SMART HOME Posts on XDA

Google announces new developer features at the “Hey Google” Smart Home Summit

Google announces new developer features at the “Hey Google” Smart Home Summit

July 7, 2020
This week, Google is hosting its virtual "Hey Google" Smart Home Summit. This is a 2-day event focused on the new tools and features for the smart home developer community. At the event, Google is announcing a few platform tools and routines for developers to be aware of. New Devices for the Smart Home for Entertainment...
Google is hosting a “Hey Google” Smart Home Summit to unveil new Google Assistant developer tools

Google is hosting a “Hey Google” Smart Home Summit to unveil new Google Assistant developer tools

June 30, 2020
Google I/O 2020, which was scheduled for May, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many other tech companies, Google has been trying to make up for it with virtual events. The latest virtual event from the Mountain View company is the "Works with 'Hey Google' Smart Home Summit" on July 8th. The "Hey Google"...
Android 11’s power menu device controls finally bring the phone into the smart home

Android 11’s power menu device controls finally bring the phone into the smart home

June 14, 2020
Android 11 Beta 1 was released this week and it includes a bevy of great features. One that has stuck out to me ever since we first spotted it in earlier Developer Previews is the Device Controls in the Power Menu. As someone who has invested in smart home devices, this is a very exciting...
[Update 2: Out of Preview] Google announces the local home SDK, full-screen app support for smart displays, and third-party availability for App Actions

[Update 2: Out of Preview] Google announces the local home SDK, full-screen app support for smart displays, and third-party availability for App Actions

April 6, 2020
Google I/O is wrapping up, but there are still some announcements to cover that flew under the radar a bit. After all, there's so many talks and events during the conference that it's hard to keep up with it all. One such area that was overlooked is Actions on Google. At Google I/O 2019, the...
WiZmote Remote Control Review: The only reason Smart Lights are useful

WiZmote Remote Control Review: The only reason Smart Lights are useful

February 10, 2020
WiZ smart lights are some of the coolest smart lights I’ve ever used. They have great integration with apps like Samsung SmartThings and Google Assistant. Smart bulbs are great for controlling your lights from anywhere, but they do leave something to be desired. There is no physical light switch equivalent that helps control the lights....
Samsung SmartThings 1.7.43-22 adds a new “Virtual Home” feature and at-a-glance dashboard for connected devices

Samsung SmartThings 1.7.43-22 adds a new “Virtual Home” feature and at-a-glance dashboard for connected devices

February 9, 2020
Samsung SmartThings is Samsung's platform for smart home devices. The app is the replacement for over 40 apps that performed bits-and-pieces of the functionality it currently has. SmartThings received a major overhaul in March 2018, letting users handle SmartThings-connected devices. The SmartThings ecosystem is a competitor to the Google Assistant-powered Nest and the Alexa-powered smart...
Google joins Apple and Amazon to develop an open-source smart home standard

Google joins Apple and Amazon to develop an open-source smart home standard

December 18, 2019
The modern "smart home" is a relatively new concept and we're still trying to figure out how it works best. One of the things that complicated the current landscape is the various standards and systems built by technology companies. Will a smart home device work with Google Assistant or Alexa? Will my TV be able...
Source code and private keys for Samsung’s SmartThings app were left on GitLab

Source code and private keys for Samsung’s SmartThings app were left on GitLab

May 9, 2019
Technology has advanced to such a point where smart homes, formerly something that seemed like a work of fiction, are something that has become quite common to see. Everything is connected to the internet, and you can easily control things such as lights and home items from your phone on a whim. Nowadays, it's something...
[Update: Rolling out to Lenovo Smart Display] Google Home Hub features will roll out to more Smart Displays

[Update: Rolling out to Lenovo Smart Display] Google Home Hub features will roll out to more Smart Displays

October 23, 2018
The Google Home Hub was one of the several new devices shown off by Google this week. This is their own version of the Smart Displays that were launched by Lenovo and JBL earlier this year. Google demoed a few features on the Google Home Hub that are not yet available on those other Smart...
Download: Google Home app with new Material Theme redesign

Download: Google Home app with new Material Theme redesign

October 11, 2018
We've been closely following Google's rollout of the new Material Theme UI. So far, it has been added to a plethora of Google apps, including Android Messages, Calendar, Google Photos, and more. The latest app to get this redesign is Google Home, and it also comes with a complete reorganization of the app for smart...
Google Smart TV Kit will bundle a Google Home Mini and Chromecast

Google Smart TV Kit will bundle a Google Home Mini and Chromecast

October 2, 2018
Google appears to have something in store for their home entertainment suite of devices as we can see in yet another leak ahead of their scheduled press event on October 9th. The Chromecast is getting a redesign that will be released to the masses soon, and now it appears the company intends to also include...
Here’s another look at the Google Home Hub Smart Display

Here’s another look at the Google Home Hub Smart Display

September 26, 2018
Last week, we got our first look at the unannounced Google Home Hub. This is Google's first entry in the category of "Smart Displays." Lenovo made an Assistant-enabled smart display earlier this year and now Google is joining the party. Today, we're getting a look at the Google Home Hub in a second color. As with...