Google Home Max White is an effective voice control system capable of doing many different things; depending on the device used it can play music from streaming services; provide answers and control smart home devices.
Duo provides hands-free calling through both Duo and carrier calling (where available), and visual responses on mobile devices or Chromecast-enabled TVs, along with its sleek and stylish design.
What is a smart speaker?
Smart speakers are voice activated devices capable of performing various tasks. From answering queries, setting alarms, reminders and controlling other devices in your home with integration features if available to them; all powered by virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant and accessible through specific “wake words.”
Wake words vary between brands; popular ones include ‘OK Google,’ ‘Hey Alexa” and “Alexa, play music.” Smart speakers monitor for their activation phrase and only switch into active mode when it has been heard.
Smart speakers can be immensely convenient devices, yet they also come with drawbacks. In order to operate properly, most smart speakers require being connected to both power and an internet source – as well as usually needing an active subscription such as Spotify or Apple Music to function effectively. Some provide voice control integration between different brands or platforms but only within their specific range.
The Nest Audio
The second-generation Nest Audio smart speaker packs some unexpected tricks up its sleeve. Most notably, it ditches its pebble-coloured air freshener aesthetic for something cleaner and softer, while its hardware is impressive – powered by Google Assistant using high performance-machine learning hardware to assist you with questions or requests.
Nest Audio speakers can be combined for multi-room music streaming, while third-party devices such as robot vacuums, light bulbs or smart plugs can connect via Chromecast. There is also a physical toggle on its back which disables its microphones so it can only be controlled through smartphone/tablet apps.
Lily enjoyed how this speaker’s Media EQ automatically tuned itself according to what was being played, making Miley Cyrus’ cover of Blondie’s Heart of Glass sound full and rich while Kendrick Lamar’s Humble had a steady bass line throughout its entirety. She did find its touch controls too sensitive though and found that its portability is limited when compared to competitors.
Sony SRS-RA3000
The Sony SRS-RA3000 Bluetooth speaker features Google Assistant preloaded for easy compatibility with Google devices and services like Gmail, YouTube and Calendar. Voice control makes phone calls or plays music easily using voice activation.
This speaker connects wirelessly to both your WiFi router and home stereo system via Bluetooth, or can be added as part of a group in Google Home app for simultaneous music playback throughout your home.
You can select this device as the output audio device in any streaming music application such as Spotify, Qobuz and Deezer. Furthermore, it offers immersive audio enhancement and automatic volume adjustment to maintain even listening levels across tracks.
Setup of the Sony Music Center smartphone app is both straightforward and straightforward, providing clear instructions of what steps need to be taken for proper setup. Here you can adjust EQ, Immersive Audio Enhancement and auto volume levels as well as setting power saving features.
The Echo Show
The Echo Show stands out from other countertop speakers thanks to its motorized base. It can digitally pan and zoom to keep video calls with services like Skype and Zoom in focus, while simultaneously keeping you centered when watching television shows and movies.
The Amazon Show is the first device to use their new AZ2 neural edge processor and is instantly responsive, unlike previous models which required several seconds before responding. Furthermore, Visual ID recognizes your face even when the lights are turned down – perfect for movie night!
Design-wise, the device resembles either Samsung’s The Frame TV or Facebook Portal more than other Echo devices; featuring a sleek black frame, white matte bezel, and shutter that you can slide open and closed to cover its camera lens. On its Home page are widgets for your calendar, sticky notes, weather forecast, smart-home control features and picture-in-picture feature that allows you to keep tabs on compatible security cameras while watching Netflix or Hulu content.
