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Google Home Mini Firmware Update Reinstates Touch Controls Previously Disabled Over Privacy Concerns
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Google’s customers have much lower standards and the media cuts them a lot of slack. If this happened to the HomePod, the media would tear Apple apart and every android/google fanboy would be sharing articles on Facebook mocking them.
The latest iPhone's touchscreen would shut down in cold weather, which is far worse, but I didn't see the media or Android frenzy you're making up.
If anything, the ones who don't cut Apple slack, are longterm Apple fans who claim disappointment in recent Apple quality.
The Google Home mini has got to be the worst tech purchase I have EVER made. It constantly crashes saying "something went wrong". Even after this update.
Yes, something went wrong from the moment I clicked 'Buy'.
I will soon be donating this piece of crap to a charity shop.
I'll stick with Amazon Echo.
Seriously this piece of Google junk is not worth mentioning anymore.
Yes, something went wrong from the moment I clicked 'Buy'.
I will soon be donating this piece of crap to a charity shop.
I'll stick with Amazon Echo.
Seriously this piece of Google junk is not worth mentioning anymore.
That wasn’t a hardware problem, it was a legit software problem that was quickly addressed. The issue being discussed here with the Google Speaker is an actual hardware defect that google covered up with a software patch that simply disabled the offending hardware. A bit different of a situation I would say.
It should be different if we were talking about a $349 speaker though shouldn't it?
It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that a product that costs 15% of another product gets held to much lower standards both by consumers and reviewers. Furthermore, as far as I know Google aren't refusing to refund consumers who feel let down by the issue. If they were, it would be more of an issue.
Cause is different, but users don't care about that. And the post I was responding to was about user / media reaction.
For better or worse, I think most people have gotten used to glitches existing in today's complicated devices. Their reaction is going to depend on how much a glitch affects them, and how much the device cost.
The Google glitch only removed some extra functionality in a $50 device, whereas the iPhone touch bug removed virtually all functionality in a $1,000 device. There's no comparison.
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True. I’d be more concerned about google selling $30 garbage simply to get a microphone into my home. That’s pretty much their wet dream. With Apple you buy their product, with Google you ARE their product.
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Pretty silly answer. A hardware problem can’t be fixed with a patch, Apple was able to fix the iPhone X screen issue basically next day. The Google speaker issue will never be fixed with all the software patches in the world, because it’s physcially defective.
Sometimes you can work around hardware with software.
As for media silliness:
The Google Home hardware glitch reportedly only occurred in some of the Mini PRE-RELEASE DEMO units that were handed out for FREE to people attending press events.
According to Google, the hardware bug does not exist in actual purchased consumer devices.
In fact, other journalists with demo units said the glitch never happened to them. Some wonder if the original bug finder's placement of his unit in his bathroom wasn't a partial cause, what with shower moisture.
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Finally! Someone that understands the "big picture" reality of these devices!
If you want the Google experience, get an Android, since Google shoves the Android UI down iOS users' throats anyways... I have iOS / macOS devices to ESCAPE the hell that is Android and that horrid UI, and my iOS devices are Google Experience-free, and loving it that way!
Careful, Google's products (their users) won't be happy to hear that...
Using Google Apps =/= seeking to use Android. If I use Chrome on Windows or Mac, does that mean I should go use a Chromebook? No. You may not use Google apps, but some of us have a need for them because our work emails or school emails could use Gmail.
By... disabling an entire interface for all users?
Since were on the speculation train: If it were just demo units, why not just limit the top touch functionality patch to those? If it were just the unit, why is Google reaching so far? Because they want peace of mind themselves as well and most likely discovered an actual issue with it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see they both fixed phantom recordings and de-neutered their device's top touch, but it's not giving me faith in their hardware division lately. Watch the presentation and their excitement over material and the interactions with the device..
I'll happily buy it off you if you're being serious. I live in London so can collect...
And people are surprised by this “bug”? You’re bugging your house for Google by putting their mic into it.
Seems like a massively niche use to me personally. I'm sure for a decent amount of people its useful, but I cannot see myself ever using one. I feel like no matter what, I can do what I want to on my phone faster than saying a bunch of commands at a plush hockey puck.
As for WiFi not bluetooth, to me really it boils down to the same thing. Its basically the Google Assistant I never use on my phone, except now its a puck. And for me, WiFi just means at some point its going to glitch out and be a massive pain in my ass.
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But what does it do that I cant just do by tapping my phone a few times? Touchscreens (at least in my experience) have way less margin for error then voice commands.
And again, why would I need this hockey puck looking thing? It doesn't do anything my smartphone cant do.
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I have an Android with Google Assistant and I think I tried it out once like 2 years ago or whenever they introduced it. Pretty much the same thing I did with Siri way back when I had an iPhone. I asked it a few stupid things to get it to say something funny, and then I went back to just using the touchscreen UI for everything.
Tin foil hat nonsense.
Many of us don't keep our smartphone clutched in our hand 24/7.
What a bunch of baloney. I’ve been an iPhone users since the 3G and have had a great experience without Google crap on my phone.
Yeah, guess you’re right seeing as how sayings like the one you just used, were terms concocted by the CIA back in the 60s to try and discredit someone to the public.
Do your research on Google, then you’ll see.
I mean, I put it in my pocket in the morning and it stays on me until I go to bed. So it may not be in my hand, but its always easily accessible. Google Home is less accessible really, if I put it in my living room it can only hear me in about 1/4 of my house, where as my phone is easily kept with me from room to room.
“Baloney?” I am not going to address your sloppy typo. Any experienced iPhone user knows Apple doesn’t have group FaceTime. You have to use a 3rd party app to get group video chatting. Hangouts works well. I didn’t choose my institution’s email service either. Google Drive is an important content collaboration app as well. I need that for assignments.
Your needs are different than mine. Just be mindful there are others that rely on Google’s services despite owning an iPhone or iOS device.
Your personal opinion on using Google apps doesn’t mean everybody shares that opinion. I use what works best and in some cases, that includes Google’s apps. Most of us don’t have some chip on our shoulder.
It’s common knowledge. Your avatar suggests that you have worked for miliatary intelligence in the past, so I’ll take your comment as spin.
Google's Home Mini smart speaker received an update on Friday that brings back some of the touch-based controls that the company had to disable shortly after its release back in October (via AndroidPolice).
Google was forced to turn off the built-in touch panel, which is designed to let users activate Google Assistant with a long press instead of a voice command, after a reviewer discovered that some of the devices were registering "phantom touch events".
The issue meant that some Minis were prone to recording conversations and sounds even when no "OK Google" voice command was spoken, immediately prompting privacy concerns. As a result, Google opted to disable the touch features completely, including single-tap functions that played and paused music, snoozed alarms, and ended phone calls.
Friday's v1.29 firmware update reinstates some of that single-tap functionality, but via a side long press instead. After installing the update, Google Home Mini owners will again be able to play/pause music, end phone calls, and silence alarms without speaking to the device. However, users still won't be able to trigger voice input using touch, because the top long press functions remain disabled.
The software tweak is initially being rolled out in the preview firmware channel, which Home Mini owners can join via the Home app settings if they don't want to wait around for the automatic update.
Article Link: Google Home Mini Firmware Update Reinstates Touch Controls Previously Disabled Over Privacy Concerns
Does anyone else think Apple’s decision to drop out of the home Wi-Fi router space was a bad decision?!
All they needed to do do was add Siri to the routers then move onto HomePod. Somehow somewhere the HomePod was not ready at time of introduction. Apple allowed NOBODY not press not Mossberg not nobody. First time Apple has done that since 1984 with the OG Macintosh. The HomePod is no Macintosh so what gives?!
Here we are reading news of fixes and advancements the competition is flourishing in revenues Apple could’ve reaped.