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Code strings in Google app version 17.73.15 reveal an upcoming offline mode for Gemini Live that requires users to first set it up while connected to the internet. Once active, the offline mode will run with 'limited features,' and users will be prompted to reconnect for full functionality.
Google confirmed via its official Nest Community account that a daylight saving time bug affecting timers and alarms on smart home devices has been fixed. The issue surfaced after the November 1 clock change, causing devices in Canadian regions with permanent daylight saving time to display incorrect times, including Lenovo Smart Clock and Clock Essential units running an hour behind despite Google Assistant showing the correct time.
In a Reddit r/GooglePixel discussion, longtime Pixel owners explained their reasons for sticking with the phones, citing clean Android software, timely updates, and exclusive features like Call Screen and spam filtering. A poll in the thread found 38% cited clean Android and updates as the top reason, while others pointed to camera quality, ecosystem integration, or simply not finding a better alternative. Some users also voiced complaints about Gemini replacing familiar Assistant features, camera processing, battery life, and hardware value.
Google has begun rolling out Gemini Personal Intelligence to Android Auto, letting the assistant draw on a driver's Gmail, Calendar, Photos and other Google apps while in the car. The feature is opt-in, letting users choose which apps and data sources Gemini can access for more tailored responses.
Google has replaced Google Assistant with Gemini in its Google Built-in infotainment platform, now live across sixteen car brands. New features include AI-enhanced Google Maps with real-time traffic and EV routing, voice control over messages and email, playlist creation, food ordering, and a camera-enabled Gemini Live mode for discussing surroundings. The rollout began earlier this summer with Android Auto before expanding to automakers including Honda, Chevrolet and Volvo.
Google has integrated Gemini with Find Hub so users can verbally log where they've stored important belongings, such as saying a passport is kept in a vault. The assistant confirms the entry and links back to Find Hub, where users can attach photos, addresses, and notes, or add items manually through the app's Remembered tab.
Google has begun phasing out Google Assistant on mobile devices, replacing it with Gemini. Users report that the 'Switch to Google Assistant' option has disappeared from the Gemini app's account menu, following a company email last month announcing the rollout would begin September 4.
Google introduced Call for Me, an experimental beta feature limited to Pixel 11 phones in the US and English language, letting Gemini place phone calls to businesses on a user's behalf. Users need a Gemini subscription and enrollment in the Phone by Google app's public beta; Gemini can navigate automated menus, wait on hold, and hand control back to the user via a live transcript. Google says the AI won't call emergency services but can dial specific numbers users provide.
Google Nest support has confirmed reports that Google Clock alarm routines are malfunctioning: tapping to add or edit an alarm routine sometimes opens Assistant settings instead, and some existing routines fail to trigger after an alarm is dismissed. The company says its team is working on a fix and is also looking into separate complaints about timers. Google separately said a fix for voice-controlled lights with non-English names should roll out within 24 to 48 hours.
Some Google Home speaker owners are reporting that the devices' LED lights stay on and pulsate continuously, only pausing briefly after a voice command before resuming. One user found the behavior tied to a notification about Hispanic Heritage Month, but the pattern has appeared across multiple Reddit reports without a clear common trigger. Google has not yet confirmed a cause.
Android Auto users report that Gemini has stopped controlling smart home devices like AC units and lights while driving, with the assistant now replying that it cannot control such devices through Google Maps. The issue follows similar complaints on Wear OS, which Google said it had already fixed, though it's unclear if the two problems are related. Some users say the same commands still function inside the standalone Gemini app.
Google is now widely deploying Gemini as the default digital assistant across Android Auto, replacing the standard Google Assistant for drivers who haven't already switched manually. Users can still enable it themselves via Settings, and once active, Gemini handles voice interactions, messaging, music requests and more inside the car.