When Google announced its revamped Nest Aware subscriptions yesterday during Made by Google 2019, it also demonstrated one rather unexpected addition that turns ordinary smoke and CO detectors into smart ones. Nest speakers and displays will be able to listen for alarms and alert you when they hear one go off while you're out and about.
Read MoreGoogle Home starts letting users transfer streams between speakers and displays
Maybe you've taken smartening up your home seriously to the point where you have a smart speaker, display, TV, or a combination of any of them in every room of your house. With all that space and all the people you share it with, you may have wanted to start listening to music or watching a show on one device, then move it over to another. It's previously been a small ordeal to have to do that, but with late changes to the Google Home app and Google Assistant, you'll be able to make it happen at the voice of your whim.
Read MoreGoogle Home speakers finally get Duo voice call support
Just after introducing new video filters and effects to Duo yesterday, Google has added a widely-requested audio feature today: You can now connect Duo to your display-less Google Home devices and enjoy high-quality audio calls to other people using the platform. You can also finally call specific speakers in your home using the service.
Read MoreGoogle 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.
Read More[Update: $130 at Costco] Lenovo's 10-inch Smart Display marked down to just $140 this weekend
There sure are a lot of Lenovo smart home gadgets on sale this weekend — the Smart Clock for $50, the 8" Smart Display bundle for $90, and now the larger the 10" Smart Display on sale for $140, down from an original price of $250. That's $10 less than previous online deals we've seen.
Read MoreGrab a Google Home Mini for less than $20 on Rakuten (60% off)
If you still haven't purchased a smart speaker or want to get an extra one, today's your lucky day, as Rakuten is running an offer that lets you get the Google Home Mini for just $20. This is even cheaper than the ongoing deal for $25 apiece, thanks to an additional 20% off.
Read MoreGoogle halts Assistant recording transcription in the EU for at least three months
Just a few weeks ago, a Belgian news service claimed Google was eavesdropping on users by listening to their private conversations. The company uses human employees to transcribe Assistant voice recordings to help it better understand what they're saying, and it turned out that one of these contractors leaked the material to the press. The controversy has led the Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (HmbBfDI) to start a procedure prohibiting Google from continuing to manually audit these recordings.
Read MoreGoogle Nest is giving 100,000 Home Minis to people living with paralysis
The tagline for Google's smart home products, "A little help at home," resonates with many, but none more so than users with disabilities. The hands-free assistance offered by Google Home devices can go a long well to helping users feel more independent, and this is particularly true of people living with paralysis. Today, Google announced a partnership with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation that will see 100,000 Home Minis given out to improve even more lives.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
Get two Google Homes for $99 at Target and save a total of $40
Could the original, stalwart Google Home be due for a refresh soon? We sure have been seeing a lot of deals for the speaker lately, which still sounds good and is capable of all the Assistant commands you could think of. Target is now offering a two-pack of Google Homes for $99, available through Tuesday night.
Read MoreThe best smart home devices you can buy right now (Summer 2019)
Worldwide sales of voice assistant smart speakers from Google, Amazon, and others continue to grow, and the same can be said of the smart home sector as a whole. The technology underpinning these products is always improving and it’s becoming increasingly affordable to bring smart gadgets into your house.
There's already such a vast number of different products from various companies out there that it's hard to know which ones are the best, so we've put together this list with some of our favorites.
Read MoreLatest Deals
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Keep a lookout with the Arlo Ultra camera system for $363 ($37 off)
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14 temporarily free and 17 on-sale apps and games for Wednesday
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Get an Anker Soundcore Flare Mini Bluetooth speaker for an all-time low of $30 ($20 off)
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[Update: More retailers] The Lenovo Smart Clock is already $60 ($20 off) from Walmart
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[Update: Best Buy, B&H too] Amazon purchases of the Pixel 4 will come with a $100 gift card
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Latest Poll
Loading ...Recent Reviews
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Plantronics BackBeat Fit 6100 review: Good, gym-friendly over-ear headphones
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Blue Yeti X is one of the best consumer mics available for under $200
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Galaxy Watch Active2 review: Dancing on the grave of Wear OS
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Mpow's H5 noise-canceling headphones get the job done for 50 bucks
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OnePlus 7T review: Almost the perfect budget flagship
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Latest Roundups
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18 new Android games from the week of October 7, 2019: DIGIMON ReArise, Lovecraft's Untold Stories, and Xenowerk Tactics
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19 new Android games from the week of September 30, 2019: Call of Duty: Mobile, League of Wonderland, and Takoway
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19 new and notable Android apps and live wallpapers from the last two weeks including Vivaldi Browser Snapshot, Threads from Instagram, and Duet Display (9/21/19 - 10/05/19)
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The best Linux apps for your Chromebook
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19 best new Android games from the week of September 23, 2019: Mario Kart Tour, Lock's Quest, and Vestigium
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Recent Apps and Games
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Samsung phones will soon function as payment terminals for retail stores worldwide
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14 temporarily free and 17 on-sale apps and games for Wednesday
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Datally, Google's data-saving app, has been unceremoniously axed from the Play Store
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Durango: Wild Lands to shut down December 18, in-app purchases removed today
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PUBG Mobile 0.15.0 update adds a Payload mode, tweaks Survive Till Dawn, and improves performance
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Blast from the Past
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1 Year Ago Today
[Update: Wide rollout] Redesigned Google Assistant settings page is rolling out
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2 Years Ago Today
Get the new Pixel 2 live wallpapers on any Android device [APK Download]
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3 Years Ago Today
Chrome Remote Desktop 53 adds remote sound support [APK Download]
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4 Years Ago Today
Play Store v5.10: Support For Books Listed By Series, More Visible App Sizes, And More [APK Teardown]
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5 Years Ago Today
Nexus 9 Gets The Video Hands-On Treatment, Shows Its Sleek Frame, New Lollipop App Drawer, And Some Camera Samples
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6 Years Ago Today
[Bonus Round] Mr Ludo, Dream of Pixels, And Sunny Hillride
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7 Years Ago Today
HTC J Butterfly Announced, Comes Complete With 5" 1080p SLCD 3 Display And A Japanese Launch
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8 Years Ago Today
Sony's PRS-T1 Reader Hacked To Run Full Android... On Its E-Ink Display
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9 Years Ago Today
Scorching Hot: HTC EVO 4G Now $99.99 On Amazon.com, Free Of Shipping, Activation, And Tax Charges
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