Friday, August 31, 2018

No, Google won't be releasing a Pixel Watch this year

Instead, Google's focusing on helping third-party brands with their own watches.

Ever since a rumor surfaced this past May, it's been expected that Google would debut its first Pixel-branded smartwatch alongside the Pixel 3 this fall (a Pixel Watch, if you will). Recent developments in Wear OS have led us to believe that 2018 would finally be the year, and now...

... it's been confirmed that there is no Pixel Watch.

During IFA in Berlin, Tom's Guide got confirmation from Wear OS's director of engineering (Miles Barr) that Google will not be releasing a Pixel Watch this year. According to Barr:

To think of a one-size-fits-all watch, I don't think we're there yet. Our focus is on our partners for now. Our Google Pixel line of phones is the best experience and Google's take on it, so I imagine we would focus heavily on the Google Assistant to integrate AI and machine learning into the device, which is Google's forte.

It's certainly disappointing to hear that we're still no closer to a Google-made smartwatch, but even so, there's plenty to still be excited about for Wear OS as a whole. Along with a slew of exciting watches from Skagen, Diesel, and Casio at IFA this week, Google also announced a brand-new UI for Wear OS that puts a big emphasis on the Assistant and the revamped Google Fit.

Additionally, we're just a few short days away from Qualcomm's September 10 event where we'll learn about the company's new smartwatch chipset and possibly see new hardware that's powered by it.

2018 is still a big year for Wear OS, just not quite as magical as we had originally thought.

Google debuts all-new Wear OS interface with Google Assistant feed, coming to watches in September

Google Wear OS



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Sprint's new $90/month Unlimited Premium plan sounds kind of awesome

The price goes down to $80/month if you bring your own device.

Less than two months ago, Sprint decided to do away with its one-size-fits-all unlimited plan and introduce two new ones — Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Basic. Starting today, those two plans are being joined by another, more expensive option called Unlimited Premium.

Sprint Unlimited Premium costs $90/month for one line, but if you bring over your own phone or buy a brand-new one at full price, goes down to $80/month. Included with the plan is unlimited talk, text, and data, video streaming in Full HD, unlimited talk, text, and LTE data in Mexico + Canada, and global roaming in over 185 countries around the world.

None of that's particularly special, but one of the big perks of Unlimited Premium is that you get access to 50GB of mobile hotspot data each and every month. For comparison's sake, Unlimited Plus only comes with 15GB.

To make the deal even sweeter, Sprint also includes:

  • Amazon Prime ($119/year value)
  • Tidal Premium ($9.99/month value)
  • Hulu with Limited Commercials ($7.99/month value)
  • Lookout Premium Plus mobile security service ($99.99/year value)

Plus, for a limited time, Unlimited Premium subscribers get $20 in Uber credits to use each month.

The act of wireless carriers having multiple "unlimited" plans can get old really fast, but Sprint's latest offer with Unlimited Premium honestly sounds like an amazing deal. If you're interested, you can check it out for yourself on Sprint's site right now.

See at Sprint

Carriers

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HTC U12 Life hands-on: Quite a looker, with an interesting take on plastic

A few good ideas with some uninspiring execution.

HTC's attempt at parlaying the brand recognition of the U11 into the lower-end U11 Life didn't particularly work out. It was an entirely forgettable phone with some performance shortcomings — hardly just a "small version of the latest flagship." HTC is at it once again with the HTC U12 Life, which is even further removed in terms of design from the U12 Plus — outside of the fact that it's made out of plastic, of course, it also just lacks even a passing resemblance to the flagship.

HTC uses the phrase "acrylic glass unibody with a metal like design" to describe the U12 Life. This phone is plastic. All the way through. And that's okay! Lots of inexpensive phones are made out of plastic. And when you just own up to it and make something good of it, nobody cares. HTC did something very interesting with the back of the phone, etching parallel lines across about two-thirds of the back to provide not only a super-unique look but also extra grip and fingerprint resistance. I would love to see this process applied to a full glass-backed phone, and maybe we'll see it in the future.

See at HTC

The rest of the build of the phone looks a whole lot like the U11 Life, which means the plastic is overly shiny and therefore shows off many of the flaws of the cheap materials. It recreates the eye-catching sheen of the U12 Plus from a distance, but in your hand it feels like the mid-range phone it is.

The size lands in the "just right" segment, with a 6-inch 18:9 display that has surprisingly small bezels for this class of phone and isn't hindered by a notch. HTC's picked a quality display from what I can tell, and 1080p resolution is plenty for a mid-range phone. That etched back provides a little extra grip to counteract the slippery sides, but with this display size I had no issues handling and reaching across it.

It's interesting that HTC decided to roll out two colors that are so similar. Ostensibly they are blue and purple, but depending on the lighting they almost identical. The "blue" version is a bit duller and less flashy, while the "purple" has a mirror-like finish that reflects more and is therefore more chrome or metallic as a result. They both look good from a distance, though the evaluation units I handled at IFA 2018 were already heavily gouged in the top non-etched portion of the backs.

Evaluating mid-range phone design is a tough task, because you know the most important features of these phones are things like real-world performance, features and display quality. Those are all things that I can't properly examine in a short time with the phones. Chances are the relatively light HTC software, Snapdragon 636, 4 or 6GB of RAM and 3600mAh battery will get the job done in that respect. So if you're buying based on style, as so many people looking for a smartphone bargain are, the HTC U12 Life checks the box. It isn't a U12 Plus in any way, but if you get past the naming misdirection you'll find this is a really nice inexpensive phone.

See at HTC



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RAGE 2 is a carnival of carnage fans of DOOM won't want to miss

RAGE 2 is an upcoming dream collaboration between id Software and Avalanche. The result is a circus of mayhem fans of DOOM or Just Cause can't afford to miss.

RAGE 2 is the unexpected sequel to 2010's post-apocalyptic shooter from id Software. RAGE 2 takes place decades after its predecessor, following a global catastrophe. An asteroid impact has wiped out virtually all civilization, leaving earth in a dilapidated state. Many of the survivors banded together to form enclaves, some passive, others violent, as lawlessness and chaos grip the land.

RAGE owes a little more to Mad Max than some of the other post-apocalyptic titles out there, due to its focus on wasteland vehicular combat. To continue that tradition, id Software enlisted the aid of Avalanche Studios, known for its chaotic sandboxes like Just Cause and the criminally underrated take on the Mad Max universe, which in my opinion, has the best vehicular combat in an open world game, maybe ever.

We went hands-on with RAGE 2 at Gamescom 2018, and we talked to id Software Studio Director Tim Willits and Senior Game Designer Loke Wallmo from Avalanche Studios.

See at Amazon See Collector's Edition at Amazon

Setting the scene for mayhem

Players take control of Walker in RAGE 2, a descendant of nanomachine-enhanced humans who used advanced technology to escape the asteroid impact. Walker also has these nanomachines, dubbed "nanotrites" in-game, and he can wield them more effectively than Nicholas Raine from the previous game, complete with superhuman strength. The tutorial narrator refers to you as a Wasteland Superhero, and that very much sums up RAGE 2's core gameplay premise.

Taking place 30 years after the first game, RAGE 2 will feature an all-new cast and self-contained story, although it will feature nods and returning characters for fans of the original.

RAGE 2 will also ditch the "50 shades of brown," as described by id Software's Willits, in favor of brighter colors and a wider variety of biomes. The orbital "Arks" used by humanity to avoid complete annihilation also came equipped with terraforming equipment to repair the world's ecology after the asteroid impact. Their descent to earth has created forests, swamps, and other types of terrain not present in the original. This gives RAGE 2 its own personality, as the world recovers from the desert wasteland of its predecessor.

RAGE 2 doesn't have an RPG-like "EXP" system or anything of that nature, but there are characters and quests scattered throughout the world that will give you upgrades for virtually any weapon or system tied to your character. RAGE 2 will also feature some vehicle customization and grant you the ability to collect vehicles. Any vehicle in the game can be hijacked and driven, too, including the hulking war machine big-rigs.

While you will be fighting plenty of Mad Max-style primitivist bandits in RAGE 2, you will also be battling twisted mutants, deranged cultists, and the game's central antagonist, The Authority, who are all attempting to take over what little remains of civilization by force. Devoid of morals, The Authority utilizes an army of twisted cyborgs and bastardized nanotrite technology, so they should prove to be more difficult to battle than your average road warrior.

Chaotic combat with elegant execution

RAGE 2 retains some familiarity from the original title. Notably, the Mad Max-inspired boomerang-like "wingsticks" return, with some brand new homing technology. And RAGE 2 is still the fast-paced shooter that you remember.

RAGE 2's combat flows with an elegance the original RAGE simply couldn't achieve.

The demo we played took place in an abandoned space facility, where the player is tasked with overseeing the landing of a satellite. The base, naturally, has been taken over by bandits and crazies, and the demo gave us a multitude of violent toys to play with.

RAGE 2 isn't a cover-based shooter by any means. In keeping with titles like DOOM, you're supposed to be fast on your feet, moving from area to area with a shotgun in hand and nanotrite superpowers in the other. RAGE 2 will have a wide array of weapons, so we're told, but in our demo, the shotgun stood out as particularly unique.

One of RAGE's signature features was the realistic and unpredictable way enemies moved. They could vault over objects, parkour along walls, and swing from bars. id Software seems to have continued this tradition in RAGE 2, but now it works both ways. The shotgun isn't only incredibly satisfying to use simply from a first-person-shooter (FPS) standpoint, but now, it also has impact. Hitting an armored enemy in the chest might not kill them, but the force will knock them flying across objects, splattering onto the corners of tables or hanging over railings. You can also use it to push them off ledges or out of windows, when not killing them outright. The sheer force of a weapon is something often overlooked by other shooters, and it simply felt tremendous in RAGE 2.

Nanotrites in the first game only allowed the player to resurrect in the field with an internal defibrillator, but their implementation in RAGE 2 goes far deeper. Walker can quickly dash left and right, to escape bullet fire. He can also do a force punch, reducing unarmoured and low-health enemies to piles of bloody chunks. You can also leap into the air and forcefully strike the ground, creating a wave of devastation, knocking enemies flying away when you're surrounded.

You can feel the touch of Avalanche at every level in RAGE 2, with the way the game's physics-based systems interact with one another. Perhaps you punch someone across the room with the Shatter nanotrite ability, and they might slam into a gas canister and cause an explosion, which might then chain react with other nearby explosives in a scene wholly reminiscent of Just Cause. The organic nature of these gameplay mechanics creates dynamic events that are far more memorable than any scripted sequence. As a result, every weapon and every ability I tried in RAGE 2 was incredibly infectious to use, creating unpredictable sequences that were awe-inspiring. RAGE 2's combat flows with an elegance the original RAGE simply couldn't achieve.

RAGE 2 is the result of a match made in gaming heaven

RAGE 2 looks like its shaping up to be a match made in gaming heaven, as id Software and Avalanche Studios' unique skillsets intersect and complement each other like few gaming partnerships have. The industry-leading shooter expertise of id Software is on full display in RAGE 2, and merging it with Avalanche's open-world tech and vehicular combat from Just Cause and Mad Max holds a tremendous amount of promise.

RAGE 2 is a completely single-player experience, although id Software teases some connected "community" features and some post-launch content. The game world will be "massive," completely free of loading screens or artificial sector gating, allowing players the freedom to explore the wastes, jungles, and ruins as they see fit.

RAGE 2 doesn't have a fixed launch date as of writing, but it should drop sometime in 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

See at Amazon See Collector's Edition at Amazon



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How to measure your home for the required number of smoke detectors

Smoke detectors come in all shapes and sizes but still have one important job — letting you know that there may be a fire or similar emergency situation. To do that job efficiently and correctly you need to cover the right areas inside your house so that smoke (or other indicators of a fire) can be detected quickly and accurately. However, the requirements published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) can sometimes be hard to understand. Here's what you need to know to make sure you're getting proper protection.

Products Used In This Guide

National regulations

The NPFA regulations for residential dwellings — single family homes that don't house a business or provide care services — say you'll need an alarm in the following places:

  • All sleeping rooms and guest rooms.
  • Outside of each separate sleeping area, within 21 feet measured along the path of normal travel.
  • Every level of a dwelling where separated by a door, one shall be on each side of the door.
  • For dwellings greater than 1,000 square feet per level, one alarm for every 500 square feet of floor space mounted on the ceiling and within 30 linear feet of another detector.
  • Dwellings with vaulted ceilings allow detectors placed to protect an upper floor will also be designated as protecting the lower floor in areas with those types of high ceilings.
  • New homes built since 2007 require interconnected alarms/detectors.
  • Detectors shouldn't be placed inside a garage, attic, furnace room, or kitchen because they can cause false alarms.

Even when pulled away from the more technical wording intended for contractors, these rules can be a bit confusing. And any local regulations (check with your closest fire department station) supersede these regulations. Here's an easy way to break it down.

  • You need one alarm for every room designated as a bedroom or guest room.
  • You need an alarm on the outside of sleeping areas within 21 feet of its door. That means one detector can cover multiple rooms.
  • If you have a door to the basement stairs or an upper floor, you need one detector on each side of it.
  • If your house is bigger than 1,000 square feet — excluding an attached garage — you need a detector for every 500 square feet and it has to be no further than 30 feet away from another detector.

The first three bullet points are easy to understand — you know which rooms are intended for sleeping and if you have a door leading to the basement stairs. The last bit can be a little confusing, especially since a mounted detector can fulfill more than one of these requirements. If you have a home that was built during or after 2007, someone already did the work and you know where smoke detectors are required. If you're installing new detectors you'll need to know the size of your home in square feet and if all levels are the same size.

For example, if you have a 3,000 square foot two-story house, you probably have 1,500 feet of floor space per level. That means you need at least three detectors per floor to meet these requirements (1,500 sq. feet divided by 500 sq. feet). Before you go buying anything extra, see where detectors needed for sleeping areas will be placed. If you need to mount two detectors outside of sleeping rooms in order for them to be within 30 feet of each other, you have met the requirements for that level. A good place for any alarms that are needed to fulfill the 500 square foot rule is at the foot and head of any stairs.

It's recommended that you don't put a detector inside an unfinished attic, a garage, your kitchen, or any room with a furnace or water heater. This is because these places tend to have water vapor or pollutants in the air that can cause false alarms. Your local building code may have different requirements here, though, so you should ask your Fire Marshall.

Our top equipment pick

If you want to protect your home from both smoke and carbon monoxide, there's only really one choice. Don't be tempted to go cheap when you're buying something like a smoke detector but don't spend money on products that aren't great at what they do. That makes the Nest Protect the logical choice. These smart alarms use advanced detection methods and split-spectrum sensors to continuously monitor levels of pollutants (read: smoke) and carbon monoxide, and the Nest app lets you monitor things while away from home.

Best smoke detector

Nest Protect

$124 at Amazon

If you're replacing or adding smoke detectors, the Nest Protect is your best buy.

A smoke detector needs to warn you when appropriate, and not give false alarms. The Nest Protect excels at both and also provides excellent carbon monoxide detection. Because they're from Nest, they are easily integrated into any home automation plan and work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.



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Power up on-the-go with this $6 Quick Charge 3.0 Dual USB Car Charger

Keep this stashed in your glove box for safe keeping.

The Choetech 30W Dual USB Car Charger is available at Amazon for just $5.99 when you enter promo code QMX7USG8 during checkout. That'll save you $9 off its average price.

This car charger features a Quick Charge 3.0 port which is capable of charging compatible devices four times faster than regular chargers can. It sounds like marketing nonsense, but it actually works really well. A USB-C cable is included with its purchase too, which is awesome because a USB-C cable would normally cost you at least $5 by itself anyway. There are safeguards to protect your devices from over-current, over-charging, and more.

Choetech includes an 18-month warranty with this charger's purchase as well. At Amazon, over 1,500 customers reviewed it resulting in a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

See at Amazon



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Resist the urge to go swimming with your water-resistant Android phone

Not unless you like living on the edge, anyway.

Every so often, we have to be reminded of a harsh reality — phones just shouldn't be used in water, even if they're built to. The advent of water-resistant smartphones has paved the way for swimming with your phone and potentially dropping it in the pool without having to be immediately stressed out about an insurance claim. Yay!

Or not. Although companies are increasingly making smartphones with IP68 water resistance, they're not exactly advertising a day in the pool with them anymore. There's a reason for that: they really don't want you to ruin your phone.

IP Ratings Explained

Yes, the phones are water resistant, but there are many ways you can still suffer water damage. The most commonly listed disclaimer is that sitting submerged in a certain amount of water for a certain amount of time (usually varies by phone and manufacturer) is enough for the phone to potentially take on water damage.

But here are all the things they don't tell you:

  • Those figures are estimates. A phone could survive longer, and it can also take damage in a matter of minutes.
  • The claims these companies make are more often than not based on tests which are done with fresh water.
  • You'd be surprised just how much water you encounter on a daily basis is actually pure. The water in your swimming pool has chemicals. Your juice or soda has lots of bad stuff for electronics. And even water from your sink may have trace amounts of harmful bits. And don't even think about using your phone in a sea of salt water, a deadly combo that'll eat right through the strongest adhesives and sealants.
  • Even with pure water, there's no guarantee that the seals used inside the phone won't wear over time.
  • Even steam could be enough to damage a phone (though that's probably only in the most extreme cases).

Just take a look at Sony's page on the matter to see what we're talking about. Despite extolling the virtues of water resistance and explaining exactly what their devices are rated for, they still have a long list of guidelines and a recommendation that you should generally be looking to avoid wet conditions whenever possible.

I come to all of you with this on a random Friday afternoon because I'm a victim of my own brand of carelessness. My Samsung Galaxy S9+ is usually good to sit inside of a 20-minute shower, with it resting up on a shelf that doesn't come into direct contact with the shower stream. It sits in a case that protects the charging port and headphone jack, but nothing more.

And for months it's been problem-free… until the one time it wasn't. I suddenly began experiencing problems with my speaker that I'd never had before. It wasn't the usual waterlogged speaker sputtering until the water dried up or worked its way out. It was dying, and there was no amount of drying or waiting that could bring it back. I took the thing back to AT&T to be slapped with a big old deductible for water damage.

Granted, the phone wasn't totally useless. I could still use apps, make calls, and all that good stuff, and I was probably really unlucky as I'd never come across any issues using my previous IP68-rated phone in this manner. But when you're buying a product that has IP68 water resistance, know that resistance is not equivalent to invulnerability. Do yourself a favor and treat the phone like the fragile little $1,000 baby it is.



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Get a fresh look with a new band for you Samsung Gear S2

Give your Samsung Gear S2 a fresh look with a new wristband!

The Samsung Gear S2 is over two years old now, but it's still a great smartwatch for. You may be thinking it's time to upgrade to the new Galaxy Watch or an Wear OS option but if you're really still loving the Gear S2 — or don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on an upgrade — you can make your watch feel brand new without breaking the bank.

The price of replacement bands has dropped so low that you can completely revamp the look of your Gear S2 for as low as $10. Let's dive in on the best replacement bands for the Gear S2!

V_moro watch bands

$9 at Amazon

If you're a fan of giving your technology a bit of personal flair, then the V_moro watch bands should certainly pique your interest. There are over a dozen different silicone bands available in different solid colors, as well as a four-pack of floral and vintage designs.

The individual bands are $10, but the real price-performers here are the multi-packs, which give you four watch bands for the price of two. Considering just how easy it is to swap bands on a Gear S2, these packs can let you pick a new watch band every day to match your daily outfits.

Silicone bands are durable, waterproof, sweatproof, and work well in all seasons, meaning V_moro's bands should stand up well to anything you might throw at them short of an open fire or a sword.

Getwow watch bands

$8 at Amazon

Another great place to look is at the watch bands from Getwow. These rubberized bands have been so popular that they only have two eye-catching designs left — one dark and floral, the other bright and woodsy. At these prices, you should grab one before they vanish forever!

At $8 and $6, these bands are an impulse buy that can boost your style for less than a weekend of Pumpkin Spice lattes (we won't judge). Some of the Amazon reviews have mentioned the band being a bit big on slimmer wrists, but they've also said these bands are more comfortable than the bands the Gear S2 came with.

Moretek watch bands

$11 at Amazon

If you've got a Samsung Gear S2 Classic and want a watch band that will work well for fitness and prevents sweat from building up between your wrist and your watch, Moretek has you covered, with their porous silicone bands.

There are five color combinations that you'll be able to choose from here, and the perfectly perforated design of these bands lets the two-tone color scheme shine through the gaps and add a subtle pop of color to your watch and your wrist.

MoKo watch bands

$10 at Amazon

If you want to avoid clasps, the MoKo band for Gear S2 Classic is a magnetic option that adheres to itself. This means that if you have a wrist larger, or smaller, than the norm you don't have to worry about it not fitting correctly.

Milanese loop bands are great for those of us with wrist sizes that seem to always be between the holes on our watch bands. These bands are easy to slip on and off because all you need to do is slide or life the magnetic clasp to loosen the band. The classic silver version is $10, but if you're looking for a unique and psychedelic watch band for your Gear S2 Classic, there's a Colorful anodized version that shimmers like a rainbow.

FanTEK watch bands

$8 at Amazon

Not everybody wants a watch band that stands out like a shiny glitter bomb. Thankfully, FanTEK comes through with affordable watch bands that sport muted designs. Unlike the bright designs on many other watch bands, you'll find dark colors and simple designs that draw your eye to the Gear S2 without being overwhelming.

FanTEK's bands sport a lovely crimson, an alluring navy blue, a subtle charcoal gray, and the standard black. There's also a white version, but that's kind of bland. The black version can be had for $6, but the colors will run you $8.

How to replace your Gear S2 watch band

Once you get your Gear S2 replacement band, it's easy to change it out. Just follow along with our how-to video!

What caught your eye?

Did any of these watch bands look like a real winner? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Update August 2018: I've updated pricing and pictures for our favorite functional and fashionable Gear S2 bands to reflect changes in designs and available colors. I've also removed the Honeda due to dwindling supply.

Samsung Gear S2

Samsung Amazon AT&T Verizon Best Buy



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The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 16GB tablet has dropped to just $130 today

Hook yourself up.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A eight-inch 16GB tablet is down to $129.99 on Amazon. This is a price match of Best Buy so you can find it there as well. The tablet normally sells for around $179, so this is a nice chunk off the price.

The Galaxy Tab A has an eight-inch display with 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. It includes a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 16GB flash storage, and the Android 5.0 operating system. It has a 4200mAh battery with features like Ultra Power Saving mode to shut down non-essential apps and save some juice when you need it most. Invest in an inexpensive microSD card if you want to increase your storage.

See on Amazon



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Should you still consider a mesh network in a small space?

Best answer: It depends on your needs, but if you want top speeds in your apartment without running Ethernet cable everywhere, get a mesh network

Amazon: Google WiFi three-pack ($300)

How your apartment Wi-Fi is now

If you live in an apartment — or even close to other houses — you can probably open your phone and see dozens of Wi-Fi networks from your neighbors. Most of those networks use the 2.4Ghz channel, which is designed to travel over long distances. Some closer to you will also be on the 5Ghz channel, which prioritizes speed over distance.

Even if you're in the same room as your router, you may notice that you still have trouble connecting to your network. For demanding appliances — like your desktop PC or gaming console — you'd be better off with a wired connection from your router to the device. However, a wired connection in an apartment may be hard to route — and I say this as someone who has proudly taped an Ethernet cable to my ceiling.

What a mesh system offers

Mesh routers like the Google Wifi, Orbi, Eero or AmpliFi may not seem like an obvious choice for your apartment. You're not exactly struggling for coverage since you can clearly reach your network from across your apartment complex. But Mesh systems may be worth looking at because of just how they work.

When the routers inside your mesh network talk to each other, they aren't using the same 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz channel that your laptop, smartphone, or other devices use to connect to the network. Because of this, the routers in the mesh system don't have to worry about interference when they're communicating with each other.

Why this is better

Using a smartphone, laptop, or other device over Wi-Fi may still present the same issues with interference from your neighbor's networks, but if your device is closer to one of our mesh routers, you should still have a better signal than you did before installing the mesh system.

The best part of a mesh system in an apartment comes for your more demanding devices — your game console, desktop computer or other devices that you would traditionally use an Ethernet cable for. A Google Wifi router offers an Ethernet port that you can use to connect those devices, and for all intents and purposes, it's no different than running a long Ethernet cable from your main router. Speeds will be the same, and applications like Plex will work exactly the same as if you ran the long Ethernet cable.

Our pick

Google Wifi

$300 at Amazon

Google's Wifi systems are a breeze to set up, look great and all the maintenance is handled for you.

While it doesn't offer many advanced features, Google has the basics covered with its mesh routers. More importantly, they take almost no effort to install and pair, security updates are applied without any user interaction and the routers themselves look great.



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Amazon's Kids Edition Fire Tablets are starting at $80 right now

Treat your kids to a new tablet.

Amazon's Fire Tablets are super popular because of their affordable prices, so when you can save even more on them you shouldn't miss out. The Fire 7 Kids Edition is currently down to just $79.99 from its regular price of $99.99 in your choice of blue, pink, or yellow. If you want something a little bigger, you can grab the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition for $99.99, which is $30 lower than it normally sells for.

Both options come with a year of Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited, which is a $119 value. Amazon offers a two-year worry-free guarantee on the tablets, so if your kids happen to break the tablet Amazon will exchange it with no questions asked.

The tablets have access to tons of kid-friendly content and media. Unfortunately, they don't have much internal storage, so you'll want to add a microSD card to your purchase so that your kids don't run out of space.

See at Amazon



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Shield your new Galaxy Note 9 with the best!

Life's view is better when you take it to the edge.

For most of us, our phone is an extension of ourselves, and losing or damaging it can almost feel like breaking a finger.

But fear not, the protection your new Note 9 deserves is here. With your Galaxy Note 9 either already in your hands or on its way to you, it's up to you to make sure it stays looking fresh. Whitestone provides the first true "Full-screen adhesive" tempered glass screen protector for curved bezel-less phones and they are the premier specialized brand for the high-end market of cellular devices. Thankfully, they have just released one of the most important accessories to keep your device looking just like it did when it first came out of the box.

For a long time, plastic or urethane protector have been the main option as screen protectors, but the truth is they don't really give your phone true protection. They are vulnerable to scratches and even can reduce transparency, not to mention the greasy smudges or air bubbles that can happen when just putting them on. Then tempered glass protectors came about and allowed your screen to stay crystal clear.

But most other well-known brands try to be sneaky by falsely advertising themselves as full-cover tempered glass screen protector. Most only cover the flat side of your device and use a black cover adhesive along the side to hide lifts, or they have a poorly implemented visible Dot-Matrix which makes the device prone to touchscreen errors and can give off a rainbow/blurry effect. But that's not the case with Dome Glass. The Whitestone Dome Glass uses several patented technologies to fill in those shortcomings and provide the Note 9 with the ultimate security like no other screen protector you've ever seen before.

Use Coupon code AC4NOTE9 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Glass Use Coupon code AC4NOTE9 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Case

It is precisely because of Whitestone's patented technologies that put them in a tier of their own. One such technique used is their patented LOCA technology which stands for 'Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive'. LOCA is a revolutionary liquid glass adhesive that evenly disperses over the entire curved screen, forming a single, solid layer of anti-shatter glass. This is the only pure complete screen coverage out there for the Note 9, and as a bonus, the liquid can repair existing scratches and scuffs as well.

By filling in any cracks and then firmly setting, the Dome Glass creates a watertight, edge to edge protection. This can provide a new lease on life for your Note 9 if you are unfortunate enough to damage it before getting any protection in place. Now, there is no need to go out and spend the money on a whole new replacement screen due to a scratch or two, let the Whitestone Dome Glass come to the rescue.

With their LOCA technology, Whitestone also utilizes a unique curing process that harnesses the power of UV light to securely attach the glass to your phone giving you flawless protection. This is not a quick process by any means, but it is by far the best way to get the ultimate protection. Make sure you give yourself ample time to follow the step by step guide included (It's also recommended to watch their installation video) and don't just try to slap it on in a few minutes.

To prevent installation errors from happening, each Dome Glass two-pack includes three adhesive bottles, a UV curing light, an install frame, and all the other necessary components. Also, it is possible to use the extra glass to re-install if you do happen to make a mistake. The only thing not included in the package is the power adaptor for the UV light. But since it is micro USB compatible, you can use any USB wall adapter to power it. For help with the installation, you can follow this link to see some of the Whitestone Dome Glass reviews and installation tutorial videos.

Available in a single or as part of a two-pack (perfect for those on a family plan), the Whitestone Dome Glass is already a top seller on Amazon Worldwide and AT&T, and it is touted as one of the best-tempered glass protectors by NTT Docomo (the largest cellular provider in Japan). Moreover, every Whitestone Dome Glass product comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty which means that if your Dome Glass is damaged or worn, you could request a replacement through Whitestone's webpage.

These are only a few of the reasons why as a brand Whitestone is the only tempered glass screen protector recognized by SMAPP (Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program). Samsung as a brand recognizes the quality of protection that the Dome Glass provides, you should too. Also, for a limited time, our very own Android Central readers can use the code AC4NOTE9 to save 30% off the Whitestone Dome Glass for the Note 9.

At $999.99 the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is no small investment, it's the top of the line. If you're not going to settle for a second-rate phone, why would you settle for a second-rate screen protector? Well, the short answer: You shouldn't! Get your own Dome Glass today!

Use Coupon code AC4NOTE9 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Glass Use Coupon code AC4NOTE9 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Case



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Colorful PlayStation 4 controllers you may be interested in

PS4 controllers come in a wide variety of colors, and some are frankly much more appealing than others.

PlayStation supports a wide variety of accessories, but none are as important as the DualShock 4 controller, which is a necessity if you want to game at all. Since its standard black color is rather boring and people always want options, thankfully there are over a dozen variants to spice up players' collections.

Let's be honest, some controllers just look much better than others, while some can be downright ugly. Here are several choices you may be interested in. The best part? All but one of them, the Blue Crystal, costs $65, so it all comes down to your preference.

500 Million Limited Edition

The 500 Million Limited Edition PS4 controller was made to commemorate 500 million PlayStation consoles sold since its release over twenty years ago.

See at GameStop

When it comes to your standard DualShock 4 controller, it doesn't get any better than this. It features a dark translucent blue casing that may just be the sexiest we've seen. It's sold out at a few retailers, but there is still stock available if you know where to look. We'll help you out

Sunset Orange

You can call this the Goku controller. Alternatively, it could be Goku and Naruto's love child. Either way, anime fans will get a kick out of this controller.

See at Amazon

If you're an anime fan, it's hard to dismiss the color schemes are similar — freakishly so. But the contrast between the orange and dark blue is gorgeous, so if you're looking for a vibrant color that pops out on your shelf, it's hard to beat this one.

Berry Blue

There's a reason I like to call it the smoothie controller. You'll be hard-pressed to find another that immediately reminds you of the beverage, whether by name or color.

See at Amazon

There's no other light blue variant when it comes to official DualShock 4s, and not everyone wants to settle for a darker shade. Berry Blue is bright, it's playful, and it stands out from the crowd.

Metallic Copper

Penny for your thoughts? Upon first glance, you'll note this DualShock is similar to America's most contentious coin – the penny. Do we keep it? Do we get rid of it? The arguments continue, but one thing is clear: this controller should stick around for a while.

See at GameStop

This isn't not your average gold or silver variant and luckily, it's worth more than the penny.

Blue Camouflage

Camouflage can be hit or miss with people's tastes, but changing up the usual green color associated with hunting can make it more appealing.

See at Amazon

Sony recently announced the Blue Camouflage DualShock 4. When most controllers are just one or two flat colors, this is a nice change of pace, and definitely gives off a more rugged vibe to it if Berry Blue isn't your thing.

Crystal

This and the next option have been overlooked for quite a while, but the new 500 Million Limited Edition DualShock proved that translucent is back and better than ever.

See at GameStop

Why hide all of that cool tech on the inside? Like the other options on this list, you can buy it new for $65, although you can also get it pre-owned for $60. If Crystal is just a tad too plain, you can always snag the Blue Crystal (see below).

Blue Crystal

Admittedly not as stylish as the 500 Million Limited Edition, it's a decent substitute considering the latter may be hard to get your hands on.

See at Amazon

If you need a little more color in your life that the Crystal DualShock doesn't offer, Blue's got your back, even if it's slightly more expensive than the other controllers on this list at $85 new. Of course, you can get it used for less.

Do you have a favorite controller?

What do you use? Is there one you like that we missed? Sound off in the comments below.

PlayStation 4

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Which products and services work with Google Home now?

There's plenty to come in the future, but which products work now?

Google first introduced Google Home to the world back in May at Google I/O 2016, later revealing the final product alongside the Pixel in October. From everything we've seen, Google Home seems primed to eventually link up with any smart device in your home and allow you to control everything with just the sound of your voice.

Google has announced which products and services will be supported at launch, but there's sure to be plenty more to come in the future. Continue to check back to this article in the coming months, as we'll surely be updating this list as more products and services are added. We've broken things down into two categories — home automation products and supported services.

Home automation

Supported services

Home automation

Chromecast

It should come as little surprise that Google Home works with Chromecast. Google hit it out of the park with their compact, Wi-Fi enabled dongles for video or audio that you simply hook up to your TV or stereo and allow you to stream media straight from your phone, tablet, or laptop.

Google Home takes things to the next level by allowing you to cast video and audio from its supported services using only your voice. As if Chromecast wasn't convenient enough already. I can think of many scenarios where I might want to pull up something from YouTube or change a playlist while I'm busy in the kitchen or otherwise preoccupied. Basically all your favorite streaming services are supported — YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and many more. The legacy Chromecast ($30) is a great option if you're only ever planning to use it with non-4K TVs, but those looking for the best streaming experience need to get the Chromecast Ultra which supports streaming content in 4K quality. It's our top pick and available for just $70 from Google.

See at Google

Chromecast-enabled TVs and Speakers

If you're looking to upgrade your home theatre setup and would like streamline things with less dongles, there's a growling selection of Smart TVs with Chromecast built right, with 4K sets available from the following brands:

For streaming audio, the biggest gap in Google's strategy is a lack of support for Sonos. Sonos has hinted that Google Assistant functionality might arrive in time for the 2018 holiday shopping season but it's still frustrating for anyone who's invested in — or looking to start building out — a Sonos system throughout their home. Alternatively, Google's own Chromecast Audio ($40) lets you turn practically any older speakers in your house into smart speakers which you can control and cast to with Google Assistant.

For the all-in-one smart speakr with Chromecast and/or Google Assistant built right in, there's an abundance of options available for discerning consumers. Currently, there are over 20 brands working on all sorts of awesome Chromecast-enabled speakers, soundbars, subwoofers, and home theatre receivers:

Nest

Nest is one of the best known manufacturers of smart home automation products, which include self-learning, Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, smoke detectors and security cameras.

With Google Home and a Nest thermostat, you'll be able to effortlessly control the temperature of your home using only your voice. Nest also works well with other smart products, such as lights, doorbells, and smart locks.

See at Amazon


SmartThings

Samsung's SmartThings is a very capable and customizable home automation system that features five different smart sensors for home monitoring, all linked together wirelessly via the Hub. The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit comes with a Hub, two Multipurpose Sensors, a Motion Sensor and an Outlet. You can configure them however you like in your home, then get instant notifications if anything is out of the normal. You can also buy additional sensors, including an Arrival Sensor and a Water Leak Sensor.

SmartThings is incredibly versatile as it is, but it's even better with Google Home integration.

See at Amazon

Phillips Hue

Phillips is one of the leading manufacturers of wireless LED smart bulbs. The Phillips Hue lineup features a multitude of different lighting options for around your home, which must be configured through the Phillips Hue Bridge via. You're able to connect up to 50 lights to one Bridge and then configure and control them in so many different ways.

Google Home works just great with Phillips Hue lights allowing you to turn on and adjust your Phillips Hue lights throughout your house without leaving the couch, or easily turn off all the lights when you're leaving the house or it's time for bed.

See at Amazon

LIFX Smart Lights

LIFX offers their third generation of smart bulbs for both indoors and outdoors. Both offer 1100 lumens of brightness, with options to customize the look with 16 million colors and 1000 shades of warm to cool whites.

A single bulb starts at $59.99, but if you're planning to do up your home with LIFX bulbs, you're definitely better off buying in bulk. You save $66 by getting the Master Pack, which comes with six bulbs.

See at LIFX

TP-Link offers a line of smart plugs and switches that allow you to convert the lamps and appliances you already own into smart devices you can automate to power on or control with your voice.

Their newest smart plug, the Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini ($27), is their most compact option yet, leaving the second outlet free.

See at Amazon

Wink hub automation

Wink's latest smart home hub, the Wink Hub 2, works with products from Z-Wave and Zigbee, offering a wide range of home automation options.

If you build your home automation around a Wink Hub, you can control all your Wink-compatible lighting products (lightbulbs, switches, dimmers, and outlets) and thermostats using Google Assistant on Google home. It's all integrated right into the Google Home app, letting you group lights in specific rooms and control everything using only your voice and Google Assistant.

See at Wink

Vivint Home Security / Google Home security cameras

Vivint offers complete home automation and security packages for those who don't want to piece their home automation together one component at a time. The system features a main control panel that moderates communication between you and all your home automation devices, including lights, security cameras, thermostats, and smart locks. The main console features a touch-screen dashboard and two-way talk to Vivint Smart Home security monitoring teams.

Vivint products now integrate with Google Home allowing you full control over your smart home security and devices around your home using only your voice. If you're interested, you'll need to call Vivint to inquire about pricing and set up an installation appointment.

Learn More

Rachio Sprinklers

If your home has an automated sprinkler system, Rachio wants to save you money on your water bill by optimizing your sprinkler system to only turn on when it needs to. They offer a Wi-Fi-connected controller for your sprinkler system which checks the local forecast and will adjust schedules based on past, present, and future weather, and will also make intelligent seasonal adjustments as needed.

With the Google Assistant integration, you will be able to control your sprinkler system using only your voice to turn the water on or off, and also update your schedule as needed.

Learn More

Logitech Harmony

Logitech continues to dominate the smart remote sector, with its Harmony Elite remote and hub package ($115) allowing you to connect and control more devices than ever from the couch.

With the latest integration with Google Assistant, you can do even more without even picking up the remote at all!

Learn More

Geeni Connected Tech

Geeni Offers intuitive solutions for your smart home automation goals. Their products range from security cameras, lighting, as well as smart plugs and power strips. Everything is controlled in the Geeni app, but now with integration with Google Assistant, you also have the option to control things with your voice, too.

See at MyGeeni

August Smart Locks

August offers elegant smart locks to help keep your home secure. You're able to remotely control your front door from anywhere using the August Connect app.

With the Google Assistant integration, you're able to ask Google to confirm whether your front door is unlocked when you're expecting company, and lock the doors when you're headed to bed. There are three generations of August Smart Lock, and they're all compatible with Google Assistant — though you'll also need an August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge ($78)to get everything connected.

See at Amazon

iHome Control

iHome has been a popular name in home speakers and alarm clocks that connect to your smartphone, so it should come as little surprise that the company has also gotten into the smart home sector.

They feature a line of smart home accessories that work with Google Assistant, including the SmartMonitor ($33), which offers 24/7 home monitoring using built-in sensors for motion, temperature, light, sound, and humidity.

They also offer three different smart plug models, with the iSP8 model including a handy RF remote control with programmable buttons that allow you to control individual or grouped plugs without opening your phone. It's a great option for guests or younger kids in the home.

Learn more

Lux Kono Smart Thermostat

The Lux Kono Smart Thermostat is a premium product that's been designed to better integrate with your home decor. You can control your home temperature using the big dial on the wall-mounted thermostat, or connect to your phone using the Lux Products app which lets you control things from your phone and connect to either Google Assistant or Alexa for true smart home control over your thermostat.

Get yours for just $150, and don't forget to pick up a snap-on cover to match your home decor for just $10!

See at Lux

Hive Home Automation

Hive offers a full suite of home automation products which allow you to set up smart automation for comfort and security. The products they offer include a home hub, smart thermostat, motion sensors, smart plugs, and smart bulbs. You're able to control everything using Google Assistant by creating some commands using IFTTT.

Hive offers their products via a monthly subscription service — the standard package is available for $29.99 a month and includes a Hive Hub, two Hive Active Plugs, four Hive Active Lights, two Window or Door Sensors, one Motion Sensor, and the Hive Active Thermostat. It's a bit of a different model for smart home automation, but might be appealing to renters or folks not ready to fully invest in owning home automation products just yet

Learn more

Honeywell

Honeywell offers a wide range of home automation solutions for around your home that are built into its Tuxedo Touch Home Security and Automation Controller. Honeywell's products use Z-Wave and are fully compatible with Google Home.

If you're looking to connect your Z-Wave-enabled thermostat, smart bulbs, smart locks, and other smart home products together via a single home hub, with mobile integration that allows you to control everything remotely from your smartphone, Honeywell offers a compelling

Read more about the Honeywell Home Automation system here, then visit the Honeywell website to find a dealer location near you.

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NuBryte Smart Home Automation

NuBryte offers a smart home automation solution that's pretty comprehensive and customizable. The system is built around the NuBryte Touchpoint Smart Console ($334), which NuBryte recommends putting one in each of the main rooms of your home.

Each console replaces the light switch in the room (available in single and double switch models) and includes built-in camera for motion detection, touch-free controls for your lighting, a built-in intercom for room-to-room communication and whole home broadcasting when it's time for dinner, along with a home hub for integrating other smart home sensors and integrations. Full integration with Google Home means you'll be able to control things in a room without a console by using your voice.

NuBryte is coming out with their own line of complementary smart switches as well, which are expected to launch this summer.

Learn More

Smartika

Smartika is a Canadian company that offers rather stylish home automation products for lighting your home which are fully compatible with Google Home as well as Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

Everything is controlled via the Smartika Hub, which lets you create groups and scenes by programming automated functions. The Hub also lets you connect to the Smartika mobile app, which lets you easily interconnect and control all your Smartika products.

Beyond the Hub, Smartika offers five different lighting fixtures, which range from $135 for a recessed ceiling lights to $500 for a full tracklight setup with four adjustable lights — perfect for a kitchen renovation.

Installation is available for those living in Quebec and Ontario, otherwise you're left to install things on your own via the included installation and user manual.

Learn More

AWAIR Air Filtration

According to AWAIR, the air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than outside, and that can end up aggravating allergies or asthma, affecting your concentration or sleep quality, and much more.

To combat this, AWAIR has developed a line of smart products that monitor the air quality in your home. Each device monitors five aspects that determine air quality — temperature, humidity, CO2, airborne chemicals, and dust. AWAIR monitors all these factors and churns out a quick guide that gives you a good idea of how clean the air is in your home at a glance and will also send tips to your smartphone offering tips and suggestions. The AWAIR Glow is arguably the coolest device AWAIR sells — it plugs right into an outlet and can be set up to turn on an appliance such as a dehumidifier or air filtration system at a specific time or when levels get a bit high. Once connected to Google Home, you're also able to use the AWAIR Glow to control whichever device you have plugged in using just your voice.

The Glow starts at around $109, but AWAIR also sells standalone sensor units available with a clever LED display built into the front that start at around $179.

Learn More

Deako Smart Switches

Deako offers a selection of smart switches and dimmers for upgrading your home's lighting to something that can be controlled via a smartphone app or using Google Assistant.

The hardware itself is well designed and sold in a starter pack that includes five smart switches along with a Bluetooth to Wi-Fi Bridge which is required for connecting the system to Google Assistant. The starter kit sells for $300, while individual switches are sold for $55 and dimmers are sold for $80. Each switch or dimmer is touch activated with three scenes that you can customize in the Deako app. The Deako switches are extremely customizable and should work with nearly any home setup.

Learn more

Nanoleaf Aurora

Most of the smart home products we've featured are practical solutions, but the Nanoleaf Aurora? This is just downright cool.

Aurora consists of modular panels that you can connect together into whatever shape your heart desires. Russell Holly dove in with a full review but in short these are futuristic triangle panels of light which you can arrange into fantastic shapes and then control via your smartphone. Nanoleaf Aurora is now compatible with Google Assistant meaning you'll be able to control these rad lights with your voice.

The Rhythm Starter Kit sells for $229 and comes with nine light panels along with the Rhythm module that allows the light panels to respond to your music, putting on a pretty epic personal light show. 15- and 30-panel kits are also available.

Learn more

LG SmartThinQ

If it's time to replace some of your appliances around your home, and you're looking to invest in creating a smart home with appliances that you can control with your voice — we're talking fridges, dishwashers, air conditioners, and your washer and dryer combo — you should consider getting some LG appliances with SmartThinQ technology. SmartThinQ is LG's smart home app for controlling its latest connected appliances, and it also integrates well with Google Home.

Simply link your LG SmartThinQ account to your Google Home account and you'll be able to check on the time remaining on your laundry load, make sure you remembered to turn off the stove, or control your LG air conditioner using just your voice.

Learn More

Smarter iKettle and Smarter Coffee

If you're a Star Trek fan that wants to live in a world where you simply tell your "computer" to brew you a cup of "tea, Earl Grey, hot", the folks at Smarter have made that nerd dream just a bit closer to reality with the latest generation of smart kettles and coffee makers.

The iKettle is a connected kettle you can control with your phone, set it to start boiling water when you wake up, or have the kettle ready for you when you arrive home after work. The Smarter Coffee Maker is the coffee lovers best friend. You'll be able to load it up with your favorite coffee beans and then have coffee brewed on demand with just a few taps of your phone.

With added support for Google Assistant, you'll be able to control these devices using just your voice — and the functionality extends further than just turning on the kettle or brewing a cup of coffee. You'll be able to set a specific temperature for the kettle or change the strength of your coffee brew using just your voice and Google Assistant.

Learn More

Many, many more.

Google Assistant supports over 1,500 home automation products. Be sure to do some research if you want to design your smart home.

Learn More

Supported services

Spotify

Over 100 million people use Spotify for all their music streaming needs. Of those, 40 million are paid subscribers. The point here is that Spotify is massively popular and if you aren't already using it, you probably know a bunch of people who do.

With Google Home, simply say "OK Google", followed by your favourite artist, album, song, or playlist, and your music will almost instantly start playing through the Google Home speaker. This is absolutely perfect for playing music in the kitchen when your hands are too messy to be handling a phone, or for setting the right mood for a party or intimate evening. We're also eager to see how smooth it is to use Google Home to cast your Spotify music to your Chromecast Audio-enabled speakers for an even better audio experience.

Pandora

Pandora is a fantastic music recommendation platform which is used by over 200 million people in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. It's a customizable internet radio streaming service that allows you to curate your own streams using algorithms that recommends new music it knows you'll love based on your musical tastes and how you've rated other music.

With Google Home, you'll be able to throw on your favorite Pandora station using just your voice. In its current iteration, Google Assistant is unable to identify songs like Shazam or other apps of that sort, but we'd hope to see your Google Assistant give you the information about a song you've just discovered on Pandora, just by asking "what song is playing?" as well as an option to rate songs and skip if necessary.

Google Play Music

Kind of a no brainer, but Google Home will obviously play well with Google Play Music. And that's great news, since Google has slowly build its core music app to encompass a full-fledged streaming service featuring 35 million songs available on-demand (with a subscription) along with mood- and activity-based stations (you may have known it as Songza), along with being a great option for podcasts. A natural fit with Google Home, you'll definitely want to get a Google Play Music subscription if you don't already have one.

TuneIn

Believe it or not, but some people actually prefer to listen to the radio. TuneIn is absolutely the go-to app for accessing online radio, music, and talk stations. Even with the free version, you get access to over 100,000 radio stations from around the world, along with over five million podcasts as well. If you decide to upgrade to the premium subscription, you'll also get access to live NFL and MLB play-by-play, along with a large library of audiobooks.

It will be really interesting to see how third-party streaming services such as TuneIn are integrated into the Google Home experience via the Google Assistant, whether you'll be able to make a broad request ("Play a top-40 radio station from the UK in TuneIn") or stick to more specific requests based on your app usage ("Play my favorite local radio station in TuneIn").

iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is another great option for those that prefer to listen to the radio instead of newer streaming services. iHeartRadio is a free, ad-supported radio platform that connects users with over 850 radio stations from across the United States and Canada. The service also includes thousands of podcasts if you don't want to strictly listen to music.

You can use your voice to play your favorite stations, skip songs, and control volume. Be sure to give iHeartRadio a try!

YouTube

YouTube is another obvious starting point for Google to incorporating video search and playback controls with Google Home. With so much content available on YouTube and natural alignment within Google's existing ecosystem (hello, Chromecast), it offers the best experience when using Google Assistant.

YouTube is also the world's largest music streaming service, becoming such a primary destination for lovers of music that they came out with the YouTube Music app. A subscription to YouTube Red is required.

The YouTube Music app isn't available for everyone just yet, but it too is listed as being compatible with Google Home. The Pixel's Google Assistant frequently completes music requests using YouTube, so we'd imagine it to be just as smooth an experience with Google Home. There's also the YouTube TV service, which is not widely available in the U.S. let alone elsewhere in the world, that is also compatible with Google Assistant.

Netflix

Some days you just want to lounge on the couch and watch Netflix for hours. Other days you can't even be bothered to find the remote. Fortunately, you can use Google Home to cast your favorite Netflix show or movie to your Chromecast-enabled TV. All you need to do is say something like "Play Arrested Development on Netflix". If you have multiple Google Homes in your house, you may need to specify by adding "Play Arrested Development on Netflix on Living Room TV."

You will need a Netflix subscription to access the content, and you will also need to link your Netflix account in the Google Home app.

Learn more

HBO NOW

Game of Thrones fans, did you know that you can settle in to watch your favorite show using just your voice? The HBO NOW app was already Chromecast-compatible, and the app recently joined the growing list of video apps compatible with Google Assistant.

All you need to do is ask Google Assistant to play your favorite HBO show, and it will intelligently find the show using the app. You will need an HBO NOW subscription of course, but with so much great content on HBO, why wouldn't you have one, right?

Learn More

CBS All Access

CBS All Access is another recent service that added Google Assistant support. CBS All Access features all the content from CBS's stable of popular shows including The Big Bang Theory, Survivor, and Star Trek: Discovery.

All you have to do is say "OK Google, play Star Trek: Discovery in the Living Room" and away you go. I mean, let's be real here — it's only fitting that you're able to use a voice-activated computer to stream the latest Star Trek series to your Chromecast-enabled TV. Welcome to the future!

Learn more

IFTTT

IFTTT is a free web service that lets you create chains of conditional commands, called "recipes," to automate processes between apps and smart home devices. IFTTT is an abbreviation of "If This Then That", and that's exactly how the recipes function. For example, say you're concerned about your teenager getting into the liquor cabinet when you're away. If you have a SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor on the liquor cabinet door, you can create an IFTTT recipe that goes "if the liquor cabinet door is opened, call my phone," so you'll know instantly if something's up.

IFTTT is compatible with a ridiculous number of IoT devices, applications, and online services — including Google's OnHub router — and is something you should definitely check out with or without Google Home.

Check out IFTTT recipes created for Google Assistant

What do you think?

Are there any services or products you're hoping to connect and control via Google Home? Let us know in the comments!

Update August 2018: Updated the Chromecast-enabled TVs and speakers sections and updated other entries with the latest product information.

Google Hardware

Google Wifi:
Google Amazon

Google Home:
Google Best Buy

Chromecast Ultra:
Google Best Buy



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