Skip to main content

Why Google and T-Mobile are bringing back phone booths

Google is setting up yet another campaign to push the Google Assistant. This time around, the company is teaming up with T-Mobile to install experimental demos in signature T-Mobile stores in Chicago and San Francisco for three months.

The demos aim to blend old tech with new tech — they are styled after phone booths, and inside them, customers will be able to both demo hardware like the LG G7 ThinQ, JBL Pulse 3, and Google Home Mini, and software — the Google Assistant. Of course, once you have experienced Google Assistant, you will be able to buy compatible devices from T-Mobile.

One of the demos is called “Tiny Gym,” and basically involves customers asking Google Assistant to play a workout playlist while customers use resistance bands. “Tiny Kitchen” involves Assistant looking up recipes and setting timers for cooking time. Last but not least is “Tiny Museum,” in which customers can pick up a phone and use Google Lens to learn about paintings and artists featured in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Google says the demos will be running for “about the next three months,” and you can check them out for yourselves at T-Mobile’s flagship stores in Chicago and San Francisco.

Google has been pushing Assistant a lot over the last few months. This isn’t even the first time we have seen the phone booth demos, which first showed up at CES earlier in the year. Then, just a few months ago, the company launched a mini-golf pop-up in New York City, in which each hole was aimed at showcasing what Google Assistant can do in a different room of the house. It’s likely we will see more experiences like this as Google continues to take on the likes of Amazon’s Alexa.

It’s also pretty likely that we will continue to see more and more devices will Google Assistant loaded onto them over the next few years. JBL recently announced the Link Bar, which a sound bar with Android TV and Google Assistant loaded straight onto it. Not only that, but dozens of new phones with Assistant are launched every month — only further growing Google’s ecosystem.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
Your Google Pixel phone may soon get a lifesaving feature
A person holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Google Pixel 8 Pro Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you have a Google Pixel phone or plan on buying one in the future, you could be getting an important safety feature in the very near future. As spotted in an update for Google's Adaptive Connectivity Services app, Google is planning on adding a "Satellite SOS" feature to its Pixel devices.

Read more
How to use the Google Home app on a computer
Google Home icon on home screen.

Google Home makes it easy to manage all your smart devices through your smartphone or tablet. Giving you access to your camera feeds, smart thermostat, smart lights, and more, Google Home is one of the most popular smart home platforms on the market. But while there's a lot to love about Google Home, it lacks full PC support. However, that's slowly starting to change – here's a look at how to use the Google Home app on your PC and control your devices from a larger display.
Can you use the Google Home app on a PC?
Google Home doesn't have a PC app, but it does have a website. Unfortunately, Google notes that Google Home for web is in Public Preview, meaning not all features are available and you may encounter glitches during use. The website is seeing constant updates, so there's a good chance it'll work just as well as the mobile apps in the future. Be sure to check it out regularly to see what's been added.

There are a few other workarounds you can implement to get Google Home on your PC. Read on to learn about the alternatives.
Use Google Home through your Chromebook

Read more
Google just announced 8 big Android updates. Here’s what’s new
A photo of many Android figurines on a white wall.

At Moblie World Congress (MWC ) 2024, Google is bringing a healthy bunch of new features to Android. In line with the AI push all across the industry, some notable AI-driven enhancements are on the table. There are also a handful of core Android features that sound practically amazing.
The first in line is Gemini. The generative AI chatbot recently got a standalone app for Android, and now it’s headed for the Google Messages app. Users can chat with Gemini directly in the messaging app and use its generative capabilities for a host of things, like drafting replies, refining a message, and more.

Another feature that was showcased a while ago is finally ready for prime time. Android Auto is gaining support for message summarization for standalone texts and group chats, and it can also suggest replies. With a single tap, users will also be able to drop a message, start a call, and share an estimated arrival time. The idea is to deploy AI for crucial tasks so that it can minimize distractions while driving.
Lookout, an accessibility-centric feature for users with vision challenges, is also getting meaningful AI love. On Android phones, Lookout will now read AI-generated captions and descriptions for media content. For now, the AI boost to Lookout and Messages is limited to the English language.

Read more