The future of Push2Run - Google integration with IFTTT will be changing

[RobLatour]

Ok Crossley, thanks for the update.

I'm still really hoping Google relents - even in the example of only setting the volume on your computer in increments of only 10, you would still need in the simplest of cases 11 IFTTT applets (0, 10, ... 100). However, if you wanted to do set the volume in increments of 1 you would need 101 applets. This is opposed to you needing only just 1 applet for everything (per computer) in the current way of doing things.

Also, as IFTTT starts charging once you pass an applet count of five, and the rate goes up further once you pass 20, many people now using Push2Run with IFTTT for free are now going to either need to walk away from this altogether or switch over to a paid plan where currently they do not need one. https://ifttt.com/plans

[mattboy9921]

From the moment my Google Home started saying something about IFTTT changes every time I spoke a command and then got that email from IFTTT, I've been worried about what will happen with Push2Run. I've been using it for a long time now and can't see a super great way to work without it.

I can set up switches in my Home Assistant config that will send SSH commands to my computers when toggled, but say I had a switch that when pressed locks the computer. I still have to say "Turn on lock computer" which makes no sense. I could then add a routine in Google Home where saying "Lock the computer" flips that switch, but having to do that for every new command I want to implement is annoying. I could also use fake light entities for things like volume: "Set the computer volume to X" wouldn't need a routine, but anything past a 0-100 scale falls off. No way to play music or bring up websites.

It was to my understanding that IFTTT was a first party add on for Google Assistant, which is how it was able to listen for any phrase, rather than "Ok Google, tell IFTTT to tell my computer to hibernate." I had always wondered if there were any way to create an app or something similar with said integration. Although I also know that dealing with Google is often like shouting into a void.

I hope something can be figured out though, as I've really enjoyed using this system to control my computers

[RobLatour]

Please see the following tweets between myself and @madebygoogle

me

Hey Google, if you change the current IFTTT integration for the end of August 2022 as planned, you will effectively wipe out the effectiveness of Push2Run for its +16K users - please reconsider!

@madebygoogle

Hey Rob, thanks for the tweet. We hear you and we understand where you're coming from. While the Assistant integration with IFTTT would be deprecated, you could still recreate your Applets and see the applicable functions from this guide: https://goo.gle/3Ss863R

me

Thanks but I don't think you understand where I am coming from. For example, I have one IFTTT app that now handles setting my computer's volume anywhere between 0 and 100 percent. In the future, without variable text, I would need at least 101 IFTTT applets just to do the same.

me

also, that same one IFTTT allows me to say 'tell my computer to browse $' where the $ is variable text. So for example, browse for pictures of kittens. Realistically cannot support that without variable text.

@madebygoogle

Thanks for clarifying. We're always looking for ways to improve and we'll take it as feedback. We appreciate your understanding.

me

Well to be honest, I'm not really understanding. The planned Google IFTTT integration changes for the end of the month are from my point of view the exact opposite of improving, and I suspect Push2Run's +16,000 users will agree.

--
If you would like to provide your feedback to Google:

sending a Twitter tweet to @madebygoogle may be of help, or alternatively

you could perhaps post your comments here: https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/173609095 in hopes someone from Google will listen.

[RobLatour]

unfortunately on August 24th the post:

https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/173609095

has been locked on the Google support forum.

You can still read it and up-vote it (please do), but you can't add to it.

Accordingly, I've now tweeted this to the CEO of Google:

Rob Latour @CallClerk

@sundarpichai
Hi, is there any way you can get the issue described here: https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/173609095 (and now blocked from new discussion) addressed?

Hopefully he, or someone working on his behalf will turn this around!

[REDDDDY]

This is super sad news to everyone.
I have not done playing around with Push2Run scripting my own commands.
This takedown is way too early ..

Rob , you are a genius for building this tool for us to experienced its gloriness.
Thank you sir.

[REDDDDY]

are there any new updates on this issue?
please advise.

[RobLatour]

Hi REDDDDY, please see the update now posted on the website: https://www.push2run.com

[stambro]

I am gutted by this.

But thank you for all of your work, Rob.

I wasted a bunch of time trying to figure out how to recreate my Google Assistant / IFTTT / PushBullet integrations. To finally occurred to me to check here, and sure enough you had a detailed explanation.

It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but you saved me a bunch of time spinning my wheels. I sent you a small donation to show my appreciation.

It's the morning of September 1st 2022. Push2Run is still working for now. After a month of relentlessly persistent reminders I've become adapt at saying, "OK Google, tell my computer to set its volume to 15 percent. OK Google, STOP!" to kill the reminder.

I am so disappointed with Google Home. Ugh.

Push2Run is brilliant.

I prefer the David and Goliath allegory to this minor tragedy.

[RobLatour]

Stambro, thanks for your kind words and donation.

I too have spent much of August trying to find a reasonable workaround. However, as my dear old dad (God rest his soul) once said "To make Chicken soup, you need a chicken!" and without Google sharing the variable text there is not much more that can be done to have things run as they have to date.

Here's hoping they relent, and in any case thanks very much again!

Rob

[stambro]

Push2Run has officially stopped working on my end.

I'm sure that if there was a workaround you would have found it by now.

Push2Run is brilliant, and your last update to include Everything was also quite clever.

What about an Android / iPhone app with a widget that sends voice commands through PushBullet > Push2Run?

Or, better yet, an app that is always listening for a trigger command, like Google Assistant does?

My assumption is that Google and Apple probably block the latter capability on their devices. But heck, if such a thing were possible it would end up being a preferable solution. I'm so sick of saying, "OK, Google"! I'd be completely stoked to pay for an app that allowed me to set my own trigger phrase.