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Wi-Fi feeling a little sluggish? Latest Google Home update lets you quantify per-device speeds
One of the last features to make its way from the defunct Wifi app
Google has spent the last year transitioning its smart home controls from dedicated software to its Home app, creating a central hub for most of its gadgets. This method isn't always perfect — the app is cluttered as it is, and it's getting more so by the day — but in general, having your robot vacuums, smart speakers, and Chromecasts all in one place feels very user-friendly. If you're a Google Wifi or Nest Wifi user, a new speed test option makes it easy to check connections between devices.
Google remembers its promise to kill off its dedicated Wifi app back in June, makes up for lost time
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Google is known for overlapping multiple apps at once — just look at its messaging strategy. While both Google Wifi and Nest Wifi have a dedicated app for controlling and monitoring your networking gear from your phone, the Google Home app has steadily gained similar features over the last several months. It seems that was all part of the company's intentions, as you'll now need to use the Home app to configure and customize your Wi-Fi routers.
Fix your crappy Wi-Fi coverage with a three-pack of Google Wifi routers for $50 apiece
Google Wifi 2020, that is, not the 2016 model or Nest Wifi
Google's mesh routers might not be great for power users — you can't even manually choose between 2.4 and 5 GHz — but they're fantastic options for less demanding users who have a lot of space they want to fill with Wi-Fi. You can score a particularly sweet deal on 2020's Google Wifi today: the three-pack is down to 0, $50 off its normal going rate.This is the newer model of Google Wifi, which, compared to the more premium Nest Wifi, has lower top speeds (1,200 Mbps versus 2,200 on Nest) and a smaller coverage area (1,500 square feet of coverage per point to Nest's 2,200 square feet). But it's hardly slow, and considering the average home size in the US is something like 2,300 square feet, 4,500 square feet of total coverage is surely enough for most of us.
A lot of homes have bred makeshift offices within the last year and the need for good internet coverage has never been felt more strongly. If you were looking for a good mesh Wi-Fi network to invest in, the Google Wi-Fi router might just be the one for you now — it's not only getting cheaper but also being made available in Canada and Europe.The availability expansion brings the product to 17 new countries:
Google offers its remaining Fiber TV subscribers free Chromecasts to cancel their plans
The promotion also includes a free Google Wifi router
Back in 2020, Google announced it was retiring its Fiber TV service as it refocused efforts to expand internet availability. It made sense — after all, YouTube TV fulfills the same need for consumers with added convenience. Now, Google is making it even easier to move away from its old Fiber TV service by offering users the chance to upgrade to a Chromecast with Google TV and a new router.
Don't turn down eBay's 15%-off deal for the new Nest Hub, Google Wifi, and tons more smart tech
Kick off summer in style with deals on a ton of gadgets
It's been a while since eBay last held one of its big sitewide sales, but that doesn't mean you can't score some big savings. To kick off the start of summer, eBay is offering major discounts on nearly 100 products across the site, including a ton of gadgets that are probably on your wish list. From Google's smart home gear to customizable lights for your home, there's a little something here for everyone.
Get the best price on Google's newest WiFi with mesh coverage for your entire home
Wi-Fi all the places
Google's latest iteration of its mesh Wi-Fi offering might be shiny and modern-looking, but if you have absolutely no need for an embedded smart speaker, the Google Wifi system might do the trick instead. And you can get a three-pack of points right now for the best price yet.
Latest Google Home update delivers live data usage charts to Nest Wifi owners
Plus support for second-gen Nest Hub
The Google Home app is getting an update to version 2.34 today in the wake of the debut of the new Nest Hub — namely, the app has been made to support said new device as well as a couple of other more features if you're in a Google Workspace or own a Google Wifi or Nest Wifi mesh network.
Optimize your home internet connection with a Google Wifi 3-pack for $175
It's one of the easiest mesh networks to set up
Making your home Wi-Fi reliable no matter where you are often means replacing your provider's router with a more capable one. The second-generation Google Wifi is an excellent choice, and costs less than a Nest Wifi if you don't need a built-in voice assistant. Thanks to this deal, you can grab a three-pack for just $175, which is $25 less than the traditional price.
Nest Hub Max doubles down on video calls with new Zoom support and big Google Meet improvements
Not so smart of a display if it took this long to get Zoom on it...
For a year defined by videoconferencing, our smart displays have not been able to keep up as a worthy companion — mostly because the apps either aren't there or aren't very good. But there's a giant improvement due for the cross-section of Nest Hub Max owners and Google Meet users and even bigger news for those on Zoom.
Nest Wifi routers can now prioritize video conferencing as well as gaming traffic
No more "Everybody stop streaming their Netflix shows, mama's got a Zoom meeting!"
Google's routers are already packed with intelligent features like network stats, manual device prioritization, Wi-Fi pause options, or device grouping — not to mention the integrated smart speaker in the Nest Wifi. To further improve on these options, Google has decided to add the ability to automatically prioritize certain traffic via the Home app, such as video conferencing or gaming.
Google Home introduces game-changing media controls and reinstates Routine triggering (APK Download)
Great when you want to cast to multiple speakers at once without setting up a group
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Last November, the Google Home app received a colorful card-based media control interface, which was quite an improvement over the previous one. But multi-room or multi-speaker playback is rather tricky to set up through this card-based interface, and Google seems to think the same. The company has introduced a much more intuitive UI for media controls in version 2.31 of the Home app that lets you cast to individual or multiple speakers and displays on the fly. And Assistant Routines can finally be triggered through the app again following the update.
Wow-ify your Wi-Fi with a refurbished Nest Wifi router and point system for $230 ($39 off)
Refurbished by Google with a 90-day warranty included
When your internet is working properly, you shouldn't have to think about it. That's what Google's goal was when it released its Nest Wifi system last year. We really liked it, and now DailySteals is offering a Nest Wifi router and an additional point for just $229.99 when you use our special code.
Costco members can get a Google Wifi 4-pack for only $230 ($70 off)
It's the new and improved version, too
The Google Wifi system is nearly four years old at this point, but it turns out that a competent home Wi-Fi system from 2016 is still perfectly good to use in 2020, especially with the updates that Wifi has received. Costco is currently offering a Google Wifi 4-pack for just 9.99, with the only caveat being that you have to be a Costco member.
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As previously suspected, Google just silently launched an updated Google Wifi in the US. The new mesh router wasn't featured with the new Pixels, Nest Audio, and Chromecast during Google's Launch Night In event last week; instead, it's been unceremoniously added to the Google Store in the US and featured as a "new" item. That's understandable, though, as these Wifis are basically the same as the ones that were launched in 2016, and a step backward from the more powerful Nest Wifi.
A new, cheaper Google Wifi router is in the works
How will it fit into the company's existing lineup?
Google's latest Nest Wifi routers are rather expensive, but unique: They serve as both a Wi-Fi access point and a Nest Home speaker at the same time. However, many people already have tons of Google or Nest Home Minis lying around as Google likes giving them out as gifts or bundling them in with other purchases, so the Wifi access points don't necessarily have to be equipped with the Assistant for everyone. Google seems to be thinking the same thing, as 9to5Google has uncovered that the company might be working on an updated version of its original Assistant-less Wifi mesh router, the Google Wifi, potentially going for as little as $99.
Google Home app finally integrates advanced router controls for Wifi (APK download)
Looks like the Google WiFi app is up for the chopping block
When Google introduced its new Nest Wifi routers, it promised to bring over all the settings from the dedicated Wifi app to the regular old Home app. It looks like the company is working on making good on that word, as the latest Google Home app (v2.26) has added a slew of advanced Wifi controls that were previously reserved to the standalone Wifi app, including things like DNS, WAN, LAN, and DHCP configurations.
The original Google Wifi system was first released in late 2016, and even though it has been replaced by the slightly-better Nest Wifi, the first-gen system is still an upgrade over many mesh networks available today. Today, Woot is selling both the single and 3-pack models at some of the lowest prices we've seen yet.
Google Wifi and Nest Wifi updates delivering improved performance on slow connections
Security and stability improvements are included, plus optimizations to the priority device feature
If anyone knows the internet, it's Google. So it makes sense that its Wifi routers are some of the most well regarded products in its hardware lineup. Google expanded Nest Wifi's availability to more countries last month — and with people around the world spending so much time at home these days, it's no wonder. Now users with Nest Wifi and Google Wifi systems are about to get their home internet upgraded, because the company is rolling out an update that will improve performance on slower Internet connections.
Ambient IQ might finally be coming to Google Nest speakers (Update: Not new)
It'll adjust the volume and EQ of podcasts to counteract background noise
Google has an unfortunate habit of announcing interesting features long before they actually become available, and that's again what we've seen in the case of Ambient IQ. Not to be confused with Ambient EQ, which intelligently changes the brightness and color temperature of the display on the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, Ambient IQ does a similar thing for audio. After being introduced in October last year alongside Google's latest hardware, the feature looks set to finally make an appearance.