From CNET: Google's latest smart speaker -- called the Google Home Speaker -- has arrived, starting at $100. It's the first new speaker line Google has introduced since 2019, offering a more affordable alternative to Apple's HomePod and competing with Amazon's smaller Echo speakers and the $100 HomePod mini.
The Google Home Speaker has dropped the Nest name, for reasons I don't really understand, but it looks like a Nest Mini all grown up, measuring about 3.5 inches tall and 4 inches wide. It houses a 58-millimeter, full-range driver for 360-degree sound (specs similar to the HomePod mini). Google says the speaker delivers 2.5 times more bass than the tiny Nest Mini and can pair with Google TV streamers if you prefer a home theater setup.
Those aren't specs that can compete with something like an Echo Studio or Wiim Sound, but Google has different goals in mind with its Home Speaker. Equipped with a Quad Core A55 2.0 GHz processor, the speaker is designed for Gemini for Home, Google's AI reframed for smart home spaces. The free version promises richer, better answers than the old Google Assistant, although my own experience with Gemini for Home has been mixed so far (the voice assistant struggles with some simple tasks and answers compared to Alexa Plus, and we'll have to see what Siri AI brings to the table).
But if you upgrade to a Google Home Premium subscription, starting at $10 per month, you can unlock more powerful Gemini for Home features, including deeper interactions, continued conversations without awkward wake word pauses and various activity summaries if you use Nest security cameras. It's nice, but I'm not entirely convinced it's worth the extra cost.
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