Google updates Assistant and Fi with family-oriented features

Google has announced new family-oriented updates for Assistant and Fi, which can be potentially useful whether you’ve all been under the same roof for the duration of the pandemic or you’re making plans to visit for the holidays.

Assistant’s changes are primarily focused on smart displays like the Nest Hub Max, in which a number of old and new features will be collected in a new section called the “Family Tab.”

The first new addition is Family Notes, which lets you dictate sticky note-styled messages for to-dos and reminders. The notes “stick” to the main screen of your smart display so that they’re visible to whomever uses the display next.

Continuing with the family organization theme, Assistant’s Family Bell feature, which uses chimes to set reminders for the at-home day, is also getting a slight update, with new sound effects and suggested bells. Google says it plans to add the ability to pause all bells for the day when you’re enjoying some hard-earned time off as well.To fill that off time, Assistant is getting a couple of new education and entertainment options for families with younger children. Using the new voice command, “Hey Google, what can I learn with my family?” the updated smart display can provide learning activities from providers like ABCmouse for kids to complete.