Google Home Speaker
A new product has been added to Google’s smart home range. Today we’re introduced to the Google Home Speaker, a new-generation speaker which, naturally, features Gemini. The speaker’s design is particularly striking. It boasts a new design with a fabric finish. There is a light-up ring at the base of the speaker. This lights up, for example, when you ask Gemini a question, so you know that it can hear you, that the device is processing your request or that it is responding. There is also a physical switch that allows you to mute the microphone. Incidentally, the microphones in the speaker have been improved, so the assistant can understand you better in a variety of environments.
For music lovers, Google has made the necessary improvements to the speaker. Google promises 360-degree audio to deliver the best sound quality. The company also promises high-quality sound and balanced bass. Google has equipped the Google Home Speaker with a pairing feature, allowing you to connect it to other Google speakers. There’s also a new feature that lets you pair up to two of these speakers with a Google TV streamer.
Google is releasing the Google Home Speaker in the colours Hazel (black-grey) and Porcelain (cream). The device costs 119.99 euros and pre-orders start today, 17 June.
Gemini for Home
Google has also announced a new Gemini for Home app, which replaces the current Google Home app. The interface is very similar to what we’re used to seeing in the app. But it’s all mainly about the integration of AI, or Gemini. You can carry out various actions as you’re used to, just as you can already do with Gemini. In the latest version of Gemini, there are many more voices you can use. Whether this also applies to voices in Dutch remains to be seen.
According to Google, more than 2,500 bug fixes and improvements have been implemented in Gemini for Home. This should make it even more stable and ensure it works better. One of the improvements is evident in the reasoning, where the AI assistant can understand what you mean even better – for example, when you give slightly more complex commands. It can also provide proactive suggestions that match your command.
Google Home Premium is a paid subscription service that offers additional features, which are already included in the AI Pro subscription. For 10 euros a month, you get Gemini for Home with Gemini Live, features that allow you to automate tasks, and 30 days’ worth of video history from, for example, a camera. For 18 euros a month, you’ll also get searchable video history, descriptions for cameras and doorbells, a daily summary of what’s been recorded, and 60 days of 24/7 video history. For example, you can also ask the speaker, “What have my cameras seen?”, so you don’t necessarily have to watch the footage; instead, Gemini will give you the answer via spoken text. It can also recognise the name of your cat or dog, and ask whether they’ve been sitting on the sofa.
