Google is testing a way to activate Assistant without wake words

Google is said to be testing a smart display feature that would activate Google Assistant by proximity instead of using the "Hey Google" or "OK Google" wake words. Leaker Jan Boromeusz posted a YouTube video (via Android Central) that shows the featu...

Netflix now works on Facebook’s Portal TV

If you have Facebook’s Portal TV device, you can now use it to stream Netflix shows and movies. The streaming giant had been a notable omission from a lineup that includes Amazon Prime Video, Showtime, Sling TV and, of course, Facebook Watch. Faceboo...

Google’s Nest Hub could be your next hotel concierge

The next time you’re wrapping up a trip (whenever that might be amid the COVID-19 pandemic), you might find yourself asking Google Assistant to check you out of a hotel. Google is bringing hands-free hospitality to hotel rooms through its Nest Hub sm...

Amazon Echo Show 5 review: An Alexa display with alarm clock smarts

When Amazon introduced the second-gen Echo Show display last year, it was a huge upgrade over the original, with a built-in browser, better sound and more video options than before. Just months later, however, and Amazon has released a new model call...

Google will let you play simple games on smart displays

Starting today, developers will be able to create games for Google's smart displays. Google is opening up access to a Google Assistant-based framework called Interactive Canvas, which will allow them to build full-screen apps (or Actions) on smart di...

Google Nest Hub Max hands-on: A bigger, smarter display

I was surprised by how much I liked last year's Google Home Hub. The 7-inch smart display won me over with its beautiful screen and adorable design. It was also popular with other reviewers, who praised its clever Assistant features, affordable...

Google unveils the Nest Hub Max smart display

When we saw a leak of a device called the Google Nest Hub Max in March, we thought it was a little unusual. Why would a Google Hub device have the Nest branding on it? Now, we know why. At Google I/O, the company announced that it is finally folding...

Facebook cuts its Portal smart display to $99 for Mother’s Day

Mother's Day is less than a month away, and it seems Facebook is hoping you'll consider giving your Mom a Portal or Portal+ to keep in touch with you -- it's running a Mother's Day sale on the smart displays. Until May 12th, Portal will set you back...

Facebook employees caught leaving five-star Amazon reviews for Portal

Facebook released its Portal and Portal+ smart displays two months ago, at the tail end of a scandal-ridden year in which data leaks and privacy incidents were abundant. So, the company faced a tough battle in convincing consumers to buy a smart disp...