Google Assistant routines can now be placed on your homescreen

A new update to Google Assistant will allow you to put your routine shortcuts on your homescreen. According to 9to5Google, the feature is rolling out to more users. The option "Add Routines to your Home screen" will appear when you edit any routine. There will be a small pop-up that will show up when it happens for the first time. 

The move seems like a way to appease any complaints from Google moving the ability to trigger routines from the primary set of action buttons in the Home app to a more extensive menu. That redesign made it more troublesome to access these features. But with this new option, it will be much easier to get to the routines you need.

Samsung brings Google Assistant to its newer TVs

Source: Samsung

Samsung's newer televisions will add Google Assistant as an option to control the device alongside Amazon Alexa and Samsung Bixby. Samsung started rolling it out in the US first, and it now makes its way to the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. The company claims it will be available in 12 countries by the end of the year. It didn't mention all the countries, though. Spain, Brazil, India, and South Korea will get the feature before the end of the month.

It will be available on "all 2020 4K and 8K QLED TVs, Crystal UHD TVs, The Frame, The Serif, The Sero and The Terrace." Google Assistant was available on some 2019 Samsung models, but it needed another Google Assistant-supported device like a smart speaker to work. Now, this integration means you can just send inquiries and commands directly to the TVs.

Source: The Verge

Fitbit Sense, Versa 3 can now track blood oxygen levels while you sleep, support Google Assistant

A new update rolling out for the latest Fitbit smartwatches gets a couple of useful features. Version 5.1 software update lets the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 track your blood oxygen levels overnight without needing to install any SpO2 clock faces. But if you're the type who wants to see that regularly, Fitbit will also introduce seven new faces in the gallery before the end of the year.

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Acer unveils DTS audio-equipped, Google Assistant-powered speaker

Yes, those are more qualifying statements than usual. But Acer seems to be taking the fight to the existing smart home speakers with the Acer Halo. It's one of the first smart speakers to offer DTS sound processing without breaking the bank. The Halo promises to provide "high-quality audio that is projected in 360 degrees to fill any room." 

And then it also comes with RGB lights on the base and a customizable dot matrix-like display that reminds us of the Amazon Echo Dot with clock. That requires an app to show anything from a clock, weather forecast, emoji, or another pixelated image of choice. If the RGB lights and the display are too much for you, Acer claims you can turn this off. 

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