Shortly after the Google Home Mini was announced on October 4, it was discovered that there was an issue with the smart speaker's touch controls. Essentially, the top part of the Home Mini that acted as the area for these controls was far too sensitive and resulted in the speaker recording and sending audio back to Google 24/7.
This was obviously a pretty big problem, but rather than recalling thousands of Home Minis that had already shipped to retailers, Google chose to disable the top touch controls altogether via a software update.
However, after a couple months of being on the market, this functionality is making a return.
According to Android Police, the v1.30 update for the Google Home app re-enables touch controls on the Home Mini, but rather than touching the top of the speaker, you'll long-press either the left or right side of it.
A quick tap will continue to adjust volume like usual, but a long press will end calls, pause/play music that's playing, and (most importantly) silence alarms without having to shout at your Home Mini at 6:00 in the morning.
The v1.30 update is rolling out now, so be sure to keep an eye out for it over the coming days.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Samsung’s Galaxy Upcycling at Home is here to help you repurpose old phones
Samsung announced its Galaxy Upcycling at Home program back at CES 2021 as a way to turn your old Galaxy smartphone into an IoT smart home device. The program is finally launching in select countries.
Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife review: Playing Clue in the afterlife
Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife is a horror game that doesn't rely on jump scares or other cheap methods of scaring players. Instead, it creates a horrifying world of mystery and intrigue that'll keep you sweating as you explore every nook and cranny of Barclay Mansion.
8 easy ways to reuse your old Android phone or tablet
Instead of selling or leaving your old gadgets in a drawer, here are some fun ways you can reuse your old phone or tablet. From setting up a security camera to using your phone as a universal remote, there's no shortage of use cases for your ageing devices.
If you're scared off from Ring right now, try one of these video doorbells
Ring has been in the news a lot lately for all the wrong reasons, and folks are rightly getting nervous about entrusting their videos and recordings to the service. If this describes you, then one of these video doorbells just might be a good fit.