SMART HOME SPECIAL
HEY GOOGLE!
With over 50,000 devices from 10,000 brands, the Google smart ecosystem has solutions for everyone
You’re my Nest friend
The Nest Hub is a do-everything smart home controller that enables you to command devices, video-call your parents and watch cat videos on YouTube.
Google Assistant has been with us since 2016, when it debuted on the first Pixel phone, and it’s now able to communicate with and control tens of thousands of compatible devices.
Google Home is the second most popular smart home system: as of summer 2021 it was estimated that eight million American homes had multiple Google Home devices, compared to 20 million for Amazon.
BORN TO BE WIDE
Google Assistant is the app and virtual personal assistant for Google Home and Nest, the smart home system Google bought in 2019. It’s in all of the newest Android phones as well as many older ones, and also appears in Google devices including the Chromecast and Pixelbook Go, plus lots of third-party devices. The product range covers everything from phones to locks, thermostats and plugs, and that wide selection of devices means prices are very competitive, especially compared to HomeKit.
Although Google Assistant’s true home is on Android, there’s an iPhone/iPad app too. You can’t officially replace Siri with it but there is a workaround, by creating a shortcut in the iPhone Shortcuts app.
For the best Google Home experience, though, you should use an Android device, a Google-compatible smart speaker or a dedicated Google Home hub such as the Nest Hub (see right). These hubs can also present a range of information and play media, much like the Echo Shows do.
SEE YOUR DATA, ALLIGATOR
Google is in the data business and there have been concerns over its privacy protection. It says it does not sell your data for ads, although it does use it for personalisation of your Google services and the Google-powered ads you see. You can access any recorded conversations and delete them via My Activity, or by saying “Hey Google, delete this week’s activity.”
Google Nest Hub
from £90 / store.google.com
The second-gen Nest Hub is the kind of device that’s well suited to the kitchen, or other spaces where you might want to watch videos or check information without turning on your smart TV or computer.
With a 7in touchscreen, three microphones and a full-range speaker, the latest Nest Hub is an attractive and effective video caller, music speaker and information station where you can watch YouTube videos, check the weather and stay on top of your schedule. It’s a gadget that works smartly as well as looking nice, with first-class voice recognition and the ability to control all kinds of smart devices through voice commands or via the touchscreen.
This is an excellent all-round device if you want more than just something that plays music: the relatively low audio output won’t scare the neighbours but it’s fine for news and podcasts, and it does deliver more bass than the previous model.
STUFF SAYS
A handsome and affordable information station, video player and smart speaker ★★★★★
Google Nest Mini
£49 / store.google.com
Google’s most affordable smart speaker is sometimes discounted to around £30, so it’s a good idea to keep your eye out for deals. But even at full price you get a lot of device for not very much money. This is a huge improvement over the original model, with 40% more bass power, improved voice recognition and support for all the key apps. It can be popped on a desk or wall-mounted.
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
Cheap and smart, but watch out for discounts
Google Nest Hub Max
£219 / store.google.com
If you want to take your Google Nest Hub to the max, this does exactly that with a 3in woofer round the back and a stereo speaker pair for much better audio, a 10in touchscreen and built-in Chromecast. It’s particularly good for video-conferencing and that larger display and improved audio performance make it even better for watching YouTube or streaming Netflix.
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
A pumped-up Nest Hub with a price to match
Google Nest Audio
£90 / store.google.com
While the current Nest Mini is better than its predecessor, if sound quality matters to you then the Nest Audio is the Google Assistant device you need. It’s far better than the Mini, although at this price don’t expect the kind of audio experience you’d get from a Sonos: it gets a little harsh at higher volume and sounds best as part of a stereo pair. It works with all the key streaming music and podcast services.
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
A more musical option than the Nest Mini
WHY GOOGLE?
HUGE HARDWARE SUPPORT
Google’s range of compatible devices is second only to Alexa’s. That means lots of security cameras, thermostats and all kinds of other tech, all controllable from your phone, Google hub or smart speaker. The range includes the high-end Nest home protection products.
SUPERB VOICE SEARCH
Google knows a thing or two about searching and its voice search is the best in the business: the voice recognition, honed with the help of lots of Android phone users, is fast and accurate, and doesn’t suffer from the mishearing or not-hearing that plagues Siri and Alexa.
EXCELLENT APP INTEGRATION
Because Google Assistant knows you through the other Google services you use, it can do all kinds of useful things – such as checking in for flights or booking hotel rooms using only your voice. You can also use Interpreter Mode to get real-time translations.
SMART TV INTEGRATION
Google has partnered with a number of TV firms, most notably Sony, LG and Panasonic, to include Google Assistant on their smart TVs. This means you can operate your telly and other devices with the remote control’s mic or a compatible smart speaker.