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Look, we’ve all had those post-holiday moments where basic functions seem impossible.
Apparently, Google’s Nest devices felt the same way, deciding to ghost their users right after the Christmas break in what can only be described as the AI equivalent of a collective existential crisis.
The drama started when users across the globe found their smart speakers and displays pulling a classic “new phone, who dis?” routine.
Reddit users were losing their minds, with one particularly frustrated soul lamenting:
“I’ve spent so many hours troubleshooting Google devices. So much time I’ll never get back, with nothing to show for it. My devices barely work.”
The Great Google Ghosting
The issue? These supposedly “smart” devices couldn’t handle the most basic of tasks. Ask them about the weather. Endless loading animation.
Time check? Sorry, too complicated – total system shutdown.
What makes this whole situation extra spicy is that these devices weren’t completely useless. They could still turn your lights on and off, and music playback worked fine.
But ask them what time it is, and suddenly, they’re having an existential crisis.
It’s as if Google Assistant developed selective hearing, which is the ability to choose which commands are worthy of attention.
One user on Google’s Support forums reported having nine Google Home speakers, including a Nest Hub Max display, all collectively deciding to play dumb.
The issue affected everything from the fancy Nest Hub Max to the OG Google Home and those adorable Home Minis.
Even factory resets – the digital equivalent of “have you tried turning it off and on again?” – proved useless.
Plot Twist
The plot thickens when you consider this isn’t just a random hiccup.
It comes right as Google is preparing to axe 17 Assistant features, suggesting either the worst timing ever or some behind-the-scenes chaos we’re not privy to.
The good news? Google finally got its act together. A company representative told Android Authority:
“The team is still investigating the root cause but have resolved the issue, so all users should be up and running now.”
Translation: “We fixed it, but we’re not quite sure how it broke in the first place. Please don’t ask too many questions.”
The Bottom Line
For those keeping score at home, this is just the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of smart home devices reminding us that maybe, just maybe, we shouldn’t rely on AI assistants to tell us if we need an umbrella.
But who are we kidding? We’ll keep asking them anyway, hoping they don’t choose that moment to have another digital meltdown.
In the meantime, if your Google device starts acting up again, you might want to check if it’s just having a moment or if it’s part of another mass rebellion.
And maybe keep a good old-fashioned wall clock handy, just in case.
Got any Google Nest devices that aren’t behaving as expected? Does this fix work for you? Tell us your experience in the comments down below or via our Twitter or Facebook.
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