smart home

AppWizard
July 23, 2025
Since the debut of the Google Home speaker in November 2016, many users have integrated it into their lives, often expressing frustrations with its functionality. A long-time user has accumulated various Google devices, including two Nest Audios, a Pixel Tablet, and a Nest Hub. A recent survey indicated that many users remain loyal to Google Home due to their significant investments in the ecosystem. Common issues reported by users include unresponsive speakers, inconsistent voice recognition, failures to execute commands, delays in response times, and difficulties syncing music across devices. The Google Home app has improved but still poses challenges, particularly for users with multiple devices, as the interface can be cluttered and lacks customizable sorting options. Many users continue using Google Home due to sunk costs, familiarity with the platform, and hope for future updates that may enhance their experience.
AppWizard
July 20, 2025
Megan Ellis shares her essential Android widgets that enhance productivity and streamline daily tasks. 1. TickTick: A to-do list application with widgets for creating new tasks and displaying overdue/upcoming tasks, helping Megan stay organized and manage stress. 2. Google Calendar: A functional calendar widget that allows Megan to monitor upcoming events and meetings, particularly useful for significant events. She appreciates its dark mode feature. 3. Vocabulary: An app that provides a new word daily through its widget, allowing users to expand their vocabulary without opening the app. 4. Clock/Weather: The default Weather app widget combines time, date, and weather forecasts, streamlining her morning routine. She uses Google automation for evening updates and IFTTT notifications for temperature changes. 5. Brave Search: A search widget that offers quick access to search queries and voice search, enhancing her browsing experience with a cleaner, ad-free environment. 6. Xiaomi Home: An alternative to Google Home, this app provides widgets for quick access to smart home devices, allowing Megan to monitor and adjust settings remotely.
AppWizard
July 15, 2025
Today's Android game and app deals include pre-order promotions for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is available with a discount of [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Today's Android Game and App Deals This afternoon brings an exciting array of Android game and app deals that are sure to pique the interest of tech enthusiasts and casual users alike. Among the highlights are ongoing pre-order promotions for the much-anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, along with the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025. These devices promise to elevate the user experience with their innovative features and sleek designs. In addition to these pre-order offers, today’s discounts include a remarkable 0 off the Galaxy S25 Ultra, making it an opportune moment for those looking to upgrade their smartphone. Also noteworthy is the HP OmniBook X Flip touchscreen 2-in-1 Copilot+ PC, which combines versatility with performance, ideal for both work and play. For those interested in smart home technology, the Matter-ready Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is also available at a reduced price, enhancing energy efficiency while providing seamless integration with other smart devices. As for the apps, a treasure trove of options awaits, ready to enhance your Android experience. Be sure to explore the deals below to find your next favorite app or game. For those who want to stay updated on the latest technology trends and product reviews, subscribing to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel offers a wealth of information and insights." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"]. The HP OmniBook X Flip touchscreen 2-in-1 Copilot+ PC is highlighted for its versatility and performance. The Matter-ready Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is also on sale, promoting energy efficiency and smart device integration.
AppWizard
July 14, 2025
1Weather is a weather app with a clean interface, customizable widgets, and severe weather alerts, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Bitwarden is a free password manager offering unlimited storage and two-factor authentication, with premium options for enhanced features. ChatGPT is an AI service from OpenAI that allows users to perform various tasks, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Focus Go is a simple gallery app that organizes images into folders and offers a fast search and filter system, available for free. Google Drive provides 15GB of free cloud storage and integrates with Google apps for productivity, with optional in-app purchases. Google Keep is a note-taking app that allows users to create and organize notes across devices, available for free. Google Maps and Waze are leading navigation apps, offering features like offline maps and real-time traffic data, both available for free. Google Gemini is an AI tool for managing tasks and accessing information, available for free. Google Voice offers a second phone number for personal and professional use in the US, available for free with optional purchases. Microsoft SwiftKey is a customizable keyboard app with predictive text features, available for free. Mozilla Firefox is a mobile browser with extensive add-on support, available for free. Nova Launcher is a customizable launcher app for Android, available for free with an optional premium version. Pocket Casts is a podcast management app with a user-friendly interface, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Poweramp is an offline music player with extensive features, available for a free trial and optional premium version. Solid Explorer is a file manager app with a clean design and powerful features, available for a free trial and optional premium version. Tasker and IFTTT are automation tools, with Tasker catering to power users and IFTTT offering a more accessible approach, with prices starting at .49. Textra is an SMS app with customizable themes and multi-device messaging sync, available for free with optional Pro unlock. TickTick is a task management app that combines tasks, reminders, and calendar events, available for free with an optional premium plan. YouTube and YouTube Music are content apps providing vast libraries of video and music, available for free with optional premium subscriptions. Zedge offers wallpapers, ringtones, and notification sounds for device customization, available for free with optional premium content. ExpressVPN is a secure VPN service with fast speeds, 256-bit encryption, and servers in 94 countries, offering unlimited bandwidth.
AppWizard
June 17, 2025
Google has released an update to its Google Home app, version 3.33, which improves the experience of scrolling through video history on Nest cameras for Android devices, enhancing framerate and loading times. The update, dated May 28, introduces a general release of a limited-access member tier for sharing smart home setups while maintaining control over visibility and management. It also includes several bug fixes for stability, addressing crashes in areas like the Automations tab, Wi-Fi and Climate categories, and notification permissions, as well as issues with inviting household members and accessing service settings. User feedback has been mixed, with some expressing satisfaction and others noting ongoing performance issues.
Winsage
June 15, 2025
Flow Launcher is a desktop productivity tool for Windows 11 that excels in speed, opening instantly with a keyboard shortcut and providing audio cues. It features an extensive library of plugins, allowing users to enhance functionality with ease, including pre-installed plugins for searching bookmarks, managing files, and executing system commands. The plugin store offers a variety of extensions, catering to diverse needs, including tools for OneNote, Spotify, and gaming. Flow Launcher is highly customizable, enabling users to adjust extension functions, search result priorities, and activation shortcuts. It also allows the creation of custom hotkeys for quick access to frequently used tools, such as an enhanced clipboard history.
AppWizard
June 13, 2025
Samsung has released an update to its SmartThings mobile application, version 1.8.33.25, which includes several new features: - Home Life Survey: A survey for users to provide details about their household and interests to receive tailored recommendations. - Flexible Routine Configurations: Enhanced control over routines, including notifications before initiation and delays between actions. - Galaxy Tag Location Sharing: Temporary links to share the location of Galaxy Tags with options for expiration (12 hours, 24 hours, or a week). - Enhanced Map View Navigation: Map View is now the default interface, with simplified navigation between Map View and the Home tab. - Support for SmartThings in the Now Bar and Live Notifications, allowing toggling SmartThings on or off from the Now Bar settings. The update is being rolled out in phases to ensure smooth performance across the platform.
AppWizard
June 11, 2025
Six innovative features have been introduced for Android users to enhance personalization. One feature is an AI-generated audio show that curates content based on individual interests. Google Home Favorites have been updated to allow users to customize selections across devices, making favorite playlists, news sources, and smart home controls easily accessible. These features are designed to adapt to users' lifestyles and preferences.
AppWizard
June 10, 2025
Android 16 introduces several new features, including enhancements to RCS group chats, a redesigned Google Photos editor, and improved functionality in the Google Home app. RCS group chat updates allow users to customize group chats with unique icons and names, check RCS status of friends, and mute notifications for specific groups. The Google Photos app features a new image editor with AI-driven suggestions, a Reimagine feature for creative expression, and an Auto frame function for better image cropping. The Google Home app now includes device-specific shortcuts for easier management of smart devices and an upgraded Safety Check feature for scheduling check-ins. WearOS smartwatches can now tap city transit cards even when the Google Wallet app is closed, provided the feature is activated.
AppWizard
June 9, 2025
Today's Google Play store features significant app deals and hardware discounts. The 8Bitdo Hall Effect Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is on sale, enhancing the mobile gaming experience. The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight offers improved security and lighting for homes. The WF-1000XM5 Wireless ANC Earbuds provide advanced noise cancellation and immersive sound. The Lenovo Snapdragon X Elite Copilot+ PC is available at a notable discount. The Google TV Streamer 4K is also offered at a reduced price. Highlighted apps include: - Roundguard: A mix of roguelike and pinball mechanics. - Front Armies: A strategic military simulation game. - LIMBO: A puzzle-platformer known for its storytelling. - Skel: An adventure game with intricate puzzles. - Defense: A tower defense game.
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