Google Home Now Helps You Relax With Ambient Sounds

Most of the time when we report features of smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home, they are more often than not geared towards boosting your productivity or, at the very least, satisfying your entertainment cravings. But the home, whether smart or traditional, isn't just a place for work and play. It's also a place to just sit back and chill. So it is indeed appropriate that Google is now giving its Home speakers some relaxing ambient sounds that could put your soul at peace or, ironically, get you even more productive.

There's a plethora of studies on the science and psychology behind the effects of ambient noise, so we won't rattle them off here. The fact is that some people react different to different types of sounds. Some can put people to sleep, others simply calm the nerves, while others even induce more creativity and productivity. Whatever your flavor, Google Home has the "nature music" for you.

Simply say the magic phrases, "OK Google" and "Hey Google", in case you've forgotten, to get started on your relaxing journey. Alternatively, you can simply tap and hold the top of the Home speaker to activate it. Once done, you can then ask Google Assistant to play your preferred ambient noise.

There's quite a variety to choose from, which should suit most people's tastes. Those include forests, rivers, oceans, country night time, thunderstorm, rain, or even oscillating fans. A catchall "Help me relax" directive gives you one at random. And in case you want to find out more, you can ask the Assistant what other sounds it knows about. You can also set the duration for the looping audio but, by default, they only last for an hour.

Google said that the ambient sounds feature is currently available in the US. Some owners from other markets, however, are reporting getting the relaxing tunes as well.

SOURCE: Google