Read bedtime stories with Google Assistant

Now, there’s a more convenient way to keep in touch with loved ones who are in different time zones or have odd working hours. The solution is to have Google Home read pre-recorded messages left by loved ones, online. It was co-developed by Instrument and Google with input from Jennifer Oliver, a mother and military spouse.

When her husband deploys, it can be difficult for him to keep in touch with his young daughter, especially when it comes to reading bedtime stories. Previously, he had to leave voice recordings on Google Drive. The files would have to be downloaded, then casted to their Nest Mini. Oliver grew tired of this tedium and decided to get in touch with the right people.

She and her daughter helped the team develop My Storytime. It’s a new Google Assistant Action that makes it easier for pre-recorded stories to be played back home for loved ones. Now, regardless of when and where, one can simply visit MyStorytime.com, create an account, then save their recordings.

Now, all the person on the other end has to do, is to walk toward their Google Home device and say, “Hey Google, talk to My Storytime. The assistant will then play the saved voice recordings through the device. Oliver hopes that this feature may benefit more than 100,000 military parents who deploy each year.

Besides military families, this system can also benefit grandparents who live in a different time zone or nurses and police officers who work the night shift. People in these situations will still be able to read to their kids and keep in touch with loved ones that are far away.

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