Soldato
I asked Google Home the temperature just now and it told me to remove and add devices for upgrades. It was the Nest which when I added back had the Nest cam on it too. Any ideas what functionality is added to the Home?
Google Home
- Thread starter sesevans
- Start date
I am stumped on that one. I have found both Google Home and Nest customer support quite helpful if the community web pages don't have a ready answer.
Google are constantly adding new features to Home. One that caught my eye today (because I needed it) was helping me find my phone.
Just ask Google "ring my phone" or "where's my phone" and your phone will start ringing to help you find it.
This works even if your phone's volume is turned down or you are in Do Not Disturb mode.
Just ask Google "ring my phone" or "where's my phone" and your phone will start ringing to help you find it.
This works even if your phone's volume is turned down or you are in Do Not Disturb mode.
Soldato
Well that's odd as I tried that, just on the off chance, two days ago as I couldn't remember where I left my phone and it just returned web results.
I just tried it now and it works great. "I've found a few phones, the first listed is a Pixel XL, should I ring it?"
I just tried it now and it works great. "I've found a few phones, the first listed is a Pixel XL, should I ring it?"
Soldato
Well I ended up returning a Dot that I'd purchased and bought a Home mainly due to the Alexa app on android being so badly designed on the UI end. Whilst functional, amazon really need to work on their oddball UI it felt very dated and cumbersome to navigate.
Popped into Currys and grabbed a Home. As I predicted the Home display was down and 'had issues' compared to the Echo stand that had about five people all around it. I tried asking the Home some questions but it just threw up errors, whilst the Echo was fine. I heard a salesman telling another couple that Amazon supplied them with extensive documentation for supporting customers with, and Google absolutely nothing when he was asked what was the better device amongst other things. Hardly surprised on that end tbh. When the salesman went away I told them to hold off their decision until the end of the month when the new Echo's arrive and showed them the devices on my phone.
The home is really nice, I just wish I had the ability to output to my amp etc without having to use a Chromecast Audio - as I am out of free mains sockets. I was setup and ready to go with my Hue lighting and Chromecasts in no time at all though most of today will be spent on how to better utilise the keywords and phrases as I haven't a clue how to use my G.Photos album with it just yet. I also need to convince the missus that its more than a simplified light switch! I use Assistant heavily on my 6P but she's yet to branch into that area of tech.
Popped into Currys and grabbed a Home. As I predicted the Home display was down and 'had issues' compared to the Echo stand that had about five people all around it. I tried asking the Home some questions but it just threw up errors, whilst the Echo was fine. I heard a salesman telling another couple that Amazon supplied them with extensive documentation for supporting customers with, and Google absolutely nothing when he was asked what was the better device amongst other things. Hardly surprised on that end tbh. When the salesman went away I told them to hold off their decision until the end of the month when the new Echo's arrive and showed them the devices on my phone.
The home is really nice, I just wish I had the ability to output to my amp etc without having to use a Chromecast Audio - as I am out of free mains sockets. I was setup and ready to go with my Hue lighting and Chromecasts in no time at all though most of today will be spent on how to better utilise the keywords and phrases as I haven't a clue how to use my G.Photos album with it just yet. I also need to convince the missus that its more than a simplified light switch! I use Assistant heavily on my 6P but she's yet to branch into that area of tech.
So the girlfriend and I never agree on what radio station to put on. In the morning it's hilarious, she gets up before me and eats her breakfast to R2. I come down as she goes for a shower and I change it to R6. Then she comes down to make her lunch and changes it back to R2, then I change it back to R6 as she's leaving 
I just can't handle Chris Evans in the morning, does he ever not shout? 
Anyhoo. Can we set it up to recognise her saying "ok Google, turn on the radio" and she gets R2. Then when I say it I get R6? The only complication is that I'd like to do similar via my Chromecast, although not in the mornings as the small speaker is fine at 7am...
I just can't handle Chris Evans in the morning, does he ever not shout? Anyhoo. Can we set it up to recognise her saying "ok Google, turn on the radio" and she gets R2. Then when I say it I get R6? The only complication is that I'd like to do similar via my Chromecast, although not in the mornings as the small speaker is fine at 7am...
Soldato
But "OK Google, play Radio 2" is quicker to say anyway?
If that's the exact wording you need then sure why not!?
I kinda thought you had to say "play radio 2 on Tune In Radio" but I don't know why. I think I had my head thinking about shortcuts for when I hook it up to my Chromecast.
Will it be difficult to change between playing on Chromecast and not? Will it default to the Chromecast once I do it once? Like I said, we play the radio through a little DAB radio at the moment so the Home will replace that, but in the evening we'd play music through my CC/amp.
Will it be difficult to change between playing on Chromecast and not? Will it default to the Chromecast once I do it once? Like I said, we play the radio through a little DAB radio at the moment so the Home will replace that, but in the evening we'd play music through my CC/amp.
Note these are pre-release Home Mini units as the official release date is 19 October. Google Home help page says:
"
[Fixed issue] Google Home Mini touch controls behaving incorrectly
The Google Home team is aware of an issue impacting a small number of Google Home Mini devices that could cause the touch control mechanism to behave incorrectly. We immediately rolled out a software update on October 7 to mitigate the issue.
Who is affected: People who received an early release Google Home Mini device at recent Made by Google events. Pre-ordered Google Home Mini purchases aren’t affected.
My Activity: We take user privacy very seriously. We've removed any activity/queries that were created by long pressing the top of a Google Home Mini between October 4 and October 7, when the software update was rolled out. That information will no longer be listed on your My Activity page. You can also always go to your My Activity page and delete any past activity from your account.
Next steps: If you're still having issues, please contact Google Home Support at 1-855-971-9121 to get a replacement Google Home Mini."
With Halloween fast approaching, Google has come out with a fun thing which you and your kids might enjoy, using your Google Home and any smart lighting in your home that you have set up.
They have added many quizzes and fun Halloween-themed Easter eggs to the Assistant and many voice commands. My favourite is the following voice command:
OK Google, let's get spooky. Check you lights out when this happens and the sounds are.....spooky. Hope you and your young children like it. I have also tried out questions like:
What should I be for Halloween?
Get directions to the nearest pumpkin patch?
How do I get rid of monsters?
Scare me.
Enjoy.
They have added many quizzes and fun Halloween-themed Easter eggs to the Assistant and many voice commands. My favourite is the following voice command:
OK Google, let's get spooky. Check you lights out when this happens and the sounds are.....spooky. Hope you and your young children like it. I have also tried out questions like:
What should I be for Halloween?
Get directions to the nearest pumpkin patch?
How do I get rid of monsters?
Scare me.
Enjoy.
I just bought a Home on a whim. Only really want it for radio in kitchen (almost bought a DAB and the salesperson rightfully suggested it).
Am I right in saying it'll essentially do everything the google assistant can do on my phone? For example, ask when next train to x is due etc?
Also, can it send music to a bluetooth speaker? For example, with a podcast, starting off with it on the Home speaker and then transferring it to a bluetooth one?
Am I right in saying it'll essentially do everything the google assistant can do on my phone? For example, ask when next train to x is due etc?
Also, can it send music to a bluetooth speaker? For example, with a podcast, starting off with it on the Home speaker and then transferring it to a bluetooth one?
No, that would not yet be correct to say that GH will "do everything the google assistant can do on my phone". While it is growing in capabilities it seems every day, there are still gaps that need to be filled.
Keep in mind that when your phone with GA is near your GH, the GH capabilities will automatically take over so if you know that GA can do something now that your GH cannot do yet, adjust your location.
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 16,553
Where am I going wrong guys?
I've relinked my accounts, done all the updates, reset everything
Google just hasn't a clue about my house lights
I've relinked my accounts, done all the updates, reset everything
Google just hasn't a clue about my house lights
Soldato
@Kainz
If you use the Chromecast Audio does it still use the inbuilt speaker?
It's the one thing i hate with Alexa, i don't want my hifi on all the time but then having it connected by line-out means i miss out on a lot of functionality.
If you use the Chromecast Audio does it still use the inbuilt speaker?
It's the one thing i hate with Alexa, i don't want my hifi on all the time but then having it connected by line-out means i miss out on a lot of functionality.
Soldato
I may have given the impression I had the Chromecast Audio but sadly I don't - just multiple Chromecasts. Tried to order one last week as it was in stock but I later received an email stating it was out of stock. Extremely odd - Should I manage to get hold of one, I'll update you asap on this thread.
Have you (after re-adding accounts etc) tried deleting the lights and re-adding them? GH doesn't seem to detect when I've added new lights to the system, though I believe this is just the way the lights are implemented by their respective bridge/hub.