Google introduced the Advanced Protection Program more than two years ago as a series of measures meant to safeguard the accounts of those who may be the most at risk, like journalists, activists, business and political leaders, or celebrities. Thanks to 2-factor authentication, some common sense, and security keys, most regular users have enough protection without needing to join the program, but in case you did and noticed your Google Home speakers completely stopped recognizing you, you're not alone. It seems to be a bug and we have two possible culprits.
Read MoreGuest Mode disappears from Google Home speakers, remains available on Chromecasts for now
Guest mode is one of the Chromecast's relatively unknown but very handy features. It uses location proximity and WiFi availability to allow guests to cast content to your speakers or TVs without logging in to your WiFi network, provided they have the specific PIN code for that device. Whether you're throwing a party or have temporary visitors and you don't want to bother with sharing WiFi access, you can simply give them a 4-digit code and let them choose the media that gets played. The feature launched in December of 2014 on Chromecasts and carried over to Google Homes — because they're essentially cast targets.
Read MoreSonos sues Google for patent infringement, asks for sales ban on almost all Google devices
Amazon and Google's plays for user data have pushed the battle of the virtual assistants into the living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms via the smart speaker. Sonos, which makes a number of audio products compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, feels it has been squeezed by both companies of its intellectual property in the middle of this war. However, The New York Times reports the company has decided to target only Google in two federal lawsuits and has sought sales injunctions for its speakers, smartphones, and laptops.
Read MoreHow to factory reset your Google Home, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, or other Google Assistant speaker
Smart speakers and smart displays are still relatively-new types of devices, and since many of them don't have a screen, it's not always obvious how to do certain tasks. That includes performing a factory reset, which involves different steps on Google's smart speakers/displays and third-party Assistant devices.
Read MorePopular
Google Store's Black Friday deals are live: $29 Nest Mini, $299 Pixel 3a, $199 Home Max, more
After teasing them last week, Google has made its Black Friday deals live on the Store. These aren't Google's first discounts for the shopping holiday though, as the company already started with the $200 off Pixel 4 and $350 off Pixel Slate with free keyboard and pen. Those offers are still available, but we have lots of new additions today.
Read MoreYou can now ask your Google home speakers to play recommended Spotify tracks
Google Home and Assistant already offer plenty of music-related commands that let you play any track, artist, album, or playlist you want. But if you have nothing in particular in mind, the options become a lot more limited. You can say "play some music," which usually continues where you last left off, though that's not conductive to discovery. With some new commands, you'll be able to trust Spotify to play recommended tracks for you without having to continue or choose anything.
Read MoreSave up to $100 on Nest Thermostat and Google Home bundles with this coupon
Nest has been a powerhouse in smart home technology since the launch of their Learning Thermostat in 2011. With their acquisition by Google in 2014, they've continued to reign supreme over temperature variances in homes across the world . If you're looking to gift a Nest to a loved one, or would like to get cozy in your own home, this might be the perfect time to buy in.
Read More(Update: Humidifiers and dehumidifiers too) You can now ask Assistant to fill up your bathtub or close your faucet
When Google launched Assistant, it was criticized for working with fewer smart devices than Alexa. The company rapidly showered us with support for many more products, though, and has recently introduced compatibility with mops, microwaves, and showers. Until today, though, Assistant couldn't natively work with your entire bathroom. Google is now righting this wrong by bringing native support for bathtubs and faucets; hot!
Read MoreGoogle Home app 2.15 gets a simpler UI, new media playback cards, and event history (Update: swipe gesture)
During its Pixel event, Google teased a slightly redesigned Google Home app with a new Nest Aware feed. We've been waiting for it to roll out to our devices and now it has as part of v2.15 of the Home app. Along with it we're getting the new Cast media UI that was leaked several weeks ago.
Read More(Update: Rolling out) Google Home app reportedly getting redesigned Cast media UI
When casting music, movies, series, or videos to a speaker or TV, the Google Home app conveniently lets you control it, even if you used another device to initiate playback. Although the interface was handy, it wasn't visual enough. Thankfully, Google is seemingly working on a revamped one for cast media control.
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