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Google released its first new smart speaker in six years, designed to showcase its Gemini AI. The device looks appealing and signals Google's renewed focus on smart home technology. However, the Gemini AI integration still feels incomplete and not fully ready for prime time.
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The Google Home Speaker looks great, sounds good, and fits into your smart home nicely, but Gemini isn’t the assistant we’ve been waiting for.
The Google Home Speaker nails the hardware, but Gemini for Home isn’t the assistant we’ve been waiting for.
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Smart speakers have spent the past few years searching for a compelling second act. Beyond music, timers, and controlling your lights, they’ve struggled to justify taking up space on the kitchen counter. AI promised to change that.
Amazon debuted its new hardware powered by a revamped Alexa last fall, and now it’s finally Google’s turn. The Google Home Speaker is the company’s first new smart speaker in six years and its first “built for Gemini.” After years of neglect, Google appears to be finally getting serious about the smart home — again. The new speaker is the clearest sign yet. Gemini for Home, however, still feels unfinished.
Good sound for its sizeAppealing designGemini’s conversational understanding is impressiveA smart home controller for Matter and ThreadCan pair with the Google TV Streamer
Gemini is slow and unreliableSeveral features are paywalled Doesn’t sound as good as the Nest Audio it replaces