Want an always-listening speaker in your home?
This one looks pretty great
Key Takeaways
The Nest Audio isGoogles new smart speaker/domestic spy.
But do you really want a Google microphone listening to your living room all day long?
Despite its name, the Nest Audio is not a smart thermostat.
At just $100, the Nest Audio actually looks like a great deal on a great-sounding speaker."
In fact, seen from a certain angle, it looks just likeApples HomePod.
Its just way, way cheaper.
Whats New With Nest Audio?
According toGoogles blog post, the main new feature of the Nest Audio is that it sounds great.
Its 75% louder, and has 50% stronger bass, writes Googles Nest product manager Mark Spates.
Joking aside, that last feature is pretty cool.
The Nest Audio has audio processing that can tune itself to whatever youre listening to.
It can optimize itself for music and for spoken-word audio like audiobooks and podcasts.
Boosting frequencies to cut through domestic noise is a fantastic feature.
Having a speaker that achieves an equivalent effect would be pretty rad.
Smart Home
The other big part of a home assistant speaker is the assistant part.
In practice, that means faster responses.
Thats good news for you, and bad news for Apple.
On the other hand, Apples Siri is way more privacy-focused than Google.
In Apples case, nothing is transmitted to Apple until the microphone detects somebody saying Hey Siri.
Amazonsofficial lineis that the Echo and Alexa do not constantly record.
The privacy policies of these companies change based on what theyve most recently been caught doing.
Should You Buy the Nest Audio?
If all you need is a good wireless speaker, you might be better off avoiding smart speakers altogether.
But your speaker choice will likely come down to your phone vendor choice.
If you prefer Amazons services, go with an Echo.
The good news is, this new Google speaker looks gorgeous… and like a really great deal.
