The Google Nest Hub, at $100, is a great bedside speaker for Google Assistant users. The 7-inch screen feels like a smartphone rather than a giant smart display, and it has sleep tracking technology built in to track your sleep without the need for any accessories on your body. convenient! Also, no cameras.
What about Alexa+?
Amazon has started rolling out the new and improved Alexa, called Alexa+, after announcing it in February, though it’s still not available to all users. This second generation of the Alexa voice assistant is more conversational, similar to the experience of AI assistants like ChatGPIT, which is no surprise since Alexa+ was built on generative AI. It answers different types of queries better and responds to all types of requests instantly. Check out my hands-on with Alexa+.
It’s free in early access right now on many devices, including the Echo Show. Once it’s officially implemented, Alexa+ will be available for $20 per month, or free if you have an Amazon Prime membership. Although you likely have a subscription if you’ve added an Alexa device to your home, it’s a big leap from the previously free assistant (and both versions will have less privacy).
Alexa+ will also require that all voice recordings be sent to Amazon for processing, and Amazon is also changing its features to make recordings with regular Alexa go to Amazon. There was a “Do not send voice recordings” privacy feature you could choose to process voice requests locally, but that feature was turned off in March. The privacy change will affect all users, whether or not you sign up for Alexa+ and regardless of whether you’re using a compatible device.
What about Gemini for Google Home?
Google announced that a new version of its voice assistant, Gemini for Home, is getting early access for existing Google Home users. It will eventually completely replace the current Google Assistant, and is currently planned to be implemented on almost all of Google’s devices. One of the notable exceptions is the Pixel tablet; Otherwise, Google’s current hardware is a good example of where Gemini for Home will reach.
Unlike Alexa+, this new assistant will always be free. However, Google is changing its camera subscription, Nest Aware, to be a subscription for Gemini for Home, which will have two tiers, Standard ($10 per month) and Advanced ($20 per month) to replace the Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions. This new subscription model will expand beyond cameras and include some advanced smart assistant features, including Gemini Live, which is a more conversational chat mode you can activate on smart speakers, and automation features you won’t find on the base assistant. Advanced mode will also let you ask Gemini about video history, get AI notifications and details, and get a customized summary called Home Brief at the end of the day. The Standard plan will have 30 days of video event history and intelligent alerts for its cameras, while the Advanced plan will have 60 days and 24/7 video history.
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