People who avoided buying Google Home smart speakers because they preferred a device with a screen are in luck.
Google recently announced its Google Home Hub, which works like one of the brand’s speakers but has a seven-inch, touch-sensitive screen.
People can buy it for $149. The company is taking pre-orders now and will start shipping the devices on October 18. But is the gadget worth the money? Let’s take a look at some facts about it.
It Controls Other Home Products
When people swipe down from the top of the Home Hub screen, they can see a menu of available connected devices. Then, it’s possible to control those devices with voice commands or screen shortcuts. The buttons on the screen change depending on the devices people have connected.
Before people attempt to link other smart home products with Google’s hub, they must make sure all the devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. They also need to download the Google Home app. It’s gotten a recent revamp that displays connected smart home gadgets through a control-center-like interface.
Other than that, users don’t need to worry too much about the possibility that the gadget won’t work with other smart home brands they own. According to Google, the Home Hub is compatible with more than 5,000 products and in excess of 400 brands.
It’s worth clarifying, though, that tech-savvy users who think of smart hubs as “bridges” that let Wi-Fi-enabled devices connect with apps won’t use Google’s hub in the same way. It accommodates smart home gadgets, but not in the traditional sense that other hubs do.
It Automatically Showcases the Best Photos
Something that sets the Google Home Hub apart from the brand’s smart products without screens is that it lets people enjoy photo albums they can pull up on the device via voice commands. There’s also a Live Albums feature that automatically chooses the best recently taken pictures and shows them off.
It Features the Google Assistant
Individuals who are accustomed to using the Google Assistant on their Android phones should find themselves able to swiftly start using the Google Home Hub too. The new device has the Google Assistant, although people who decide not to use voice commands can also control things with options on the screen.
Such flexibility caters to people who might not yet be accustomed to using voice-enabled gadgets. The inclusion of the Google Assistant means that people who already know some useful Google Home skills that they trigger with their voice can use them on the Hub as well.
The Device Doesn’t Have a Camera
Although the Google Home Hub works well for looking at pictures, it doesn’t let people take selfies while using it or communicate with loved ones via video calls because there’s no camera. Google reportedly decided not to include one so that people could feel at ease using it in private areas of their homes, such as bedrooms.
The lack thereof shouldn’t pose problems, especially since people likely have other devices with cameras within an arm’s reach. Plus, making an intelligent device without a camera differentiates Google from rivals, including Amazon, which offers the Echo Show with a screen, and Facebook, which recently announced its Portal devices with screens that help people communicate on the social network.
A couple of years ago, Microsoft also publicized intentions to make a home hub, but they were never realized, leaving a space in the market for the Google Home Hub to fill.
Not having a camera makes the device advantageous to people who like the idea of smart devices but worry the tech might watch them and tell companies about preferences, letting those entities market to them in ultra-personalized ways.
The Google Home Hub Is Extremely Portable
Today’s best-selling smart home devices fit seamlessly into people’s lives without making those individuals figure out where to put them. The Google Home Hub follows that trend. People wondering how the device stacks up to Amazon’s Echo Show should know that the Google Home Hub has a smaller screen than Amazon’s product, but it’s also lighter, with dimension information noting it weighs just over a pound.
The streamlined size makes the Google Home Hub an ideal option for people who live in small spaces. It’s also perfect for people who envision using the device in various rooms depending on needs.
It’s Not Like Google’s Third-Party Smart Display Platforms
Before announcing its Home Hub, Google made its smart display platform available to third parties. People who are familiar with those may initially think the Google Home Hub uses the same technology since it appears identical on the outside. Internally, though, there are significant differences. Analysts say the decision Google made to avail of a different platform is a cost-cutting move.
But the reasonable price doesn’t mean the Google Home Hub sacrifices quality. People who have seen it have remarked on how it’s an appealing and feature-rich option for the cost.
It Caters to Media Lovers
The screen on the Google Home Hub means people can watch their favorite YouTube clips. When they want to stream tunes instead, they can use Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more. Plus, because the base doubles as a speaker, the Google Home Hub is ideal for people who want a gadget they can use for streaming and placing on a coffee table.
Will the Google Home Hub Succeed in the Smart Tech Market?
Around the same time Google started spreading the word about its Home Hub, Amazon announced the newest version of its Echo Show. That device is more expensive than what Google offers, plus has the dimensional differences mentioned earlier.
Once the Google Home Hub starts arriving in people’s homes and those owners put them to the test, it’ll be easier to determine whether the device has staying power in a competitive market. In any case, early reports suggest that the gadget offers an assortment of enticing capabilities for tech lovers and the less technically inclined alike.
Image via Google