Meditation app on Google Assistant designed to help veterans deal with stress

A new meditation app from Google and National Geographic called Bravo Tango Brain Training app is built to help veterans deal with the stress, anger, anxiety, loneliness, and other issues that crop up after serving in the military. The app was developed with the help of Dr. Michael Valdovinos, a former Air Force psychologist and combat vet who specializes in the intersection of technology and behavioral health. The app takes advantage of Google Assistant’s voice-reliant nature to have users interact with it. So, after saying “OK, Google, start Bravo Tango,” you can talk to it and say things like “I’m feeling lonely” or “I’m in pain” and the app will respond accordingly and bring up the appropriate exercise based on what you tell it.

Valdovinos thinks this will appeal to veterans as it is engaging and mimics an in-person session but is accessible in a safe space, e.g. it can be done at home. The app works with Google Home and with Android devices. Exercises on Bravo Tango combine things like breathing, grounding, visualization, muscle relaxation, focusing, grounding, and interpersonal connection. NatGeo was inspired to create the app after producing its series The Long Road Home, which followed military vets who are returning from service. Aside from Valdovinos, NatGeo and Google partnered with 360i and Xapp.

Source: Mashable

Google Home lets you speak to Stranger Things characters in new audio game

One way Netflix and Google are marketing the newest season of Stranger Things is through a new audio game you can play on Google Home. The trigger word to start playing the game is “Ok Google, talk to Dustin from Stranger Things” and then you’re magically transported to 1984 and talking to Dustin Henderson in Hawkins, Indiana. The game will also have you interacting with other characters in the new season of the show. You might need to binge-watch the show first before playing the game, unless you’re okay with getting spoiled.

Source: Android Authority

You can assign Google Home speakers to specific rooms now

While we’re covering the #madebygoogle event (expect more posts soon), Google has been prepping some of its existing apps and services for the new devices. One of them is the revamped Google Home app. We reported about this yesterday but we weren’t able to talk about one new important feature owners of multiple Google Home speakers (or those who plan to buy the new Google Home Mini and Max). The app will now let you assign a specific Google Home speaker to a specific room. So, if you assign your Google Home to your bedroom and say “OK Google, turn off the bedroom,” then it’ll switch off all smart devices in your room, including the speaker itself. This, of course, will only work if you have more than one speaker and with the release of the Home Mini, Google seems to be preparing for the possibility of you adding more Google Home speakers in your house.

Source: Android Authority

Google revamps Home app

Just a day ahead of the release of Google’s Pixel 2 smartphones, Google cleans up its Google Home app, giving the app a sleeker look. Google simplifies the tabs and goes with just a Discover and Browse sections. Discover focuses more on your general needs and shows you tips about the different Google Home and Google Assistant functions and features, recommended searches and Chromecast apps, among many others.

The Browse tab, on the other hand, houses all your entertainment-related needs. At the top of the page you’ll see popular TV shows and movies you can browse through. Going through these there will be specific sections for different media streaming apps like YouTube, Google Play Movies, Netflix, and Spotify, among others. If you select on the TV shows, Music, and Movies buttons, that’ll take you to those specific categories. On top of that. There are new splash screens, too, for these categories with the titles showing up bigger at the top of the page and the volume controls getting a new look. If you’re wondering if you got these changes, the version of the app you should have is 1.25.81.13.

Source: Android Central