Google has announced its second smart display, the Nest Hub Max. Yes, you read that right, it's called the Nest Hub Max.
Part of the inspiration for the name comes from the inclusion of a camera. While that will enable Google Duo calling from the 10-inch device, it's also a fully-fledged Nest Cam, able to keep an eye on your home when you're not there.
Aside from security and calling, it's also gesture enabled, so you no longer have to shout to stop the music, you can just use a hand-signal instead. The camera can also use Face Match technology to recognise you and personalise the Google Assistant experience, only showing your calendar, for example.
The new Next Hub Max offers a larger size than the original Google Home Hub – which gets a name change to be the Google Nest Hub – allowing Goog to squeeze in a subwoofer speaker system for more immersive audio.
That, combined with the larger display, should make it a great choice for those who want something to help them along in the kitchen, with support for step-by-step recipes, YouTube and Google Cast.
The new device squares up against the Amazon Echo Show which has essentially ruled the smart display space for the past couple of years. While Alexa is compatible with a wide range of services and smart home devices, Google has been keeping pace, using Google Assistant to provide information, personalisation and those smart home skills.
Developing story…
