Google Assistant & Google Nest

Your Google Smart Speaker Is a Bluetooth Speaker, Too

There are a few different ways to play music, podcasts, and other audio on a Google Nest or other Assistant smart speaker. Bluetooth is the least-discoverable option, but it’s an excellent way to play audio from a phone, comp…

Corbin Davenport Nov 22nd, 2022

Which Smart Speaker Has the Best Audio Quality?

Despite their audio-focused nature, people rarely talk about the actual audio quality of Google Assistant, Amazon Echo, and Apple smart speakers. Which one should you get if you want the best-sounding audio experience?…

Joe Fedewa Nov 20th, 2022

7 Google Home or Nest Tricks for Easy Halloween Fun

Don’t forget about your smart home when planning your Halloween decorations and activities. Your Google Home or Nest device has some Halloween tricks up its sleeve.

Jason Fitzpatrick Oct 28th, 2022

How to Add a Delay to Google Assistant Routines

Google Assistant “Routines” can be super handy for automating your life. Typically, Assistant performs the actions immediately on command, but what if you don’t want something to happen right away? You can use a delay to do t…

Joe Fedewa Mar 30th, 2022

How to Create a Shortcut to Google Assistant Family Bell

Google Assistant’s Family Bell feature makes it easy to schedule announcements on Google Nest speakers and displays, along with Android devices. It can be annoying to get to the Family Bell settings. We’ll show you how to mak…

Joe Fedewa Mar 20th, 2022

Why You Should Use Google Assistant Family Bell

Google Assistant has many features that are perfect for families, especially those with smart speakers and displays. “Family Bell” allows you to schedule announcements to keep your house running smoothly. We’ll show you what …

Joe Fedewa Mar 15th, 2022

How to Turn On Google Assistant

Want to be able to quickly launch Google Assistant and perform your searches with it? Enable an option on your iPhone or Android phone, and then all you will have to say is “Hey Google” or “Ok Google” to launch the virtual as…

Mahesh Makvana Feb 19th, 2022

How to Set Up Content Filters on Google Assistant Speakers

Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers and displays are handy, but they’re not without issues. There aren’t many restrictions on what they can do by default, meaning anyone in your home could access something they shouldn’t….

Joe Fedewa Jan 15th, 2022

How to Use Parental Controls on Google Assistant Speakers

Smart speakers are fun to use, but they can also give your kids access to things you might not like. Google Assistant-enabled Nest speakers and smart displays have some parental controls you should check out….

Joe Fedewa Jan 9th, 2022

How to Restrict When Kids Can Use Google Assistant Speakers

Google Assistant smart speakers and displays are easy for kids to use, but you may not want them to always have access. Thankfully, you can restrict when voice commands will be enabled. We’ll show you how to do it….

Joe Fedewa Jan 8th, 2022

Google Home Speakers Are Losing Features Due to a Lawsuit

Sonos sued Google over the way Google Home speakers sync up and work together, and Sonos won. Unfortunately, this means your existing speakers will lose a helpful feature, which is never a good thing.

Dave LeClair Jan 7th, 2022

What Is AQI on Google Nest?

Google Nest Hubs are handy little weather stations. You can easily see the current temperature and look into the forecast. They can also show you information about the air quality (AQI). In some places, that’s important to kn…

Joe Fedewa Sep 19th, 2021

How to Create a Google Assistant Checklist (for Morning or Bedtime)

Google Assistant has a lot of tools that can help you organize your day. You can create an interactive checklist for your morning or nighttime routine. It’s great for kids and works with smart displays and speakers….

Joe Fedewa Sep 18th, 2021

How Google Assistant Will Guide You Through LEGOLAND

Google is working with the popular theme park LEGOLAND to bring Google Assistant to the park’s experience. Google will implement Nest Hubs in every room and add Assistant commands specific to the LEGOLAND park….

Dave LeClair Aug 18th, 2021

PSA: You Can Answer and Reject Calls with Google Assistant

Controlling a phone with your voice still feels futuristic. Google Assistant makes a lot of this possible, and if you have an Android phone, you can even answer or reject calls without touching your device. We’ll show you how…

Joe Fedewa Aug 17th, 2021

Hey Google, Scheduled Actions Are Giving People Nightmares

When smart home gadgets don’t work correctly, old-school switches start to look more appealing. This is true with a nasty bug in Google Assistant. It can be used to schedule things, but there’s no way to cancel those schedule…

Joe Fedewa Aug 13th, 2021

Google Search Is Getting an Interactive Periodic Table (and More Learning Tools)

Google announced a slew of new changes coming to Assistant and Search that are primarily designed to make family time smoother and more pleasant. For example, Search is getting a cool interactive periodic table, Family Bell w…

Dave LeClair Aug 11th, 2021

How to Set Up and Use Google Assistant’s ‘Good Morning’ Routine

Google Assistant routines are one of the most powerful features on Nest smart speakers and displays. Make the start of your day a little less stressful by using the “Good Morning” routine to automate your home….

Joe Fedewa Aug 10th, 2021

Google’s New Nest Cameras Are Finally Battery-Powered

Google has announced a new set of Nest cameras and a Nest doorbell, and the most exciting thing about them is that they’re battery-powered. That means you won’t need to have hideous wires hanging down your walls to keep track…

Dave LeClair Aug 5th, 2021

How to Use Google Assistant on Your Chromebook

Google Assistant is available on almost every smartphone, tablet, and a good number of smart speakers. If you have a Chromebook, you have another device that can use the virtual assistant. We’ll show you how to get it set up …

Joe Fedewa Jul 24th, 2021

How to Disable the Google Assistant Swipe Gesture on Android

Google wants you to use Google Assistant, which is why it’s available in so many places. Some Android devices can launch Assistant with a swipe gesture from the bottom corners. If you’re annoyed by this, it can be disabled….

Joe Fedewa Jul 21st, 2021

Can Power Companies Remotely Adjust Your Smart Thermostat?

You may have heard that smart thermostats in Texas have been automatically turned up by power companies in order to conserve energy. Don’t panic— they were given permission by the homeowners. But why is this incentivized ad…

Nicholas Fysz Jul 21st, 2021

How to Get a Fullscreen Clock on the Google Nest Hub

Many love using their Google Nest Hubs to show off pictures, but you don’t have to use the display as a photo frame. We’ll show you how to turn it into a fullscreen—digital or analog—clock.

Joe Fedewa Jul 1st, 2021

The Best Relaxation & Inspiration Tips for Google Assistant

Google Assistant is packed with features to help you increase daily productivity, so what can it do to help you unwind? Here are the best features from Google Assistant for relaxation at the end of each day, whether you’re us…

Nicholas Fysz Jun 30th, 2021

How to Factory Reset the Google Nest Hub

Part of owning gadgets is the occasional need to reset them. Google Nest Hubs are no different, but it’s not super clear how to do it. We’ll show you how to perform a factory reset of your Google Assistant smart display….

Joe Fedewa Jun 29th, 2021

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