowing up to six people to attach their accounts to the device. Most importantly, Google Home will automatically distinguish your voice from that of your other family members (or roommates), so that when you say “OK Google”, only results pertaining to your account preferences are played back. So how does Google identify your voice and match it to your account? It all comes down to the company’s powerful neural...
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Google is not the least bit amused by Burger King's attempt to engage with Google Home smart speakers using the wake phrase "Okay Google" in a new ad campaign. In an interesting twist, Burger King, which did not collaborate with or involve Google in its marketing stunt in any way, claims that Google made changes to prevent the commercial from waking Google Home devices. Let us back up a moment. The problem with creating ads to showcase smart home speakers like Google Home is that they're constantly listening for wake phrases, even when they come from the television. During the Super Bowl, a 60-second commercial aired promoting the AI assistant powering Google Home, with the phrase "Okay Google"...
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We’ve heard plenty of stories about Google Home and Amazon Echo being unintentionally set off by TV commercials that trigger their “wake words”. Most recently, Google Home devices were awakened by a 60-second Google Super Bowl commercial that featured the AI assistant. Given that “OK Google” was said 16 times throughout the commercial, it should come as no shock to you that Google Home devices started going into meltdown mode across the country. While those gaffes were unintended, but annoying, what happens when a company deliberately tries to take advantage of your AI assistant for advertising purposes? That’s exactly what Burger King is doing with a new TV ad. The commercial is just 15 seconds...
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Smart home products are gaining in popularity, and companies like Amazon and Google want to the ones powering the experience. Here's the thing—if you're buying into Google's ecosystem, you might yourself with multiple devices, even in the same room. For example, you might buy a Google Home smart speaker for voice commands and a Google Wifi mesh router for Internet connectivity. They'll work together, buy why not combine them into a single product?That's exactly what Google is considering. A paywalled report in The Information has it on some kind of authority that Google is thinking about "a version of its Google Home intelligent speaker with built-in mesh Wi-Fi networking." This all-in-one solution...
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Companies are embracing the smart home movement in a number of fun and creative ways. Thanks to smart home speakers and technologies, you can bark out commands to the cloud to do things like dim the lights, play music, look up the weather, and even order a pizza. Amazon hopped out in front of the trend with its Echo speaker and Alexa digital assistant, but here comes Google with its Google Home speaker. In a bid to be more competitive, Google has added a dozen new partners to its smart home initiative. These new home automation integrations introduced with the latest update add a wealth of functionality to Google Home powered by the company's Google Assistant. Here is a look at the list of players...
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If you own a Google Home and decided to query the device with the “My Day” feature earlier this week, chances are that you were startled to hear an advertisement play for “Beauty And The Beast”, which opens today. Google Home users were given the usual rundown of the weather forecast, scheduled events and daily commute. Then, the AI assistant threw in a “By the way”, after which it goes into what anyone with at least a few marbles rolling around in their head would describe as an advertisement for the “Beauty And The Beast” remake. If you don’t have a Google Home, this is what users were subjected to: New Beauty & the Beast promo is one way Google could monetize Home. cc: @gsterling...
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LG has partnered with Google to promote its forthcoming G6 smartphone. Those who see fit to pick up LG's new flagship once it becomes available will receive a free Google Home, the voice-activated speaker powered by Google Assistant. In essence, those who take advantage of this promotion will score two separate devices, each one with Google Assistant built into them.Anyone who is interested can sign up for more information on a special landing page dedicated to the promotion (hit the source link). The way it works is buyers will go the landing page to purchase the LG G6 by April 30, 2017, and then redeem the offer online for Google Home (worth $129) by May 15, 2017.That's not a bad deal. The...
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There’s no question that smart assistants like the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot (and more recently, Google Home) have become indispensable tools for millions of homeowners over the past few years. The devices can be easily integrated into existing smart home control systems and can be expanded with new “skills” that add functionality. According to a new report, both Amazon and Google are looking to add the ability to place phone calls from their respective devices. The Wall Street Journal says that such functionality could arrive as soon as this year, but many roadblocks stand in the way of making such a move feasible. The first big drawback is that all calls would have to take place over the units’...
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You can always count on Super Bowl commercials causing a few laughs (along with some uncomfortable moments) and Super Bowl LI over the weekend was no exception, though not all of the giggles were as intended. One of the came when Google ran an ad for its voice-activated AI speaker called Google Home. The 60-second ad spot featured several demos, which amusingly caused Google Home speakers in the wild to respond. About 16 seconds into the ad, an actress opens the door to her home and exclaims, "Okay Google, turn on the hall lights." It was one of half a dozen times the words "Okay Google" were spoken during the commercial, each one followed by a specific command. Google was attempting to demonstrate...
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First there was Amazon Echo, then came along Google Home. Now it looks as though Microsoft is looking to get in on the digital AI assistant/speaker movement with the help of Harman Kardon — a brand that is about to be tucked under Samsung’s wing with the acquisition of Harman. Although the device doesn’t have an official name at this point, it would be the first third-party device to integrate Cortana AI with speaker hardware. Although we can’t see the full product, it looks similar in design to the Amazon Echo with a towering cylindrical shape. Where it differs, however, is with what appears to be some sort of LCD display at the top which responds by lighting up and creates the familiar blue...
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Google Home is Google's answer to the Amazon Echo, both of which are smart home speakers that will happily play music and perform a plethora of other voice-activated tasks. You can think of these things as intelligent hubs for smartly connected homes equipped with a range of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, but happens if they break down out of warranty? Good news, folks—like Echo, a teardown analysis suggests that servicing Google Home isn't all that difficult. The teardown fanatics at iFixIt already put Echo on the operating table and, post surgery, awarded the smart speaker a 7 out of 10 Repairability Score. Since then, they've gotten their mitts on Google Home and promptly took the gadget...
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Google’s fall event is not simply focused on mobile and gaming devices; the company just unveiled several new products for the home. Google Home and Google WiFi focus on providing greater convenience and connectivity to the home environment. The company introduced Google Home, an AI voice assistant that is Google’s answer to the Amazon Echo. Google Home will control devices that are connected inside the home, working with the Nest Learning Thermostat, SmartThings, Philips, and IFTTT hardware. Users will be able ask it to stream music to YouTube Music, Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tunein, and IHeart Radio and stream videos from YouTube. Google even has plans in the works for Netflix...
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Mark October 4th on your calendars. Google will reportedly be hosting an event that focuses on hardware on that date. Announcements should include Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, a 4K Chromecast, Google Home, and a Daydream VR viewer device. Google’s next flagship phones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, have been referred to previously as Marlin and Sailfish. Pixel will be the name for Google's 5-inch Sailfish device and Pixel XL for its 5.5-inch Marlin handset. The larger of the phones is expected to boast a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a USB Type-C port, 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, and Android 7.0 Nougat. There is no word yet on whether Marlin...
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We’re not sure that many people expected great things to come from Amazon’s Echo speaker when it was announced back in late 2014. After all, a voice-activated speaker seemed like a superfluous gadget in our increasingly crowded digital lives. However, Echo, which is powered by the Alexa engine, has become one of Amazon’s most popular hardware products and has spawned the Dot and Tap. Even the latest generation Fire TV taps into the Alexa engine. Developers have flocked to the platform, plugging in their services and apps to make Echo even more useful for its owners. Today, you can hail an Uber ride, order a pizza (or two) from Dominoes, or even access your CapitalOne banking information using...
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