Skip to main content

Google rolls out new Nest Cam features to Google Home for web

Nest Cams on a counter.
Nest

While many users access Google Home on their smartphone or smart display, the platform is also available via web browser. The web-based Google Home experience wasn’t exactly the best way to access your smart devices, but that’s rapidly changing as Google rolls out new updates to the client — the latest of which adds a ton of new ways to access your Nest Cams.

Recommended Videos

Google began rolling out the update late last week, and most users should now have access to the improved Google Home for web experience. The big draw is access to your Nest Cam history and the option to download clips. Prior to this update, it was impossible to view recorded clips via Google Home for web, forcing you to instead jump into the official Google Home app.

The updated Google Home for web app.
Google

Other notable additions to the platform include the ability to customize your video clips and access to Public Preview content. Google notes that the custom clips functionality will be “rolling out over the next few weeks” and will support Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell products. If you can’t access the new functionality yet, you might need to wait a few more days for the update to reach your account.

If you’re a fan of testing out new features before they go live, be sure to check out Public Preview. This gives you access to up-and-coming features — though you might run into a few bugs during use. Now that this program is available to Google Home for the web, here’s a look at some of what you can access:

  • A script editor for Google Home automation.
  • Garage door detection for Nest Aware members
  • Added support for first-gen Nest Cams

Keep in mind you’ll need a Nest Aware subscription to access most of these features, which starts at $8 per month. To check out the updated Google Home for web platform, head over to home.google.com.

Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
Ring’s new Outdoor Cam Plus offers its best image quality yet
The Ring Outdoor Cam Plus on a wall

Ring has officially revealed the Outdoor Cam Plus -- a premium security camera offering Ring’s best image quality ever. Designed to capture 2K footage and with a wide field of view, it should be an excellent option for folks seeking a robust way to protect their home. The Outdoor Cam Plus will cost $99 and begins shipping on March 26.

Unlike the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Plus, which offer a 1080p resolution, the Outdoor Cam Plus provides crisp 2K images. This is the highest resolution we’ve seen in this type of camera from Ring, making it a big upgrade over its existing lineup. The team has also equipped it with Low-Light Sight, a technology that ensures a clear, colorful view even when the sun goes down.

Read more
This new air purifier from SwitchBot features a HEPA filter and can charge your smartphone
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table near a bed.

SwitchBot has officially launched two new air purifiers -- the SwitchBot Air Purifier and the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. Both are equipped with a HEPA filter to tackle all sorts of air particulates and allergens, though the Air Purifier Table offers several additional features that make it a more versatile member of your smart home.

Regardless of which air purifier you choose, you’ll get a capable device that can clean a 215-square-foot space in just over seven minutes. For a larger 1,800-square-foot space, that gets bumped up to an hour. Carrying a clean air delivery rate (CADR) of 236 cubic feet per minute and capable of operating at a quiet 20dB, it should be a solid choice for both standard bedrooms and larger living spaces. Along with a HEPA filter to remove bacteria, the SwitchBot Air Purifiers feature a carbon filter to extract pet odors from the air along with a pre-filtration layer to trap pet fur.

Read more
Google’s Gemini AI can now control your smart home devices
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat in stainless steel.

After spending a bit of time in Public Preview, Google is rolling out its Google Home extension for the Gemini app to everyone. This will allow you to control smart home devices using Gemini, including tasks like turning on smart lights, checking your smart thermostat, or adjusting the volume on your speakers.

The Google Home Extension will be rolling out over the next few weeks, and once you've made the update, any compatible devices synced to your Google account will be accessible via Gemini. If you try using commands in the Gemini app that aren’t supported, your smartphone will automatically launch the Google Home app to complete the command (such as accessing camera actions and smart lock features).

Read more