Latest news with #NestHub
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Android Authority
I have yet to find any Android tablet that I love more than the Pixel Tablet
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority It's been two years (and a few days) since Google released the Pixel Tablet, and I've been using it since that very first day. At the time, I thought Google's approach to an Android tablet was pretty weird but intriguing. Always-on, always ready, not really a Nest Hub, nor as powerful as the best Android tablets — it felt like a bit of a Frankenstein product that would only win the hearts of a small niche of users. I was part of that niche, and two years later, I still am. I still love the Pixel Tablet and use it every day in various ways. I've looked at the dozens of Samsung Galaxy Tabs, OnePlus Pads, and Xiaomi Pads that have been announced since then (as well as the Apple iPads, obviously), and nothing comes close to the Pixel Tablet for me. Here's why. Do you own a Pixel Tablet? 0 votes Yes. I use it all the time and I love it! NaN % Yes, it's fine OR I'm not a big fan. NaN % I did, but I sold it / returned it / donated it. NaN % No, never did, never will. NaN % My Pixel Tablet is always charged, always ready, always on Rita El Khoury / Android Authority I've had many Android tablets over the years, and regardless of whether or not I liked them, I invariably ran into a situation where I wanted to use that tablet and found its battery completely depleted. By the time I plugged it in and waited for enough charge to have trickled through, I'd already moved on and decided to use my phone or computer instead, and the tablet was left lingering on the charger for a few hours before I remembered why it was there. For any other tablet, I have to wonder if there's enough juice left or if it's worth waiting for a charge. Not the Pixel Tablet. The Pixel Tablet changed that for me. It's always charged. That charging speaker dock idea is absolutely genius because any time I think I may want to use the tablet, it's ready. I don't have to pause and wonder if it's charged or miss out on an excellent situation to use it because the battery's dead. I just reach out, grab it, unlock, and done. By comparison, my iPad Mini is dead or nearly dead about one time out of five when I reach for it, making me less likely to actually want to use it. I can't overstate the importance of this for someone as single-device oriented as me, who has trouble keeping more than one phone updated and in use. It's the difference between actually using said tablet versus letting it linger in a drawer or gather dust on a stand. The photo album is a pocket of pure joy that no other tablet offers Rita El Khoury / Android Authority I take a lot of photos, and by 'a lot,' I mean several thousand every year. Travel adventures, events, gatherings, concerts, food, silly moments, they're all part of my life and my story. The Chromecast and Nest Hubs spoiled me by bringing those pics and beloved moments into my everyday life, and in the most random and amazing way. Instead of having photos disappear, never to be seen again in my phone's digital photo roll, they appear at the most unexpected moments on the screens around my house, reminding me of friends I've missed, family members I haven't spoken to recently, fun moments I've lived, lovely places I've been, and a lot of other personal stories. I can't tell you how many times I've picked up the phone, taken a pic of the photo shown on my Nest Hub's or Chromecast's screen, and shared it with the person it features to remind them of that moment and strike up a conversation. It's one of those intangible features I can't put a price on. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority And the Pixel Tablet fits right into that same category. Showing my photo albums when docked was the first setting I enabled, and I enjoy it all day long when I'm sitting at my desk working. A quick glance and, oh, there's my husband in Lisbon pointing at a sign that says 'We love ceviche,' or there's the stunning sunset I caught in Den Hague, or there's the big red inflatable heart on the stage of Eurovision 2022. All of them are pockets of joy interspersed in my long work days. Bringing smiles into my every day life while also using a display that would normally be idle 95% of the time is a big win. It's sad that no other tablet offers this. I'll take this over any faster processor, brighter display, or larger battery, no questions asked, because it makes the tablet more useful when it's not in use (which, for me, is 95% of the time). Black displays when idle are my mortal enemy now. Spotify and a fitness dashboard at my desk Rita El Khoury / Android Authority After briefly dabbling with it in my kitchen as a Nest Hub replacement, I realized that the Pixel Tablet was better placed in my office, at my desk, right next to my iMac, and that's where it's been for the past 23 months. Most of the time, it's idle and showing nice photos, but sometimes, it becomes my working companion. See, I have a Walking Pad A1 Pro ($599 on Amazon) below my Ikea Idasen sit-stand desk, and I switch between working while sitting and chilling or while walking and listening to music. In that second setup, I turn on the Pixel Tablet and tap on the app pair I've created of Spotify and KS Fit (the Walking Pad's app). That way, I can see and control my music while also keeping an eye on my current walk's stats. Sure, other tablets could do this too, but a) they would only play music through their own tinny speaker unless I actively paired them to an external speaker, and b) they would need to be plugged in and on a stand to avoid draining the battery by keeping the display on continuously. The Pixel Tablet evades those problems natively, and it's quickly become part of my daily routine because of it. I'm still in love with that versatile official case Rita El Khoury / Android Authority I've seen tablet cases come and go, official, unofficial, known brands, no-name brands, all of it. But none — literally, none — is as good as the official case for the Pixel Tablet. I waxed lyrical about it in 2023, and everything I said still stands true today. It is the simplest yet most efficient and versatile design I've ever seen for a tablet, ever. That single hook is the reason why. It guides the tablet's magnetic pins when docked, works as a stand at any angle and on any surface (hard or soft), and serves as a carrying handle around the house. Because of that case, I can quickly grab the Pixel Tablet away from its dock and set it up in front of me at my desk or carry it to my couch and plop it in my lap. Best of all, it never covers the screen, so I don't have to fuss with a flip cover Every other tablet deserves a case as good as this, and if you think your folding-twisting leather-plastic-TPU case comes even close, I'm sorry to tell you you're wrong. You have to use the official Pixel Tablet ($79 at Google Store) case to understand how nothing else compares. Android on large screens keeps getting better Rita El Khoury / Android Authority This one isn't a Pixel Tablet-only feature, but it's worth mentioning because it has made my own experience better over the last two years. See, if you've only used Android on a small phone-sized screen, then you're missing out on the best Android experience around: tablets and large screens. After Google completely neglected these form factors for a few years and pretended they didn't exist, Android is delightful to use on a tablet today. Some of the most core Android features, like multitasking, picture-in-picture, and landscape mode, make more sense on a larger screen. These are features I thought I would use every day on my 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL, but even that display is too tiny to comfortably handle two apps on top of each other in portrait mode or an app plus a keyboard in landscape mode. By comparison, these features shine on a large display like the one on the Pixel Tablet. Google Calendar event and schedule Google Files and folders Google Chrome + Maps The underlying operating system has been progressively optimized for the large screen, as are most third-party apps now. The ones that aren't can still be blown up to fill the entire display without looking like a pixelated mess (looking at you, iPadOS!). Gboard splits up to make two-handed use easy, Chrome can show two tabs at the same time, the app taskbar can be pinned or removed, app pairs work wonderfully when you have two apps that always go together, and the lockscreen can be used to display widgets or smart home controls. Plus, Google keeps improving keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls so that when I connect Bluetooth peripherals, I have an experience as good as when I'm using my fingers. And cross-device notifications are now automatically dismissed so that I don't get flooded with 200 pings and dings from apps I've already checked on my phone each time I pick up my Pixel Tablet. When you put all of these together with the always-on and always-ready aspect, the photo frame when idle and active dashboard when in use, and the ease of grabbing and carrying, the Pixel Tablet is still perfect for me in 2025. Those features are so unique that there's no competitor out there I could switch to. Plus, honestly, there's nothing I would need to change or improve from the current tablet, besides maybe making the dock an independent smart speaker. I don't need a faster processor, higher-resolution or high-refresh rate display, nor do I need an S Pen or a better camera; I just want a capable Pixel Tablet 2 or 3 at some point in 2026, after Google stops updating the current tablet with new Android releases — that's all I ask for.
Android Authority
13-06-2025
- Android Authority
Google Home's latest bug: Setting an alarm for this time is nearly impossible
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A recent Google Home bug prevents smart speakers and displays from setting alarms for 12:30am. Google Assistant-equipped Home devices like the Nest Hub and the Nest Audio recognize standard alarm command phrasing, like 'Okay Google, set an alarm for twelve thirty am,' but they set the alarm for 12:30 p.m. instead. Saying 'zero zero thirty' aloud appears to be the only working time input for setting an alarm for 12.30am. Google Home is no stranger to more than the occasional bug like bricked Nest Hubs and gimped Thermostat commands. To Google's credit, the company does roll out updates that fix the issues, but these issues are often embarrassing to have occurred in the first place. You can now add another bug to the list, with Google Home smart speakers and smart displays strangely unable to set a very specific alarm. Reddit user ReddBroccoli infuriatingly points out that their Google Assistant-equipped Nest Hub fails to set an alarm for 12.30am. Strangely, no matter which variation you try, the Nest Hub will set an alarm for 12.30pm. Here's a video from the Reddit user showing their Google Home smart display's inability to set an alarm for 12.30am: I tried out the basic alarm command 'Hey Google, set an alarm for twelve thirty am' on my Google Nest Audio, and sure enough, Google Assistant keeps setting an alarm for 12.30pm. Even saying 'half-past midnight' for the time doesn't work. The only command that works for this particular hour is saying 'zero zero thirty' out loud. You'd think the smart speaker/display is set to accept time in only the 24-hour military time format, but my Nest Audio replies back, 'Okay, alarm set for 12.30am,' acknowledging and using the 12-hour time system. The Reddit user mentions the command used to work, so something changed in the backend recently. We've contacted Google for comments on the above issue. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Until then, we recommend using your phone to set an alarm, as your Google Assistant-equipped smart home clearly isn't up to the task. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
16-05-2025
- Android Authority
Something is bricking Nest Hub smart displays, and users aren't getting much help from Google
TL;DR Owners of the first-gen Nest Hub report recent device failures, freezing up during the boot process. Attempts to factory reset the hardware have not been successful at restoring operation. It's possible a recent firmware update may play a role, but Google has yet to confirm anything. How long do you expect your devices to last? With something like a phone, you've got the threat of physical damage hanging over it basically all the time, need to worry about its battery deciding to go all explosive on you, and had better make sure your manufacturer is keeping up with security updates to keep hackers at bay. But for smart home tech that plugs in, doesn't leave the safety of your house, and has only limited access to your accounts, is it really that wrong for consumers to expect their devices to largely just keep on working? A growing number of Nest Hub users are grumbling about that just now, as a wave of failures appears to be hitting the smart display, and Google does not seem to be doing much about it. The Nest Hub debuted as the Google Home Hub all the way back in 2018, and it's been reasonably well supported over the years, getting a major software refresh as it moved to Fuchsia and continuing to act as an affordable solution for controlling your smart home. But over the course of the past week or so, we've been spotting reports of first-gen Nest Hub models getting stuck on their boot screen, and failing to operate. Hub owner Angela Hopkins got a thread running in Google's Nest Community, and Reddit users like Gabi_Social have been reporting the same issues on the site's Google Home sub. Affected units appear to hang on the Google 'G' when booting, and attempts to factory reset the hardware seem to be fruitless. In that Reddit account, the owner contacted Google support for help, only to be turned away because their Nest Hub warranty was four years expired. There are lots of different ways that old, no-longer-supported products can die. If devices rely on connection to an external server, for instance, the company running it may eventually decide to power things down. And while it sucks when that happens, at least that's a conscious decision that affects all users equally. What Nest Hub users are experiencing here, however, has more of the hallmarks of a firmware update gone wrong, which while equally ignoble, is a much more frustrating way for a product to die. On Google's Nest firmware page, the company shows version 26.20250116.103.2900 as being the most recent release for the Nest Hub, and it appears this software started heading out within the past month. We've reached out to Google in the hopes of learning more about what could possibly be causing these problems, and to see if there's any way for owners to get their smart displays operational again. We'll update you with anything we hear back. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple's rumored smart home hub has reportedly been delayed
It may be a while still before we see the smart home hub Apple is rumored to be working on. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company has postponed the announcement of the upcoming product due to the issues it's run into developing its 'smarter' Siri. Gurman reported last month that the release of Apple's upgraded Siri may be delayed, and Apple confirmed as much in a statement to Daring Fireball last week, saying it expects to roll out Siri's more personalized features 'in the coming year.' The smart home hub, according to Gurman, 'to an extent, relies on the delayed Siri capabilities.' Gurman previously reported that the first version of the smart home display could be revealed as soon as March. It would be a competitor to Amazon's Echo line of devices and Google's Nest Hub. While a March release is looking unlikely, Gurman reports that Apple is now allowing some employees to test it at home.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
Best Smart Displays of 2025
There are many smart devices on the market that can enhance your home, such as smart speakers, security cameras or light bulbs, transforming your comfy home into something comfier and smarter. But controlling everything can be a little daunting, which is why a smart display is a good investment. Plus, the displays themselves also have unique and useful features that can work on their own. There are plenty of displays to choose from: big players like Google and Amazon dominate the market, with each releasing numerous generations of gadgets -- each better than the last -- that have made them favorite smart display choices for many. Most recently, we've seen the Amazon Echo Show 8 and the Amazon Echo Hub, with the Echo Hub adding simplicity to controlling the smart home. Google has the Google Nest Hub (formerly the Google Home Hub) as well as the Nest Hub Max, which adds face- and gesture-tracking capabilities along with a larger screen. You can also check out the Google Pixel Tab, which doubles as a smart home display and Android tablet. However, to identify the best, CNET's experts tested and reviewed smart displays for the home. We worked with a collection of smart devices, watched videos, set alarm clocks and more. Whether you want to add a smart display to your existing setup or are just starting your smart home and find the touchscreen appealing, here are the best models available. We'll update this list periodically. Whether you want to add a smart display to your existing setup or you're just starting your smart home and you find the touchscreen appealing, here are the best models available now. We'll update this list periodically. The latest version of the Nest Hub with Google services arrived in 2021, and it's a great entry point for the category. It's the smartest and best overall, making the low price even more appealing. Thanks to the built-in Google Assistant, the Nest Hub responds to all of the same voice command options as the Google Home Mini smart speaker. The Google smart display touchscreen is a little small at seven inches, but the adaptive brightness makes pictures look particularly great. Google will even customize a slideshow of family pics as your screensaver. You can also control your smart home devices, like your smart doorbell, with an intuitively designed control panel. Unlike most of the other smart displays (and unlike its big brother, the Nest Hub Max), the Nest Hub doesn't have a camera, but that might be a bonus if you have privacy concerns and want to put it on your bedside table. The second-generation smart home hub model includes Sleep Sensing and Quick Gestures thanks to Google's Soli mini radar. The colorful fabric design on this Google Assistant smart display allows the device to blend in anywhere, although the tablet touchscreen comes in handy if you want step-by-step help through a recipe in the kitchen. See at Best Buy For a long time, the Nest Hub occupied pride of place on this list, thanks to its photo display aesthetic, pleasant user interface and more naturalistic voice assistant. It lacks the built-in camera for easy video calls found on the Echo Show 8. Add that to Amazon Alexa's growing smarts, and the Show 8 has been upgraded to share the "best display" honor with the Nest Hub. Both are great smart displays. With the Show 8, Alexa will respond to your voice control and voice commands, plus you can use the tablet screen to play games, browse recipes, watch movies and Prime Video trailers, control your smart home and more. The 8-inch touchscreen is small enough to stay out of the way but big enough that you won't have to squint. In the mornings, Amazon's sunrise alarm feature can help ease you out of your sleep with a screen that starts getting brighter 15 minutes before your scheduled wake-up time. The camera also comes with a physical shutter for privacy. Google Assistant still makes better use of the touchscreen than Amazon -- in particular, the cooking directions and smart home controls are better -- but the Echo Show 8 is close enough, and it comes with a camera for video chats. In short, the Show 8 is Amazon's best smart display yet. See at Amazon If you want a 10-inch touchscreen powered by Alexa, the third-generation Amazon Echo Show 10 is the latest and greatest in smart display technology. With a motorized base, the Echo Show 10 can follow you around the room during video calls or while you're watching video content on the device. The 10.1-inch tablet HD display looks good, and the device comes with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera, plus a physical shutter for privacy. Amazon also added adaptive color to this Echo device model. You can use the Echo Show 10 as a smart home security camera and view it remotely in the Alexa app. Group video calling is supported for up to seven people, and Drop In lets you make a call directly to your display from anywhere with the Alexa app. Occupancy and vacancy-based routines can trigger other smart home devices when the Echo Show 10 senses someone entering or leaving the room. This Alexa device is Amazon's priciest smart home hub display and the most feature-filled smart screen. We think most people will still get by just fine with the Echo Show 8 for considerably less money, but if you're after Amazon's boldest smart display yet with the impressive sound to go with it, this is the way to go. That room-filling sound comes from 2x 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer to ensure that the audio from the Echo Show 10 is just as elevated as the display itself. See at Amazon The Amazon Echo Hub is truly a smart display because though it does have speakers, you likely won't use them for a party. Instead, the 8-inch display is designed to be a central control point for managing your favorite Alexa smart devices. The easy-to-navigate dashboard allows you to control individual devices or an entire room. This device has been great in my home, with my wife and children less familiar with everything that is set up in our home. This way there's a simple way to see what smart devices are available. In addition to being a smart home management device, it also functions as an Alexa speaker, allowing you to use voice commands to do everything else you'd expect from a typical smart speaker. The Echo Hub can even be a digital photo frame to show all your favorite memories. But thanks to sensors on the device's front, as you approach it, the screen will show you smart home devices and be ready to help you out. See at Amazon Google Nest Hub Max: At over $200, the Nest Hub Max ups the Google Assistant's screen size from 7 to 10 inches and offers better sound quality than before. The real story is the addition of a sophisticated camera that can track movements and gestures, or identify faces to show you personalized info on the screen. It's an impressive combination of hardware and software, but the Google Nest Hub Max comes with privacy concerns. For most people, we think the original, camera-free Nest Hub is a lot closer to the smart display sweet spot. Amazon Echo Show 5: The Echo Show 5 is the cheapest of Amazon's displays, and it features most of the perks of the Show 8. Its resolution is lower than the Show 8 and its screen is smaller. While it features a tap-to-snooze alarm feature that makes it perfect for a bedside alarm, its sound quality isn't close compared to its bigger siblings. Amazon Echo Show (second-gen): The original Echo Show helped popularize the smart display back in 2017 and the second-gen Show improved on it in every way with better design, sound quality and a more useful screen. It's a good premium counterpart to the attractive $40 entry point of the Echo Show 5, although it's a little tricky to find in stock at the moment. The second-gen Show has great sound quality and a 10-inch screen. The touchscreen just isn't as useful as similar models with Google Assistant. Lenovo Smart Display 10: If you want a 10-inch touchscreen powered by Google Assistant, Lenovo's smart display looks elegant and features the same smarts as the Nest Hub. There are three different Lenovo smart display models with 10-, 8- and 7-inch screens. The 10-inch Lenovo smart display has a bamboo back that's particularly well-suited for the kitchen. Lenovo Smart Clock: This smart alarm trims out a lot of the functionality of smart displays. There's no camera and you can't watch videos. You can customize alarms and scroll through screens with weather and commute info. Thanks to a recent update, you can also look at personal pics and the Smart Clock will scroll through selected albums from Google Photos as your screensaver. It's cute and tailored for your nightstand, but it's more of an upgraded alarm clock than a full smart display. We have options on this list that offer both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as the voice assistant available to help with questions and smart home controls. It is important to pick the smart display that best matches what you already use. If you have an Echo device already in your home, then going with an Echo Show will seamlessly integrate into your home. But if you have a Google Home device, then you'll want a Google Assistant display. If you currently have neither, then go with the one that satisfies your personal preferences best. If you plan to use the smart display primarily for controlling your smart home, and you use Alexa, then you'll likely want to go for the Echo Hub. But if you want more of an all-around device that will work great for watching videos, then perhaps a Google Hub Max, Echo Show 10, or Echo Show 15 would best suit your needs. You'll want to consider where you'd like to place this smart display. While something like the Echo Show 8 (2023) or Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) don't need much room, the Echo Show 10 does. But if you go with the Echo Hub or Echo Show 15, you can mount those on the wall with the included hardware to free up more space on your table or counter. For smart home users, the smart display will function as a sort of visual dashboard, showing you all your connected devices and their statuses. You can view cameras and doorbells on your smart display screen, as well as make video calls, watch online content, view recipes and ask general knowledge questions. There are other fun features like books, games, puzzles and holiday easter eggs. Smart displays also double as digital photo frames and helpful clocks and calendars. A smart display admittedly doesn't do as much as your Android tablet or iPad. You won't be able to download any apps or view every single streaming platform. It isn't portable, either. Smart displays are focused on being hubs or command centers for your smart home. It's a device you'll plant on one shelf or countertop and likely leave it there for its entire life. Well, that depends. If you're interested in smart home tech, a smart display is a helpful way to view everything you're setting up and controlling within your home. If you like making video calls, smart displays are a good way to do so without sacrificing your phone or laptop battery. If a smart home isn't really your cup of tea or if you're hesitant to put more cameras, microphones and voice assistants in your home (we wouldn't blame you), then a tablet or small laptop will meet your needs.
