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Shortly after announcing For the Home Hub, a Google executive said the timing was simply focused on "the right product." Nevertheless, it is curious to launch your own entry into space more than six months after the trio of hardware partners.
It is quite easy to give the business the benefit of the doubt when you consider all the variables of a nascent technological category that has existed since last summer. Amazon won the first prize on the market with the show Echo. It was a big clumsy object, built from low-budget hardware, but it showed the ability to add a screen to a smart speaker.
The Echo Show 2 refined the concept, with a more thoughtful design and improved hardware, while a trio of peripherals from LG, JBL and Lenovo offered insights into what Google Assistant could bring to the table. The domestic hub, announced a few weeks ago (next to a multitude of company materials), is trying to offer it in the ideal area of equipment.
Smart screen smart screen point is, of course, a totally subjective thing, which depends on the personal preferences and needs of each. It seems quite plausible that next year brings a Home Hub Max, but for now, the set on a seven-inch screen. This places the product between Echo Spot (2.5) and the new Show (10 inches). Despite the same screen size as the first-generation Show, Google has managed to stay compact.
I saw the criticism "it's just a tablet" issued against the category by several angry / bored commentators. Apparently, Google said "screw it" and leaned. The company insists that all the technology has been built here from scratch, but at first glance it is hard to shake the top feeling of a speaker.
At first I did not know what to think about it. It certainly was not what I expected from the Home Hub. I've learned to love that, though. From the front, it looks a little like a tablet floating one inch above the table, mounted at an angle of 25 to 30. The design involves a future upgrade with a swivel screen with adjustable viewing angle, but in its present form, it is small but bright and easily identifiable in the room.
The speaker stand is fully upholstered in fabric, in line with the long-standing aesthetic of the Home line, which has since found its way into the latest generation of Echo appliances. Unlike other products for the home, the device does not blend perfectly into its environment, any more than your tablet or smartphone. That said, the vast array of optional screen savers offers a generally more pleasing appearance when it is not being used, ranging from a selection organized by the company. IA from your Google Photos to fine art objects while taking NASA's land and space shots. I am a proponent of images of the Earth myself.
The digital photo frame is not dead, exactly. He just disappeared for a moment, then came back to something much more useful.
The telescope is quite voluminous, partly belonging to the light sensor and the microphones in far field. The display is 1024 x 600, as initially suspected – confirmed, oddly enough, by this tweet. We're not talking about high-end hardware here, but it's certainly there to serve as a YouTube video portal. And honestly, given the size of your video, you probably will not want to look much longer than that.
The absence of camera is a bit of a curiosity in the broader context of the category of smart screens. This is double after Facebook's recent introduction by Portal, which exists mainly for this reason alone. Here is the official Google statement on this decision, graciously posted on a blog of Vice President, Diya Jolly: "We deliberately decided not to include a camera in Google Home Hub. bedroom."
It's a good line, certainly. And as with us, many of these objects are destined to sit at the bedside, like a kind of intelligent awakening, associated with the general concern about Google's core business, data collection, which will probably give some peace of mind. of mind to potential buyers. Considering these privacy concerns of the quota of electronic camcorders in the egg was probably a determining factor. The lack of webcam has also undoubtedly helped keep the price low.
Anyway, the inability to chat by video may well be a deal for some, given the essential feature of Amazon and Facebook products. However, if there is enough user protest for this feature, I would not be surprised if the company changes course. A camera and no camera SKU seems to be a pretty solid way to please everyone.
That said, you can still use the built-in microphones to call people in your contact list or "broadcast" messages to other home devices on your network, such as a kind of fortune-teller.
Regarding the microphone, there is a physical switch on the back of the device, easily accessible without having to return it. When returned, the wizard tells you "the microphone is off," and an icon flashes on the screen. A small red light also appears next to the light sensor at the top. I've talked to hardware designers who have been debating the best way to recognize it, since in many cameras the red light signals recording. Virtually all, however, have landed in the same camp as Google.
The other physical button is a volume rocker located on the left rear of the device. You can also ask the Assistant to turn down the volume for you, but the inclusion of buttons is a nice gesture for easy access when the display is nearby.
The speaker is actually the smartest part of Google's design. Compare it to the new Echo Show, whose speaker surface is pointing in the wrong direction. The product should be positioned about six inches from a wall to get the best sound possible. Or, the Lenovo Smart Display, whose speaker located at the front considerably increases its surface.
With the Home Hub, the majority of the speakers are still turned to the back, but the raised screen offers the ability to stream some of that sound to the front. When it comes to sound, that's what you expect from a product in this class. Like the screen itself, it's perfect for short videos or casual music. I would not, however, be the main subject. The Home Max, among others, does a much better job.
There is no auxiliary output port here either, which I like to see on smaller speakers. That said, Google has long since incorporated the simple "Hey Google, connect to the Bluetooth feature," which allows you to search for and connect to paired devices. This is something I use regularly to connect my laptop to Google Max – and a feature has still not been added by Amazon during the last check.
If you have configured multiple Google speakers, the best way to switch between them without wasting time is to use the Home application. Otherwise, things can get a bit confusing. By pairing them with a single group (such as Living Room), the speakers will then be divided into stereo channels, providing a more complete version of the music on both sides of the room.
This is a nice effect, especially when the screen is associated with the hub display. However, there are still some problems to solve here. For example, when I said "hey Google, drop in volume", only one speaker responded. It would be great if the system ensured that both sides functioned at the same level.
The Home Hub is, of course, the first voice. However, given its size and shape, it is not surprising that much more remains to be done to the touch. For example, at any time, you can slide your finger from the bottom of the screen to access brightness, volume, and settings. Swipe down to access the broadcast and any home devices you have connected.
This control panel is the flagship application of Home Hub. Divided into different categories such as lights and cameras (no action), the interface serves as a one-stop shop for monitoring and controlling all kinds of different settings on connected devices. The adoption of touch controls by Google is really what makes it work, with the product serving as a holy grail for home control, similar to what Apple works with its own home application.
The device must connect quickly to all Made By or Works With Google devices. This is a nice list, although the lack of a real hub for the smart home is blatant – it's exactly there in the name. The addition of the Zigbee feature was a pretty central upgrade to the latest Echo Show. On the other hand, Google is focusing more on creating its own ecosystem of products, as evidenced by the recent addition of smart light bulbs from GE that connect to household devices via Bluetooth.
It will be a good system if enough products have jumped on board. For the moment, however, the company has a little limited its device ecosystem. That said, Google's device ecosystem is pretty robust at this point, between Nest devices and, of course, Chromecast, which allows you to stream video directly to the hub and control the device. HBO NOW content, CBS All Access, Starz and Viki via voice. .
There are two other killer apps that require a mention here. The first, YouTube, has already been highlighted above. Google does, however, have the largest video hosting service in the world. This is one of the reasons she was the centerpiece of a fierce battle between Amazon and Google – not to mention the fact that Amazon would have worked on his response to the service.
The Echo browser-based workaround is simply not the same. These things were built for YouTube.
The other is the depth of the wizard's knowledge base. Google has a lot of research, context and machine learning. And as a whole, his offer is smarter than Alexa. There are also pretty little touches to the interface that take the design language of Gmail, Android and other Google properties. For example, when you open your calendar, you get a multitude of dialogs:
- Add an event to my calendar
- What is my next meeting?
- See my agenda for tomorrow
- Set an alarm
- Set a reminder
Press one, and you can add lists with your voice. This is one of the best examples on board of how the touch and voice functions work in tandem.
The Home Hub, like many hardware devices from Google, is the result of many years of software benefits. Here, they form a compact and enjoyable package that, at $ 149, significantly reduces competition.
There are still some problems to be solved and some features that society should consider for the second generation. But overall, this is a first strong entry for Google in the screen smart screens, a wait that is usually worth it.
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