NEWS – Two weeks ago my old but fully functional Pixel 3a XL got valued at a respectable $180 at the Google Store so I ordered a Pixel 6a. The deal is, once the phone is inspected and is found to be factory reset, powers on, and has an unbroken screen, it is predicted (not …
Phone trade-in values at the Google Store are in flux. Check yours now! Read More
NEWS – My cat ignores me most of the time, but this can’t hangs on your every command as long as you start that command with “Hey Google”. The Caat is a specially designed silicone case for your Google Nest Mini speaker. Available in White, Black, and Red, the Caat case turns the small round …
ARTICLE – The Pixel 2 XL was my all-time favorite smartphone for a couple of years and I kept going back to it each time I’d try the newest flagship from various other phone makers. I purchased the Pixel 3 XL last year but promptly returned it because it felt almost identical to the 2 …
Julie’s gadget diary – The Pixel 4 XL makes me want to switch to an iPhone Read More
REVIEW – I’m an enthusiastic investor in the Google ecosphere. I have a Nest thermostat and Hello doorbell. Before they were rolled up into the Nest brand, I purchased a Google Max, two Google Assistants, two Google Minis and three Google Home Hubs. I particularly love the Home Hub (now the Nest Hub) – the …
ARTICLE – Google recently announced a new feature that allows users to automatically delete their web and app activity (CNET). You can choose from three options: “Keep until I delete manually”, “Keep for 18 months”, or “Keep for 3 months”. Once you go through the steps to automatically delete this data on one device, it …
How to automatically delete Google’s Web & App Activity data Read More
ARTICLE – On May 7, 2019, Google made available to Pixel devices the long-awaited Google Maps Augmented Reality (AR) feature. I have a Pixel 2 XL and my Google Maps AR states that it is a “Preview” of the feature. I was on a trip to Austin, Texas – a place that was not familiar …
ARTICLE – In the past, my Gmail web interface looked a bit cluttered (shown in the above screenshot). I was curious about streamlining this look and stumbled upon several tech news articles that pointed me toward the Simplify Gmail Chrome extension. This extension was written by a former lead designer of Gmail, Michael Leggett, with …
Declutter Gmail’s web interface by using the Simplify Gmail Chrome extension Read More
NEWS – Did you receive a Google Home Mini as a holiday gift? Instead of keeping it prisoner on a table or shelf, tethered to a power cord, set it free with a portable charging base from KIWI Design. The bowl-shaped base holds a 7800mAh portable power charger that will keep your portable voice assistant …
Set your Google Home Mini free with a portable battery base Read More
NEWS – If you’re looking for a time and for products to start building your smart home system, now is your time, and Google Home Hub and Nest are your products! Nest is now offering the Google Home Hub, and they are offering you $100 savings and free shipping if you buy a Google Home …
Google Home and Nest are better together – and will save you $100! Read More
NEWS – Have you ever wished that your Google Home Mini voice assistant looked less like a speaker and more like everyone’s favorite cartoon mouse, Otterbox has just what you need with their new Den Series. I don’t quite understand the naming concept, but who cares about that when you can turn the charcoal colored …
Otterbox turns your Google Home Mini into Mickey Mouse Read More
NEWS – GE has announced that the will be the first appliance manufacturer to work directly with Google Assistant. That means that instead of saying, “Hey Google, ask Geneva Home to preheat the oven to 425 degrees,” you’ll now be able to say to your GE WiFi Connected appliance, “Hey Google, preheat the oven to …
GE WiFi Connected Appliances will now work directly with Google Assistant Read More
NEWS – About 5 years ago ( 🙂 ) I wrote a news item on Mightytext, a neat utility that allowed you to send and receive texts on your desktop. I’ve been using this pretty much every day since. Well, finally Google has come up with their own version otherwise known as Google Android Messages. Like Mightytext you …
Google brings texting to your desktop with Android Messages Read More
ARTICLE – Google joined the smart speaker market in 2016, and has since released the Google Home and Google Home Mini. Now there’s a new device, the Google Home Max, which came out in late 2017. In a world where tech devices are getting smaller, the Max needs to have some serious advantages over the …
In today’s technology-driven world that is constantly evolving and redefining the way we live, smart devices have become an integral part of our home environment, and as such, their designs must adhere to the decor demands of consumers. In an effort to comply, many companies have come up with creative ideas to make sure that …
The Mount Genie Smart Home Shelf is smart decor for smart devices Read More
I’ve been using a Pixel 2 XL Android smartphone for the past 5 months and have yet to write a review about it even though it has swiftly become one of my all-time favorite Android phones. Does that mean it’s the perfect Android smartphone? Nope, not even close. But right now it’s perfect for me and …