The Google Nest Hub 2, Google’s rumored replacement for the Google Home Hub, was finally officially confirmed with the 7-inch smart screen available pre-order now and goes on sale on March 31, at $ 99.99 / £ 89 / AU $ 149.
The Google Nest Hub 2 may look similar to its predecessor with a ‘floating display’ design, but it has a handy built-in technology that makes it by far Google’s most advanced smart screen – not least because it can detect how well you sleep without you ‘ must wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
We picked out a few features that we like about the new Google Nest Hub 2, which could potentially make our list of best smart screens, as well as some that disappointed us not to see it on Google’s latest smart screen.
Sleep shell
The Google Nest Hub 2 is powered by built-in Soli radar technology, a technology already found in the Google Pixel 4 smartphone and the company’s latest Nest smart thermostat.
The basis of its sleep detection features, can detect the radar when you are awake, asleep or out of bed at night, while also breathing and monitoring coughing or snoring.
The device analyzes this data and provides a daily report outlining how well you slept, and the cause of any interruptions you experienced during the night.
Quick gestures
The Soli radar is not only useful for sleep tracking on the Google Nest Hub. Similar to the way it is used in Pixel smartphones, it also enables the Quick Gestures feature, allowing you to play and interrupt music and video by moving your hand in front of the 7-inch smart screen. This is especially useful if you have cooking and greasy fingers, as you can still control the device without getting the screen dirty.
Better sound
We’ve found that the original Google Home Hub’s sound quality is lacking when it comes to powerful bass, so we’re glad to see that Google’s improved the sound on the Google Nest Hub. The technology giant claims that the new smart screen offers 50% more bass than its predecessor, and we look forward to testing it. While the smart screen is not your primary way of watching TV, it may be your speaker for the room in which it is located. If the audio experience is not about to be listened to when listening to music or watching videos, the device may end up in the corner and disappoint you.
Wire support
Google has included support for the wireless smartphone protocol Back in the Google Nest Hub 2. With the relatively new technology, smart device devices from different manufacturers can work together without the need for a third-party service like IFTTT, for example to turn on smart lights when your smart weather center notices that it is cloudy dull day. It also uses less power, so if any of your smart devices are powered by batteries, it will take longer between charges.
In addition, Google goes a step further to ensure that the Google Nest Hub 2 can act as a wired border router – meaning you can still control smart home devices if you’re not connected to your Wi-Fi network. . So if you realize that your smart lights are on but you have left home, you will still be able to turn them off.
Currently, there are only a handful of smart devices on the market that support Thread, including the Nanoleaf Essential range of smart lights and Eve smart plug and connected weather station. However, it is expected that more will be made available in the future.
Sustainable materials
Google also gave the Nest Hub 2 some ecological papers: the material base of the smart screen is made from recycled plastic bottles.
It’s just like the Google Nest Mini 2, the technology giant’s most affordable smart speaker. The material is available in four colors: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and Mist – a soft pastel blue designed by Google to give a soothing look in the bedroom.
No camera
The original Google Nest Hub, or Home Hub as it was initially called, had one notable omission – a camera for video calling. At the time of the launch, Google said it was protecting users’ privacy by not including a camera.
But the company done add a camera to the larger smart screen, the Google Nest Hub Max. Therefore, we’m disappointed that Google did not include a camera in the Google Nest Hub 2.
This is a feature that all of Amazon’s competitive Echo Show smart screens offer, and would be welcomed by those who want to use the smart screen for video calling.
web browser
At the moment, none of Google’s smart screens – including the new Google Nest Hub 2 – have a built-in web browser, while Amazon’s range of Echo Show smart screens does offer the ability to surf the web.
We believe this would have been a handy addition to the Google Nest Hub 2: if you want to quickly search for something on the internet and do not have a smartphone or tablet at hand, you do not have to stop what you are doing to locate your device. Unfortunately, Google did not feel the need to include a web browser on this updated device.