logo
This new Google Home feature gives you more control over who gets access

This new Google Home feature gives you more control over who gets access

Phone Arena2 days ago
Google has introduced a new way to manage smart home access in the latest update to the Google Home app. With version 3.33, a new Member role is now available, giving users more control over who can do what in their smart home.Previously, when you invited someone to your Google Home, they were given Admin access by default. That meant they could make major changes like adding or removing devices, linking subscriptions, and even deleting the entire home. For many households, this was more control than necessary — especially for guests, roommates, or kids.Now, you can choose between Admin and Member access. Admins still get full control of the home. But if you select the new Member role, you can customize exactly what that person can do. Members can use devices like lights, music speakers, smart locks, and thermostats, but you decide if they can go further.
There are two permission toggles you can enable for Members. The first is for "Settings" access, which lets them manage device configurations and home-wide features like automations or Nest Wifi. The second is for "Activity" access, which allows them to see history from cameras, locks, and presence sensors. If neither option is enabled, Members still get basic control of devices but won't be able to make changes or view logs.
You can now drill down on permissions for device management in the Google Home app. | Image credit — Google This update also allows kids under 13 to use the Google Home app for the first time. As long as they're part of your Google family group, they can now be added as Members. That gives them the ability to do things like turn on lights or unlock the door after school, all without access to sensitive settings or history.Both Admins and Members can use features tied to their personal Google accounts, such as Voice Match and shared media services. However, only Admins can manage other users, link subscriptions, or change high-level settings.The Member role originally appeared in Public Preview back in December 2024. With its full rollout, it's now available to everyone using the latest version of the Google Home app.This change might seem small, but it addresses a long-standing issue with smart home sharing: how to give people access without giving them too much power. Whether you're managing a household with kids, roommates, or frequent visitors, the new Member role offers a flexible and safer way to share your devices without losing control. Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Google Pixel Watch 4 colors and sizes leak
Google Pixel Watch 4 colors and sizes leak

GSM Arena

time37 minutes ago

  • GSM Arena

Google Pixel Watch 4 colors and sizes leak

Google is rumored to be unveiling the Pixel 10 family alongside the Pixel Watch 4 on August 20, and today a new leak purportedly brings us the sizes and colors for the company's next smartwatch. The Pixel Watch 4 is said to come in 41mm and 45mm sizes, both with and without 4G LTE connectivity. The colorways will be called Obsidian, Lemon, Moonstone, Iris, and Porcelain. Obsidian should be black, Porcelain white, Iris purple, while we assume Lemon will be yellow-ish. Google will also offer a two-tone leather band in Jade, an Active Band in Iris, Lemongrass, and Moonstone, an Active Sport Band in Indigo, Lemongrass, Moonstone, and Peony, a Crafted Leather Band in Moonstone, a Metal Mesh Band in Matte Black and Polished Silver, a Performance Loop Band in Moonstone, a Woven Band in Indigo, as well as Gradient Stretch Bands in Lemongrass/Frost, Moonstone, Obsidian/Hazel, and Peony/Iris. The Pixel Watch 4 is expected to look exactly like its predecessor from last year, but will be thicker at 14.3mm, with smaller bezels. It also has two new buttons on both sides of the speaker, according to a past leak. Google Pixel Watch 3 Source | Image source

Apple, T-Mobile and Google face billions in civil penalties over TikTok
Apple, T-Mobile and Google face billions in civil penalties over TikTok

Phone Arena

time44 minutes ago

  • Phone Arena

Apple, T-Mobile and Google face billions in civil penalties over TikTok

Tony Tan is an Alphabet stockholder, which makes him more than a little concerned that the company's Google subsidiary might have left itself open to potentially billions of dollars in civil penalties. Other tech firms, including Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, T-Mobile , Oracle, and LG, are also potentially on the hook. To understand what happened, we have to go back to January 20th, the date that Donald Trump was inaugurated for the second time. Right up against a deadline because of a bill signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in April 2024. That bill gave TikTok owner ByteDance 270 days to sell the app or TikTok would get banned in the U.S. President Trump signed an executive order extending the deadline to April 5th. And when that deadline and the one after it failed to result in the sale of the app, Trump extended his executive orders with the last one keeping hands off on TikTok until September 17th, 2025. The day after the first extension of Trump's executive order, April 5th, the administration sent letters to tech companies, including Apple, telling them that even if the law said otherwise, they would not face any consequences from keeping TikTok online. The original law signed by President Biden said that any company helping TikTok continue operating in the U.S. in violation of the law, faces up to $850 billion in liability . And since the executive order did not make TikTok legal in the U.S., Mr. Tan, the Google stockholder, has some concerns. -Letter to President Trump written by Senator Edward Markey, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Chris Van Hollen As a result of Google's relisting of TikTok in the Play Store, Mr. Tan sued Alphabet, Google's parent company, to find out why it returned TikTok to the Play Store considering it could leave the company facing a liability as high as $850 billion. He says that Alphabet's decision could affect all of its shareholders. Tan also used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain letters sent to to Google, Akamai, Amazon, Digital Realty Trust, Fastly, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Oracle, and LG. The April 5th letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi to Apple's Senior Vice President & General Counsel Katherine Adams follows: Office of the Attorney General Washington, D.C. 20530 April 5, 2025 Katherine Adams Senior Vice President & General Counsel Apple Inc. Ann O'Leary Ian Gershengorn Re: Enforcement of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act Dear Ms. Adams: Article II of the United States Constitution vests in the President the responsibility over national security and the conduct of foreign policy. The President previously determined that an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform would interfere with the execution of the President's constitutional duties to take care of the national security and foreign affairs of the United States. See Executive Order 14166 (E.O. 14166). The Attorney General has concluded that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the 'Act') is properly read not to infringe upon such core Presidential national security and foreign affairs powers. Executive Order 14166 instructed the Department of Justice not to take any action on behalf of the United States to enforce the Act for any conduct that occurred during the period of time from January 19, 2025 through April 5, 2025 (the 'Covered Period'). Pursuant to the President's responsibility to protect national security and to conduct foreign policy, the President determined that a 75-day extension of the Covered Period to June 19, 2025 is appropriate and has signed a subsequent Executive Order to effectuate that determination (the 'Extended Covered Period'). See Executive Order, Extending The TikTok Enforcement Delay (April 4, 2025). In the Executive Order signed on April 4, the President directed 'the Attorney General to issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during' the Extended Covered Period as well as for any conduct from the effective date of the Act. Based on the Attorney General's review of the facts and circumstances, Apple Inc. has committed no violation of the Act and Apple Inc. has incurred no liability under the Act during the Covered Period or the Extended Covered Period. Apple Inc. may continue to provide services to TikTok as contemplated by these Executive Orders without violating the Act, and without incurring any legal liability. The Department of Justice is also irrevocably relinquishing any claims the United States might have had against Apple Inc. for the conduct proscribed in the Act during the Covered Period and Extended Covered Period, with respect to TikTok and the larger family of ByteDance Ltd. and TikTok, Inc. applications covered under the Act. This is derived from the Attorney General's plenary authority over all litigation, civil and criminal, to which the United States, its agencies, or departments, are parties, as well as the Attorney General's authority to enter settlements limiting the future exercise of executive branch discretion. Finally, because the Act vests authority for investigations and enforcement of the Act only in the Attorney General, the Department of Justice intends to take all necessary actions to implement the President's Executive Orders and guard the Attorney General's exclusive authority to enforce the Act, to include filing amicus briefs, statements of interest, or intervening in litigation. Regards, Pamela Bondi Attorney General United States Department of Justice Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer

Fresh leak reveals critical info about Google's Pixel Watch 4
Fresh leak reveals critical info about Google's Pixel Watch 4

Phone Arena

time3 hours ago

  • Phone Arena

Fresh leak reveals critical info about Google's Pixel Watch 4

Google Pixel Watch 4 render | Image credit: @OnLeaks via 91Mobiles The smartwatch market is not nearly as crowded as the smartphone market, but that doesn't mean that competition isn't just as fierce. Between Apple and Samsung, Google is trying to find its own audience in the United States. If you're a Google fan who prefers the company's Pixel products, a fresh leak is spilling all the colors of the upcoming Pixel Watch 4 . That includes the case colors and the band options that customers will be able to choose from once Google's smartwatch goes on sale. According to reliable tipster @MysteryLupin, the Wi-Fi and LTE versions of Pixel Watch 4 will be available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Both will come in four case/band colors, which we have listed below: Black/Obsidian Gold/Lemon Moonstone Silver/Iris Silver/Porcelain Besides those, Google will also launch a slew of Pixel Watch 4 bands, each aimed at different audiences. Here are all the options that will probably be available at launch: Bands 2-Tone Leather Band: Jade Active Band: Iris, Lemongrass, Moonstone Active Sport Band: Indigo, Lemongrass, Moonstone, Peony Crafted Leather Band: Moonstone Metal Mesh Band: Matte Black, Polished Silver Performance Loop Band: Moonstone Woven Band: Indigo Gradient Stretch Bands Lemongrass/Frost Moonstone Obsidian/Hazel Peony/Iris It's unclear if some these colors will only be available with the larger or smaller size Pixel Watch 4 , like it happened with the previous model. In any case, if you're considering the Pixel Watch 4 , you'll plenty of hues to choose from this year. Google Pixel Watch 4 render | Image credit: @OnLeaks via 91Mobiles One other piece of information revealed by the leaker is the fact that the bands will be available in sizes 1 to 5, but it remains to be seen if this is available for both Pixel Watch 4 sizes. While plenty information about Pixel 10 leaked, there are very few details about Google's upcoming smartwatch. The only major Pixel Watch 4 leak dates from April and comes in the form of a set of renders made by @OnLeaks . Based on these renders, there won't be too many case design changes between the current-gen Pixel Watch and the next model. The only changes that we're aware of are wireless charging support and two mysterious buttons positioned to the left and right of the speaker. No release timeframe for the Pixel Watch 4 has leaked yet, but it's worth mentioning that Google introduced the Pixel Watch 3 and August, so an announcement might be just one month away. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store