Amazon has confirmed the date for its annual fall "Devices & Services" event, with the online-only launch taking place on September 24. It's expected to see the debut of Amazon's latest Alexa-powered hardware range ahead of the holidays, and which, if past events are anything to go by, will probably include both smart speaker mainstays of the line-up together with some more unusual options.
Google may have teased its own new Nest smart speaker back in July, but a new leak gives us a much better view of just what the unusually-shaped model will look like - and the new Google Chromecast launching alongside it. There were more than a few scratched-heads when Google responded to the leaks around what speaker codenamed "Prince" with an official image of it, not least because of the weirdly pillowy shape.
Google has revealed that it will make it easier for users to find high-quality local audio news, filling a category largely ignored by existing podcasts and other audio programs. This effort will involve the company's Assistant and Podcasts products, Google revealed this week, stating that it will deliver 'Your News Update' to its Podcasts app. As well, Google Assistant users will get better access to local audio news.
Lenovo has a new smart clock, intended to be a more affordable way to get the Google Assistant on your nightstand. The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential joins, rather than replaces, the Lenovo Smart Clock, and shares its wedge-shaped, fabric covered style. The big difference is on the front.
Amazon is both famous and notorious for making it extremely easy to buy things with just a single click, even using a "1-Click" button exactly for that. It seems, however, that it may just be just as simple to compromise one of Amazon's most popular products. Its AI-powered personal assistant Alexa can be found in so many smart speakers and smart home products and all it takes is a well-crafted innocent-looking link for a hacker to get control of an Alexa device and the owners' data associated with it.
There was a time before computers had a controller called a mouse. There was a time before personal mobile phones had touchscreens. There was a time before humans harnessed the power of electricity to enable them to control and interact with the world around them in ways that'd be otherwise impossible. Google has a concept for a device that might launch the next generation into the future as a singular controller for the operation of all things digitally connected. It's sort of like a magic wand, and it's called the House Mouse.
Home-centric devices have become more relevant and more useful these days, with everyone stuck at home most of the time. From laptops to mobile devices to smart speakers and smart displays, smart devices at home have experienced a surge in demand that some may have even had difficulty supplying. Google might be trying to take advantage of that rise in popularity and has promised something special coming from its Nest smart home brand, maybe even a new Nest Home speaker with a rather unique design.
First, they were rectangular boxes. Then they became canisters or pucks. Over the years, wireless speakers have changed their form and now Google seems to be considering yet another revolution in speaker design. Practically confirming an earlier leak, Google has apparently been sending out more or less official marketing material for what may be the successor of the Google Home sporting what can probably be best described as a pillow design.
Sonos has launched a new finish for its portable speaker, with the Sonos Move Lunar White switching things up later this month. Joining the existing Shadow Black Move that launched last year, the new Move also benefits from a new software update from Sonos, which the company says will add an extra hour of playback time when it's being used wirelessly.
Google is gearing up to release a new Nest smart speaker that is allegedly codenamed 'prince,' a new leak claims. The model is said to feature a familiar Google smart speaker design, but with upgraded audio compared to the previous Google Home model, enabling it to take on the Sonos One smart speaker. The speaker model hasn't been officially announced at this time, but will likely make an appearance later this year.
Google Assistant is available on a wide variety of smart devices, not just those with Google's name on them. Unfortunately, the reality is that Google's own devices naturally get some preferential treatment in getting features before others. Sometimes those features never come but sometimes they do just take their time rolling out to others. Fortunately for owners of third-party smart speakers, that day is close and soon they'll be able to enjoy some of the latest features Google Assistant has to offer.
A new free Nest Mini has appeared in a sort of "offer" delivered to a number of subscribers to YouTube Premium. This isn't the first time Google's delivered their Google Assistant speaker devices to subscribers to their services. This usually signals that Google is preparing to release a new model - but it's also part of their overarching efforts to get as many Google Assistant devices as possible into the hands of users and potential users.