As part of a major server-side update, Google is bringing several new features to Nest Hubs and third-party smart screens. Although some of these were available to multiple users, they have yet to be introduced to all. You should start seeing them soon, so keep an eye out. These changes were first noticed by Rita El Khoury at Android Police, so check out her cover for more great content!
First of all, we get a new alarm interface and a Sunrise alarm function that will cause your screen to gradually brighten up in the morning to match the sunrise in your area. As for the new UI for alarms, you can customize things like the tone, repetition, the sleep duration and more. Simply swipe down on your screen to see and play the clock icon.
Next we have Family Sticky Notes I’ve personally had it available on my Nest Hub for a while now, but it’s becoming officially visible to everyone again with this latest update. With Family Sticky Notes, you can basically use your show’s home screen in the same way as the front of your refrigerator. Leave a reminder for your other family members by saying ‘Hey Google, leave a family note’ so they can see it when they return home – no magnet needed!
The Family Tab also starts eventually. It offers a lot more kid and a family-friendly piece of content, including games, fun facts, and more. There’s even the Beast of the Day, which is fun for my five year old – you have to give it a try! One feature of this tab that we use daily is Family Bells. We have one for bedtime, one for when it’s time to read a story, and even one for cleaning the room.
Lastly, Google’s cute reflector makes the leap to your smart screen! Is it bad that it excites me the most? If you ask the weather on your phone or on the internet, you get the forecast, but guess who suggests it to you? The weather frog, of course! Well, he relaxes more when you browse through the week and watch thunderstorms, but still. There are more than fifty versions of this guy, depending on the weather or the season (he even wears a mask), and you can see him as the wallpaper for your screen when you turn it on. Just say ‘Okay Google, set up my photo frame’ and then select ‘Google Weather Frog’.
Pret fact: The Google Weather Frog’s name is Froggy – did you expect anything different? He originally appeared in the Halloween doodle as one of Momo’s classmates. He reappears a year later with Momo and the Fox for the Earth Day doodle.
Do you have all these updates? Did you just receive them? How often will you leave Family Sticky Notes in your home? Do you think there is nothing in the Family Tab that you would like to see received in a future update? Let’s discuss it!
