Latest news with #users
The Verge
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
ChatGPT's most popular U.S. use: personal tutor.
ChatGPT's most popular U.S. use: personal tutor. More than five million users of ChatGPT around the world submit more than 2.5 billion messages every day, according to a new OpenAI report. As for how they're using it? In the U.S., about 20 percent of messages pertain to learning, and 18 percent fall into the 'writing and communication' category, for things like drafting emails and marketing copy.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Older Google Home devices are acting up – and users are frustrated
Google's smart speakers and hubs have recently begun experiencing some serious bugs, according to users on Reddit, spotted by Android Authority. The issues are present especially in older Nest hubs and speakers that have become less reliable over the years. It is not the first time we're hearing about concerns with these specific report that the devices are having trouble understanding voice commands and following true. A user reports that almost nothing works, and they keep receiving an error message that "something went wrong". The reported issues are all sorts of things. People say the devices are not hearing the commands right or that there are delayed responses. Some people have observed the devices performing the wrong actions or even completely ignoring commands. Simple things like turning the lights on or off, playing music in specific rooms, or running morning routines are reportedly not working as intended on the affected devices anymore. Unfortunately, those seem not to be just a few isolated instances. It appears more to be a pattern. These features have previously worked flawlessly, but are becoming erratic or non-functional. One person has experienced their device not being able to play white noise in their child's room, but instead playing white noise in the room the user is currently in. There's another reported issue: a strange occurrence when the weather forecast gives different results depending on who's asking. There are also malfunctions reported, such as turning off a fan, resulting in turning off the lights. At the moment, the exact cause of the issue is not clear, but it seems these issues affect older Google smart home devices. Some users suspect the worsening functions of the devices to be somewhat related to Google's upcoming Gemini integration. It's also possible that we're talking about planned obsolescence as well. I think that for anyone who's built their daily routines around these devices, this kind of glitchy behavior can be genuinely frustrating. It's especially tough for people who rely on these devices for accessibility or for helping with kids. Hopefully, Google is already on it and we'll see a fix soon. But it does make you wonder: are these older devices just being left behind on purpose, or is it all just growing pains before a big new update like Gemini? Either way, it's something that needs attention, because smart homes are supposed to make life easier, not harder.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Google Home is becoming a house of glitches, users say
TL;DR Google Home and Nest users are reporting a significant decline in reliability, with devices frequently misunderstanding commands or failing to respond at all. Core features like controlling lights, routines, and speaker groups seem to be breaking down. While the exact cause of the downgraded experience is unclear, users suspect upcoming Gemini updates are to blame. Google's smart speakers and hubs appear to be steadily declining in performance. A recent Reddit thread has highlighted just how these devices, especially older Nest hubs and speakers, have become more unreliable over the years, and it's not the first time users have voiced these concerns. 'Now, I can barely get it to understand any command, or do anything that I could before. Nothing works, and all I get is – Sorry, something went wrong, try again later,' wrote a frustrated user. Users are reporting problems ranging from misheard commands and delayed responses to devices performing the wrong actions or entirely ignoring instructions. Everyday tasks like turning lights on or off, playing music in specific rooms, or running morning routines simply don't work like they used to. Are your Google Home or Nest speakers and hubs still working as expected? 0 votes Yes, everything works fine. NaN % Mostly, some minor issues, but nothing major. NaN % Not really, frequent glitches or failed commands. NaN % No, they've become nearly unusable. NaN % I've already stopped using them. NaN % What's concerning is that these aren't just a few isolated complaints. It seems to be a pattern affecting users who have invested heavily in Google's smart home hardware. Features that once worked without a hitch, like controlling speakers in multiple rooms or triggering routines based on voice recognition, have become erratic or completely non-functional for many. One user described how they can no longer play white noise in their child's room. Instead, the sound plays in whatever room they happen to be standing in. Another user shared a strange issue where asking for the weather gives different results depending on who is speaking in their home. 'I ask for the weather, and it responds correctly every time. My wife asks for the weather, and it literally picks wherever it wants. Yesterday it was Eddyville, Kentucky. Today it picked Shawnee, Oklahoma. We don't even live in that state,' reported another user. Some users have also reported bizarre malfunctions. One person said that whenever they ask their Google device to turn off a fan, it turns off all the lights instead. Another user described how a simple request to turn off bedroom lights leads to shutting off every light in and around their home. While the exact cause of these issues is unclear, the common theme is that Google's smart home devices, especially older models, seem to be getting worse over time. Some users suspect that updates related to Google's upcoming Gemini integration are to blame. Others think it could be a deliberate move to phase out older hardware in favor of new devices. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear. Many Google Home users are no longer getting the smart experience they signed up for, and they are not happy about it. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Google is forcing Pixel 4a owners to install a battery-crippling software update
Google Pixel 4a | Image credit — PhoneArena Earlier this year, Google rolled out a software update for the Pixel 4a, which effectively halved the device's battery capacity to address a battery issue. Some users' response was to avoid that software update as if it were the plague, but it appears that Google has somehow forced it on their Pixel 4a users have reported on Reddit that new software was pushed to their devices despite their best efforts to avoid automatic software updates. The update installed itself in the last 48 hours, and users are receiving a notification that they should replace the phone's battery. Many Pixel 4a users, who wanted to avoid the update, used a Developer Option allowing them to turn off the automatic install of downloaded updates after the device reboots. For months, that option prevented the battery-limiting update from installing, allowing the normal use of Pixel 4a. However, Google has somehow bypassed that developer option, though it is unclear how. The short answer to that question is no, but the story is a little more complicated. Early this year, Google released a surprising update for the Pixel 4a, which reduced the battery capacity of some devices by half. Along with the update, the company announced that it'll offer free battery replacement for the impacted anyone could guess, the update pissed people off, and they tried to reverse it. Google made that very difficult by removing older firmware builds from its repositories, which limited the options for a rollback. However, users did their best to avoid the update and used various techniques, including the Developer Option limiting automatic updates. Google Pixel 4a | Image credit — PhoneArena It later turned out that Google had a solid reason to act the way it did, and it was not all about planned obsolescence. In fact, the Pixel 4 battery had overheating issues, which could potentially lead to fires or burns. So, the update was an attempt from Google to mitigate the risk. If I had a Pixel 4a, I would've probably been annoyed by Google's conduct as well. However, the company continues offering battery replacements and other remedies, which is the recommended way to handle the issue. I know it could be frustrating, but if Google's options are to halve the battery life or have people's phones catching fire, the choice is obvious. So, if you're still using a Pixel 4a, it could be in your best interest to replace its battery or explore alternative device options.
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- General
- Phone Arena
Pixel 10 Pro gets an early reveal with email-only offer from Google
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