homehub
Latest
Lenovo updates Smart Display with Google Home Hub features
Google isn't being stingy about its recently announced Home Hub features -- it's going to be available on all Assistant smart displays, regardless of manufacturer. But we assumed it would be awhile before we actually saw these features. However, the folks at 9to5Google noticed that Lenovo is rolling out multi-room audio, Live Albums from Google Photos, Nest Hello Doorbell, Home View and more to its Smart Display over the next few weeks.
Google Home Hub review: A more personal smart display
Google debuted its take on the smart display earlier this year with a slew of Echo Show rivals. This is, after all, the Google way. As it did with Android, Google created the ecosystem and then partnered with third-party companies like Lenovo and JBL to make the actual products. However, as with the Pixel and the first run of Google Home products, Google likes to dabble in hardware, too. That's why it wasn't much of a surprise when Google announced the Home Hub -- its very own spin on the smart display. What was surprising, was how different it was from all the other Google-powered smart displays so far. The Home Hub is small, clad in a fabric finish, and (perhaps its most intriguing "feature") doesn't have a camera. It all adds up to a refreshing take on the smart display that makes it a good fit for nearly every room in your home.
Google's Home Hub is more like a Chromecast than an Android tablet
At first glance, Google's new Home Hub looks like any other smart display featuring the company's Assistant platform. It features both voice and touch inputs, giving consumers the option to manually control their smart home, watch YouTube videos and see appointments for the week ahead. However, underneath the hood, Google has done things a little differently. Unlike Lenovo, JBL and LG, Google's Home Hub doesn't run a stripped-down version of Android -- in fact, it's closer to a Chromecast.
Watch Google's Pixel 3 event in less than 10 minutes
Google's Pixel 3 event may have been spoiled by an abundance of leaks, but that doesn't mean it was easy to follow along -- there was a veritable deluge of news. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were undoubtedly the highlights, with their larger screens and dual selfie cameras. However, Google also introduced its first in-house smart display, the Home Hub, and fostered Chrome OS tablets with the Pixel Slate. And that's not including some of the lower-key news, such as the Pixel Stand wireless charger. If that's a lot to take in, don't worry. We've rounded up the highlights of the event in a roughly 10-minute clip that should help you catch up.
Google Home Hub hands-on: A surprisingly compact smart display
Sure, Google's new Home Hub wasn't a secret today -- but I was still surprised at just how tiny the device is in real life. I imagined a tablet-sized screen perched on top of something resembling the giant Google Home Max, but I couldn't have been more wrong if I tried. The Home Hub is positively dainty -- thin, light and unobtrusive. The photo below with my iPhone 8 Plus next to the Home Hub should give you an idea just how small this device is. It still feels like a Google Home product, with the same acoustically transparent fabric found on the Home Mini and Max. But, the display clearly sets it apart from Google's past smart speakers.
Google unveils the Home Hub smart display
Yes, those leaks of Google making its own smart display were true. The company has unveiled the Home Hub, which melds an Assistant-equipped smart speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen display. As with other smart displays, you can use to both get visual feedback for searches (such as the weather or recipes) as well as finding photos and videos. However, it does have a few stand-out features of its own -- including things that are missing.
We're live from Google's 2018 Pixel event!
Just about every major phone maker has already unveiled the latest and greatest for 2018 -- now it's Google's turn. We're coming to you live from the heart of Tribeca, where the search giant is gearing up to show off a pair of new, thoroughly well-leaked smartphones, plus its long-awaited Pixel Slate and some fancy new Home hardware. That's a lot of new gadgetry to squeeze into a single press conference, and that's just the stuff we know about; with any luck, Google has managed to keep some goodies under lock and key this whole time. If nothing else, though, we're looking forward to getting some hands-on time with the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, especially after they've been so tantalizingly teased on Toronto's mass transit system.
Google's own smart display is reportedly the $149 Home Hub
On October 9th, Google will reveal its latest hardware lineup. Rumors have spread for some time that the company is preparing to unveil a smart display at the event, and a leak unearthed by MySmartPrice corroborates the existence of the device, indicating that it will be called Home Hub. Meanwhile, a separate leak of a retail listing suggests the smart display will cost $149, according to Android Authority.
Leak shows Microsoft's vision for Echo-like Windows PCs
Remember when word got out for Microsoft's Home Hub, a Windows 10 update that would effectively turn your PC into a souped-up Amazon Echo with shared info, across-the-room voice control and home automation? You now have an idea as to what it'll look like in practice. The Verge has obtained leaked conceptual images showing just what Home Hub will do. Sure enough, the welcome screen now has an always-available view of the family's calendar, notes and other collective knowledge. If your child has ballet practice, everyone will know. There's also a shared desktop, simple voice calling and smart home control for key devices (Hue, Insteon, Nest, SmartThings and Wink are on the short list).
Microsoft hopes your Windows PC can replace an Amazon Echo
If rumors are true, Microsoft may be one of the few major consumer tech giants that doesn't have a smart, voice-guided speaker in the works... but that doesn't mean it's sitting on its thumbs. In an expansion of recent code discoveries, Windows Central sources claim that Windows 10 is getting a Home Hub feature that will turn supporting PCs into rivals for the Amazon Echo and Google Home. You'd have a shared, login-free desktop that shares family resources like calendars and shopping lists, and a smart home app that would make it easy to control all your connected devices. And as you might surmise, the Cortana voice assistant would play a much, much more important role.
