Need a break from the internet? Google Wifi—a mesh network aimed to deliver problem-free wireless signals to your entire home—will now let you schedule times to cut your web connection.
The feature, called Scheduled Pause, is hardly new: conventional routers from the likes of Linksys and Netgear have offered it pretty much since the dawn of home networking. But they are often buried in clumsy and hard-to-access router administration software. On the other hand, Google Wifi's ability to control which devices on your network have access to the internet at any given time is notable for its simplicity, which means people actually might use it.
Set up Scheduled Pause through the Google Wifi app; no passwords to enter or router administration URLs to remember. Each pause you create can have custom start and end times, and can be applied only certain devices on the network. The obvious benefit of this is that you could create a group that includes all the devices used by your kids, which could be switched off during dinner and between bedtime and wakeup.
Related
- The Best Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems of 2017The Best Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems of 2017
But the ability to easily schedule internet downtime is also an exercise in willpower that could offer significant health benefits. There's a growing medical consensus that using a computer or other electronic device before bed can disrupt sleep patterns. So setting an internet cutoff for yourself of, say, 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. might help you be more well-rested.
"The first night was a shock, but after a few nights I was ready to shut down earlier," Google Product Manager Edith Chao wrote of her experience trying pauses. "And I was more refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning."
Of course, in practice the easy-to-use nature of Google Wifi's Scheduled Pause feature might actually make it less suited to enforcing an internet blackout: even if you resist the temptation to open the app and temporarily unpause your phone, it's probably even easier to turn off your Wi-Fi antenna and escape the bounds of your home network by connecting to LTE.
Instant and unlimited image backup is just one reason you should be using Google Photos.
The Connect Home's integration with the SmartThings platform makes sense.
Support for smart locks, TV remotes, light bulbs, and more comes to the Google Home speaker via Google Assistant.
Google expects to start rolling out the feature worldwide to its iOS and Android Maps apps soon.
The agency won't move forward on many of its key proposals until next year.
Relax Google Wifi Now Lets You Pause the Internet stories
Don't wait around for a technician. Pick up an Xfinity prepaid starter kit for $80, which includes a wireless gateway and 30 days of service.
Orbi eliminates your wireless dead zones without adding any wires and now caters to smaller homes at lower price points.
The rule requires ISPs to get consent before they sell sensitive consumer data. Republican Senators and FCC members say it's unnecessary and harmful to ISPs.
Reddit believes this new feature will be 'helpful' for users but reaction about the impending change has been mixed.
The research submarine's name originated from the winner of an online poll that was hijacked by internet pranksters last summer.
The internet outage on Tuesday was caused by a programmer's inputting error.
Tired entrepreneurs should listen to science and go to bed.
Breakthrough paves the way for a reliable Internet service provided by balloons.
Basically, bad moods breed trolling and trolling leads to more trolling.
It's not always a straightforward process, but it's always a good thing to do on occasion.
This Entrepreneur contributor found that with more sleep, he had more energy and was able to work faster. He's still finding that. Every night.
The new network, Backpack, will be shared with the world for free.
Even a close watch on Election Day social posts couldn't see the Republican candidate's victory coming.
Cook like a top chef with smart gadgets that add high-tech convenience to your kitchen.
Approaching someone you don't know to ask them a favor doesn't work online any better than in real life.
Tax season is coming to a close, and if you haven't filed yet, here's what you need to know.
Android eked out a win against Windows for global OS market share, according to StatCounter.
Managing to cool a Core i7 with Iris Pro Graphics without using any fans is impressive.
Tests with "Seal Team Six" and other units are promising so far.
For $6.99, you can choose five VR apps and swap them out every month.
Another attempt to make homebrew compact, cheap and easy hits Kickstarter.
Recreating gestures on a picture is a clever and creative way to log yourself into Windows 10.
Advertisers will only pay HTC when a user looks at an advert in a virtual reality environment.