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Amazon Echo Show 8 (2023) vs. Google Nest Hub (2021): Alexa or Google Assistant?
Which smart display is more suitable for your home?
Amazon has a new version of its Echo Show 8 smart display. It succeeds the company’s second-generation model that was launched back in 2021 and brings improvements in audio quality, a new Thread radio, and several software features. But how do all these exciting features stack up against the Nest Hub (2021) smart display, which is the best Google Assistant smart display? Let’s find out.
Some Nest speakers don't know what a timer for 12 minutes is
They know what a 12-minute timer is, though
Google Assistant used to be the flagship product Google pushed into all kinds of other apps and services, with the Nest speakers and displays at the forefront of the company’s vision to an always-connected future. We all know that Google Bard and other generative AI endeavors are quickly taking Assistant’s spot, with smart home devices and the Assistant itself losing more and more features. It looks like you can count the ability to set a timer for 12 minutes among those, too.
Fuchsia OS is reaching more Nest Hub (2nd Gen) units
You'll still need to be signed up for the Preview Program, though
Google's Fuchsia OS has been in development for a few years, but it wasn't until 2021 that it started reaching some of the company's hardware, the first-gen Nest Hub smart display, followed by the Nest Hub Max in June last year. Earlier this month, the company began silently rolling out Fuchsia OS to some Nest Hub (2nd Gen) units, provided they are enrolled in the Preview Program via the Google Home app. The update is now making its way to more 2nd Gen Nest Hubs users under the same Preview Program.
Google's Fuchsia OS starts spreading to the Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
The changes may be hard to notice on your smart display, though
Google's mysterious new operating system, Fuchsia, is becoming more widespread each day without our knowledge. The company has been quietly developing the OS from the ground up as a non-Linux-based alternative to Android, with the software gradually spreading to Google's first-party smart displays since 2021. It first made its way to the first-generation Nest Hub enrolled in Google’s Preview Program, and then on the Nest Hub Max. As expected, Google is now pushing out the silent upgrade to Fuchsia on the Nest Hub (2nd Gen), meaning the secretive project is about to become the universal OS for the search giant's smart displays.
Automate your home's lighting for just $80 with this Google Nest Hub & Wyze bundle deal
The package includes a second generation Nest Hub and 4 Wyze smart bulbs
It's extremely easy and affordable to make your home smarter these days — especially with discounted bundle kits like this one from Wyze. It includes a Google Nest Hub (2nd gen), which we named the Editor's Choice pick in our roundup of the best Google Assistant smart displays, and a 4-pack of Wyze Bulb Colors, all for just $80. That's cheaper than you'll find the Nest Hub alone just about anywhere, plus you get 4 colored smart bulbs to help automate your lighting.
Put a smart display in every room with this $60 Google Nest Hub deal
It was our 2022 pick for the best Google Assistant smart display
Out of all the smart home devices available today, few of them can make as immediate and obvious impact on your day-to-day life as a smart display. Put one in the kitchen, and you have a cooking companion that can serve up recipes and step-by-step cooking videos. Put one in your office, and you have a personal assistant that can take down notes, add items to your grocery list, check your calendar, or even play your favorite music or podcasts. The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is one of our favorite Google Assistant smart displays right now, and today you can grab one for just $60.
Google Nest Hub sleep tracking remains free for another year
Enjoy Sleep Sensing on your Nest Hub for free until 2023
The Google Pixel 4 marked the debut of Google's custom Soli radar sensor in 2019. It was used for tracking motion and capturing depth information in real time to power Motion Sense. Due to its limited usefulness in real life, Google killed Soli the following year with the Pixel 5. That technology eventually found its way inside the 2021's Nest Hub (2nd gen), powering Sleep Sensing on the smart display. Google later confirmed the feature would be free through 2022 and become a part of Fitbit Premium after that. The company has seemingly changed its mind and is now making Sleep Sensing free for another year.
Fitbit and Google Fit stats spotted on Nest Hub smart display
The second-generation Nest Hub is starting to show activity data pulled from Google services
We've known for months that Google is working on tighter Fitbit and Google Fit integrations for its Nest Hub devices. In May, we learned that "activity metrics" from the two fitness services were coming soon. Now, possibly in preparation for new wearables launching in the fall, that functionality is seemingly starting to land on Nest Hub devices.
Google Nest Hub and Hub Max are down to their lowest prices ever for Prime Day
Hefty savings are also available for the Nest Audio, Mini, and Chromecast with Google TV
Amazon Prime Day is a great time to pick up a new smart display or smart speaker, with everything so heavily discounted. However, Google doesn't directly sell its Nest lineup of smart speakers and displays on Amazon. Apparently the big G doesn't want that to be a reason for you to go ahead and buy a competing product, so it's hosting a sale of its own on the Google Store, where it has heavily discounted Nest-branded smart speakers and displays.
Grab the Nest Hub Max at its lowest price yet, just in time to try Assistant's latest trick
Look and Talk skips wake word activation, and it's only on Google's most premium smart display
Google's more invested than ever in big-screen devices these days, and while many of us are dreaming about its Tensor-powered tablet arriving next year, smart displays are still perfect for littering around the house. They're a must-have these days, whether it's displaying recipes in the kitchen, YouTube videos in the bedroom, or showcasing the weather as you head out for a run. The Nest Hub Max is one of the best models you can buy today, and it's back down to its lowest price yet at the Google Store and Best Buy.
Dockable Nest Hub rumors pick up speed with new Android 13 Beta 1 evidence
It's feeling increasingly likely that this detachable Nest Hub tablet could be about to launch
Google's Nest Hub is a great smart home command center, but it's also a product that's sorely in need of a little fresh blood. The original feels a bit laggy when navigating around its menus, and while we did get some updated hardware a little over a year ago, the addition of Sleep Sensing didn't really feel like a must-have feature worth upgrading for. Recent rumors have suggested that Google could be planning a bold new direction for the Hub, transforming it into a dockable tablet. With today's release of Android 13 Beta 1, we get a couple bits of new evidence that add support for the theory that new Nest Hub's hardware's on the way.
Google's Weather Frog clock face hops on over to the latest Nest Hub
Support arrives a year after it first came to older smart displays
Last year, Google added the Weather Frog photo frame to its lineup of smart displays, giving users a friendly fellow to showcase current conditions in a fun and animated fashion. Although we've seen evidence that even more animal assistants are on the way, the second-gen Nest Hub never actually got support for the original character. That's finally changing, as Google's latest smart display is now home to our favorite frog.
Google Nest Hub gets a new UI that’s so fresh it could bootloop your smart display
There’s a fix, if you do have the issue
If you own a Google Nest Hub product, you will soon get a new user interface on your home's smart display. The company is rolling out a new software update to its smart home Hub products, which simplifies how you can reach settings and apps from the home screen. However, for some, the update has caused their devices to enter a bootloop (spotted by 9To5Google).
Last March, Google introduced the second-gen Nest Hub with improved sound quality and a Soli radar module for features like sleep tracking and gesture controls. Over ten months and plenty of improvements later, the smart display is finally making its way to India — but unfortunately, losing one key ability in the process.
Google Nest Hub could get a new gesture that makes browsing through images easier
All thanks to the Soli radar
Thanks to the built-in Soli radar and Motion Sense, the second-gen Nest Hub supports two Quick Gestures: hold your hand up to play/pause music and wave your hand to dismiss timers and snooze alarms. Now, it looks like Google is preparing to add a third gesture to its smart display to make browsing through your Photos library easier.
The Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max have completed Spanish 101
Google is improving the smart screens' Spanish support
In 2019, Google brought the Nest Hub to a dozen new countries, just as it received a fresh rebranding. Spain was among the twelve regions chosen for official support, but Spanish-language options have been lacking in the US ever since. After two years, Google is finally bringing broader support for how the device functions with one of the most popular spoken languages in the world.
New Weather Frog-style character clocks may be coming to the Nest Hub
It's raining cats and dogs. Or possibly chinchillas. We really don't know yet.
Earlier this year we saw a sizeable update to the Nest Hub and similar Google-powered smart speakers, adding a bunch of features and one cute-as-a-button little guy known as the "Weather Frog." While the Sanrio-style frog is so far the only animated screen of its kind, if recent leaks are any indication, alternatives are coming down the pipe.
Smart displays are a great way to control things around your place, call loved ones, check out recipes while cooking, watch content, and even make sure you're sleeping soundly, provided you get the latest-gen Google Nest Hub. A new one would typically cost you $100, but you can save $30 thanks to this deal.
Google seems to finally be getting serious about Nest Hub apps
A video showing off an app tray surfaced on Reddit
At their core, Google's smart displays are permanently-docked tablets designed to stay in a single location in your home. Despite featuring screen sizes large enough to run full-blown Android, they're using special software perfect for glanceable information like cards and slideshows. However, a new video showing a fresh app UI for the Nest Hub series could be a preview of more functionality coming soon.
Smart Displays and the Assistant are getting new tools to keep your home organized, entertained, and educated
Family Bells ring on devices, plus checklists, routine triggers, new stories, and educational tools
While our daily routines probably aren't as routine as they once were, Google is preparing another round of improvements to Assistant that will make it easier to take control of your activities. Several of the new features are aimed at scheduling and keeping organized, but there are also some great additions to storytelling content and new educational tools coming soon.