Long-awaited Google Now voice controls might soon be coming to Nest

By Drew Prindle Published December 17, 2014

nest google now voice controlled thermostat screen shot 2014 12 15 at 10 41 50 am — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Back when Nest first announced its “Works with Nest” developer program, the company promised that, in the not-so-distant future, Learning Thermostat owners would be able to control their homes’ temperature via Google Now commands spoken into their mobile devices. You’d be able to say something like, “Ok, Google, set the temperature to 70 degrees,” and Nest would magically obey. We haven’t seen this function appear quite yet, but signs suggest that it’s just a few steps away from being released into the wild.

Droid-Life has discovered that Google Now currently responds to temperature requests and will attempt to set the temp on your Nest thermostat when you ask. The only problem is that all the steps aren’t finished, so Google fails to complete the task initially. After you speak your command, Google Now will recognize the request, fail (because it’s not connected to a thermostat), and then bring up a card. Here, it’ll ask you to authorize your Google account to work with Nest. You can tap the “Yes, I’m in” button, but you’ll be redirected to a page that’s not quite live yet. This authorization step is the last piece of the puzzle; once it goes live, we’ll be in business.

Recommended Videos

Furthermore, based on the screenshots in the picture above, it appears that there will actually be two different integrations rolling out soon — one for setting the temperature via spoken commands, and another that’ll use geofencing to recognize when you’re on your way home so that Nest can adjust the temperature before you arrive.

Exactly how much longer we’ve got to wait for these features to be released is anybody’s guess at this point, but it definitely seems like it’s just around the corner.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…

Smart Home

Blink Mini 2 vs. Nest Cam (Indoor): Which is the better affordable security camera?

The Google Nest Cam Indoor on a table.

The Blink Mini 2 and Google Nest Cam (Indoor) are two of the best budget security cameras on the market. They both cost less than $100, are easy to set up, and are packed with features despite their low price. You can't go wrong adding either to your home, but there are some key differences to understand if you're looking to get the best security camera for your property.

From pricing and ongoing fees to resolution and more, here's a comprehensive look at the Blink Mini 2 and Nest Cam (Indoor) to help you decide which is the better security camera for your smart home.
Pricing and monthly fees

Smart Home

Google rolls out new Nest Cam features to Google Home for web

Nest Cams on a counter.

While many users access Google Home on their smartphone or smart display, the platform is also available via web browser. The web-based Google Home experience wasn't exactly the best way to access your smart devices, but that's rapidly changing as Google rolls out new updates to the client -- the latest of which adds a ton of new ways to access your Nest Cams.

Google began rolling out the update late last week, and most users should now have access to the improved Google Home for web experience. The big draw is access to your Nest Cam history and the option to download clips. Prior to this update, it was impossible to view recorded clips via Google Home for web, forcing you to instead jump into the official Google Home app.

Smart Home

How to factory reset a Google Nest Cam (indoor or outdoor)

Closeup of camera on the Google Nest Cam (battery).

One of the most popular security cameras of 2024 is the Google Nest Cam. With a sleek design, reasonable price, and support for both indoor and outdoor use, it’s a versatile camera that works well regardless of where it's installed. However, like all electronics, things don't always work as expected. When this happens, it might be time to perform a factory reset.