1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: Trying out new features on Google Home. What's going on 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: on rich Tomiro? This is Rich on Tech. I really 3 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: enjoy the Google Homes I have in my house because 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: of several reasons. The first is that it's always evolving. 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: It understands almost every command that you bark in it, 6 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: you don't need to say things in a particular way, 7 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: and it's always getting new features. Recently, Google sent me 8 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: a bunch of gadgets so I could try out some 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: new Google Home features, including Spanish routines, continued conversations, and more. 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: So let's go through a few of the new features 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: available on Google Home. Now. One of those is Spanish. 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: So you know that Google Home used to be able 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: to translate Spanish, Well, now it can understand commands actually 14 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: spoken in Spanish, and that's a big deal for a 15 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: lot of people that want to speak to Google Home 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: in a different language other than English. So if you 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: want to set that up, all you have to do 18 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: is open the Google Home app and tap menu. Then 19 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: you go into Settings, select Preferences, and there will be 20 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: an option for Espanol. Next up, Continue Conversation. Now, this 21 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: one I'm kind of torn on because I see the 22 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: pros and cons of it. Now, a bit of background, Usually, 23 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: when you want to activate your Google Home you have 24 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: to say those hot words that start with okay or 25 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: hey right. I'm not gonna say I'm here because I 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: don't want to activate your phone or your speaker in 27 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: the background. But now with this new feature called Continued Conversation, 28 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: you can basically continue talking to Google without saying the 29 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: activation phrase every time. So that means you can say, 30 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: what's the weather in Hawaii, and then you can follow 31 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: up with how about next week? Or you know, maybe 32 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: the weather in a different place, or you can just 33 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: continue back and forth with your original query instead of 34 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: saying those keywords every single time. So it's more like 35 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: a conversation with Google rather than that very specific here's 36 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: my hot word and my question. Okay, here's another hot word, 37 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: here's another question. Now. To set this up, you have 38 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: to go into the Google Home app, hit the menu button, 39 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: then more Settings, then you go into Preferences, and then 40 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: you tap continued Conversation to turn it on. Now, keep 41 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: in mind, once you turn this feature on, your Google 42 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: Home basically keeps listening even after it answers your original question, 43 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: because it's waiting for a follow up question. Now. After 44 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: a certain amount of time, it will time out and 45 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: close the mic. But if you want to manually stop 46 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: the conversation, you can say thank you or stop when 47 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: you're actually finished. Now. In my testing, I don't know. 48 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: I kind of like this feature because I like the 49 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: ability to go back and forth with Google. But at 50 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 1: the same time, I find that in my house with 51 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: a lot of people talking, the microphone pretty much stayed 52 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: open the whole time because it kept interpreting things that 53 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: we were saying. So you can try this out see 54 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: if you like it, turn it off if you don't 55 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: like that continued conversation all right. Next up routines. These 56 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: lets you get multiple things done by speaking just a 57 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: single command, and they can be really handy if you 58 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: set them up properly, so you can say things like 59 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: your keyword and then I'm home, and this can turn 60 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: on the lights, share your reminders, play your favorite music, 61 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: and whatever else you want it to do. Google has 62 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: six pre built routines that are right inside the app, 63 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: including good morning, bedtime, and leaving home. You can also 64 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: build your own routines right inside the Google Home app, 65 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: and it makes it pretty easy. First, you set a 66 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: command using whatever words you want. Then you add actions, 67 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: so whatever you want those actions to be, like adjusting 68 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: the lights or turning on a smart plug. Then you 69 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: can also add other things like you can have Google 70 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: say details from your calendar or play a playlist. The 71 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: possibilities are really unlimited here. You can do what you want, 72 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: and the Google app helps you kind of move along 73 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: with your command. So it starts by saying, Okay, what 74 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: do you want your command word to be? Then what 75 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: do you want me to do? Here are some popular 76 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: things you can do, so it gives you ideas. Of course, 77 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: you are free to really make this your own, and 78 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: this is going to take a little bit more work, 79 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: but I think if you play around with it, you 80 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: can really find some useful things. So, for instance, for 81 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: a bedtime routine, even though they've pre built one, you 82 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: can kind of adjust what you want the music to be, 83 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: how you want the lights to be adjusted, or what 84 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: you want Google to tell you before you go to sleep. 85 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: We built one in my TV segment to start popping 86 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: popcorn by setting a routine called movie Night. So we 87 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: had a smart plug. It's connected to a popcorn maker. 88 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: You can have the popcorn maker activate and You can 89 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: even go as far as having your Chrome Cast connected 90 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: to your TV start playing a certain movie that you want, 91 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: although if you say movie night every Friday night and 92 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: it plays the same movie, that'd be kind of weird. 93 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: But again, you can have it play something like a 94 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: YouTube playlist of the most popular videos. Whatever you want. 95 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: And I've built a few of these mainly for my music. 96 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: So I have certain routines like play some country music, 97 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: play some pop music, play some new music, play some 98 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: chill music. And then what I have those routines do 99 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: is those commands that I've customized actually link up to 100 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: a specific Spotify playlist. So even though I'm saying play 101 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: some country music, what Google Home does is it goes 102 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: into Spotify and it shuffles a country playlist called hot Country. 103 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: So instead of saying something like Google shuffle the Spotify 104 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: playlist called hot Country, all I have to do is 105 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: say Google play some country music. See how that works. 106 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: So that's a good one. Definitely check out the routines 107 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: in the Google Home app. All Right, one final thing 108 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: that I really like, and this has been around for 109 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: a while, but it's called broadcast, and this turns your 110 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: Google Home speakers into an old school PA system, so 111 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: you can open up the Google Assistant app on your phone. 112 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: If you have an iPhone, you can download an app 113 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: called the Google Assistant, or if you have Android, you 114 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: can just activate the Google Assistant and then you say 115 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: something like Google broadcast I'm heading home, and next thing 116 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: you know, all your speakers will spring to life and 117 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: play a little recording of what you just said. Into 118 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: Google Assistant, you can say something like Google broadcast, I'm 119 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: headed home and I picked up dinner, so don't worry 120 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: about it, We're having tacos for dinner, and every one 121 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: of your speakers in your home will play that little recording. Now, 122 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: a little word to the wise. I tried this out 123 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: without telling my family what I was doing, and they 124 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: were all kind of spooked because all of a sudden, 125 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: the speakers in my house came to life and played 126 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 1: a little recording of me. So that was kind of weird. 127 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: So tell people in your house before you actually use 128 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: this command. Google also has some pre built messages and 129 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: sounds that you can share automatically, so you can say 130 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: things like it's dinner time and it will broadcast at 131 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: dinner bell all kinds of fun stuff like that and 132 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 1: you can see a full list of suggestions linked in 133 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: the show notes. All right, so some of the products 134 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: we use that Google sent us for testing the Google 135 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: Home Mini, the smart light bulb. Google sent us one 136 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: from tp Link. I also like the ones from Lifix, 137 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: but I find the most reliable ones are from Phillips Hugh. 138 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: They also sent us a Wi Fi plug, also from 139 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: tp Link. I've used ones from Wemo and also another 140 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: company on Amazon called Greenie, and they are really cheap 141 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: and they work just as well. And they also sent 142 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: a Chrome Cast, which of course I already have in 143 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,119 Speaker 1: my home. The chrome Cast can really be fun because 144 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: you can use it to literally play things off of 145 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: Netflix or play things off of YouTube. All you have 146 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: to do is talk to your Google Home and it's 147 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: a command like Google play Stranger Things on my living 148 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: room TV. So the syntax is play the show that 149 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: you want to see along with the Romecast device however 150 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: you have that named, and your TV will spring to 151 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: life and play that show. It is very cool. Right now, 152 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: you can't say the actual specific episode and season of 153 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: the show you want to watch, but you can also 154 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: search YouTube there you have it. Just some of the 155 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: fun things you can do with the new Google Home features. 156 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: If you want a full rundown and links to everything 157 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: I mentioned, just go to my website. It is richon 158 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: tech dot tv. And if you're loving the podcast, which 159 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: I hope you play every single day, that is available, 160 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: I would love if you rted and reviewed it. It only 161 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: takes a second. Just go into Apple Podcasts, search for 162 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: my podcast and tap the write a review functionality. You 163 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: can even just leave stars. That works too, but if 164 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: you write something that's really nice, I'm Rich Dimiro. Thanks 165 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: so much for listening. I'll talk to you real soon.