{"id":81378,"date":"2022-09-29T04:51:37","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T04:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/with-amazons-latest-echo-updates-googles-nest-speakers-have-some-serious-catching-up-to-do\/"},"modified":"2022-09-29T04:51:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-29T04:51:37","slug":"with-amazons-latest-echo-updates-googles-nest-speakers-have-some-serious-catching-up-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/with-amazons-latest-echo-updates-googles-nest-speakers-have-some-serious-catching-up-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"With Amazon’s latest Echo updates, Google’s Nest speakers have some serious catching up to do"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Nest Audio is a great little unit, but the new Echo Dot really puts the ‘smart’ in smart speaker<\/p>\n

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When the Nest Audio was released in 2020, I gave it a glowing review. At the time, in the context of other Assistant-equipped smart speakers on the market, I couldn’t find much to complain about: it was a better version of the Google Home speaker it replaced, with a modern look and great sound for its size, and it was offered at a very reasonable $99 price point \u2014 $30 cheaper than its predecessor was at launch. To this day, it’s one of our favorite smart speakers. But at its Devices & Services Event today, Amazon announced new versions of its Echo Dot speakers \u2014 and updates to existing devices \u2014 that are making me question my whole Google-based smart home setup.<\/p>\n

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ANDROIDPOLICE VIDEO OF THE DAY<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The new Echo Dot doesn’t look any different from the old version, but it’s packing some significant upgrades under the hood. The $50 speaker can be used as a Wi-Fi range extender for compatible Eero setups \u2014 a big get, considering discrete Eero 6 extenders retail for $79 apiece. The Dot isn’t quite as effective as a dedicated Eero extender \u2014 the speaker can purportedly cover 1,000 square feet in Wi-Fi, while an extender can manage 1,500 \u2014 but even so, the new functionality represents a tremendous added value for households with Eero routers. What’s more, this functionality is coming to existing fourth-gen Echo and Echo Dot speakers soon through a software update.<\/p>\n

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Source: Amazon <\/p>\n

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The fifth-generation Echo Dot with Clock.<\/em><\/p>\n

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We’re expecting an updated Nest Wifi system from Google in the near future; leaks tell us it’ll start at $200 and come with Wi-Fi 6E support. As a smart-home nerd with lots of Google stuff around, that’s appealing to me, but it’s not nearly as exciting as it would be if Google’s speakers that I already have entirely too many of could act as Wi-Fi points in Nest’s mesh network . If my Nest speakers were late-model Echo speakers, dropping in a single $75 Eero router could bathe my home in glorious, full Wi-Fi reception. If early info is to be believed, getting that kind of coverage out of Nest’s new routers \u2014 by buying a bundle of three \u2014 would run me 400 bucks. For that kind of money, I can make due with spotty coverage on the second floor.<\/p>\n

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The fifth-gen Dot has a thermometer built in, too, which can be used to trigger Alexa routines when the indoor temperature hits a certain threshold. Amazon used the example of automatically turning on a fan when it gets too hot, but the company’s $60 Smart Thermostat can also be integrated into routines \u2014 meaning that, unless Amazon blocks the functionality, Echo Dot speakers around your home could function as temperature sensors to help control your HVAC with more granularity. Nest speakers, being unable to sense temperature, obviously don’t offer a similar experience. Google does sell remote temperature sensors for its Nest thermostats, but they’re not even compatible with the latest model.<\/p>\n

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The latest Nest Thermostat.<\/em><\/p>\n

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With the Nest Mini approaching its third birthday and the Google Home Max long discontinued, we’re likely about due for some new smart speakers from Google \u2014 the company does have a hardware event coming up soon, though it hasn’t said it’ll feature any smart speaker updates. With Amazon leaning so heavily into the Echo Dot’s place in the greater connected home, I really hope Google has similar surprises in store for us. Otherwise, I might have to make the Big Switch from an Assistant-based smart home to a more Alexa-centric setup \u2014 and I doubt I’m alone in that sentiment.<\/p>\n

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The Nest Audio is a great little unit, but the new Echo Dot really puts the ‘smart’ in smart speaker When the Nest Audio was released in 2020, I gave it a glowing review. At the time, in the context of other Assistant-equipped smart speakers on the market, I couldn’t find much to complain about: …<\/p>\n

With Amazon’s latest Echo updates, Google’s Nest speakers have some serious catching up to do<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9023,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/the-apple-tv-4k-drops-to-150-plus-the-best-early-prime-day-deals-you-can-get\/","url_meta":{"origin":81378,"position":0},"title":"The Apple TV 4K drops to $150, plus the best early Prime Day deals you can get","date":"July 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"With Amazon Prime Day only a few days away, the early deals are in full swing. 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