Google announces nearly 20 new starters and actions to make your smart home less annoying

August 29, 2023 By Michael Perrigo Leave a Comment

In a post on the Nest Community Forum today, Google unveiled a handful of new starters and actions for your smart home routines. Now, you can do things like change light effects, automatically open or close windows or blinds, adjust humidity levels, and even pause your TV or music when the doorbell rings. Devices can also be easily rebooted and updated, all through the Google Home app. These updates are aimed at making your smart home less of a pain in the neck to manage day-to-day. Let’s take a look at all of the new stuff, shall we?

For starters, literally, Starters for Household Routines can be accessed via the Automation tab on the Google Home app. The same applies for actions.

The only thing you should be aware of is that the device compatibility support for these new actions is limited based on the manufacturer. This means all of these may not work for your device! Google has listed supported devices in detail over on its Home Developer Center. Let me know in the comments if you use starters or actions in your home.

I’ve personally gotten away from them since they were more of a pain in the neck to set up and manage and my lifestyle continued to change. Managing a smart home has become a full time job these days! I may dip my toes back in with these new things though, especially since I’m revamping my smart home soon.

Filed Under: New & Upcoming Features, Smart Home