Tag: Google Home

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Personal Routines suddenly vanished from Google Home app for some

Google is in the process of revamping its Home app for controlling smart home devices. However, as with any major change like this, there are sure to be some issues — currently, one major flaw plaguing users of both the regular Google Home app and the preview version of the refreshed app is an inability to launch Personal Routines.

For those not familiar with Google Home’s Routines, they allow users to create custom automations for their smart home. Routines come in two flavours — Household and Personal. The former applies to, well, your household and can include things like scheduled or automatic actions that take place based on the time of day or if certain events happen, like if someone turns on the TV. Personal Routines, on the other hand, are voice-based and occur with certain commands, like Routines that run when you say “good night.”

Reports across Google’s support forums and Twitter, as well as from Android Police and 9to5Google, say Personal Routines have outright disappeared for some Google Home users. This apparently happens after users try to trigger a routine with their voice. Household Routines remain available, however.

Along with disappearing Personal Routines, some users reported that the ability to add new Personal Routines is broken. Per a Twitter report, trying to add a Personal Routine results in a 404 error.

Google does seem to be aware of the issue and is looking for a fix, according to a community specialist in the company’s support forum. Anyone who encounters the issue should send feedback from the app with the keyword “GHT3 Missing Routines.”

To send feedback, either say “Send feedback,” to a Google Assistant speaker or open the Google Home app, tap your profile icon in the top-right corner, and tap ‘Feedback.’

Source: Google support, Twitter, (2) Via: 9to5Google, Android Police

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Google Home app code points to two Pixel Tablet docks

Google’s set to unveil its Pixel 7 and 7 Pro later today, but one device we might not see at the company’s October 6th event is the Pixel Tablet expected to arrive next year. Now, new details suggest the Pixel Tablet will have two dock models.

The details come from the newly redesigned Google Home app the company announced alongside the new Nest Wifi Pro and Doorbell. An internal build of the Google Home rolled out to some people via the Play Store, and now 9to5Google and others have dug into the code and found details referencing docks for the upcoming Pixel Tablet. This further backs up rumours that the Pixel Tablet would be able to turn into a Nest Hub Max-like smart home device when placed on the dock.

The new Home app includes references to ‘Tangor,’ the codename for the Pixel Tablet, alongside references to ‘Yuzu’ and ‘Korlan.’ 9to5 found a separate code comment posted by a Googler that confirmed the codenames were all related. Interestingly, yuzu and tangor are both citrus fruits, while korlan is a tropical fruit similar to lychee.

It’s not immediately clear what’s different between the two docks. Android Police theorized that one of the docks may be destined to work with a possible Pixel Tablet Pro, which allegedly sports the codename ‘Tangorpro.’

9to5 notes that Korlan appears to be further along in development, and Esper’s Senior Technical Editor Mishaal Rahman was able to manually enable a set-up flow for the Korlan dock in the Home app.

If the Pixel Tablet and dock combo is real, it may be one of the more exciting products that Google will launch. I’ve had a Nest Hub Max for years and, while I like it, I’ve always felt like it’d get more use if I could just pop the screen off and use it as a tablet. So far, it sounds like the Pixel Tablet could be just that.

Source: 9to5Google, Android Police, Mishaal Rahman (Twitter)

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Google’s Home app could be getting a significant redesign

Google has plans to revamp its iOS and Android Home app less than six months after changing how the platform’s toggles work.

In a listing seeking app testers, Google says that it is developing a “next generation design of the Google Home App” (via 9to5Google). It’s unclear what Google plans to change about the app, but if the tech giant plans to bring in testers and calls it “next generation,” it’s likely poised to be substantial.

If you’re interested in signing up for the testing program and don’t mind signing an NDA, you can do so via product testing platform Centercode.

Google’s Home app is the center of all its smart home devices, including the Nest Audio, Nest Hub, Nest Wi-Fi, Nest Doorbell and other supported third-party devices. The app is available on iOS and Android.

Source: Google Via: 9to5Google

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Best Buy Canada’s back-to-school deals starts this week, offering a variety of deals

Best Buy Canada is starting its back-to-school campaign with its first week of sales. Starting July 22nd, a variety of items are made available at a discount.

Until July 28th, you can take advantage of the deals and save on a new webcam, air frier, Google Home bundle and more.

Here are this week’s deals from Best Buy Canada:

Seagate One Touch 4TB Portable HDD Grey – $109.99 (save $20)
Insignia 5L Digital Air Fryer – $79.99 (save $150)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 46mm – $339.99 (save $180)
Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam – $99.99 (save $6)
SWFT Fleet 500W Electric Bike – $1,199 (save $300)
Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed WS Mouse – $49.99 (save $10)
HyperX QuadCast USB Condenser Gaming Mic – $114.99 (save $35)
Google Whole Home Entertainment Bundle – $519.99 (save $110)
Google Entertainment Anywhere Bundle – $339.99 (save $100)
Google Room-filling Sound Bundle – $199.99 (save $60)

This back-to-school sale from Best Buy Canada runs from Friday, July 22nd and concludes on Thursday, July 28th. Be sure to check out the full list of deals here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Here are Best Buy’s Top Deals for this week

Best Buy Canada is rolling out a wave of fresh new deals just in time for the weekend. Whether you’re looking for a Google Home bundle, a new TV, or PC accessories, Best Buy’s latest sale has a bit of everything.

Here are some of the deals featured this week:

Samsung 65-inch 4K HDR OLED (QN65S95B): $3,899.99 (save $400)

HP OM GT12-1149 R7 5700G/16/512/RTX3070: $1,799.99 (save $600)

LG 24MP44B-B 24-inch FHD 75HZ 5MS IPS: $179.99 (save $20)

Beats Studio 3 Skyline Colour Gray: $279.99 (save $120)

Acer A515-56-5952 i5-1135G7/8/512/15-inch: $849 (save $200)

Fitbit Versa 2 Black/Carbon: $159 (save$40)

Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Cordfree Stick: $599 (save $100)

Google At Home Peace of Mind Bundle – Nest Hub Max Smart Display & 2 Security Cameras: $567.85 (save $212)

Google Whole Home Entertainment Bundle – Nest Hub Max Smart Display, 2 Smart Speakers & Chromecast: $334.86 (save $105)

Razer Basilisk Ultimate Wireless Mouse: $99.99 (save $25)

HYPERX QuadCast USB Condenser Gaming Mic: $114 (save $35)

Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+: $194 (save $35)

Arlo Essential Spotlight – 3 Camera BLK: $129.99 (save $40)

Arlo Pro 4 3-cam Wire-Free SLC White: $449.99 (save $50)

D-Link Pro Series FullHD Pan&T Wi-Fi Cam: $79.99 (save $20)

Fitbit Inspire 2 Desert Rose: $89.99 (save $40)

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 44mm Silver: $269 (save$50)

Belkin 10W Qi Dual Case Compatible blk: $49.99 (save $10)

Belkin iP13/13Pro UltraGlass AM: $34.99 (save $5)

Best Buy Canada’s Top Deals sale of the week begins today. Running from July 15th to July 21st, all aforementioned deals can be found. Check out the full list of Top Deals here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Google blames Sonos for Pixel device set up issue

Google is blaming smart speaker maker Sonos for an issue preventing new Pixel smartphones from being set up.

“Unfortunately, because of an interruption caused by Sonos, a small number of you using Pixel phones in the U.S. and Canada may be unable to set up devices at this time. We are hopeful that this is a temporary decision that only impacts a small number of you,” reads Google’s Nest Blog.

If you’re trying to set up a Pixel device that hasn’t been connected to Wi-Fi for some time (or ever), you may receive a message that reads, “device needs to be activated before setup” through the Google Home app. If you receive that message, Google has listed some steps to solve the problem.

  • If your device has Google TV or Android TV, use the setup flow on your TV to activate your device.
  • If you live outside of the US or Canada, follow these steps to activate your device using the Device Utility app.
  • If you live in the US or Canada, please give us a call or chat

Android Central says that it spoke to Sonos regarding the situation and received the following statement:

“Google’s Pixel disruption is the direct result of its decision to infringe Sonos’ patents rather than license them, as the International Trade Commission ruled. It is entirely Google’s decision to inflict further harm to its customers rather than behave responsibly, and it’s the height of arrogance to try to blame the company whose innovations it’s misappropriating.”

Google and Sonos have been feuding for several years regarding patent infringements and licenses, and it seems like the Mountain View, California-based is finally doing something about it.

Here’s what Google said in a statement 9to5Google:

“This decision temporarily impacts a small number of Pixel users who set up a speaker or display for the first time with the Device Utility App. We will work with them to minimize disruption. Our support teams are on hand to fix any issues they have, and if needed, we will send replacement devices or offer a Google store credit. Over the years, we have worked hard to make sure that our shared customers would have a positive experience and are disappointed that Sonos continues to use the legal system in a way that deliberately creates issues for these users.”

Unfortunately, it looks like this problem will persist for Pixel users for at least the foreseeable future.

Source: Google Nest Community, 9to5Google, Android Central

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Google Home app update makes controlling smart devices suck a little less

Google’s ‘Home’ app should soon get much better for Android and iOS users.

The search giants have updates on the way for Home on both platforms that will tidy up the interface and simplify controls. Users can expect some privacy improvements as well.

Google detailed the upcoming changes in a Nest Community blog post (via Engadget), including screenshots of the new design. Anyone familiar with Android 11’s smart home controls in the power menu (or 12’s controls in the quick settings widget) will feel at home – pardon the pun — with the new Home app.

The new controls will let people tap devices to turn them on or off, or use a built-in slider to quickly adjust the brightness of lights. Moreover, the new controls will surface advanced options when users long-press on them.

New Google Home app | Image credit: Google

On the privacy side, the Home app will get a new settings section where users can manage privacy controls, Assistant data, and home activity. The change brings these controls to one central location, making them easier to access.

These changes are part of an update that should be rolling out this week, but Google has more planned for later this month. That update will bring improvements to the home feed, such as new automatic sorting that will surface recent and important events as well as grouping events that happen around the same time.

You can learn more about the Home app updates here.

Source: Google Via: Engadget

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Apple Music is now available on Google’s Nest smart speakers in Canada

Roughly a year after releasing on Google’s Nest and Home devices in the United States, Apple Music is now rolling out to the tech giant’s smart speakers in Canada.

The complete list of countries now includes Canada, Australia, India, Mexico and South Korea, which join the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany and Japan. To enable Apple Music on a Google Nest/Home device, head to the Google Home app on iOS/Android and select ‘Settings.’ Under this option, scroll down to ‘Services’ at the bottom and ‘Music’ Next, select ‘Apple Music’ and link your account to the Home app.

It’s worth noting that multiple MobileSyrup employees tested this and haven’t seen Apple Music appear in the Google Home app.

After you’ve set up Apple Music with Nest/Home, you’ll be able to ask Google Assistant to play songs and albums from Apple Music via Google’s smart speakers by default.

Though it’s unclear why this update took a full year for this feature to make its way to Canada, it’s great it’s finally here, especially if you primarily use Google’s Nest/Home smart speakers like me.

Source: Google 

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Google Home update on Android brings digital TV remote to the masses

Google is finally bringing its Android TV/Google TV remote to the Google Home app — at least on Android, and in the U.S. only.

While the tech giant has been making strides to improve its virtual TV remote and its availability, the latest version of the Google Home app is the perfect home for it; I just wish it would finally roll it out in Canada.

A report from 9to5Google states that the remote function is in ‘version 2.46’ of the Google Home app and that it’s currently rolling out to Android users. The update is set to come to iOS as well, but it’s uncertain when that update will release.

Google rolled out its new virtual remote within the Google TV app back in 2020. This app took its sweet time coming to Canada and finally (kind of) launched here in September of 2021. While Google confirmed the app is officially coming, two months later, its Play Store listing still directs me to Google Play Movies and TV.

Then when Android 12 launched, Google said it would bring new Remote functions to the ‘Quick Toggles’ at the top of the notification shade. While this is true, I haven’t been able to sync it with my Google TV. This is likely because there’s no real Google TV app in Canada to set up the remote with.

9to5Google says that the version of the Google Home app that’s currently rolling out to Android phones also features the remote. While I’m happy about this because the Google Home app already has a spot on my home screen, I’m not seeing any app updates or the ability to trigger the remote on any of my Android devices yet.

If you’re luckier than me and can access the remote function, 9to5Google says you need to input a pairing code to connect the remote to your phone. This is likely why the Quick Toggle remote isn’t working for me.

Source: 9to5Google