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The Google Home Speaker was officially released as the company's latest take on a smart speaker, its first in six years. I've been testing the Google Home Speaker for nearly 48 hours, and I've got some interesting first impressions.

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With 360-degree audio, the Google Home Speaker offers a new audio experience compared to the Nest Audio and Nest Mini, both of which feature front-facing sound. The new experience, however, doesn't necessarily mean it will be obviously better.