Skip to main content

Honeymoon phase over: Google Home users report the first batch of glitches

google home most useful skills io 5 2 1500x1000
Google
For all the Google Home gets right, the device certainly isn’t perfect. According to a number of complaints logged on Google’s dedicated Home Help Forum, a small group of users reported a number of problems surrounding the Home’s ability to react to voice commands. Ideally, a Google Home device actively listens for a wake word and once said, reacts accordingly within a few seconds. However, the users on the forum complain that instead of, say, reading back the day’s weather forecast, their Google Home responds to its wake word with, “Something went wrong, try again in a few seconds.”

An issue which goes against the entire fabric of what Google Home hopes to offer its users, Google is apparently investigating the owners’ claims. As mentioned above, the problem appears to only affect a small number of Home users, though it’s likely others who experience the same affliction have yet to reach out in the forum. Further, the complication seems to trace its relative beginning to around the middle of February — according to the first post on the forum — with the most current post publishing on Wednesday.

Google Home
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To the users’ credit, most exhausted all available options in hopes of remedying the situation. Be it factory resetting the Home itself, rebooting their Wi-Fi or simply turning off and turning on the device, nothing seems to fix the problem — that is, unless Google just sends them a completely new unit. Specifically, many of the users report issues surrounding the Home’s ability to read back weather, set alarms, and interact with Philips Hue smart bulbs (i.e. turning them on or off). As of this writing, however, we haven’t experienced any of the reported issues and still have the ability to fully interact with the Hue lights and talk with the Home.

Recommended Videos

Perhaps the issue comes down to a small set of faulty hardware and less of a full-blown crisis brewing, though it’s hardly the kind of press Google wants for its home assistant. For now, owners must patiently wait as Google looks into the issue.

Rick Stella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
8 Google Assistant settings you should disable or adjust
Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen.

Smart home devices like Google Nest Audio and Google Nest Hub continue to grow more popular every year -- but so do privacy concerns about what data they’re collecting and what’s being shared with their manufacturers. It’s highly unlikely these products are tracking everything you say, but users will be glad to hear there are several settings you can adjust to ensure your information is secure. Beyond security, Google Assistant has plenty of other settings for you to tinker around with, allowing you to optimize its performance for your home.

From adjusting its listening sensitivity to offering up vegan recipes, here’s a look at a few Google Assistant settings you should adjust. Most of these changes take no more than a few seconds to complete but could radically improve your smart home experience.

Read more
Google Home adds support for Nest Cam Indoor
A cartoon depiction of the Google Home app and Nest Cam Indoor.

Google Home is continuing to expand its roster, with Google today adding support for the Nest Cam Indoor (1st Gen). This allows you to manage all aspects of your camera, such as checking your notification history and accessing your camera feed.

There’s a bit of a catch, as support for Nest Cam Indoor is only available in Public Preview. To join Public Preview and gain early access to the feature, you’ll need to dive into the Settings on your Home app and select Join Public Preview. You’ll then get a prompt to update Public Preview -- accept this invitation, and you’ll see another prompt letting you know when you’re eligible to transfer your camera to Google Home.

Read more
The best Google Home tips, tricks, and Easter eggs
google home tips and tricks top

Google Home is one of the best smart home platforms of 2023. Some of its benefits are obvious -- such as being able to dish out voice commands or check in on all your gadgets in one location using the smartphone app -- but others are a bit more obscure. In fact, some of the best Google Home features can’t be found without a bit of digging.

To help you get the most out of Google Home, here’s a long list of tips, tricks, and even a few Easter eggs to maximize the system’s potential. Whether you’re looking to easily connect all your smart home gadgets or just want a funny trick to show off at your next party, there’s bound to be something you didn’t know about Google Home listed below.
'Hey, Google'

Read more