Google Home

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That's definitely a turnoff.

I'm too invested in Amazon to even consider any of the Google Home devices.

The only thing I use my Dots for is Tunein Radio. I got them to replace the very old Roku Soundbridge devices I had. I had four of them, but they are all dead now. So if the Mini could connect to a Bluetooth speaker I would have tried it. That's how the Dot in my bedroom is connected. The other Dots are all connected to very old office sized stereos, but I'm sure they won't last forever either especially since I had one in the bedroom died recently.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wodin

Yup, Google is a day late and a dollar short in this arena, and that's in spite of their advantages of the largest knowledge base on the planet, and threaded conversations.

I hear ya.

If I want to get better answers, I just do the "OK Google" bit on my Android phone. So it's no big deal that Alexa is lacking in this area.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

The only thing I use my Dots for is Tunein Radio. I got them to replace the very old Roku Soundbridge devices I had. I had four of them, but they are all dead now. So if the Mini could connect to a Bluetooth speaker I would have tried it. That's how the Dot in my bedroom is connected. The other Dots are all connected to very old office sized stereos, but I'm sure they won't last forever either especially since I had one in the bedroom died recently.

My Dots do Spotify for playlists, Pandora for stations, TuneIn for old-time radio/ local FM radio, and Audible for books.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

My Dots do Spotify for playlists, Pandora for stations, TuneIn for old-time radio/ local FM radio, and Audible for books.

So? If I never bought a gadget because what I have works, I wouldn't have many. And I need lots. I asked hubby if he would supply my gadget addiction after I retired. He said yes, but I don't know if he knew how serious it was. We have separate credit cards and separate checking accounts, but both of our names are on the checking account.

[tubemonkey]

​Google ditches Home Mini's top-touch panel feature after spying blunder

Google's Home Mini has permanently lost the ability to receive top-tap commands over privacy concerns.

Google has now permanently removed the touch-to-activate Google Assistant feature on its Home Mini smart speaker, after temporarily disabling it in response to privacy concerns.

As ZDNet reported yesterday, Google's first firmware update for the Home Mini switched off the touch function after it was found that a unit handed out at the Made by Google launch was recording almost everything it heard and transmitting the data to Google.

Artem Russakovskii discovered the Home Mini was "inadvertently spying on me 24/7 due to a hardware flaw".

According to Google, some of the Home Mini devices were registering "phantom" touches on the touch panel, which incorrectly woke up Google Assistant, in Russakovskii's case thousands of times a day. Prior to the update, users could activate Google's artificially intelligence assistant by either touching the panel or by saying "OK Google".

[tubemonkey]

[Fixed issue] Google Home Mini touch controls behaving incorrectly

Update

Top touch functionality

We've decided to permanently remove all top touch functionality on Google Home Mini. We made this decision to avoid any confusion and give you complete peace of mind while using your Mini. The update will be completely rolled out by end of day October 15, 2017.

The good news is you get the same functionality using your voice.

• Start a request: Say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" instead of pressing and holding the top of Mini.
  
• Control music, alarms, and timers: Say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google <pause/play/stop>" instead of tapping the top of Mini.

Volume control

Mini's volume controls haven't changed. You can still control volume by side touch and voice.

[tubemonkey]

Why Google is terrified about Alexa, and what it's doing in response

• Amazon controls about three-quarters of the market for home automation devices, according to a report last month.
  
• Google is adding reminders to its Google Home products to make the devices more personal.
  
• In moving to voice, Google has to protect privacy and figure out how to monetize data.

Amazon's early lead in the home is a problem for Google — and not just because Alexa is outselling Home by a wide margin.

In the new world of voice-powered computing, Amazon is rolling out popular features like skills and reminders that take users entirely out of Google's massive ecosystem. Late last month, Google added reminders to its home assistant, a long-awaited feature that lets consumers get voice prompts to walk their dog or take out the trash.

Even as Google plays catch-up with new functions and lures users with lower-priced products, the web giant faces a business model conundrum. Almost 90 percent of parent Alphabet's $90.3 billion in revenue last year came from advertising, mostly search, video and mobile.