Latest Google smart home news

Did you know Samsung's SmartThings works with Google Assistant?You can use the SmartThings app and hub to connect different smart home devices from different brands (including sensors, locks, light switches, outlets, and thermostats) together. These devices... Read more

Google Assistant has been updated in the UK to be more family-friendly.Google announced it worked with the British Council, Aardman, and Harper Collins in order to launch new family-oriented features for Google Assistant in the UK. There are four partners,... Read more

Google and Amazon are getting in the Royal Wedding spirit by offering all-new, unique Easter Eggs and commands to try on Google Assistant and Alexa respectively.If you have a Google Home smart speaker, Google Home Mini or use Google Assistant on another... Read more

Google is at Google I/O 2018, where it just announced Google Duplex.It essentially improves Assistant so that it can book your appointments for you. Through two demos on stage, Assistant was shown calling a hair salon to make an appointment and then getting... Read more

Google has shown off a JBL Link Bar at Google I/O. During the demo, it revealed new Android TV and Assistant features.This new soundbar features built-in Android TV and Google Home capabilities. But, according to Android Police, which saw the unit during... Read more

Days ahead of its I/O developer conference, Google has provided an update about how far Assistant has come since debuting two years ago.The company's voice helper debuted at Google I/O 2016 and can now be found in Google's own smart speakers, as well... Read more

Google has rolled out a new feature to its Google Home lineup that allows you it to play music on other Bluetooth speakers in your house.The feature, which works on Google’s Home, Home Max, and Home Mini speakers, is particularly useful if you own the... Read more

Google has knocked £15 off the Home Mini smart assistant until 4 April, so you can add Google Assistant to your home for less this Easter. The nationwide discount means the Google Home Mini can now be had for a very reasonable £34.The Home Mini deal... Read more

Google Assistant now supports multi-step routines.Copying Amazon, Google first announced it would add multistep smart home routines last October. The feature allows you to do several actions, such as turn off the lights and change the temperature on... Read more

Google has announced that it will be selling its mesh Wi-Fi system in a new three-pack from tomorrow, 13 March.Already available in the US, the Google Wifi three-pack is a cost effective way of ensuring decent Wi-fi coverage in a large home.A single Google... Read more

Google has announced that voice calling has now been added as a feature to the Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers in the UK. What's more, you don't even need your phone nearby to be able to make calls as the Home and Home Mini speakers can... Read more

Google wants to embed itself in your home, to one-up Amazon.As a result, we have the Google Home family. Here's everything you know about it, including what it is, how the original Google Home works (especially Google Assistant), and where you can buy... Read more

Google Assistant can not only get things done but also entertain you.Assistant is loaded with hilarious responses for all sorts of hidden commands. These are "Google Easter Eggs" - an unexpected feature in software - and they range from Assistant's deepest,... Read more

You've bought a Google Home. That's great. Now, you got to set it up.Or, maybe you're interested in buying one, but first, you want to see how easy it is to get it up and running. You're in luck - because we've compiled a guide that breaks down the entire... Read more

A Google app teardown has revealed a new feature possibly coming to Google's AI-based assistant.The Google app 7.20 APK has coding that suggests custom hotwords and the ability to choose a primary and secondary language for Google Assistant are on the... Read more

The race to be everywhere in your home is on, and as it stands, the competition is between Google and Amazon. With Echo and Google Home, smart speakers are starting to make their way into people's homes.That's not the only way these two companies want... Read more

Christmas may have come and gone, but if you're sad you didn't get the Google Home device you were hoping for under your Christmas tree then worry no more. There are deals to be had still, so why not treat yourself? Online retailer Currys/PC World currently... Read more

Not to be left behind, Google is pushing hard with the company's various smart home speaker devices - the Home, Mini and Max. Although perhaps not currently popular as the Amazon Echo line-up, these are smart AI-assistant devices that should not be overlooked... Read more

To coincide with the debut of Moz the Monster, the star of John Lewis' Christmas campaign, the retail giant has released a storybook for children. The story reveals how Moz is discovered by a young boy named Joe, hiding under his bed. The book, and Moz,... Read more

Ecobee's smart home devices just got, well, smarter, thanks to Google.The company makes things like thermostats, such as the Ecobee 3, Ecobee3 Lite, and Ecobee 4, and now, it has announced that those very devices can now be controlled through Goole Home... Read more

You can now use your Google Home speakers as an intercom system.Google has updated its Google Home speaker lineup so that you can easily send a message to everyone in your home or office. It's basically pushed a Google Assistant upgrade that lets you... Read more

Google Assistant just got more fun for kids.Google has added more than 50 games and activities to its assistant. It includes experiences like musical chairs, trivia, Disney-themed games, and original stories for children. They’ll work via Google Assistant... Read more

Google needs to catch up to Amazon.At least when it comes to smart speakers, anyway. Amazon has several Echo-branded smart speakers, while Google only recently announced two more on top of its original Google Home. However, it might introduce a new product... Read more

Google has updated Google Wifi with a new tool that gives you more control over the types of sites your kids can visit.The popular mesh Wi-Fi router system now offers a tool called Site Blocking. It is rolling out so that you can block more than eight... Read more

Google has rolled out an update to all Google Home Mini devices (currently in the hands on reviewers) that removes the top touch functionality of the device. When you tap on the top of the Home Mini it can play and pause music, while a long touch will... Read more

Google Assistant has a female voice, by default. You can change it.To be fair: Most tech companies give their monolithic voice-activated digital assistants female voices at launch, rather than male ones. And while that makes it seem like they are actively... Read more

Google has announced two new devices: Home Max and Home Mini.It has expanded its Google Home lineup from one speaker with built-in Google Assistant two three speakers with built-in Google Assistant. The two new models, Home Max and Home Mini, are meant... Read more

Google just made Google Home a more compelling rival to Amazon Echo.Earlier this year, Amazon launched an Alexa calling service, giving Echo users the ability to phone other Echo users and users of the Alexa app. And if you have the new Echo Show, you... Read more

Just days after Amazon announced the Echo Show would be available in more countries worldwide, 9to5Google has received a couple of anonymous tips that say Google is planning its very own competitor device. What is Google Home, how does it work and when... Read more

Neato has announced its most connected robot vacuum cleaner yet at consumer electronics show IFA in the form of the D7 Connected.The new metallic-finished model joins the D3 Connected and D5 Connected that launched at the show last year, along with... Read more

Google has introduced the ability to buy items using your voice, through the Google Home smart speaker or Google Assistant on your compatible smartphone.Thanks to an integration with Google's Express online shopping service, you can shop for your everyday... Read more

Spotify has announced that users who subscribe to the free tier of the music streaming service, can now play their songs through the Google Home speaker, complete with voice commands What is Google Home, how does it work and when can you buy it? Voice... Read more

Google has quietly unveiled a preview program for its smart speaker.About a year ago, Google launched a preview program for Chromecast, and now, as spotted by Android Police, it's apparently launched one for Google Home, too. This program lets early... Read more

Google Home can now recognise each person in your household by their voice and smartly switch to their account and preferences.Those of you with a husband or kids or a roommate will appreciate Google Home's latest update. If you've ever said to the speaker... Read more

Google has announced a number of updates for Google Home at Google I/O 2017, demonstrating how the smart AI device will be able to take advantage of the screens around your house. Not only can you use services like YouTube and Netflix via Chromecast,... Read more

Google Home now serves up numerous guided recipe instructions.Anyone who owns a voice-activated smart speaker, including Amazon Echo, knows it's perfect for the kitchen. Don't know how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon? Ask your speaker. Want to set... Read more

Google Home is about to get a lot more useful for the entire family.A new update to the Google Home app is alerting people that “multiple users are now supported”. Except, the message appears to be popping up by accident, because the functionality... Read more

What would make Google Home better?This is a question Google has been apparently asking itself, especially since the market is currently exploding with Alexa-powered devices from not only Amazon but just about every other third-party manufacturer out... Read more

Google has updated its Wi-Fi router so that you can annoy your kids."Wi-Fi at home helps with special everyday moments," Google announced on Monday. "But as we all know, sometimes these moments can turn into hours spent watching videos or browsing photos.... Read more

Google introduced Google Wifi in the US at the end of 2016 and now its own broadband router is coming to the UK.It's a bit different to many other routers in that it can pair with other Google Wifi routers around the home to make a mesh network and therefore... Read more

Google has announced that its Wifi router already available in the US, will be making its way to the UK next month. Simply called Google Wi-Fi, each base station looks like a Scandinavian-style, double-stacked hockey puck that Google described as a "visually... Read more

Google Home, Google's home assistant and rival to the Amazon Echo, is coming to the UK from 6 April.The release date and price were unveiled at an event in London on Tuesday 28 March, where it was also revealed the British edition will offer news briefings... Read more

Google Home may soon get a lot more useful for the entire family.One of the most annoying things about Google Home and similar smart speakers is that they only work with a single account. So all the services and integrations and features are tied to one... Read more

Google Home isn't just a speaker with built-in Google Search.With it, you can control your smart home devices, cue up a movie on your TV, replace your desktop speakers, and more. To get the most out of your Goole Home, you really need to do a deep-dive... Read more

Google recently launched two new smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL and the Google Home wireless speaker. All three devices have the company's new Google Assistant built-in. What is Google Assistant, how does it work, when can you use it? Assistant is... Read more

Google's a couple weeks away from announcing new hardware, including a home router product, according to a new report.Android Police claimed the Mountain View, CA-based company has developed something called Google Wi-Fi. Consumers can reportedly expect... Read more

We've all been there. Your internet isn't working at home, so you resort to unplugging and then re-plugging in your Wi-Fi router. Maybe that'll do the trick... or maybe it won't. It's just one of life's mysteries.But Google has developed a new product... Read more

Google has announced its Project Brillo program that it hopes will become the underlying ecosystem that makes the Internet of Things possible.Speaking during the Google I/O developers conference, Sundar Pichai, the company's senior vice president of... Read more

Just last week Qualcomm was announcing a plan to get its chips into smart devices designed for the Internet of Things, and now Google is reportedly developing an operating system that they can run.It is allegedly gearing up to release the new software... Read more

Google's acquisition of Nest has officially been completed, following announcement of the deal in mid-January and subsequent regulatory approval.A filing with the SEC on Wednesday revealed the deal was officially closed for $3.2 billion on 7 February,... Read more