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The best smart plugs to buy for Google Assistant and Google Home in 2022

Richard Devine September 17, 2022

There are a number of reasons to invest in smart plugs. Not only are they an easy way to connect 'dumb' appliances to your smart home setup, but they can also help you save money on your energy bills. The ability to set routines to turn things off and on as you require is extremely...

Matter device controls appear in Google account settings for some Android users

Pranob Mehrotra September 15, 2022

At its I/O developer conference last year, Google announced it would soon bring Matter support to Android and Nest smart home devices. However, the company did not share a definite timeline for the rollout. At this year's Google I/O, the company finally confirmed that Android 13 would provide support for Matter-enabled devices. Now that Android...

What is Matter, and why the new smart home standard should matter to you

Richard Devine September 4, 2022

Ecosystem lock-ins aren't always bad, but when it comes to smart homes, the landscape is messy. Currently, there are different standards, countless brands, and even platform plays like Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit. It seems everyone wants a piece of your home, but rarely does all this tech play nicely together. That's why Matter, er, matters. There...

These are the Best Smart Lights for Google Home and Google Assistant in 2022

Richard Devine August 31, 2022

If you have your smart home programmed through Google Home and you use a Google Assistant smart speaker, then you'll want some compatible lights. Smart lights are one of the most popular, easy-to-use pieces of smart home tech that anyone and everyone can set up. Smart lights are really accessible and a lot of fun...

Google is recruiting testers for an upcoming Google Home app redesign

Pranob Mehrotra August 12, 2022

Google rolled out an update for the Google Home app with a redesigned home tab earlier this year. The new home tab layout made it easier for users to control their connected smartphone devices, but it doesn't seem like Google is done redesigning the app. The company is reportedly working on a "next generation design...

Google Home extension for Visual Studio Code is now available

Richard Devine May 12, 2022

Developers building for Google Home have a fancy new tool to play with as of Google I/O. It was first talked about in 2021, but now, the Google Home extension for Microsoft's Visual Studio Code is now available. Visual Studio Code is one of the most popular IDEs available on Windows, Mac, and Linux (including...

Google Home gets a fancy new homepage and ‘works with’ program

Richard Devine May 11, 2022

There is a lot to digest from Google I/O, and one of the categories that's getting a lot of love is the smart home. Later in 2022 the long-awaited launch of Matter, the open smart home standard part-developed by Google, will finally launch. Ahead of this, Google Home is getting in order, starting with a...

Google Home app gets a revamped home view, new privacy settings, and more

Kishan Vyas March 23, 2022

Google Home, the companion app for controlling your smart home devices, is getting a major update, bringing a revamped home view, new privacy controls, and more. The most notable change the new update brings is a redesigned home view that makes it easier to control your smart devices in fewer steps. We spotted this redesign last...

Google Home’s redesigned home tab makes it a lot easier to control your smart devices

Kishan Vyas March 16, 2022

If you own a Nest speaker or Google Assistant-enabled device, you're probably familiar with the Google Home app. The companion app is your central hub to control and manage your smart home devices. And it's now getting a redesign that makes it even easier to control devices right from the main tab. The Google Home app...

[Update: Fixed] Several Google Home users are facing issues with light controls

Pranob Mehrotra February 17, 2022

If you've been facing issues with light control commands on your Assistant-powered smart home setup, you're not alone. As per recent reports, several Google Home users are not able to control their smart lights using Assistant voice commands for the last few days. Google is reportedly investigating the issue, but the company is yet to...

Google Home for iOS gets Android TV remote with latest update

Pranob Mehrotra February 16, 2022

Google rolled out a new virtual remote feature to the Google TV app back in September last year. The feature made its way over to the Google Home app for Android in November, giving users who don't use the Google TV app access to a virtual remote for their Android TV and Google TV devices....

Google Home app adds D-Pad controls for Android TV devices

Corbin Davenport December 9, 2021

For years, Google had a smartphone app for controlling Android TV devices on your local network, which came in handy if you lost your remote. The company has been slowly moving the remote functionality to other apps, and now the remote found in the Google Home app is a bit easier to use. Reddit user PhilStation...