You no longer have to say ‘Hey Google’ to get the Assistant to shut up

No “hey Google” required. | Photo: Dan Seifert / The Verge If your Google Assistant-powered smart home display or speaker is rambling on and on after you asked it for the weather, you can now tell it to “stop” without having to say “Hey Google” first. It’s a small, but welcome, change and one that makes interacting with a digital assistant just a little more natural. Google’s smart home devices have had a version of this feature for years, where you could silence an alarm without saying “Hey Google.” It’s nice to see it expanding to silence the Assistant, too — saying “stop” when you want something to... well, stop happening is just so instinctive, like batting at an insect buzzing around your ear. Helpful new Google Assistant feature alert! Want your smart display or speaker to stop... Continue reading…