Google Nest Audio

The Google Nest Audio is a smart speaker designed to deliver enhanced audio quality and integrate seamlessly with the Google Assistant ecosystem, serving as a central hub for voice control, podcast playback, and smart home management.

It’s Google’s answer to those looking for a balanced audio experience without sacrificing the convenience of a voice assistant, offering a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the Google Home.

This device aims to be the everyday audio companion, whether you’re streaming podcasts, getting news updates, or controlling your smart lights with a simple command.

Product Name	Primary Function	Key Feature 1	Key Feature 2	Price Point Approx.
Google Nest Audio	Smart Speaker	Enhanced Audio Quality	Google Assistant Built-in	$99
Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen	Smart Display	Sleep Sensing	Digital Photo Frame	$99
Google Nest Mini	Compact Smart Speaker	Wall Mountable	Improved Bass from Mini 1st Gen	$49
Google Chromecast with Google TV	Streaming Device	4K HDR Support	Voice Remote with Google Assistant	$49
Philips Hue Smart Light Starter Kit	Smart Lighting	Billions of Colors	App & Voice Control	$99-$199
TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini	Smart Plug	Remote Control	Voice Control via Smart Assistant	$15-$25 per plug
ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control	Smart Thermostat	Room Sensors	Built-in Alexa works with Google Assistant	$200-$250

The Evolution of Google’s Smart Speaker Lineup

Google has been a major player in the smart speaker arena since the launch of the original Google Home in 2016. The Google Nest Audio represents a significant step forward, addressing some of the key feedback from earlier models, particularly concerning audio quality. It’s not just a speaker.

It’s a portal to Google’s AI, designed to make your daily routines smoother and your home smarter.

• From Google Home to Nest Audio: The original Google Home was revolutionary, but its audio capabilities were often described as adequate, not exceptional. The Nest Audio was engineered from the ground up with podcast lovers in mind, boasting a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter, a substantial upgrade from the single 2-inch driver in the Home. This focus on audio is evident in its name, shifting from “Home” to “Nest Audio,” signaling a clear intent to prioritize sound.
• Design Philosophy: Google’s smart speakers have always leaned towards a more fabric-covered, minimalist design that blends into home decor, rather than standing out as a piece of tech. The Nest Audio continues this trend, offering a sleek, soft-touch exterior that fits unobtrusively on a shelf or countertop. This design choice is deliberate, aiming for integration rather than disruption.
• The “Nest” Rebranding: Google unified its smart home devices under the “Nest” brand, which was originally a separate company known for its smart thermostats. This rebranding brought all of Google’s smart home hardware—from speakers to cameras to displays—under one umbrella, creating a more cohesive ecosystem for users. The Nest Audio is a prime example of this integration, offering not just audio but also robust smart home control.

Audio Performance: A Deep Dive into Sound Quality

When Google released the Nest Audio, the marketing heavily emphasized its superior sound. It’s not just fluff.

There’s a tangible improvement over its predecessors.

For anyone considering this device, understanding what makes its audio stand out is crucial. Bose SoundLink Flex

• Driver Configuration: The Nest Audio features a two-driver system: a 75mm approximately 3-inch mid-woofer for rich bass and clear mids, and a 19mm approximately 0.75-inch tweeter for crisp highs. This is a standard and effective setup for delivering a fuller, more balanced sound spectrum compared to a single, full-range driver.
  • Woofer: Responsible for the low and mid-range frequencies, giving body to vocals and instruments.
  • Tweeter: Handles the high frequencies, ensuring clarity and detail in cymbal crashes, string plucks, and vocal sibilance.
• Acoustic Tuning: Google didn’t just throw bigger speakers in. they also focused on acoustic tuning. The enclosure is designed to minimize distortion and maximize sound dispersion. The software processing plays a significant role here, too, dynamically adjusting the sound profile to optimize for different content types, whether it’s spoken word or bass-heavy podcast.
• Bass and Volume: One of the most common criticisms of smaller smart speakers is a lack of bass. The Nest Audio addresses this with a noticeable improvement, delivering more resonant and impactful low frequencies. It also gets considerably louder than the original Google Home or the Nest Mini without significant distortion, making it suitable for larger rooms.
• Stereo Pairing and Multi-Room Audio: For a truly immersive experience, you can pair two Nest Audio devices in a stereo configuration. This creates a dedicated left and right channel, dramatically enhancing the soundstage and separation. Furthermore, the Nest Audio supports multi-room audio, allowing you to synchronize playback across multiple compatible Google Assistant speakers throughout your home. This is perfect for parties or just having podcast follow you from room to room.
  • Stereo Pairing: Requires two identical Nest Audio speakers.
  • Multi-Room Audio: Works with any Google Assistant-enabled speaker, including Nest Hubs, Nest Minis, and third-party devices.

Google Assistant Integration and Smart Home Control

The heart of the Google Nest Audio isn’t just its sound. it’s the intelligent assistant dwelling within.

Google Assistant is what transforms a good speaker into a smart hub, offering unparalleled convenience for daily tasks and home automation.

• Voice Commands and Capabilities:
  • Podcast Control: “Hey Google, play my chill playlist on Spotify.” “Next song.” “Volume up.”
  • Information Retrieval: “Hey Google, what’s the weather like today?” “How tall is Mount Everest?” “When is sunset?”
  • News and Podcasts: “Hey Google, play the latest news.” “Resume my podcast.”
  • Timers and Alarms: “Hey Google, set a timer for 10 minutes.” “Wake me up at 7 AM.”
  • Calendar and Reminders: “Hey Google, what’s on my calendar today?” “Remind me to call Mom at 3 PM.”
• Far-Field Microphones: The Nest Audio features three far-field microphones, designed to pick up your voice commands even in noisy environments or from across the room. This technology uses beamforming to focus on your voice and filter out ambient noise.
• Smart Home Hub: The Nest Audio acts as a central control point for your smart home devices. It integrates with thousands of products from various brands, allowing you to control lights, thermostats, locks, cameras, and more, all with your voice.
  • Examples of Smart Home Control:
    • “Hey Google, turn off the living room lights.” Works with Philips Hue Smart Light Starter Kit, TP-Link Kasa, etc.
    • “Hey Google, set the thermostat to 72 degrees.” Works with ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control, Nest Thermostat, etc.
    • “Hey Google, lock the front door.”
    • “Hey Google, show me the front door camera on the living room TV.” Requires a Google Chromecast with Google TV or Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen.
• Routine Creation: One of the most powerful features is the ability to create custom routines. A routine is a set of actions triggered by a single command or a specific time.
  • “Good Morning” Routine: “Hey Google, good morning.” Could trigger: turning on lights, playing news, telling you the weather, and giving you your calendar for the day.
  • “Good Night” Routine: “Hey Google, good night.” Could trigger: turning off all lights, locking doors, setting the thermostat, and playing sleep sounds.
  • Custom Routines: You can personalize routines to your specific needs, making your smart home truly automated.

Design, Privacy, and Usability

Beyond its core functionalities, the Nest Audio is designed with user experience, aesthetics, and privacy in mind.

These often overlooked aspects are crucial for long-term satisfaction.

• Aesthetic Design: The Nest Audio maintains Google’s signature fabric-covered, minimalist design, available in several muted colors Chalk, Charcoal, Sage, Sand, Sky. This aesthetic allows it to blend seamlessly into various home decors, avoiding the “tech gadget” look. Its relatively compact size 175mm tall x 124mm wide x 78mm deep makes it easy to place on shelves, countertops, or bedside tables.
• Physical Controls: While voice is the primary interaction method, the Nest Audio also includes subtle touch controls on the top surface.
  • Center: Play/Pause.
  • Left/Right Edges: Volume down/up.
  • Rear Toggle: Microphone mute switch for privacy. This physical switch is a critical privacy feature, ensuring that when the mic is off, it’s truly off, providing peace of mind for users concerned about constant listening.
• Privacy Features: Google has implemented several privacy safeguards for the Nest Audio:
  • Microphone Mute Switch: As mentioned, a physical toggle to disable the microphones.
  • Voice Activity Review: Users can review and delete their Google Assistant voice activity through their Google Account settings. This provides transparency and control over personal data.
  • Guest Mode: Allows temporary access for guests without them needing to log into your Google account, ensuring their queries aren’t tied to your history.
• Ease of Setup: Setting up the Google Nest Audio is straightforward. You simply plug it in, download the Google Home app, and follow the on-screen prompts. The app guides you through connecting to Wi-Fi, linking your podcast services, and setting up smart home devices. The process typically takes only a few minutes.
• LED Indicators: Subtle LED lights on the front of the speaker indicate its status:
  • Solid White: Ready for a command.
  • Pulsing White: Processing a command.
  • Orange: Microphone is muted.
  • Rotating Colors: During setup or firmware update.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The Google Nest Audio is more than just a standalone speaker.

It’s a networked device designed to integrate into a broader digital ecosystem.

Understanding its connectivity options is key to leveraging its full potential.

• Wi-Fi Connectivity: The primary mode of connection for the Nest Audio is Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz/5 GHz. This dual-band support ensures a stable and fast connection, crucial for streaming high-quality audio and maintaining responsiveness for voice commands. A robust Wi-Fi network is essential for optimal performance, especially if you plan to use multi-room audio or stream from cloud services.
• Bluetooth 5.0: While Wi-Fi is preferred for smart speaker functionality, the Nest Audio also includes Bluetooth 5.0. This allows you to use the Nest Audio as a traditional Bluetooth speaker, playing audio directly from your smartphone, tablet, or computer, even if you don’t have an active internet connection though Google Assistant functions would be limited. This versatility is a major plus, especially when guests want to play podcast directly from their devices.
• Google Cast Chromecast built-in: This is a core feature that enables seamless audio streaming from thousands of Cast-enabled apps. Whether it’s Spotify, YouTube Podcast, Pandora, or many other popular streaming services, you can “cast” audio directly to your Nest Audio from your phone or computer. This provides a superior audio quality experience compared to Bluetooth, as the speaker pulls the audio directly from the cloud.
• Compatibility with Services:
  • Podcast Services: Google Nest Audio supports a wide array of popular podcast streaming services, including YouTube Podcast, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Pandora, Deezer, and more. Users can set their preferred service as default in the Google Home app.
  • Podcast Services: Integrated with major podcast platforms for easy listening.
  • News Providers: Access to customizable news briefings from various sources.
  • Smart Home Platforms: Compatible with a vast ecosystem of smart home devices and platforms, including Google Home, Matter, Philips Hue, TP-Link Kasa, ecobee, and many others. This broad compatibility makes the Nest Audio a powerful central hub for home automation.
• No Analog Audio Input/Output: It’s important to note that the Nest Audio does not have a 3.5mm auxiliary input or output jack. This means you cannot directly connect external audio sources via a cable or use it to output audio to a larger stereo system without relying on casting or Bluetooth. This is a common design choice for modern smart speakers, prioritizing wireless convenience.

The Nest Audio vs. Competitors: A Comparative Look

The smart speaker market is highly competitive, with Amazon’s Echo line being the primary rival.

Understanding how the Nest Audio stacks up against its competitors is essential for making an informed decision.

• Google Nest Audio vs. Amazon Echo 4th Gen:
  • Design: The Nest Audio is a fabric-covered rectangular prism, designed to be more subtle. The 4th Gen Echo is a spherical design, a more noticeable aesthetic.
  • Audio Quality: Both offer significantly improved audio over their predecessors. The Nest Audio generally excels in clarity and mid-range, while the Echo 4th Gen tends to have a slightly punchier bass and features a built-in Zigbee hub for broader smart home compatibility.
  • Voice Assistant: Nest Audio uses Google Assistant, known for its strong conversational AI and search capabilities. The Echo uses Amazon Alexa, which often has more direct smart home integrations and a broader skill set.
  • Price: Both are similarly priced in the mid-range smart speaker category, typically around $99.
  • Smart Home Hub: The Echo 4th Gen’s integrated Zigbee hub gives it an edge for direct control of some smart home devices without an additional hub, whereas the Nest Audio relies on Wi-Fi and the Google Home app for most integrations.
• Google Nest Audio vs. Apple HomePod Mini:
  • Ecosystem: HomePod Mini is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem Siri, Apple Podcast, HomeKit. Nest Audio is optimized for Google services.
  • Audio Quality: Both provide impressive 360-degree sound for their size. The HomePod Mini focuses on computational audio for balanced output. The Nest Audio offers a more traditional stereo separation potential with pairing.
  • Price: HomePod Mini is typically around $99, similar to the Nest Audio.
  • Smart Home Control: HomePod Mini is a HomeKit hub, which is excellent for Apple users. Nest Audio is a Google Home hub, ideal for a broader range of smart home devices.
• Google Nest Audio vs. Google Nest Mini:
  • Size and Price: Nest Mini is much smaller and more affordable $49. Nest Audio is larger and more expensive $99.
  • Audio Quality: This is the key differentiator. The Nest Audio offers significantly superior audio with its dedicated woofer and tweeter, making it suitable for podcast listening. The Nest Mini is primarily a voice assistant device with basic audio capabilities, best for spoken word or background ambient sound.
  • Use Case: Nest Mini is great for secondary rooms, bathrooms, or as a bedside clock/assistant. Nest Audio is better suited for living rooms, kitchens, or anywhere you want quality podcast.
• Niche Competitors e.g., Sonos One SL:
  • Audio Quality: Sonos speakers are renowned for their audiophile-grade sound quality, often surpassing the Nest Audio, but they come at a higher price point Sonos One SL is typically $199.
  • Smart Assistant: The Sonos One SL is the version without a built-in microphone, but the standard Sonos One includes Alexa and Google Assistant.
  • Ecosystem: Sonos has its own robust multi-room audio system, which is highly regarded. Google’s multi-room is excellent within its own ecosystem.

The Nest Audio finds its sweet spot as a mid-range smart speaker that significantly elevates the audio experience compared to its smaller siblings while remaining more affordable than high-end audio-focused smart speakers. Bose Home Speaker 300

Its strength lies in its balance of sound quality, robust Google Assistant features, and seamless smart home integration.

Sustainability and Environmental Considerations

In an age where environmental impact is increasingly scrutinized, it’s worth examining how the Google Nest Audio aligns with sustainable practices.

Google has made efforts to incorporate recycled materials and energy efficiency into its products.

• Recycled Materials: Google states that the Nest Audio’s enclosure is made from 70% recycled plastic. This significantly reduces the demand for virgin plastics and helps divert waste from landfills. While not 100% recycled, it’s a positive step in consumer electronics manufacturing.
• Energy Efficiency:
  • Low Power Mode: When not actively in use, the Nest Audio enters a low-power standby mode to conserve energy.
  • Software Optimizations: Google continually updates the device’s software to optimize energy consumption.
  • Carbon Neutral Operations: Google aims for its entire hardware operation from manufacturing to usage to be carbon neutral. This includes investments in renewable energy and carbon offset programs.
• Longevity and Support: The lifespan of a smart speaker also plays a role in its sustainability. Regular software updates from Google ensure that the Nest Audio remains functional and secure over time, reducing the need for premature replacement. This commitment to long-term software support extends the useful life of the device.
• Packaging: Google has also made efforts to reduce the amount of plastic in its packaging, often using recycled paper and cardboard. While small, these cumulative efforts contribute to a lower environmental footprint.

It’s important to remember that all electronic devices have an environmental impact, but conscious efforts by manufacturers like Google to use recycled materials, improve energy efficiency, and support products long-term are steps in the right direction.

For consumers, choosing products with these considerations can contribute to more responsible consumption.

Enhancing Your Nest Audio Experience: Tips and Tricks

Getting a Google Nest Audio is just the first step.

To truly unlock its potential and make it an indispensable part of your smart home, here are some practical tips and tricks.

• Mastering Voice Commands:
  • Be Specific: Instead of “play podcast,” try “play jazz podcast by Miles Davis on Spotify.”
  • Contextual Commands: If podcast is playing, you can say “next,” “volume up,” or “stop” without repeating “Hey Google.”
  • Chaining Commands: For some actions, you can chain commands: “Hey Google, turn on the lights and play my morning playlist.”
  • Explore “What Can You Do?”: Ask your Nest Audio, “Hey Google, what can you do?” to discover new features and commands.
• Optimizing Audio:
  • Equalizer Settings: Use the Google Home app to adjust the bass and treble for your Nest Audio. This allows you to fine-tune the sound to your preference and room acoustics. Go to the device settings in the Google Home app > Audio > Equalizer.
  • Stereo Pairing: If you have two Nest Audio speakers, set them up as a stereo pair in the Google Home app for a much richer and more immersive sound experience.
  • Placement Matters: Place the speaker away from walls and corners for better sound dispersion and bass response. Experiment with different locations in your room to find the sweet spot.
• Leveraging Routines:
  • Personalized Routines: Create custom routines for your daily activities. For example, a “Leaving Home” routine that turns off all lights, locks the doors, and adjusts the thermostat.
  • Scheduled Routines: Set routines to trigger at specific times, like playing relaxing podcast before bed or turning on outdoor lights at dusk.
  • Sunrise/Sunset Routines: For smart lighting, use the sun’s position to trigger lights automatically.
• Smart Home Integration:
  • Group Devices: In the Google Home app, create “rooms” and assign devices to them e.g., “Living Room lights”. This allows for easy control: “Hey Google, turn off the living room lights.”
  • Explore Compatibilities: Check the Google Home app or Google’s compatibility list to see which smart devices work with Google Assistant. The range is vast, from thermostats like ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control to smart plugs like TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini.
  • Guest Mode: If you have visitors, use Guest Mode to allow them to use the speaker without accessing your personal Google account.
• Privacy Settings:
  • Review Activity: Regularly review and delete your Google Assistant activity via your Google Account settings to maintain privacy.
  • Microphone Mute: Don’t forget the physical microphone mute switch on the back of the device if you want absolute privacy.
• Troubleshooting Basics:
  • “Hey Google” Not Responding: Check the microphone mute switch. If it’s not muted, try unplugging the device for 10 seconds and plugging it back in a soft reboot.
  • Wi-Fi Issues: Ensure your Wi-Fi router is working correctly and the Nest Audio is within range. If problems persist, try restarting your router.
  • App Glitches: If the Google Home app is acting up, try clearing its cache or reinstalling it.

By taking the time to explore these features and settings, you can transform your Google Nest Audio from a simple speaker into a highly personalized and efficient smart home assistant.

Future Outlook for Google Nest Audio and Smart Speakers

• Enhanced AI and Contextual Understanding: Google is continuously improving its Assistant’s ability to understand natural language and context. Future updates will likely make interactions even more seamless, allowing for more complex multi-turn conversations and proactive assistance. Imagine your Nest Audio not just answering questions but anticipating your needs based on your habits and calendar.
• Interoperability Matter Standard: The smart home industry is moving towards greater interoperability with standards like Matter. As a participant in this initiative, Google is likely to ensure that future Nest devices, including smart speakers, are fully compatible. This means easier setup and more reliable connections between devices from different manufacturers, removing some of the current fragmentation challenges in smart homes.
• More Advanced Audio Technologies: While the Nest Audio is a significant step up, the pursuit of better audio is relentless. We might see further advancements in computational audio, adaptive sound to room acoustics, and potentially even more advanced multi-driver setups in future iterations or premium models. The goal is to deliver an even more immersive and accurate sound profile.
• Deeper Integration with Google Services: Expect even tighter integration with Google’s vast suite of services, including Workspace Calendar, Gmail, Google Maps, and potentially new AI-driven personal assistance features. This could include proactive alerts based on traffic, smarter itinerary management, or more personalized recommendations.
• Health and Wellness Integration: With devices like the Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen featuring Sleep Sensing, it’s not a stretch to imagine future audio-focused smart speakers incorporating more passive sensing capabilities for health and wellness, perhaps even environmental monitoring.
• Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: As discussed, sustainability is a growing concern. Future designs will likely incorporate even higher percentages of recycled materials and even more aggressive energy-saving modes, aligning with broader corporate environmental goals.
• New Form Factors: While the Nest Audio’s design is effective, Google might explore other form factors for its audio-centric smart speakers, perhaps smaller, more portable options, or larger, more powerful home theatre integrations.
• Increased Privacy Controls: As public awareness around data privacy grows, smart speaker manufacturers will continue to implement and highlight enhanced privacy controls, giving users more transparency and granular control over their data.

The Google Nest Audio is a solid foundation, and its future iterations will undoubtedly build upon its success, pushing the boundaries of what a smart speaker can do in terms of both audio fidelity and intelligent assistance.

The trend is clear: smarter, more integrated, and more environmentally conscious devices that seamlessly blend into our daily lives. Anker Soundcore Motion+

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Google Nest Audio?

The Google Nest Audio is a smart speaker designed by Google that offers enhanced audio quality and integrates the Google Assistant, allowing users to control podcast, manage smart home devices, get information, and more, all with voice commands.

How does the Nest Audio compare to the original Google Home?

The Nest Audio is a direct successor to the original Google Home, offering significantly improved audio quality with a larger woofer and a dedicated tweeter, resulting in richer bass and clearer highs.

It also has a more modern, fabric-covered design and updated Google Assistant features.

Can I play podcast from Spotify on Google Nest Audio?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio supports popular podcast streaming services like Spotify, YouTube Podcast, Apple Podcast, Pandora, and Deezer.

You can set your preferred service as default in the Google Home app.

Does Google Nest Audio have a battery?

No, the Google Nest Audio does not have a built-in battery.

It needs to be plugged into a wall outlet to function.

Can I use two Google Nest Audio speakers together for stereo sound?

Yes, you can pair two Google Nest Audio devices together in the Google Home app to create a stereo sound system, providing a more immersive audio experience with dedicated left and right channels.

Is Google Nest Audio compatible with Bluetooth?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio supports Bluetooth 5.0, allowing you to stream audio directly from your phone, tablet, or computer, much like a traditional Bluetooth speaker.

How do I set up my Google Nest Audio?

Setup is done through the Google Home app on your smartphone or tablet. Anker Soundcore Motion 300

Plug in the Nest Audio, open the app, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your Wi-Fi network and link your Google account.

Can Google Nest Audio control my smart lights?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio can control a wide range of smart home devices, including smart lights from brands like Philips Hue and TP-Link Kasa, as long as they are compatible with Google Assistant.

Does the Nest Audio have a microphone mute switch for privacy?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio features a physical microphone mute switch on the back of the device, allowing you to completely disable the microphones for privacy.

What colors does the Google Nest Audio come in?

The Google Nest Audio is available in several colors, including Chalk white, Charcoal black, Sage green, Sand pink/beige, and Sky blue.

Can I make calls with Google Nest Audio?

Yes, you can make calls to contacts in your Google Contacts via Wi-Fi calling and supported businesses using your Nest Audio.

What is the audio quality like on the Nest Audio?

The Nest Audio offers significantly improved audio quality compared to smaller smart speakers, with a 75mm mid-woofer and a 19mm tweeter that deliver richer bass, clear vocals, and crisp highs, making it suitable for podcast listening.

Does the Nest Audio support multi-room audio?

Yes, you can group multiple Google Assistant-enabled speakers, including the Nest Audio, Nest Mini, and Nest Hubs, to play synchronized audio across different rooms in your home.

Can I cast audio to Google Nest Audio?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio has Chromecast built-in, allowing you to cast audio directly from thousands of Cast-enabled apps on your smartphone or computer to the speaker.

Is the Google Nest Audio waterproof?

No, the Google Nest Audio is not waterproof or water-resistant.

It is designed for indoor use and should be kept away from moisture. Vote for the next VPN we buy

What voice assistant does the Google Nest Audio use?

The Google Nest Audio exclusively uses the Google Assistant for all its voice-controlled features.

How much does the Google Nest Audio cost?

The typical retail price for the Google Nest Audio is around $99, though prices can vary based on sales and retailers.

Can I set alarms and timers on Google Nest Audio?

Yes, you can easily set alarms and timers using voice commands, such as “Hey Google, set a timer for 15 minutes” or “Hey Google, wake me up at 6 AM.”

Does the Nest Audio learn my voice?

Yes, the Google Nest Audio supports Voice Match, which allows it to recognize individual voices and provide personalized responses, such as calendar events or specific podcast preferences.

What smart home devices are compatible with Google Nest Audio?

The Nest Audio is compatible with thousands of smart home devices that work with Google Assistant, including smart lights, thermostats, locks, cameras, and more from various brands.

Can I use Google Nest Audio as a speaker for my TV?

You can cast audio from your TV to the Nest Audio if your TV has Chromecast built-in or if you use a Google Chromecast with Google TV and group the devices.

However, there is no direct audio input for a wired connection.

What are Google Assistant Routines and how do they work with Nest Audio?

Google Assistant Routines allow you to trigger a series of actions with a single voice command or at a scheduled time.

For example, a “Good Morning” routine could turn on lights, play news, and tell you the weather.

How does the microphone on Nest Audio pick up my voice?

The Nest Audio uses three far-field microphones with beamforming technology, which helps it pick up your voice commands from across the room, even in noisy environments, by focusing on your voice and filtering out ambient sound. MEGA VPN

Is there a display screen on the Google Nest Audio?

No, the Google Nest Audio is a smart speaker without a screen.

If you’re looking for a smart display with Google Assistant, consider the Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen.

Can I control YouTube videos with Google Nest Audio?

While the Nest Audio cannot display videos, you can use voice commands to control YouTube Podcast playback.

If you have a Chromecast-enabled TV, you can also ask your Nest Audio to play YouTube videos on your TV.

What is the power consumption of Google Nest Audio?

The Google Nest Audio is designed to be energy-efficient, particularly when in idle or low-power standby mode.

Google states it is made with 70% recycled plastic in its enclosure.

Does the Nest Audio have an equalizer?

Yes, you can adjust the bass and treble settings for your Google Nest Audio using the equalizer controls available within the Google Home app.

Can I listen to podcasts on Google Nest Audio?

Yes, you can listen to podcasts from various providers by asking Google Assistant to play specific podcasts or resume your last listened-to episode.

Is the Google Nest Audio good for a large room?

For a large room, a single Nest Audio can provide good background podcast.

However, for a more immersive and louder experience, especially for serious podcast listening, pairing two Nest Audio speakers in stereo is recommended. Cuisinart AIR-200

How does Google Nest Audio handle privacy regarding voice recordings?

Google Nest Audio only records and processes audio after it detects the “Hey Google” hotword.

Users can review and delete their Google Assistant voice activity from their Google Account settings, and a physical microphone mute switch is available for complete privacy.