Latest news with #GoogleHome
Gizmodo
12 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Google Home Is So Bad That a Lawsuit Could Be on Its Way
There's been some trouble at home lately. Not your home, hopefully, but if you live in Google HQ, then maybe. Last week, people using the Google Home app flooded Reddit with complaints over smart home products that mysteriously stopped working—lights, cameras, smart plugs, you name it. Those complaints were so numerous, in fact, that Google even bothered to address them and do better. Things in the Googleverse were (or are) bad, to say the least. But just because they're bad right now doesn't mean they can't get worse—and worse they may still get. For Google, that is. As it turns out, Google's overtures about fixing its smart home app and doing better may not be enough for people, and all of that pushback may actually result in a good, old-fashioned class-action lawsuit. 'Kaplan Gore has begun investigating a possible class action against Google LLC for failing to remedy increasing problems with its Google Home 'smart home' service,' the law firm Kaplan Gore said in a statement. 'Unfortunately, many users have reported functionality issues with Google Home and associated Google and/or Nest devices, resulting in commands not being recognized or properly executed. Users are reporting that they are experiencing these issues despite their devices having previously functioned normally and despite having a stable internet connection.' Hey everyone, I want to acknowledge the recent feedback about Google Assistant reliability on our home devices. I sincerely apologize for what you're experiencing and feeling! — Anish Kattukaran (@AnishKattukaran) July 23, 2025Kaplan Gore also has a form for any users experiencing those issues and is asking them to fill out some information and join a class action. In the immortal words of crime-fighting cartoon dog Scooby-Doo, 'ru-roh.' On one hand, it's wild that a company as titanic and well-resourced as Google let its smart home app get to the point of being the subject of a possible class-action lawsuit, but on the other—if you've been using Google Assistant for a while now—it feels long overdue. Google Assistant has steadily gotten worse over the years, and just about anyone using it on a daily basis has noticed. Even simple prompts for turning your lights on or off feel hit and miss. That makes recent issues in the Google Home app feel even more egregious, especially since those issues prevented many from using smart products in their homes entirely. According to loads of complaints on Reddit, Google Home has been so broken that some users have reported being unable to even turn their smart lights on and off properly. And it's not just lights; all kinds of smart devices have been swept up, including other speakers and even (disconcertingly) cameras and smart doorbells. If you're experiencing similar issues, by the way, you can try pulling open the Google Home app and tapping Settings in the bottom-right corner, then tap 'Works with Google,' and a list of your synced apps should show up. If they're no longer synced, re-sync the app by finding it under 'Add new.' If they're still synced and not working, unsync the app by tapping on the icon and then tapping 'Unlink account.' After that, you can try syncing once more and hope that it works.
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
The hottest deals on air conditioners to help you keep cool this summer
Summer weather is getting unbearable in many parts of the U.S., with record-high temperatures all over the country. To beat the heat, investing in an air conditioner is a must. We've lined up some top air conditioner deals, from budget-friendly options to portable solutions and high-tech, smart AC units. Original price: $449.99 BLACK+DECKER makes a smart portable air conditioner that also functions as a dehumidifier and a fan. Ideal for small apartments or larger rooms in your home, the AC can cool areas up to 700 square feet. You can control the AC from anywhere with a mobile app that's available on the Apple and Google Play stores. Alexa and Google Assistant users can also control the AC with their voice. Original price: $499 Instead of storing away your bulky AC for the winter, get the Midea smart inverter air conditioner, which doubles as a small heater. It can cool or heat rooms up to 550 square feet. The Midea AC is so quiet, you'll barely notice it's running. The ECO energy-saver feature automatically shuts off the AC when the room reaches your optimal temperature. You can wirelessly control the AC unit with the SmartHome App, or with your voice via Alexa or Google Assistant. Original price: $249 Frigidaire's 6,000 BTU air conditioner is an affordable option for small apartments and rooms. It cools areas up to 250 square feet and runs quietly. You can choose between three different fan speeds and select a custom temperature. You'll be alerted when the reusable filter needs cleaning, you just need to rinse it off. Save on energy with the Frigidaire's Eco Mode, or use Sleep Mode to gradually increase the temperature overnight. You can also use Dry Mode to remove excess moisture from the air on particularly humid days. Original price: $439.99 The compact design of the Honeywell Slim & Smart portable AC makes it easy to move around your house as needed. You can control the temperature, schedule and fan speeds all from the Honeywell mobile app, or with your voice using Alexa or Google. Honeywell's AC cools rooms up to 660 square feet, so it's great for most rooms in an average house. Original price: $439.99 Looking for a quiet, convenient AC? The Dreo portable air conditioner has a patented noise isolation system that ensures the AC runs quietly enough to work or sleep comfortably. There's no need for drainage with this model, thanks to the self-evaporating system that Dreo is known for. Not only does the Dreo system cool, but it dehumidifies and acts as a fan for the cooler summer days. Smart technology allows you to control the unit using Siri, Alexa and Google Home. You can also monitor the temperature and customize your sleep schedule to set an optimal sleeping temperature right from the Dreo app. Original price: $359 A Hisense 10,000 BTU air conditioner is easy to maintain and install. The filter is removable and washable, so it's easy to ensure you're always breathing clean air. Included is an easy-to-install window kit that helps you install the AC hassle-free. The smart 24-hour timer helps you program automatic on/off times that match your schedule. Using this feature, you can be sure your home is nice and cool when you come home from work, but isn't running all day. You can choose between multiple different cooling modes, including fan, dry and cool. Original price: $219 Cool up to 250 square feet with the GE 6,000 BTU window air conditioner. This efficient model is on the more affordable side, and is a good choice for smaller studio apartments, bedrooms and home offices. This is a quieter AC, so there's no worrying about disruptions when you're studying, working or watching TV. There are three cooling modes, and you can also choose between three different fan speeds to get the perfect temperature. For more Deals, visit There are hundreds of air conditioner models to choose from, so if you're trying to figure out where to start, we answer a few of the most common questions shoppers ask. Air conditioners' cooling capacity is measured in BTUs, with higher BTU ratings indicating a more powerful unit. If you have a large room, upwards of 300 square feet, look for higher BTU ratings, while smaller rooms can handle lower capacity ACs. Most ACs state the size room they're able to cool. Yes, there are definitely energy-efficient air conditioner models that take less energy to cool your home. Many ACs also have eco modes that shut the AC off and on when you're not home, when you're sleeping or when it gets cool enough in the room. With proper maintenance, most air conditioners can last for years. Make sure to take window units out and store them in dry places. Covers or keeping the original boxes to store your ACs in can help components stay clean and safe.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Google is rolling out a fix for Home smart light voice control
TL;DR Google Home has been suffering from multiple connectivity issues going back about a week. Users have complained in particular about not being able to control smart lights via voice command. Google is currently deploying a fix for that smart light issue, but it sounds like others might remain. Google has a smart home problem. When you've got an entire household of smart devices all configured and running through Google Home, it's no surprise that glitches will occasionally pop up. Any while many of us will tolerate Google Home frustrations for years, things definitely feel like they've all of a sudden gotten much worse. But even as lawyers solicit users for a possible class-action response, the situation may finally be shifting back towards the better, as Google shares word of a new fix headed out. This most recent spate of incident reports started up about one week ago. Users described Home failing to control their devices, and Google was reasonably quick to acknowledge that this was, indeed, a new problem affecting Home. While that was a great start, and Google said that it would be working on a fix, that solution was not immediately available. Over the next few days, the problem only seemed to get worse, with controlling groups of lights emerging as a particular point of failure. We can't say yet just if this will resolve all the overarching issues impacting Home, but Google has finally shared that a fix for the glitch 'impacting the ability to target and control some lights using voice commands' has been created and is currently being distributed. In fact, the company itself seems uncertain just how effective this measure might be, and in its comments revealing the fix on Reddit, Google asks that any Home users still experiencing problems either reply there or submit feedback through the app. Even if Google does manage to resolve this current buggy behavior, will you still stick with Home, or are you tempted to drop it for an alternative like Alexa? For as annoying as setting everything up all over again sounds, at least we live in a world where we have our pick of multiple smart home solutions. Follow
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
Crippling Google Home issues spark potential class action response
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR A US law firm is investigating a possible class action against Google. The class action would be focused on the deteriorating performance of Home and Nest devices. Recently, users have reported that their smart home devices are increasingly misunderstanding commands or failing to respond. It's been rough for Google Home users as of late. A growing number of them have been experiencing issues with their smart home devices, ranging from misheard commands and delayed responses to devices performing the wrong actions or completely ignoring instructions. Although Google has promised that improvements are just around the corner, that may not be enough to prevent a class action that could be on the way. Kaplan Gore LLP, a US law firm, says it has started an investigation into a possible class action lawsuit against Google. According to the agency, it's exploring this potential course of action as a result of Google's failure to 'remedy increasing problems with its Google Home 'smart home' service.' It notes that many users have reported functionality issues, despite those devices previously functioning normally and having a steady internet connection. The firm also mentions that instead of fixing the problem, 'Google is allowing the issues with Google Home to increase in scale and frequency nationwide, and is not providing the service it promised users.' The problems plaguing Google Home In a long Reddit thread that we reported on last week, numerous Google Home users recounted the errors they were running into. '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,' one user wrote. Another spoke about how they can't play white noise in their child's room, as the sound will only play in whatever room they are in. Some users have even reported strange malfunctions, like asking Google to turn off a fan, only for it to turn off the lights. Not long after these comments surfaced, Google acknowledged the problem, stating that it would share an update as soon as possible. Following this acknowledgment, Chief Product Officer for Google Home and Nest, Anish Kattukaran, issued this statement: Hey everyone, I want to acknowledge the recent feedback about Google Assistant reliability on our home devices. I sincerely apologize for what you're experiencing and feeling. We hear you loud and clear and are committed to getting this right and making sure we have a long-term solution that provides better reliability and capability. We have been actively working on major improvements for some time and will have more to share in the fall. If you're one of the many users who are experiencing issues with Google Home, Kaplan Gore recommends filling out the form on its website. Completing the form will allow you to find out if you have a potential claim. Follow
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Google Home speaker debacle worsens with more failures — lawsuit imminent
Last week, Google acknowledged the mounting frustration withs some of the best Google Home speakers and promised "major improvements." Not even a week later and it sounds like the issues are getting worse. The problems appeared to be related to Google Assistant, the current voice assistant that Google is going to replace with Gemini AI. The assistant has already been losing features ahead of its successor. Aniah Kattukaran, the Chief Product Officer for Google Home Nest, admitted to problems on X. "We hear you loud and clear and are committed to getting this right — and making sure we have a long term solution that provides better reliability and capability," he wrote. He added that the company is working on major improvements and would have more to share in the fall. Unfortunately, the bugs are occurring now and people are not interested in waiting. Despite acknowledging the problems, users are unhappy and Android Police found a Reddit thread on the Google Home subreddit with people reporting that voice controls for smart lights were totally out of commission. Usually device subreddits are filled with questions about products or attempts to solve problems but a glance through the Google Home subreddit shows a number of posts complaining about voice controls. It's so bad that an official Google moderator for the subreddit popped into that post twice in response to complaints. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "We're aware of an issue with using voice commands to control some lights. We'll share an update as soon as possible, thanks for your patience," they wrote. Another response from June 28 claimed that a fix for the issue was being rolled out, though it was tempered with "some users might still be experiencing issues." One frustrated user commented, "You're not adding how do you manage to screw up the old ones that worked?" Not something you want to see when Google has already promised to fix the problem. These complaints have gotten so so bad that a potential lawsuit may be in the works. The law firm Kaplan Gore announced (via TechRadar) that it is looking into a possible class action suit against Google for "failing to remedy increasing problems with its Google Home service." With so many complaints rolling in, Kaplan Gore says that "rather than fixing these issues, Google is allowing the issues with Google Home to increase in scale and frequency nationwide." The law firm is asking affected customers to fill out a form where they can explain what problems they are having with Google Home. That information would help the firm decide if it has grounds for pursuing a lawsuit. Unfortunately, it looks like Google's Home problems may get worse before they get better. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
