Google Nest Hub
Google Nest Hub – 2nd Generation
Released: March 2021
Google Nest Hub Second Generation was released on March 30, 2021. It has been over a year since Google launched its Second Generation of Nest Hub. In the 2nd generation model, Google is pushing towards a hardware upgrade, a larger screen. It is aiming to compete with the Echo Show by Amazon in the market. The Google Nest Hub generation 2 is priced at USD 99 which is a fair price point for the product.
In comparison to the original Nest Hub model, the Google Nest Hub 2nd Generation is far more attractive with a smart display. The newest added feature on Google Nest Hub 2nd Generation is Sleep sensing. Google has used its miniature radar technology called Soli which can detect a person sleeping at the submillimeter level. The 2nd Generation Nest Hub has 50 percent more bass in comparison to the older generation. Besides, the device is installed with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 version. Nest Hub’s second generation is powered by an ML chip which helps to process commands on a local basis enhancing the Google Assistant response time. There are dedicated interfaces for Photo frame, Your Day, Home Control, Wellness Media, Communication, Family and Discovering options.
Pricing:
Costco: Currently Costco is selling nest hub 2 pack for $179.99.
Sam’s Club: You can buy Nest Hub 2 pack for $79.98 in Sam’s club.
Amazon: Currently Amazon is not selling nest hub.
Best Buy: You can buy nest hub for $49.99 in best buy
Google Official Website: you can buy Nest Hub for $49.99 directly from the Google official website.
Google Nest Hub Max
Released: September 2019
Google Nest Hub Max was launched on September 9, 2019. The product was priced at USD 229 in the USA. The Nest Hub Max has been a larger version of the product. The product was designed to keep the busy family in touch and track. It provided facilities like leaving video messages and making video calls. Google Nest Hub Max came with a much bigger 10-inch screen which provides a better viewing experience.
One of the major features of the Google Nest Hub Max is undoubtedly its 10-inch screen. The 10-inch screen with a smart feature enables color and brightness based on the room where it is placed. Google Nest Hub Max comes with a face match that enables one to receive only relevant notifications relevant to the user-driven by Google’s face-scanning technology. Google Nest Hub Max has a Live Albums feature. It uses Google Photos; Google Nest Hub Max will display the favorite pictures on a rotation basis. The screen will turn into a smart frame with a picture frame.
The Nest Hub Max has a 6.5-megapixel camera for video calling and home surveillance when everyone is out for work. The processor is an Amlogic T931 based on hexacore providing ample processing power to the device. The Amlogic S922 comes with added NPU for driving this massive smart device.
Pricing:
Costco: Currently Costco is not selling Google Nest Hub Max
Sam’s Club: You can buy Google Nest Hub Max for $174.
Amazon: Currently Amazon is not selling Google Nest Hub Max.
Best Buy: You can buy Google Nest Hub Max for $174.99 in Best Buy.
Google Official Website: You can buy Nest Hub Max for $174 from Google website.
Google Nest Hub – 1st Generation
Released: October 2018
The Google Nest Hub 1st Generation was introduced in the USA market on October 22, 2018. The product came with a screen size of 7 inches touchscreen. It was introduced as a smart display with speakers which would help to make the most of the moments at home. The device came with voice match features, getting a calendar, communication, and reminders located on the right of the home screen. Users could watch the news, create a shopping list, and make calls to friends, family and businesses.
The touchscreen of Google Nest Hub is highly responsive and works seamlessly with Google Assistant. It can do all work from finding a recipe, check out the calendar. Picture and videos work perfectly as the picture is crisp due to the ambient light sensor which has an adaptive screen brightness. It matches the light and warmth of the room and provides a clear image for any room. The control panel screen will make it very easy to organize and control any Google driven smart devices.
In its second incarnation, Google’s Nest-branded, the screen-enhanced smart home product is more affordable than ever. With a two-figure sticker price starting from $69.25 to $99.98 depending on the color, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) rewards you with a host of new functionalities. These features include Motion Sense for gesture recognition, support for Netflix, Disney Plus, and YouTube, built-in Google Cast capabilities, and Sleep Sensing, which uses Google’s Soli sensor technology to monitor sleep quality.
Pricing:
All the website have discontinued selling Google Nest Hub first generation. You do not find this device anymore from any of the stores.
What Does the New Google Nest Hub (Second Generation) Offer?
Pros
- Modern and Futuristic Style Updates
- Enhanced Sleep Sensing and Data Collection
- Improved Speaker Performance
- Smart Gestures
- Built-In Support for Third-Party Devices
- Modern ML Processor
- Quick Configuration Process
Cons
- No Camera
- Buggy Air Gestures
- Subscription Needed for Sleep Sensing After Trial Period
- Big Bezel
- Not Much Different from Predecessors
The second-generation Nest Hub is available in one more color than the first: a light blue. Additionally, this device touts an improvement in music quality, with a more prominent, 43.5mm speaker that offers up to 50% more bass. Thanks to a third microphone and an embedded machine learning processor, it becomes even more sensitive to your beck and call.
Any gadget with a screen but no camera is quite unusual in an age where smartphones, notebooks, and laptops all have screens and front- and back-facing cameras. That does the Google Nest Hub an injustice because it still has a lot of cutting-edge technology inside. Therefore, the choice to forgo a snapper was deliberate.
This device is specifically ideal for those who desire the extra advantage of visual intelligence provided by a display but are hesitant to let their technology film them. So, how does it sound and feel to use, and is it a wise investment?
The Sleep Sensing Feature
Sleep Sensing is the critical component of the new Nest Hub. It tracks the motions of the person sleeping nearest to the display in millimeters using Google’s tiny radar technology, dubbed Soli.
A visual instruction manual helps you position and aim the display during configuration. The manufacturer recommends putting it on your nightstand for optimal effects. Additionally, the gadget requires you to assume your usual sleeping posture for a brief calibration period. You are then ready to go. When it detects someone in bed, a little symbol is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. When the display starts monitoring sleep, a more prominent banner notice appears.
The Sunrise Alarm is yet another valuable and relevant function. The Nest Hub’s screen will gradually brighten up in the morning rather than abruptly buzzing you awake. It’s a capability Google added to Nest Hub models earlier this year. So, you may access it without having the most recent model.
Additionally, you may use soothing sounds to put yourself to sleep with the device’s smart speakers. The capability to switch off regular alarms and timers by waving your hand is an improvement over the original. This is quite useful when there isn’t a snooze button to press. However, you need to configure these smart gestures in advance, but they are valuable.
Your sleep period, frequency, and quality are available in a timeline by Google’s daily sleep sensing data. Based on the timing of your nighttime activities and recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Nest Hub will evaluate your sleep regularity as your sleep profile develops. Moreover, the device will offer practical suggestions to enhance your sleeping patterns.
Unlike some activity trackers, the Nest Hub does not offer particular information on sleep cycles. But for a consumer-facing gadget, the actionable sleep tracking data is among the most complete and accurate in the market.
The Smart Gestures
The Sleep Sensing function is not the only one that Motion Sense with Soli powers. The mini radar also handles gesture control for the multimedia content. To stop or play with your videos, tap the air in front of the gadget. Additionally, you may mute an alarm, turn off a timer, or silence Google Assistant by giving it an air tap.
Managing your gestures is convenient, particularly if you have filthy hands in the kitchen or are working across the room. It’s quicker, easier, and doesn’t need shouting over your music to grab Google Assistant’s attention as “Hey Google, pause” does. All testing phases went smoothly for Quick Gestures, which also displayed the appropriate level of sensitivity.
The Enhanced Audio Capabilities
According to Google, the new Nest Hub has 50% more bass than the outgoing model. To improve listening, Google also included a third microphone in this variant. That is one more than the original Nest Hub and the Nest Hub Max. The knobs and buttons that mute the microphones and regulate volume are unaltered.
The speakers are of excellent quality and loud enough for daily entertainment. The device keeps up and functions well when paired with other Nest speakers in a speaker group. You can adjust the bass or treble under the audio tab in Settings for the Hub. The Nest Hub’s maximum volume is loud enough to fill your space while maintaining a high level of quality.
The Overall Design
The second-generation Nest Hub resembles a 7-inch tablet on an oval platform wrapped in fabric, just like Google’s earlier smart displays. The new edgeless glass screen, however slight, appears more futuristic and ought to be simpler to clean. Utilizing the Nest Hub similarly to one of the finest digital photo frames should result in a more excellent experience.
Once more, the display lacks a camera, unlike the Google Nest Hub Max or the Amazon Echo Show 8 within the same price range. While that is unfortunate for video conferencing, it makes the Nest Hub an attractive privacy option. It’s up to you if you want a camera on your bedside or kitchen counter or not. Therefore, many modern consumers may find it to be the best option.
The Google Nest Hub 2 has a mechanical microphone button on the back, like most smart speakers and screens should, so you can turn off its microphones when you don’t want your assistant to listen in. However, you’ll need to turn on the microphone if you want to utilize Google Assistant and make the most of the device’s sleep detection features.
Other Bells and Whistles
The smart display UI from Google has long been popular. This Nest Hub has redesigned the UI to make operating all the top smart home devices more user-friendly.
On-device processing is nothing unusual for Google. The integrated microprocessor offers quicker assistance options. Therefore, your assistant should gradually understand your most frequent requests in addition to processing the finest Google Assistant requests overall without transferring information to the cloud.
Your assistant should be able to detect its wake phrases more easily, thanks to the additional microphones (a total of three). You may take advantage of prompt replies and simple integration with Google Calendar, Google Maps, and other in-house applications.
Support for Thread radio is the penultimate smart home feature that is important to mention. The protocol known as Thread makes future connections between various smart home manufacturers possible. Right now, the network doesn’t have a lot of popularity. But more businesses are starting to provide cross-brand interoperability. The Google Nest Hub is equipped to keep up with our move toward a more integrated smart home system.
The 7-inch HD display will still allow you to stream content from sites like YouTube, Netflix, Disney +, and more. There is also music streaming via Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Rhapsody. Tabs for Photo Frame, Your Day, Home Control, Health, Entertainment, Communicate, Family, and Explore are available.
Most of what people admired about the Nest Hub is still there. You’ll receive a fantastic digital photo frame with adjustable color and ambient light sensors. The 30-minute window before your alarm allows you to wake up gradually with light, thanks to the Sunrise Alarm capability.
The Home Control option lets you view cameras, doorbells, thermostats, lighting, and more. Still absent is a built-in camera. While everyone has their preferences, many modern and concerned individuals are relieved to see Google continue providing a camera-free smart display.
What Do We Have to Say?
This is an excellent introductory device with numerous capabilities, such as sleep tracking and infotainment, in addition to being an epicenter for connected devices if you’re new to the smart hub realm and have other Google or Google compatible smart devices. It’s important to note that Google Nest Hub has no camera, which is excellent for people who like more privacy.
The second-generation Nest Hub is a suitable replacement for the first one, thanks to functional changes, a lower price, and increased functionality. The new features that some people might find unsettling are completely optional, and you can review and remove your data whenever you choose.
The second-generation Nest Hub is not much improved or changed. However, it is familiar, improved, and more reasonably priced. We feel that the Nest Hub is the best smart display for most smart homes based on the information above.