Google Home is learning how to play nice with the other kids on the playground. Only when we say “kids,” we mean Bluetooth speakers, and when we say “playground,” we mean your home. That’s right, friends — Google has finally added a long-anticipated feature to its smart speaker, and it comes in the form of Bluetooth connectivity. Before now, you could only pair other Google Cast-enabled speaker into your broader network of Google Home devices. But now, you can pair your Google Home and the companion app with any other Bluetooth enabled speaker you’d like, which means that you can create a much wider network for your voice commands, songs, and more.
“We brought this feature to life after hearing how much you wanted to amp up the sound with your Google Home Mini,” Google Home product manager Surbhi Kaul wrote in a blog post. “Now any of your Google Home devices can connect to other Bluetooth speakers so you can control your entertainment experience simply using the sound of your voice.”
Making use of the new compatibility promises to be a breeze — you need only to pair a compatible Bluetooth speaker with your Google Home by opening your Google Home app, navigating your way to device settings, and following the pairing instructions. Then, just say, “Hey Google, shuffle my workout playlist” or “Hey Google, turn up the volume.” You’ll find that music begins playing automatically from your Bluetooth speaker, and you won’t even have to name the device.
This new feature certainly makes for more seamless multi-room audio. Whereas previously, you had to have a Google speaker in a room in order to broadcast music, a podcast, or any other audio, now there are no such limitations.
“These features work across the entire Home family,” Kaul continued. Of course, this newfound compatibility doesn’t mean that your Bluetooth speakers are suddenly smart speakers — you’ll still have to direct commands to your Google Home device. But any speaker can now serve as a proxy for delivering responses to your commands.
As Kaul concluded, “Together, Google Home and Bluetooth speakers make the perfect arrangement for amping up the music throughout your entire home.”
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.