HomeGoogle bets on Gemini to overhaul smart home speaker
After years of incremental updates, Google is betting on its Gemini AI to reinvent the smart speaker. On Wednesday, the company introduced its first audio device built specifically for Gemini: the $99.99 Google Home Speaker.
The new Google Home device is the first standalone smart speaker from the tech giant since the Nest Audio was released in September 2020. Back then, smart speakers were mainly seen as convenient controllers for smart home devices and music playback. They lacked the intelligence of modern AI chatbots, often requiring precise phrasing to execute commands.
The Google Home Speaker changes that by allowing natural language requests and even multi-step commands phrased however you like. For instance, you could say, "turn off all the lights except for my bedside lamp," or "dim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes."
You can also correct yourself mid-sentence without having to start over, and Gemini will understand. That means you could say something like "turn off the coffee maker…I mean, turn it on!" and the AI will respond accordingly, Google notes.
Image credit: Google
Additionally, the device comes with 10 new voices that can engage in two-way conversations on topics beyond smart home tasks or simple commands. You can ask more nuanced questions and explore topics in depth, similar to interacting with Gemini on your smartphone. The speaker's microphone can also stay on briefly when using the "Continued Conversation" feature, allowing you to ask follow-up questions naturally without repeating "OK, Google."
The device itself resembles older models, featuring a 3D-knit fabric covering and a rounded 3.4 x 4.2-inch design. In the U.S., it's available in Jade and Berry colors, in addition to the Hazel and Porcelain options offered globally. A new ring light at the bottom signals whether the speaker is listening, thinking, or responding.
However, not all of the new device's AI capabilities are free.
Instead, Google will offer Google Home Premium subscription plans for $10 per month (or $100 per year) to access more advanced AI features. These include free-flowing conversations with Gemini Live, activated by saying "Hey Google, let's chat." Home Premium also helps you query and understand activity captured by your home's Nest cameras, or provides summaries of events while you were away.
Whether these capabilities are compelling enough to warrant yet another monthly subscription remains uncertain, especially given that many of the device's Gemini features are available for free.
However, Google will try to familiarize you with the advanced features by offering them free for six months before encouraging a subscription. If successful, Google will have revitalized the smart speaker lineup with generative AI and found a way to get some customers to pay for these technological advances.
The device is available for pre-order now and will begin shipping later this month.
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After years of incremental updates, Google is betting on its Gemini AI to reinvent the smart speaker. On Wednesday, the company introduced its first audio device built specifically for Gemini: the $99.99 Google Home Speaker.
The new Google Home device is the first standalone smart speaker from the tech giant since the Nest Audio was released in September 2020. Back then, smart speakers were mainly seen as convenient controllers for smart home devices and music playback. They lacked the intelligence of modern AI chatbots, often requiring precise phrasing to execute commands.
The Google Home Speaker changes that by allowing natural language requests and even multi-step commands phrased however you like. For instance, you could say, "turn off all the lights except for my bedside lamp," or "dim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes."
You can also correct yourself mid-sentence without having to start over, and Gemini will understand. That means you could say something like "turn off the coffee maker…I mean, turn it on!" and the AI will respond accordingly, Google notes.
Image credit: Google
Additionally, the device comes with 10 new voices that can engage in two-way conversations on topics beyond smart home tasks or simple commands. You can ask more nuanced questions and explore topics in depth, similar to interacting with Gemini on your smartphone. The speaker's microphone can also stay on briefly when using the "Continued Conversation" feature, allowing you to ask follow-up questions naturally without repeating "OK, Google."
The device itself resembles older models, featuring a 3D-knit fabric covering and a rounded 3.4 x 4.2-inch design. In the U.S., it's available in Jade and Berry colors, in addition to the Hazel and Porcelain options offered globally. A new ring light at the bottom signals whether the speaker is listening, thinking, or responding.
However, not all of the new device's AI capabilities are free.
Instead, Google will offer Google Home Premium subscription plans for $10 per month (or $100 per year) to access more advanced AI features. These include free-flowing conversations with Gemini Live, activated by saying "Hey Google, let's chat." Home Premium also helps you query and understand activity captured by your home's Nest cameras, or provides summaries of events while you were away.
Whether these capabilities are compelling enough to warrant yet another monthly subscription remains uncertain, especially given that many of the device's Gemini features are available for free.
However, Google will try to familiarize you with the advanced features by offering them free for six months before encouraging a subscription. If successful, Google will have revitalized the smart speaker lineup with generative AI and found a way to get some customers to pay for these technological advances.
The device is available for pre-order now and will begin shipping later this month.
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