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Google's New Speaker: Smarter AI, But Is It Worth It?
28 Jun
Summary
- The Google Home Speaker integrates Gemini AI, promising enhanced smart home features.
- Hardware boasts aesthetic appeal with new colors and functional lighting ring.
- AI's performance shows promise but has quirks and paywalled features.
Google's new $100 Home Speaker signifies a new era, replacing Google Assistant with Gemini for Home. The device boasts improved design with new color options and a functional light ring indicating Gemini's status.
While the hardware's aesthetics and responsiveness are notable, the core experience relies on Gemini for Home. This AI shows faster response times than previous models but struggles with consistency and has introduced a $10 monthly subscription for 'Gemini Live' conversations.
Further AI features are paywalled, with premium tiers costing $10 or $20 monthly, offering enhanced alerts and historical data. Despite these subscription costs, the AI's reliability and the overall 'next-gen' smart home experience remain questionable.
Ultimately, the Google Home Speaker offers a snappier experience for basic tasks but falls short of revolutionizing the smart home for those expecting a truly evolved AI ecosystem.
