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Google Home and Chromecast are down for some users (update: fix)
'Tis the season for large-scale service outages, apparently. Google has confirmed that many Home speaker and Chromecast users around the world are unable to use their devices, even after a reboot. The company didn't say why, and didn't have an estimated time of repair as of this writing. However, the issue has been inconsistent -- my Home Mini could respond to commands, while TechCrunch colleagues received an error.
Google Assistant can speak Spanish on Home speakers
Today, Google announced that Assistant on its Home, Mini and Max products can now speak and understand Spanish. Additionally, consumers in Mexico will be able to find Google Home on store shelves starting today; the product launched in Spain last week.
Google Assistant no longer needs every 'hey' and 'OK'
At last, you don't have to call out Google Assistant by name every time when you want to issue a command. As promised at I/O, Google has made Assistant's Continued Conversation available for US English speakers using a Home speaker. Enable it in your preferences and you don't have to use "hey Google" or "OK Google" for follow-ups, even if you have multiple requests. Ask if it'll be sunny tomorrow and you can both remind yourself to go to the beach and put sunscreen on your shopping list, all without having to start the chat from scratch.
Google Podcasts is pretty but basic
Google has a long and disappointing history with podcasts. With Apple and iTunes, they were always an integral part of the experience. For Android, though, it was an afterthought. Google Listen was barely usable, but basically the only option for getting podcasts on early Android phones. Two years ago podcasts made their way to Google Play Music, but they always felt shoehorned in and poorly thought out. Not to mention there were some pretty glaring holes in its library, including hits like Serial and S-Town. Now the company is taking another stab at getting podcasts right and, unfortunately, I feel confident in saying it has failed yet again.
Google will fix Home and Chromecast bug that reveals your location
Don't look now, but your Google Home speaker or Chromecast could give away your whereabouts... for a little while, that is. Google has promised a fix for an authentication vulnerability that lets attackers obtain your location using the company's devices as a conduit. While the necessary Home app on your phone normally performs most tasks through Google's cloud services, others (such as setting a device name and WiFi connection) are sent directly to the Home or Chromecast without authentication. If you use domain name system rebinding software, you can exploit this to obtain nearby wireless networks and use Google's location lookup services to obtain a position to an accuracy of a few feet.
Google Home now handles three requests at the same time
Google Home speakers can already perform two commands at the same time. But what if you live in a particularly connected household, where you may need to juggle more tasks? The company has an answer: support three simultaneous requests. So long as you form full queries with "and" in between, you can multitask like a pro using only the spoken word. This could be particularly helpful if you want to turn on the lights, increase the temperature and play some tunes without having a Routine in place.
I wish I could live inside this massive Google Home Max
We're in the final stretch here at Google I/O 2018, and I don't know about everyone else here, but I could really use some proper alone time. Too bad that's impossible to find here. Strangely enough, the closest I've been able to find is the inside of a massive Google Home Max with three other people.
Google Home finally works with its own Play Movies service
Google Assistant can now finally beam Play Movies to a Chromecast when you issue voice commands through the tech giant's Home speaker. It's weird how that hasn't been available until now when Home has been able to recognize spoken commands to stream Netflix shows from the start. Thankfully, the tech giant has fixed the oversight and quietly announced the integration at its annual I/O conference. And from the sound of things, the feature has already started rolling out to users.
Did you know that Google Search on Android is a podcast player?
Whether you're listening to the newest installment of a daily podcast you're subscribed to or binging the latest true crime series, being able to pause a podcast on one device and pick it back up on another is a useful feature. And according to Pacific Content, it's a feature that Google offers right now. If you start an episode on your Android phone, for example, you can finish it with your Google Home, and Zack Reneau-Wedeen, Google's podcasts product manager, says this "device interoperability" will eventually expand to everything on which you use Google. We asked Google about the feature and were told that it's "not new" but it's unclear how long the ability has been around.
Google Assistant's routines are an easy way to automate your home
Since Amazon's Echo arrived in late 2014, voice assistants have become increasingly important in making sense of the disparate smart home devices like speakers, light bulbs, thermostats, security cameras and more. But in the last few months, Alexa and the Google Assistant started letting users do multiple things -- like turning down the thermostat, lowering the lights and telling you what's on the calendar -- with a single command. It's been a key addition that has made managing a variety of different smart home devices easier. We tried out Amazon's implementation of routines back in October alongside new Echo hardware, but Google didn't launch its version until last month. If Google's going to keep Amazon from dominating the voice assistant market, it needs to be as good at tying a smart home together.
Do you need a smart home hub?
When life gets chaotic, it can be convenient to have all your smart home devices operating on the same wavelength. Achieving this sort of harmony sometimes requires a hub to consolidate the myriad gadgets in your house. But not everyone needs a dedicated smart hub to make their setup run smoothly. A smart speaker like the Amazon Echo or the Google Home can serve a similar purpose, with each device's respective apps acting as central command. Manufacturers have even begun bundling hubs into other devices like security systems and mesh WiFi routers, making home automation simpler for beginners.
Google Play now offers speed control and bookmarks for audiobooks
In January, Google launched its Play Store audiobook category and today, the company has released a handful of updates that will improve the user experience. Now, you'll be able to bookmark parts of your audiobook that you'd like to return to. Just tap the Bookmark icon and you can easily come back to it whenever you'd like. You'll also be able to control the speed at which your audiobook plays. Slow it down to as low as half the speed or bump it up as much as three times faster.
Google Home’s multi-room audio now works with Bluetooth speakers
Google Home is getting a long-awaited feature: Bluetooth. Previously, only Google Cast-enabled speakers could be looped in to a network of Home-commanded devices. Now users can pair their speaker of choice with the dedicated Home app and voice command it to play your tunes or podcasts.
Nest's $229 video doorbell is a useful addition to its ecosystem
Last September, Nest introduced several products to its connected home lineup: the Nest Secure home security system, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor and the Nest Hello video doorbell. While both the Secure and the IQ outdoor cam have been out for a few months, the Hello had not come to market yet. That is, until now. Both the Hello and the previously-announced Nest x Yale Lock are now officially available for $229 and $249 respectively. Oh, and Nest is introducing something today as well: the Nest Temperature Sensor.
Set location-based reminders with your voice on Google Home
Google added voice-controlled Reminders to its Home devices last September, allowing it to catch up with Alexa and Siri. You could set one-off and recurring reminders on a daily or weekly basis as well as contextual reminders that would propagate to your Android phone, too. Now you can set location based reminders with your Google Home device and then get reminded on your phone.
Neato's voice-activated Botvac arrives in the US for $800
Neato first unveiled the Botvac D7 Connected vacuum over six months ago and it has finally arrived in the US and Europe. The company's flagship robotic vacuum packs a lot of tech, including Amazon Alexa and Google Home voice control, a floor planner that lets you set no-go zones (pet and children's areas, for instance), and the LaserSmart system that can guide it in the dark. It supports IFTTT, Android Wear and Apple Watch, and using the iOS and Android Neato app, you can check coverage maps to see where it has cleaned.
Google brings voice calling to Home speakers in the UK
It's taken a while, but finally Google Home speakers in the UK can be used to make hands-free voice calls. The feature was announced at Google I/O 2017 and introduced in the US last August. Brits have waited patiently since then (or switched to Alexa, which has offered voice calls since October) for the same functionality — today, that mental fortitude pays off. To get started, simply say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" followed by the person or business you'd like to call. You don't need your phone either — the speaker will use Google Contacts as an address book and place the call over Wi-Fi. Update: As one of our readers pointed out -- Alexa-based calls only work between Echo devices (or a smartphone with the Alexa app installed). Google's implementation is, therefore, different and drastically more useful.
Spotify might be building a smart speaker of its own
Spotify appears to be working a smart speaker that it says will be "category defining," according to new job listings. "Spotify is on its way to creating its first physical products and set up an operational organization for manufacturing, supply chain, sales and marketing," one ad states. So far, it has relied on other products like Google's Assistant, Amazon Echo and Sonos One to stream its service. However, Apple recently launched its HomePod speaker with only native Apple Music support, showing Spotify's need to take action on its own hardware.
Google Assistant gets music-powered alarms and better Netflix controls
Google has been improving its Home devices for a while now. The company added better search, upgraded the Home app interface and enabled an intercom feature last November. It can also now match your voice to your own Netflix profile, too, a feature that builds upon Home's multiple voice recognition system. Now Google has added an update that adds a voice-powered alarm function and makes it a bit easier to find shows and music with your Home devices.
Google says fix for WiFi bug on Cast devices is coming tomorrow
After weeks of reports from users losing WiFi connections due to Google devices with the "Cast" feature, the company has responded. According to an entry on Google's support page, the company has identified the issue and will release a fix to roll out as a Google Play service update tomorrow January 18th.
